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What a cracking race tomorrow Huntingdon has for its biggest race of the year. A field of 11 is set to go (frost permitting) and totally justifies the decision to move back to a midweek date rather than a Saturday.
The meeting has simply not had the general class of horse or jockey since it took the arguably greedy decision to merge into Saturday racing dominated by likes of Haydock and Ascot.
There may well have been some classy, very classy, horses run but only at a very uncompetitive level as owners and trainers have had their top jockeys generally elsewhere. Last year’s two-runner farce when RACING DEMON trounced NATAL was the final nail in the coffin.
Look what we have now tomorrow – plenty of questions to ask:Can the admirable SNOOPY LOOPY produce another big performance in his fifth race in 47 days after Betfair Chase glory and cracking Hennessy run ?
MY WAY DE SOLZEN – plenty to prove ? If he does it could be a cracking day for Alan King who has plenty of leading chances on a card that looks tricky to bet on due to several large fields
MONET’S GARDEN – Another class horse but often excuses come out re ground conditions – will it be right for him tomorrow. Going right-handed will help for sure.
The supporting cast is pretty good too….NATAL (big race ride for Nick Scholfield with Thomas at Taunton), MAHOGANY BLAZE (never rule out top man Brennan for Twister), UNGARO (Reveley runners always go well here) and good old MISTER MCGOLDRICK helping to give jump fans a superb day’s action.
Betting Forecast: 3/1 Snoopy Loopy (IRE), 4/1 Monet’s Garden (IRE), 5/1 My Way de Solzen (FR), 11/2 Natal (FR), 8/1 Mahogany Blaze (FR), 12/1 Lord Henry (IRE), 14/1 One Cool Cookie (IRE), 14/1 Mister McGoldrick, 14/1 Ungaro (FR), 25/1 Nacarat (FR), 33/1 Mont Misere (FR)
After all this build up – i hope the weather is kind and frost relents please
Any thoughts on tomorrow’s race and card in general guys ??
I think it is reverting back to a mid-week slot so as to try and attract more than 2 runners. Not sure what date it is though.
I think it’s Thursday 11th December – we’re looking at possibly running a hurdler at the meeting, and that’s the date I’ve got in my diary anyway.
Darren – AngloGerman
________________________________________‘The Hungarian’s going hell for leather’ – Jim McGrath
The Peterborough Chase will indeed be run on the 11th of December. What’s the betting that this thread already has enough posts to match the field size?
i think noland is being aimed at this race and will probably win, wouldnt suprise me if voy ran either coz he might need ‘match practice’ as alan king calls it for the king george.
Given the shape of the season with the predominance of Saturdays and the number of good horses housed in a small number of stables, I think that the move to midweek for a small number of races will be repeated and would be welcome.
One of the horses i am most looking forward to seeing this year, should make his seasonal debut in this race before hopefully developing into a Ryanair contender. My way de Solzen.
I personally think this one will come too soon for My Way. His re-appearance was pushed back, and originally was pencilled in for a return after Christmas.
He will need his first run, and whilst i am pleased he is being dropped back in trip in comparison to previous distances, i think he will come on for the run tomorrow.
He is up against some good horses tomorrow, who have already run 1 or 2 races this season, so it will be a tough ask for the lad.
Would be great to see him win it though, might even go to Huntingdon tomorrow, to watch it.
Nice preview.
There is an existing thread on the race here.
It will be great to see MWDS. I am praying that he shows the ability that he had before last seasons problem.
Well, Nacarat has a 1lb pull for two lengths with Natal on one line of form.
Natal is forecast to go off fav around the 4/1 mark with Nacarat around the 20/1 mark.
Surely Nacarat is the value, even if it is his first run of the season?
Zip
Would doubt Natal will go off favourite Zippy – and IMO it would be wrong to take that form at face value.
Monet’s Garden at his favourite distance should go off favourite followed by Natal and MWDS.
MWDZ – don’t know what to expect from him?
Monet’s Garden……hmmmm…maybe….not sure I’d want to punt him though as his form tailed off so dramatically.
I just feel Nacarat is "value" – but that could soon just become a "bollocks" bet.
Zip
This isn’t exactly the most inspiring contest in the world.
MWDS would be the one to beat if back to his best, but he was in awful form last season and generally improves for the run. His World Hurdle effort was very encouraging, but a return to the bigger obstacles will be a different test and he’s ‘best watched’ at the moment.
Natal looks the one to be on. He’s had the benefit of an outing and improved throughout last season, rounding off with a superb second to Twist Magic.
He ran a great race in the WH Gold Cup at Exeter considering he needs further and his record at this distance is very impressive. Only 7YO, so further improvement is expected this season.
I’d be inclined to agree, Bosranic, but Natal has never fully convinced me with his jumping.
I’ve seen him in the flesh four times in my life;
– Taunton, December 2005, where he won a class 3 novices’ hurdle despite an exceedingly ropey round (more mistakes than the two alluded to in the Post comments in running),
– Ascot, December 2006, where he crashed round in a chase behind Briareus,
– Chepstow, October 2007, where the mistake which forced an unseating at halfway was not his first,
– last year’s Peterborough Chase, where he still managed to get a few wrong despite no real pressure being brought to bear on his technique until turning for home.
I may well have coincided my spottings of him with the four worst jumping exhibitions of his career, but I’m inclined to think not; and whilst he’s possibly able enough to win a Peterborough if all falls kindly, he’s one horse whom I can’t entertain in this or any other race with that much confidence.
Watch him put in a model exhibition of jumping now…
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
I’d be very surprised if Monet’s Garden can still run to within half a stone of his best. He hasn’t looked himself for a while now. I also can’t believe how well-fancied Lord Henry is given how freely he races over a bare two miles.
In short, I can’t make cases for too many and if Natal puts in a decent round of jumping this could fall apart for him IMO, whilst Mister McGoldrick could be a decent e/w bet at 20s given how uncompetitive this is.
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