Juvenile Hurdlers 2012/13

[Bachelors Hall]

Tomorrow’s contest Fakenham is open to fillies only. It isn’t a particularly strong contest, even by fillies standards. But it’s as watchable contest as most juveniles. Miss Conduct along with today’s Ludlow winner, Rano Pano have the best jumps form so far, Acht has the most scope and No Plan B is of interest by virtue of being a full sister to useful juvenile, Plan A.

No Plan B 1/1

Plan A

4th Galway Handicap Hurdle (137), Galway 2012*
Rano Pano 3/3

Quartino

1st Grade C Handicap Hurdle (114), Listowel 2008
Ironically 3/2

Bangalore

2nd Finale Juvenile Hurdle (G1), Chepstow 1999
Miss Conduct 5/4

Power Pack

1st Navan Races Hurdle, Navan 1995
Strictly Mine 2/1

Dariole

2nd Handicap Hurdle (126), Listowel 2002
Pass The Time 4/2

Montana Moss

3rd Champion 4YO Hurdle, Punchestown 1979**
Baltic Fizz 3/1

Deciding Bid

1st Selling Hurdle, Towcester 1990
Imperial Elegance 1/1

Psycho Cat

1st Juvenile Hurdle, Newton Abbot 2006
Acht 1/1

Alraune

6th Juvenile Hurdle, Stratford 2006

*Plan A also 4th 2010 Fred Winter
**Pass The Time also 5/5 with Sir Rembrandt

Sires

Miss Conduct – Overbury (1)
Acht – Big Shuffle (1)

I’d forgotten about Scolardy; one of the most impressive Triumph winners. What happened to him?

He took almost a year off before finishing tailed off in the Tote Gold Trophy and the Champion Hurdle. Then he had a further 31 months off before unseating early in a Naas handicap hurdle. Clearly a horse with problems who was never able to build on his Triumph success. Having said that, it wasn’t a particularly strong renewal which he won.

The race at Aintree looks fascinating at this stage although I see he’s also entered in Bangor’s race the following day. Would he be more likely to take up the Sunday engagement?

Aintree is the preferred option. The Bangor race looks potentially even more competitive with Halogen, Juno The Muffinman, Outback and Rapid Heat Lad all holding entries.

They will both be difficult contests although I guess the main difference is in the prize money.

[Tuffers]

Poetic Power misses Aintree as he is slightly lame after ripping off a shoe schooling. Hopefully he’ll run either at Bangor on Monday or Hereford on Thursday.

I see that Timeform have given For Two a rating of 135p for his run in France before joining Paul Nicholls. That puts him just one pound below Far West so it will take a good ‘un to beat him on Sunday.

[Bachelors Hall]

Poor thing Let’s hope it doesn’t have too bad an effect on the lad though.

For One comes in with strong credentials and it will certainly take a good ‘un to beat him. Nevertheless, there are three very strong candidates to do so. In terms of strength and depth, this is by far and away the most exciting juvenile seen thus far and is also the strongest renewal of the race as far as I can see.

Rosies Lady 4/2

Stage Affair

2nd Champion hurdle (G1), Leopardstown 2001
Moidore 2/2

Border Castle

1st Scottish Champion Hurdle (140 G2), Ayr 2008*
Counsel 3/2

Big Moment

5th RSA Novices’ Hurdle (G1), Cheltenham 2004**
Watt Broderick 2/3

Medicinal

5th Conditions Hurdle, Fairyhouse 2007
For Two 3/3

Just Rob

124 12th Triumph Hurdle (G1), Cheltenham 2009***
Handazan 2/2

Domino Dancer

2nd Handicap Hurdle (116), Stratford 2011****
Like Clockwork 3/2

Fujiyama Crest

1st Conditions Hurdle, Stratford 1998

* Moidore also 4/4 with Chief Yeoman, 2nd 2004 Triumph
** Counsel also 3/3 with Callisto Moon
*** For Two also 2/1 with To Much Fun
**** Handazan is probably already better than Domino Dancer

Sires

Moidore – Galileo (11)
Watt Broderick – Hawk Wing (3)
For Two – Act One (3)
Handazan – Nayef (3)
Counsel – Dansili (2)

[Tuffers]

A good performance by Handazan but it probably franks Far West’s for more than anything.

Barring soft ground, Poetic Power will finally make his debut for us tomorrow under Paddy Brennan.

[Bachelors Hall]

A strong field for his debut but one I’ll be keeping a close eye on. Good luck <whatever his nickname is>!

Halogen 2/1

Ambobo

154 1st Classic Novices Hurdle (G2), Cheltenham 2005*
Poetic Power 3/2

Aardwolf

143 4th Long Distance Hurdle (G2), Ascot 1998
Tidal Way 1/1

Indian Groom

133 5th Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle (134 G3), Cheltenham 2009
Rapid Heat Lad 1/1

Reaching Out

118 2nd Handicap Hurdle (101), Gowran Park 2008
Golden Jubilee – No hurdling relatives

*Halogen’s dam useful hurdler Trompette
**Poetic Power also half brother to Jolly Roger

Sires

Halogen – Halling (1)

[Tuffers]

Tidal Way won very comfortably in the end but it looked at one point as though all four might take a hand in the finish. As expected, Poetic Power was keen early but jumped really well and his effort just petered out as lack of fitness told. He should come on plenty for the run.

[Bachelors Hall]

It was a very promising debut and he certainly did jump well enough. If he settles better and comes on as expected then he shouldn’t have any problem picking up a race or two.

Tomorrow’s race at Haydock looks highly intriguing pitting the decent form of Right To Rule and Juno The Muffinman against three exciting and promisingly bred newcomers from the flat.

Right To Rule 1/1

Simenon

3rd Champion Novice Hurdle, Punchestown 2012*
Shelford 2/2

Gibb River

1st Bet365 Handicap Hurdle (144), Sandown 2012**
Suraj 2/1

Sarteano

4th Monksfield Novices’ Hurdle (G2), Navan 2008
Juno The Muffinman 1/1

Know The Law

3rd Hcp Hurdle (119), Kempton 2009***
Deepsand 3/3

You Need Luck

3rd Betfair.Com Juvenile Hurdle, Fairyhouse 2003
Saffa Hill 2/1

Treeko

2nd Novice Hurdle, Sedgefield 2009
Kian’s Joy 1/1

Moonfleet

1st Juvenile Hurdle, Stratford 2005

* Also 2/2 with Aigle D’Or
**Also with 2/2 Goblet Of Fire and 3/2 with Mon Michel
***Also 3/1 with Hawkes Run

Sires

Shelford – Galileo (11)
Suraj – Galileo (11)
Right To Rule – Rock Of Gibraltar (7)
Saffa Hill – Tiger Hill (3)
Deepsand – Footstepsinthesand (2)

[Bachelors Hall]

Nicky Henderson has his first juvenile runner of the season tomorrow at Hereford and as much as I loathe making strong predictions, it looks like the proverbial penalty kick for Vasco Du Ronceray. Cool Hand Luke has the best English form on offer (flat and jumps) and whilst the appropriately bred Bells Of Berlin has joined an appropriate yard, he will have to find an awful lot of improvement on his flat form to figure.

Vasco Du Ronceray 2/1

Nelson Du Ronceray

1st Novices’ Hurdle, Ayr 2007*
Mexican Wave 4/4

Shahboor

1st Handicap Hurdle (116), Uttoxeter 1999
Bells Of Berlin 1/1

Chord

2nd Juvenile Hurdle, Huntingdon 2008
Jambobo dam

Hovering

1st 4YO Hurdle, Galway 2007
Cool Hand Luke 2/1

Furness

2nd Juvenile Hurdle, Newcastle 2000
Cash Injection 1/1

Cape Guard

8th Juvenile Hurdle, Fontwell 2006

*Also 2/1 with Gloria Victis

Sires

Bells Of Berlin – Pivotal (9)
Mexican Wave – Rock Of Gibraltar (7)
Jambobo – Acclamation (3)
Vasco Du Ronceray – Al Namix (2)
Cool Hand Luke – Le Vie Dei Colori (2)
Cash Injection – Halling (1)

[Bachelors Hall]

Vasco Du Ronceray was highly impressive today. He may not have beaten a great deal but he couldn’t have done it any more bloodlessly. It is exciting to think that even stronger juveniles could emerge from Seven Barrows over the coming months.

Also exciting were this week’s horses in training sales where dozens of those who passed through the ring will be seen over hurdles this season. Five probably juvenile hurdlers reached six figures, namely Last Shadow who will join Jonjo O’Neill, Mashaari who will run for Brian Ellison, Gassin Golf who’ll represent Richard lee and the Willie Mullins pair Sure Reef and Daneking.

For all this excitement for the future, there are still two intriguing contests taking place either side of the Irish Sea. Down Royal’s Northern Ireland Festival of racing kicks off with a contest that surrounds Stocktons Wings who made a highly encouraging and eyecatching debut at Listowel. Previous winners Hurricane Ridge, who finished behind Stocktons Wing, and Everything Zain, who reluctantly broke his sequence of seconds, will present JP McManus’ horse the strongest challenge.

Stocktons Wing 1/1

Desert Quest

2nd Elite Handicap Hurdle (G2 160), Wincanton 2006
Wot A Shot 2/1

Mistinguett

1st Cleeve Hurdle (G1), Cheltenham 1998*
Everything Zain 2/2

Fnan

3rd Champion Stayers Hurdle (G1), Punchestown 2002
Hurricane Ridge 3/2

Barati

2nd Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle (G2), Leopardstown 2005
Shabra Emperor 4/3

Corniche

2nd Handicap Hurdle (115), Uttoxeter 2000**
The Ring Is King 2/1

Royal Citizen

2nd Handicap Hurdle (98), Sedgefield 1995

*Mistinguett also 2nd in her Triumph
**Corniche 13th in his Triumph

Sires

Everything Zain – Cape Cross (4)

One hour and a half later, Wetherby plays host to the first pattern class race of the season and it’s worthy of its listed status. Hilali, the strongest of the old guard, takes on another Paul Nicholls newcomer in the ex Guilluame Macaire Sametegal along with previous winners Indepub and Asteroid Belt and a decent recruit from the flat in Flashman.

Dont Take Me Alive 4/2

Royal Gait

1st Champion Hurdle (G1), Cheltenham 1992*
Sametegal 3/2

Moussu Lescribaa

1st Prix Stanley (3yo listed), Auteuil 2004
Indepub 4/3

Kolme

2nd Champion 4yo Hurdle (listed), Punchestown 1981
So Cheeky 2/1

Black Mogul

1st Maiden Hurdle, Hexham 2008
Flashman 2/1

Narciso

1st Novices’s Hurdle, Wetherby 2005
Asteroid Belt 2/1

Blue Streak

1st Claiming Hurdle, Plumpton 2003
Hilali 3/2

Naughty By Nature

1st Handicap Hurdle (96), Bangor 2009

*also 3/2 with Contraband

Sires

Hilali – Sakhee (4)
Flashman – Doyen (2)
Sametegal – Saint Des Saints (1)

[darren83]

What you think of HARTINI i see he is new fav for triumph hurdle got no idea who he joined.Any thoughts on Alan King horses HANDAZAAN and MC Vicar am going to read more of this thread only saw last page so far.

[Bachelors Hall]

I also saw that Hartani is heading a certain ante post market. He has indeed left John Oxx’s yard but he’s been sold to Australia to run in next year’s spring carnival assuming he gets over his virus. I would have liked to have seen him over hurdles but unfortunately, the simply and sad truth is that Paddy Power are being very naughty indeed.

As for those Alan King horses, I do rate Handazan the better of the pair. Physically he looks fantastic and as suggested, he came on for his Chepstow run to win at Aintree. Even there, whilst his attitude was very taking, his jumping wasn’t fantastic so he still has the scope for further improvement provided the hard race hasn’t left too deep a mark.

Mcvicar probably would have finished second to Fisher at Kempton had the latter jumped the last properly and given the weight he was receiving, one wouldn’t imagine him confirming that superiority if they were to meet again. That the first two pulled nicely clear makes it a reasonable level of form but it’s worth remembering that Handazan was rated thirty pounds superior to Mcvicar on the flat and I don’t see any reason why the supremacy shouldn’t prevail.

There have been two intriguing horses to join Alan King’s yard from the sales this in the shape of Seventh Sign and King Of Dudes who will both run in the colours carried by Balder Succes last term. Seventh Sign is of particular interest as he was earmarked for a jumps career by former trainer Thomas Carmody earlier this season.

[Tuffers]

Poetic Power takes on McVicar at Huntingdon on Sunday so it will be interesting to see how close he can get to him. The plan with PP is to give him three quick runs to get a mark and then put him away until the spring. We already know he needs good ground so we don’t want to be running him on winter ground. Hopefully he will continue learning to settle at the weekend and we’re pleased that Paddy Brennan is once again able to ride as we felt he gave him a really good introduction on Monday.

It will certainly be much more competitive in the juvenile sphere from now on with all the big money purchases starting to see the track. The Henderson horse looks as though he will take an awful lot of beating next time.

[Bachelors Hall]

Thanks for the update Tuffers. I’m glad to hear you’ve retained the services of Paddy Brennan. So presumably, we might even see him again at Warwick on Wednesday provided he comes out of the Huntingdon race sound and the ground doesn’t trun too soft?

Today’s racing was informative and I believe at Down Royal, we saw the best performance of the Irish season so far. Stocktons Wings built on his encouraging debut, jumped brilliantly for the most part and won with plenty in hand from the consistent Everything Zain. He also provides sire Jeremy with his second winner from three runners marking a promising start with his first jumps crop. Meanwhile at Wetherby, the frustrating defection of Hilali took a lot of gloss from the listed hurdle. Nevertheless, Sametagal made a strong impact on his debut jumping very efficiently throughout. I wasn’t really taken with his attitude and wonder what find when push comes to shove but he has plenty to build on.

There are no juvenile hurdles tomorrow but two on Sunday. The first of which comes from Huntingdon where as mentioned above, Mcvicar will take on the puissantly potent, paradigm puncturing Poetic Power. Previous course and distance first and fifth, Outback and Bountiful Catch are also set to line up.

Mcvicar 3/3

Auetaler

2nd Oddbins Handicap Hurdle (154), Aintree 2000
Poetic Power 3/2

Aardwolf

4th Long Distance Hurdle (G2), Ascot 1998*
Dollar Bill 3/5

Royal Bonsai

1st Summit Juvenile Hurdle (G2), Doncaster 2011
Carolingian 3/1

Temper Lad

3rd Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (G2), Kempton 1999
Outback 2/1

Helensburgh

1st 3YO Hurdle, Punchestown 2004
Electrician 3/1

Great Marquess

3rd West Yorkshire Hurdle (G2), Wetherby 1995
Bountiful Catch 3/1

Ermine Sea

2nd Maiden Hurdle, Fontwell 2009

*Also 1/1 with Jolly Roger

Sires

Mcvicar – Tobougg (7)
Dollar Bill – Medicean (4)
Carolingian – Empire Maker (1)

Cork’s contest doesn’t look particularly strong by recent Irish standards. Magical Moon and Danequest are consistent and should run their races but unless Casual Creeper improves on his debut or Bytheby makes a bold first appearance, Brog Deas is entitled to go one better than his second behind Everything Zain at Thurles.

Brog Deas 5/1

First Audition

2nd Imperial Cup (11-2), Sandown 1966
Magical Moon 2/2

Bagber

3rd AON Hurdle, Punchestown 2011
Glendaars Best 3/2

Zonergem

1st Handicap Hurdle (118), Ludlow 2004
Danequest 3/1

Valedictory

1st Handicap Hurdle (122), Kelso 1999
Hazariban 2/2

Domino Dancer

2nd Handicap Hurdle (116), Stratford 2011*
Casual Creeper4/1

Lion Hunter

4th Introductory Novices Hurdle, Newbury 2004
Bytheby 5/3

Jumby Bay

1st Handicap Hurdle (84), Lingfield 1992

*also 2/2 with Handazan

Sires

Magical Moon – Dansili (2)
Glendaars Best – King’s Best (2)
Hazariban – Kahyasi (1)
Casual Creeper – One Cool Cat (1)

[befair]

Spanish Fork goes in handicap hurdle at Ascot tomorrow; 1st one of what I like to think as our team vs older horses. Fingers crossed.

[Bachelors Hall]

Thanks for pointing that out as it completely slipped my mind.

Spanish Fork will actually be the fourth juvenile to take on the older novices this season after Choisirez (6th at Hereford off 99), Annaluna (won at Exeter off 97) and Starlife (9th at Wincanton off 113).

On a line through Annaluna on the Stratford run, Mick Channon’s admirably consistent charge isn’t too harshly treated despite being a pound out of the handicap. However, today’s race at Ascot looks incredibly competitive with plenty of unexposed sorts representing several top stables.

Nevertheless, I will also be keeping my fingers crossed for him.

[befair]

Ah well, there you go

[Tuffers]

A bloodless victory for McVicar yesterday although he at least proved his ability to handle testing conditions. Poetic Power was never going to get home in that ground. He’ll have one more run before his winter break.

[Author]

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