Fasol prevails in close finish
Fasol secured the top spot in the 15:10 Cutler and Gross Handicap Hurdle on Nov. 14, overcoming a late challenge from Watamu in a race decided by the narrowest of margins. The result lists 10 runners for the Class 3 contest, which was held over two miles on turf in conditions described as good, with good to soft patches in places. The winner's prize was £13,202.
The winning horse was prominent during the race before moving into second position ahead of the third-last hurdle. Fasol then applied pressure at the next obstacle, took the lead soon afterward and managed to maintain that advantage on the run to the line. Watamu, who had been held up toward the back of the field early on, made substantial progress before the final stages and appeared to have a chance, but could not quite get past the eventual winner.
“Hard pressed flat, just prevailed.”
Watamu was credited with second place, finishing a short head behind Fasol. Zarakerjack took third, coming through toward the finish after being briefly short of room following the third-last hurdle. The result shows Kapitein Kool in fourth, followed by Misterdoc, Demoiselle Kap, Moves Like Mason, Secret Squirrel, Anniversary and Tunisya. One other listed entry, Watamu's race position notwithstanding, was not recorded as a non-runner; the card states that 10 runners completed the declared field and lists a winning time of 3 minutes 45.1 seconds.
How the race unfolded
The finishing order and recorded descriptions point to a contest shaped by the pace of the leaders and a late effort from horses positioned farther back. Kapitein Kool led for much of the race and was still being pressed at the second-last hurdle, but faded after losing the lead. Misterdoc improved from the rear group and reached fifth at the final obstacle, although the horse was never considered a serious threat to the leaders. Demoiselle Kap also made ground but had no impact after being pushed along before the third-last hurdle.
- Winner: Fasol, with a starting price of 11/1.
- Runner-up: Watamu, beaten by a short head at 7/2.
- Third: Zarakerjack, three and a half lengths behind the second-place finisher at 3/1.
- Race time: 3:45.1 over two miles on turf.
The performance data supplied with the result also ranked Fasol first for the card's jump index, with a mark of 8.8 out of 10. Secret Squirrel was ranked second at 8.7, while Kapitein Kool was third at 8.5. The separate median-lengths-gained measure placed Fasol first at 2.96 lengths, ahead of Kapitein Kool at 2.47 and Zarakerjack at 2.03.
Result and payouts
| Position | Horse | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Fasol | 11/1 |
| 2nd | Watamu | 7/2 |
| 3rd | Zarakerjack | 3/1 |
| 4th | Kapitein Kool | 7/1 |
The reported Tote return for a winning bet was 13.20, while place returns were 3.40, 1.50 and 1.80. The exacta paid 62.40, the trifecta returned 174.30, and swinger figures were listed as 7.50, 2.80 and 6.90. The source identifies Mrs C H Vogt and Bryan Drew as the winning owners, Paul G Jacobs as the owner of the runner-up, and The Fat Jockey Partnership as the owners of the third-place horse.
The result records one horse as not running and notes that the field was presented as 10 runners. No further details were provided about the wider meeting, racecourse attendance or any Ontario connection. The Windsor result therefore stands as a report of the supplied racing card: a closely fought hurdle in which Fasol converted a late lead into victory by a short head.
