Jim Crowley blames slow pace for Tasleet’s poor Darley July Cup performance
Tasleet was keen early on in the race in the Darley July Cup and Crowley reckons it was too slow a pace for his ride in the race won by Harry Angel where Caravaggio also under performed
JOCKEY Jim Crowley believes a slow early pace went against Tasleet in Saturday's July Cup.
William Haggas' Duke of York winner headed to Newmarket with strong claims having been narrowly denied by The Tin Man in the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot.
However, he was one of several leading fancies for the Group 1 to under perform behind impressive winner Harry Angel.
"It was a strange race, they went very slow. With Aidan O'Brien having a pacemaker, I was surprised how slow we went early on," Crowley told At The Races.
"He was very keen, he needs a strong pace and is probably at his best with a bit more juice in the ground as we saw at York.
"He'll live to fight another day and come back.
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"When you see them all finish in a bunch, it shows how steady we went - take nothing away from the winner, though, because he's a very good horse.
"With the likes of Caravaggio, he looked like he'd have been suited to a stronger pace and it was the same with Tasleet.
"The Prix Maurice de Gheest could be one of his targets over six-and-a-half and if it comes up soft in races like the Haydock Sprint Cup and on Champions Day, he'll come right into it."
Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, also felt the track at Newmarket may not have played to Tasleet's strengths.
He said: "He was too keen, as you could see, and that was definitely something to do with the pace. For me, though, he has never particularly liked contours on a track.
"He seems to have a better action on a flat track. Jim Crowley said going down the hill he just backed off him."