Hi all,
A new month and a new season as we have officially entered winter, according to meteorologists, and given I have been out and about on a cold and frosty Yorkshire morning, I can concur that we have.
I was hit low by a cold last week which meant I couldn’t get last week’s eyecatcher posted. Here is a double packed article of horse’s worth noting in the coming weeks.
It’s Tingle Creek Day at Sandown on Saturday and Aintree see the return to action of the Grand National fences with the latest running’s of the Becher Chase and Grand Sefton Chase. I will be posting up another ante-post article on Wednesday which will cover Saturday’s big race action.
Eyecatchers – W/e November 24th
Friday November 22nd
Ascot
A decent card at Ascot on Friday. Which saw an outstanding performance by Angels Breath, to win the novice chase that opened the meeting and a couple of eyecatchers.
Angels Breath – Nicky Henderson
There may have only been four runners in the 2m 3f novices chase but it didn’t lack quality and the race was run at a sound gallop throughout. He jumped well on his chase debut and had too many gears for his three rivals.
Looking to the future he’s a best priced 14/1 with Sky Bet for the Arkle Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Those odds suggest connections will opt to drop the 5-year-old to the minimum trip rather than go for the JLT Novices’ Chase. This years Arkle could be a strong one but Angels Breath has produced the best performance by an English trained novice chase so far.
Cloth Cap – Jonjo O’Neill
A winner of two good ground handicap chases last November out in a career best when 3rd of 23 in the Scottish Grand National on his final start of last season. Down the field on his seasonal reappearance at Chepstow on soft ground.
He ran a lot better when 3rd of 13 to Militarian again on soft ground. Three miles was too short for the 7-year-old, but he remains a staying chaser to keep onside when stepped back up in trip and or gets better ground.
Lust For Glory – Nicky Henderson
Returned from a 224-day break to finish 2nd of 9 behind all the way winner Not So Sleepy in the handicap hurdle that concluded the card.
Twice a winner over hurdles as a novice last season the mare has returned to action of what looks a competitive mark.
The handicapper has nudged her up just 2lb for this effort which seems fair enough to me and she will surely be placed to winning advantage sooner rather than later.
Saturday November 23nd
Two eyecatcher from Haydock’s Saturday card.
Haydock
Sharp Response – Sue Smith
It’s been a tough autumn for trainer Sue Smith, but the winners will soon be flowing.
Sharp Response who had jumped impressively to win the 3m 6f North Yorkshire Grand National Catterick back in January. Ran much better than he had his Kelso seasonal reappearance when 2nd of 10 to Crievehill. No match for the prominently ridden winner but he was staying on well enough from the rear.
The 8-year-old remains unexposed over staying distances and is just 4lb higher than for his last win. Probably doesn’t like really testing winter ground and will do better when getting a longer distance than 3m 1f. He could be well be aimed at another tilt at the North Yorkshire Grand National.
Tedham – JonJo O’Neil
The 5-year-old looks likely to have gone into plenty of trackers after his eyecatching effort behind Stoney Mountain in the valuable 3 ½ f handicap hurdle. Sent off the 5/1 favourite, the son of Shirocco, had shaped like the run was needed when 6th of 17 at Cheltenham on his seasonal reappearance.
Travelling nicely behind the leaders he seemed to get outpaced and lost his place coming into the straight. Looked like he might drop through the field but stayed on strongly all the way to the line to snatch third.
A strong staying hurdler over 3m+. The handicapper has raised him 3lb for this effort, but he remains on a winnable mark. There’s a decent handicap hurdle pot in him before the season ends and he has the potential to be contender for a race like the Pertemps at the Cheltenham Festival.
Eyecatchers – W/e December 1st
Five eyecatchers from last week’s action.
Friday November 29th
Newbury
Glen Forsa – Mick Channon
A winner of his first three chase starts although failed to complete on his final two starts in Grade 1 company at Cheltenham & Aintree last season.
Despite a little keenness the 7-year-old made a highly encouraging return to action when 3rd of 12 behind Oldgrangewood. That was his first start since pulling up at Aintree in April and the runs should have taken the freshness out of the gelding.
Has scope for improvement and can win races this winter.
Closing Ceremony – Emma Lavelle
Closing Ceremony has reached the veteran stage but as he showed on his final start of last season, he’s capable of winning a handicap hurdle when all the cards fall right.
Starting the season off 5lb higher than winning at Haydock by a nose in January. He ran well for a long way, before fading out of contention, three out, in the handicap hurdle that concluded the Friday card.
Will be all the better for this run 0 wins from 8 runs 2 placed when returning from a 60+ day break, compared to 5 wins from 9 runs +25.41 6 placed when racing within 60-days of his last start.
He may have to drop a couple of pounds to win again but he will be worth noting when he returns to flat speed favouring track. A winner at Kempton, but four of his five career wins have come at Haydock.
Saturday November 30th
Newbury
Larry – Gary Moore
Down the field on his Ascot seasonal reappearance. Larry ran much better than his final position of 8th suggests here. He travelled well enough for a long way but just didn’t seem to stay the 2m 6 ½ f. The 6-year-old is now just 1lb higher than when winning a Class 2 novices handicap chase at Sandown in April.
I wouldn’t rule him out in a big field handicap, but his optimum conditions seem to be field sizes 11 or less, up to 2m 5f in trip between January to April – 5 wins from 7 runs 71% +12.69 7 placed 100% with form figures 1231111.
Newcastle
Captain Chaos – Dan Skelton
Hadn’t really fired on either start this season but bounced back to something like his best in the first-time cheekpieces when runner up in the Rehearsal Handicap Chase at Newcastle. Beaten just ¾ length by Takingrisks with Top Ville Ben back in third.
The handicapper has put the 8-year-old up 3lb for this effort but of the headgear continues to do the trick, he remains on a competitive mark. Handled the heavy ground well enough here but all six of his career wins have come on soft and his record in single figure digit field sizes on soft ground is 6 wins from 11 runs 55% +5.11 7 placed.
Runner-up in last year’s Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby another go in that race, on Boxing Day, seems likely.
Top Ville Ben who finished third may also be worth keeping note of and the Rowland Meyrick could well also be a target for the 7-year-old. Third to Lostintranslation in a Grade 1 at Aintree in April. This was a career best effort over fences. He jumped well for a long way and was still in the lead after the last just getting caught in the final 100yds. Up 3lb after this but can win a decent handicap pot off this sort of mark.
Sunday December 1st
Fairyhouse
There was some tremendous Grade 1 action at Fairyhouse on Sunday. Envoi Allen and Honeysuckle both enhanced their claims for success at the big spring fesitvals as did Fakir D’oudairies in winning the Drinmore Novices’ Chase.
The French bred 4-year old put in an electrifying jumping display and although market rival Samcro came down two out when still travelling well his jumping needs to improve greatly if he’s to ever beat the winner. This win came over 2m 4f, Fakir D’oudairies could well be even better over shorter and looks a serious Arkle contender on the evidence of this performance.
Ciel De Neige – Willie Mullins
Sometimes you find that the eyecatcher’s that you put up have already caught the attention of plenty of race readers. And it’s the case here with Ciel De Neige.
The 4-year-old had made his debut for Willie Mullins when 3rd of 21 in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. That was a cracking run and marked him down as useful hurdler in the making.
Making his seasonal reappearance, he finished 4th of 15 in the handicap hurdle won by stablemate Janidil. He seemed to get slightly outpaced coming into the straight but was staying on well all the way to the line. Raced like he will get further than 2m and can be competitive in valuable handicap hurdles this winter.
There’s likely to be another ante post article posted up tomorrow afternoon which will cover Saturday’s big races at Aintree & Sandown.
Cheers
John