Martin Dixon of the Horse Watchers gives his verdict on a couple of the team's recent runners.
Recent Reflections
Sanat
It was frustrating that he didn't get a clear run when fourth at Newcastle. He caught everyone's eye with how he shaped and he should have finished closer but it didn't open up for him.
He was only just ready to get started and he'll have benefited from the run. We were frustrated that he didn't have an opportunity to show us what he might have been able to do had it opened up, but, equally, we were pleased he went through the race like a well-handicapped horse in good form.
He's probably going to have an entry for Newcastle on Saturday over six furlongs. I don't know if we'll run there or wait until the week after when there are several options. I'd like to think he can go close wherever he goes next.
He's a very strong-travelling horse but when he comes off the bridle he's had a habit in his work at home of hanging to his left, which is a tendency he showed in his races with Roger Varian as well. That's part of the reason why Ali [Rawlinson] wanted to keep him covered up for as long as he could, but obviously it backfired that day. He might be a horse who doesn't deliver absolutely everything immediately off the bridle.
He was effective over five furlongs so we can either keep him at that trip or consider going back up to six which he's won over before. I'd hope there will be plenty of improvement in him and he should be a horse to follow.
Symbol of Light
We were delighted with him when fourth on his return at Newcastle. He was always going to benefit from the run as he'd been off the track a long time and he's a big, heavy horse. If they'd just gone a stride quicker I think it would have suited him more, but having made up quite a lot of ground to get onto the heels of the leaders he blew up a little bit in the final 100 yards. That will have brought him forward and the plan is to go to Newcastle on January 18.
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