Spring Romance (far side) finishing fourth
SPRING ROMANCE clearly enjoyed being back on the racecourse after over six months off when coming fourth, beaten just a length, at Lingfield yesterday for Solario Racing (Berkhamsted).
It was good to have racing back on the road after the BHA gave the green light for racing to resume from last Wednesday and it was particularly good to see “Neville” back on the track after 213 days off. His autumn break has clearly done him the world of good as he has filled out and matured physically and indeed mentally. In some respects, he’s almost unrecognisable as he’s also started to show a lot of grey hairs!
Adam Kirby was back in the saddle for the first time since he rode him twice at Windsor in the horse’s first two runs, so it was going to be interesting to gauge Adam’s views on how he thought the horse had come on.
During the race itself, which was Spring Romance’s first time over 5f on the all-weather, the 4yo son of Zebedee was always fairly handy. He made a move up the inside rail in the home straight and for one second it looked as though he might go on. However, lack of match practice told and he came home in fourth place a length behind the winner, It’s All A Joke.
Adam was pleased with the run but felt Spring Romance needed the race, which was no surprise after such an absence. The Racing Post remarked: “Although a beaten favourite, this was an encouraging enough return.”
So, it was to be no belated Valentine’s Day win for the connections of Spring Romance but there is plenty to look forward to throughout the year. He’s a versatile horse, who has won on the all-weather and turf, over five and six furlongs. As ever it will be interesting to see what the handicapper does but what we have learned is that the horse has trained on from three to four.
