Now dropped back in trip, Zegalo looks worth siding with in the 1m handicap at Sandown today (8.45)
This Roger Varian trained shaped really well on juvenile debut at Ascot when getting outpaced two from home before staying on strongly inside the final furlong to take third and be beaten just 1 1/4 lengths by Cherokee Trail.
The winner went on to follow-up at Newbury and is now rated 93, whilst the fifth home Ropey Guest – who finished just over two lengths behind in fifth – subsequently finished sixth of 17 to Arizona in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and be placed in four Group 3 contest.
Zegalo then failed to justify odds of 8/11 when a 2 1/2 length runner-up to the now 92-rated Dontaskmegain at Beverley of soft ground before rounding off the campaign with a comfortable 1 3/4 length success in a 1m maiden at Nottingham.
The assessor allotted Zegalo and opening mark of just 80 on the back of those efforts and he ran well off it over 1m 4f at Donascter on return to action when third of five to Indigo Lake where he led until getting headed two form home before weakening deep inside the last to be beaten 4 3/4 lengths.
He backed that up with a fair third over 1m 2f at Haydock earlier in the month when racing prominently and keenly until fading two from home to be beaten 5 1/2 lengths.
Judged on that Zegalo will be well suited by dropping back two furlongs here and he has been eased a pound since and is now able to race off 78.
I think he should be more than capable of winning a race of this nature off that mark over this shorter trip if settling better.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 2pts win Zegalo (11/2 BetVictor – BOG)
