Caspian Caviar Gold Cup 2014

Finally Caspian Caviar sponsor a big race………..about time.

Shame they couldn’t get a better turnout for their support, and 16 runners at this stage is a bit of a disappointment. To be fair, this race is probably never as high profile as The Paddy Power, but it’s a decent enough prize in itself, and the quality looks a bit thin on the ground.

The Paddy Power is always the obvious starting point for this race, and the winner that day, Caid Du Berlais, gets an entry. Hit with a 5lb rise, that’s going to make life tougher, though on the face of it, probably not prohibitive, and with the decimated field, he must have a strong chance. The odds though, as low as 7-2 in places, reflect this. His run in The Paddy Power was timed to perfection, and only a 5yo, it would seem reasonable to assume that he’s got a lot more improvement to come. He had always kind of passed me by before the Paddy Power, but annoyingly, I was aware of how potentially well treated he looked, and he had clearly run well in a lot of hot races. I don’t think a 5lb hike is enough to keep him out the frame here this time.

A few of the entries here, also took in the race, though obviously not as many as there usually is.

Edgardo Sol, and Ericht were down the field, and of the 2, I’d sway towards Edgardo. He’s been a very costly horse for me, and I’ve bet him many times the last couple of years. I thought he was going to be just short of top class for a while, but he seemed to really go off the boil. He did however, have a really good prep for this in The Old Roan at Aintree, behind Wishfull Thinking, so the ability is still there, and that reads even better after The Petrborough Chase. He certainly, albeit briefly, looked like he was going to take a hand in proceedings, in The Paddy Power, but he just couldn’t get there. I seen enough there though, to consider him each way at 20’s in this weaker heat. I’d all but written off Ericht for The Paddy Power, and I thought I was going to have egg on my face, as he looked dangerous heading for home. Yet again though, he came up short, and I reckon he’s got to drop a few pounds before he lands a prize like this, though I’m a lot more reluctant to write off his chances this time around. This line up is a different proposition altogether. Eventually pulling up in the race, was the David Pipe trained Easter Meteor. The burden of my cash didn’t do him any good, and he was very disappointing. Although he had only been with Pipe a matter of weeks, I thought that might have been time to give him a bit of an edge, but he ran very flat, and his run when falling close to home in last years Paddy Power, remains, probably his best run in the last year. I wouldn’t be in as big a rush to bet him this time around, though that 16’s is going to look huge if Pipe has had him long enough to work his magic.

Attaglance was an eleventh hour withdrawal for The Paddy Power, and he didn’t look without a chance that day, certainly going back to his run at in The Rewards4Racing Novices Chase at The Festival. But for a moment of madness from his rider, he would have won that day, and he deserves some recompense. He’s only had one run over fences off his revised mark, since that day, and he ran respectably enough. He remains on the shortlist here, and the 12’s available with Boylesports and Stan James looks appealing, certainly when he’s 8 elsewhere. He does however, come with risks ante-post, as he probably wouldn’t want it too soft, so might be better to take the odds on the day..

Vying for second favouritism are No Buts, Sound Investment, and Barrakilla. The 3 of them locked horns at Sandown a month ago, with Sound Investment coming out on top, giving plenty of weight away. There wasn’t that much between them that day, but on revised terms, No Buts put Sound Investment in his place at Newbury last time. No Buts has been put up 10lbs for his win that day, and as impressive as he was, I’d fancy Sound Investment to finish ahead of him here, though he still has a fair old chance at 8’s. Sound Invsetment, without being one of Paul Nicholls superstars, is consistent enough, and bar a poor show at Aintree in the spring, is never far away. Like his stablemate, with age on his side, and from a top yard, he looks a valid each way proposition at 12’s. Going back to that Sandown race, then Barakilla must come in to the reckoning. As mentioned, not much between the 3 of them that day, however Barakilla will come here only a pound higher, and of the 3, he’d get the nod. That was his first run of the year, and if, as could be expected, he comes on from that, then he looks very appealing at 10’s. The weather forecast will hold no fears for him, and from connections who are no strangers to landing the odd big prize, he’s very definitely on the shortlist.

Another yard getting used to landing decent prizes is Dan Skeltons. He’s got What A Warrior, and Workbench entered. This looks short enough for What A Warrior, and he may be high enough in the weights at the moment. His run in The Hennessy was a bit disappointing off the back of 2 victories, albeit he was very impressive at Ascot, and dangerous to totally write off after that run. I’m more interested though in Workbench at this stage. I’d have liked him to have been closer in a moderate affair at Exeter last time, but forgiving him that he looks as if he could be on handy enough mark. In fine form this season, winning 3 times mixing hurdles and fences, I think his current mark has a bit of room to manoeuvre. He didn’t disgrace himself behind John’s Spirit, here in October, nor did he disgrace himself when stepped up in trip in The Badger Ales at Wincanton. I really think at 20’s, he’s an interesting one.

The Philip Hobbs yard can do no wrong at the moment, but I’m struggling to get too enthusiastic about Carrigmorna King. After winning at Stratford in the autumn, his rise in the weights seemed to find him out last time, in the race at Newbury taken in by No Buts, and Sound Investment, and he never really landed a blow.

It’s very rare I don’t give a lot of attention to a Venetia Williams runner, but as nicely as Niceonefrankiewon last time, he’s been given a massive hike, and I think that’ll be enough to stop him.

A Kim Bailey trained winner would be very popular, and he looks to have an interesting runner in Darna. A very promising Novice in 2012, he struggled a wee bit the following season, before disappearing without trace for 2 years. He came back though at Sedgefield last month, winning as he liked, and although another to have been hit hard for his win, the sheer manner of his victory, off the back of a 2 year spell on the sidelines, suggests there might be more to come, and it certainly looks as if he’s been very well looked after by Bailey. 14’s looks fair.

If it’s a consistent animal you’re looking for, then Headly’s Bridge might fit the bill. Dependable enough, and rarely runs a bad race, he started his season off with a win last month, for which he wasn’t unduly punished. There’s just the thought though, that a prize of this nature might just be beyond him, and despite being as low as 14’s in places, he’s still readily available at 25’s elsewhere. He’d probably need everything to fall right for him, and he doesn’t look totally out of it, but as dependable as he is, I’ll just have to leave him be for now.

“Old” Tatenen ran no sort of race at Sandown last month behind No Buts, Sound Investement, and Barakilla, but I just feel that, round here, he might just be a different proposition. It’s only a year ago he was winning a competitive handicap at Newbury, and although put up a fair bit of that, it didn’t stop him having a decent season. He’s managed to get here off the same mark as finishing 3rd behind Ballynagour in The Byrne Group Plate, and 4th to Ma Filleule in The Topham. That’s 2 pretty decent runs, and forgiving him that Sandown no-show, then he looks as if he can land a blow, and at 25’s, I’m taking a chance each way.

I’m struggling to justify the run from Splash Of Ginge here last time. He was well beaten in a hot Novice event, and off the back of that, he’d have his work cut out here. There is though, a strong suspicion that he’s going to be better than that, and with each race, he’s gaining valuable jumping experience. He landed a small field affair here in October, and though, as has been the case, his jumping was a bit sticky in patches, he dug deep enough to win it. The hustle and bustle of a race like this won’t phase him, as could be seen from his win in The Betfair Hurdle last season, a season in which he showed himself to be a very promising animal. The stable landed this last year with another Novice, and though he clearly comes with risks, in this weak enough renewal, and at 14’s, I think he’s worth that risk.

A disappointing enough line up then, and though the head says Caid Du Berlais, I’ll take a chance on Splash Of Ginge, with Tatenen to chase him home, closely followed by Barakilla, and Workbench. Easy

Good Luck