Calculated form adds up for Brave Song

Tom Baddock - Wednesday July 26

Peter and Paul Snowden's Brave Song has proved too strong at his second start in the Ascot Restaurant 2YO Handicap (1200m) at Canterbury on Wednesday.

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Peter Snowden. Photo: Darryl Sherer

The son of Your Song was well supported in betting after finishing strongly on debut to finish a narrow second behind Chris Waller's promising colt Calculated, which has since run well behind Golden Rose hopeful Siege Of Quebec at Rosehill.

Brave Song was restrained by Hugh Bowman to settle second-last in the seven-horse field with Gary Portelli's Puppet Master setting a solid tempo in the lead.

Coming to the turn Brave Song ($2.15fav) quickly swept within a length of the lead and at the furlong sprinted clear for a comfortable 3-length victory over Chis Waller's Sparky Lad ($3.50), with a further three quarters of a length back to Gary Portelli's Puppet Master ($4.80).

"It was a good run first-up and the horse that beat him went on and ran well behind a nice horse of Gai's," Bowman said.

"The form stood up which doesn't surprise me and he's certainly a progressive type.

"He definitely improved from the first-up run, he certainly knew what he was here for today and it was a lot better performance, we expected that as well.

"If Peter and Paul decide to run this horse in a Saturday race in the near future he will certainly make his presence felt."

Paul Snowden was particularly impressed with the improvement the colt had made between runs.

"I'm very impressed with the way he has trained on," Snowden said.

"He was a little bit more switched on at home. It was intriguing to see how much he took out of that run, the race was pretty much in his keeping after 50 yards.

"It certainly franks his run the other day. He was obviously a little bit new to the caper, he did a lot wrong and arguably should have won."

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