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Gordon Elliott is bringing The Insider to the Gladstone Hurdle, the 3yo stakes race at Far Hills on 15 October. How is he? The juvenile division over here is exceptionally weak so if he can get around the course in one piece and doesn’t turn into a pumpkin on firm ground it’s a free $50k for the taking. I am more curious because Elliott usually brings horses for the Far Hills meet with the intention of selling them stateside so it’s likely we’ll be seeing a lot more of The Insider along with the two novices Elliott brought (Soviet Pimpernel and Ted Hastings).
The Insider was moderate on the Flat.
No wins in 11 starts and an OR of just 48, I think.
A neck second of 16 in a Listowel Handicap in June might have been his best effort on the level.
He’s been more effective since going hurdling, winning his first two and runner up in his latest effort.
I wouldn’t know the strength of the form but I’d guess it’s a good stone better than what he did on the Flat.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"It is quite a shame we don’t have the benefit of our “oracle” regarding the 2.00 at Ffos Las today. All first time out, very interesting.
War Correspondent won the 3yo hurdle at Punchestown today. Whilst it didn’t look a great race visually, it has been won by Quilixios, A Wave Of The Sea and Espoir D’Allen in recent years. I think the winner and the second are worth following going forward.
The Churchill Lad for me at Wetherby tomorrow.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Apologies for dropping off the radar – particularly given the recent drama which is simply a case of bad timing! Rather annoyingly, work and general life are not bedfellows of exhaustive research projects. The past few races have also been fairly bobbins but that’s by the by. Nevertheless, tomorrow’s contest at Wetherby was well worth a three-quarter-arsed essay :)
Jump racing returns to Wetherby with the fixture featuring a juvenile hurdle that has been present on the card since the early eighties. Since 2004, its average winner’s seasonal best RPR of 105.7 has been nearly a stone below standard and has seldom had much bearing on the future. Nevertheless, fairly useful sorts in Simply Gifted and Mixsterthetrixter made their jumps debuts in the contest during the nineties, with Poker de Sivola and King d’Argent also being introduced in subsequent renewals. The race is also a springboard for the Wensleydale Hurdle later in the month, although of the thirty-two to take in both races, only Aviation (eighth in the 2005 running) would go on to land perhaps the weakest ever edition of that contest. This year’s renewal could be above-average as it pits the unbeaten The Churchill Lad against Milton Harris’ most expensive juvenile hurdler seen to date. A flat, galloping track, the West Yorkshire venue’s average winning DI of 1.26 is close to standard, although the clear round rate of 94.6% is the fourth lowest in Britain. Experience is a useful asset in this particular contest, with newcomers having a 6.35% strike rate compared to 10.53% for those with a run under their girths; although this gap is not especially pronounced across all races at the course. The going is currently described as good, good to firm in places with a chance of light rain falling before post time. None of the seven runners are habitual pacesetters and though a couple have raced fairly enthusiastically, the gallop is unlikely to be overly taxing.
The Churchill Lad bg Rebecca Menzies f6-1-0 (67) 72 j1-1-0 (-) 101 103
Churchill (Discreetly Mine){20-a}(0.71) 5/2 Wishlon 158 3rd Christmas Hurdle, Kempton 1988
Representing the first crop of Churchill and coming from the family of Jack Sullivan (2/1) and Seventh Heaven (2/3), The Churchill Lad commanded 105,000 guineas as a foal and 130,000 guineas as a yearling before joining the Joseph O’Brien. Starting his career last December, his first three outings came in successive months wherein he finished sixth in Dundalk maidens on each occasion. He was largely undone by inexperience first time out and his second outing can be forgiven due to a very slow start. Stepping up to ten furlongs for his final Irish engagement, The Churchill Lad raced in close order, but was done by a lack of pace in the closing stages; finishing just over four lengths behind the winner. The Churchill Lad was entered for the Tattersalls Online Sale in March, but was withdrawn beforehand in order to join Rebecca Menzies. There can be a degree of caution when it comes to those let go by Joseph O’Brien as of the eighteen to have left Owning Hill, just two would win as juveniles. That being said, Menzies may be an exception to this trend as the promising Hasty Brook has at least maintained his form, and The Churchill Lad has shown no signs of regression since moving to Howe Hills. He was initially set to take in the season’s curtain raiser at Hexham in June, but was instead redirected to Haydock for a ten furlong handicap off 67. Having his first start on turf, he once again fell asleep in the stalls and racing off a sound pace, was still bringing up the rear turning into the straight. Met with traffic issues three furlongs out, he had to be brought wide to make his effort and though green under pressure, ran on to snatch fourth in the final strides. He started at 33/1 for his next outing at Newcastle later in June, but was still fairly disappointing in a first time hood where, having raced keenly for much of the contest, was unable to quicken in a race which benefited those at the head of affairs. Nevertheless, after missing engagements at Carlisle and Wolverhampton, The Churchill Lad was able to break his duck at the sixth time of asking when returning to Newcastle for a two mile handicap in mid-August. Held up behind the field while taking a keen hold, he was shaken up approaching the distance whereafter he picked off his rivals one-by-one. Under a strong drive, he caught the clear leader at the furlong pole and though the idling rival was spurred on by the new challenge, The Churchill Lad pulled out extra towards the finish to prevail by a decisive neck; the pair finishing nine lengths clear of the strung out remainder. Much of what can be discerned from The Churchill Lad’s pedigree insofar as his hurdling prospects are concerned would have been based on conjecture. The Churchill Lad was Churchill’s first runner over jumps, and there are no national hunt horses nearby on the predominantly American damline. Notwithstanding, Churchill’s prospects are not without merit for this vocation. Winner of the National and Dewhurst stakes at two before landing the English and Irish Guineas double, Churchill did finish second in the International but was not wholly proven beyond a mile. While he is out of Galileo, the damline is not entirely conducive to stamina, with full-sister Clemmie restricted to eight furlongs, and granddam Airwave being a very fast mare. Nevertheless, Churchill’s full-brother Blenheim Palace stayed at least eleven furlongs, and his height of 16.2hh, and overall class, will be positives in this endeavour. The distaff side provides only one piece of distance evidence regarding jumps potential, although this does come in the form of Wishlon who finished third in the 1988 Christmas Hurdle as a novice. Though not yet granted the most powerful ammunition, the up and coming Rebecca Menzies has done well to date with her picking up black type with the £2,000 Fabianski, getting a win out of the 51 rated Tabou Beach Boy, having only one fall/unseat from thirty-four runs, and boasting an improvement rate of 55.55% (the highest in this field). The Churchill Lad looked as strong a juvenile prospect as any handled by his trainer and he made a near flawless start to his hurdling career at Cartmel six weeks ago. Backed into 15/8 having opened at 9/4, The Churchill Lad was held up last of four in a strongly ran race. He moved into third on passing the sticky toffee pudding shop and gained another position along the woodside before entering the final bend poised on the leader’s quarters. Jumping the last, The Churchill Lad held a lead of several lengths which was extended in no uncertain terms on the run-in before he was eased in the final hundred yards; crossing the line twenty-four and thirty-eight lengths to the good over his rivals. Quite what he achieved is difficult to ascertain as the front pair went off too quickly for their own good, the third was never at the races and the winning time was modest compared to everything else on the card. Nevertheless, The Churchill Lad travelled as well as any juvenile seen in Britain this season, and his hurdling was also up there as the only semblances of imperfection came when he was somewhat tight at the third, fifth and sixth. It is highly probable that he came close to the best of his performances on the level and shaped as though he would improve for the experience. The Churchill Lad does have a penalty to shoulder and on these terms, the interesting Highland Frolic is a stone well in on flat form. That pre-race exuberance cost him his taking part in a Market Rasen contest a fortnight ago is also a concern, the race is not certain to be run to suit and the yard has yet to have a winner from fifteen this month. Nevertheless, his experience at Cartmel should stand him in good stead here and he is the only proven winner in this line-up on either code so an honest showing is not difficult to envisage.Ballynaveen Boy grg Sam Allwood f7-0-0 (44) 49
El Kabeir (Oasis Dream){4-m}(3.00) 0.5 Demi Plie 134 1st 2m4f Mares Handicap Chase (127), Fairyhouse 2019
Sam Allwood has yet to saddle a winning juvenile hurdler from six, El Kabeir has yet to produce one from four, and the 44 rated Ballynaveen Boy is not an obvious candidate to buck those trends. Beaten by over a dozen lengths in six of his seven flat outings, and only once running close to his BHA mark, the only glimmer of optimism appears on the damline. Distantly related to Enable (4/2), he is a half-brother to the fairly useful mare Demi Plie (by Mastercraftsman) and the third dam produced three useful winning jumpers in Tandem, Gallant Light and Porgy.Highland Frolic bg Milton Harris f4-0-1 (73) 81
Highland Reel (Nayef){4-n}(0.82) 2/1 Trebizond 112 1st 1m7½f Maiden Hurdle, Roscommon 2021
Since returning from an enforced sabbatical, Milton Harris has made an art of both training and sourcing juvenile hurdlers. Without spending more than 27,000 guineas at public sale, he has saddled ten winning juveniles from twenty-three including his first Grade One winner in Knight Salute last season. This success has instilled both confidence and ambition in his owners which manifested in four juveniles being recruited over the summer for sums exceeding £50,000. The first of these to jump a hurdle is set to be Highland Frolic; a maiden who left John Gosden with a BHA rating of 73. Juvenile hurdlers who started their careers at Clarehaven tend not to set the division alight with their winner to runner rate a fair 16.67%, and a modest improvement rate of 21.74%. Nevertheless, Milton Harris has thus far bucked that trend with both his ex-Gosden recruits, Pyramid Place and Aliomaana, winning multiple races. Incidentally, the former was the most expensive recruit for the yard prior to the recent spree. Gelded prior to seeing the racecourse and sporting blinkers first time out, Highland Frolic made his debut in a Haydock novice stakes over a near mile and a half back in April. Starting at twice his morning show of 6/1, he was held up in rear off a very modest tempo and found himself caught napping when the race picked up entering the straight. Nevertheless, despite running green having been given plenty to do, he made good ground inside the distance and though unable to reach the front pair, ran on well to finish a length and a half third; splitting a pair of next time out winners. He ran no kind of race next time at Yarmouth where he was a drifter in the market before finishing completely tailed off. Highland Frolic was more stable in the market for his next appearance a fortnight later in a twelve furlong Salisbury maiden. Ridden out of the stalls with purpose, he set a strong pace and though he was off the bridle half a mile from home, he held his position until approaching the distance whereafter he fell into a near six length fifth. Making the switch into handicap company when last seen some four months ago at Doncaster, Highland Frolic was given a mark of 74. An awkward start forced a reversion to more conservative tactics behind a steady gallop, although while he was in a decent enough position in the straight, he was unable to make any real impression on the contest as he plugged on for a near six-length fourth. Nevertheless, the form has worked out well for the level, with the second, third and fifth winning over the next couple of months. Being a half-brother to Palace Pier, neither his breeding nor yearling price tag of 320,000 guineas suggested a juvenile hurdling campaign was a goal for Highland Frolic. Nevertheless, the pedigree is not wholly inconsistent with his new venture as Highland Reel has made a fine start in the sphere, with half of his four hurdlers to date winning, and the other half placing. Uncle Trebizond also won a maiden at four years old while another, Burns Night, would also land a modest staying handicap hurdle later in his career. Since 2018, the sole Milton Harris juvenile sent to Wetherby was Wensleydale runner-up Genuflex, and Highland Frolic will be the yard’s sole runner on the card. Lack of experience is always a factor for newcomers, although Milton Harris has a fine record in this regard as attested by the fact that five of his twenty juveniles since 2018 scored first time, and none fifty-six since 2004 has fallen or unseated. Highland Frolic is a patently interesting recruit to the sphere and has plenty of positives in his profile, although racecourse evidence does suggest that he may benefit from a solid pace which is not a given here.John The Pirate brg Philip Kirby Unraced
Mondialiste (Dalakhani){7-a}(0.51) 3/1 Ashnaya 115 1st 2m7½f Novice Chase, Wetherby 2005
Philip Kirby has a solid winner-to-runner rate of 26.32% with juvenile hurdlers, although his first time strike rate is just 6.25%. John The Pirate is set to make his racecourse debut in a juvenile hurdle, and such horses have a strike-rate of just 2.40% first time out. None of the yard’s five previously unraced juveniles managed a win during their initial campaigns. He is part of Mondialiste’s first crop of jumpers, which currently has a record of one fall and one unplaced from two starts. Standing at a decent 16.1hh, the globetrotting Mondialiste won his first race at four before landing the Woodbine Mile and Arlington Million as well as finishing third in the Prix Jean Prat. Though a son of Galileo, whose winner to runner rate as a grandsire is a decent 27.6%, Mondialiste’s nephew Intello has had one winning juvenile from eight with none improving on their flat form. John The Pirate’s imminent damline consists of several maidens of little note, although cousin Richard Strauss, along with Ashnaya (3/1) did win over jumps and the class increases further out with Contraband (3/2), High Ransom (3/2), Royal Gait (4/2) and Lieutenant Miller (4/5). Hungarian super sprinter Overdose also appears at 3/2.Robin Goodfellow bg Tracy Waggott f6-0-0 (42) 45
Dark Angel (Kingmambo){22-b}(1.08) 0.5 Ruggero 0 PU 2m Novices’ Hurdle, Warwick 2015
Born a Godolphin horse but failing to run in the blue colours, Robin Goodfellow joined Tracy Waggott for 14,000 guineas at Tattersalls in May. In six outings since May, at distances ranging from a mile to a mile and six, his best effort was a plodding on fifth of nine off 46 in a ferociously run Musselburgh handicap. His yard has yet to have a winning juvenile from fourteen having twenty-nine starts between them. Dark Angel’s record is solid in the division but the damline is without any winning jumper before Rosodeaux at 5/3. One half-brother pulled up on both outings over hurdles, but another, Buratino, has sired a couple of winners in the sphere.Run At Dawn chg Nigel Hawke f2-0-0 (-) 60
Dawn Approach (Teofilo){13-c}(0.45) 1/0 Ringside Humour 123 4th 2m½f Mares Novice Hurdle, Punchestown 2017
Nigel Hawke’s record with ex-Jim Bolger horses has been a topic covered on numerous occasions in my writing due to the uniquely impressive results. Outside of this dynamic Hawke’s winner-to-runner rate with juvenile hurdles stands at 9.09% while ex-Bolger juveniles have one of 20%. Nevertheless, of the eleven who have moved from Coolcullen to Thorne Farm seven found the winners’ enclosure. What makes this arrangement all the more intriguing is that it constitutes part a journey which ultimately leads to the Keri Brion and the American jumps programme; as trodden by the likes of Boulette, Theocrat, Peat Moss and, the winner of this very contest in 2020, Historic Heart. Furthermore, the Nigel Hawke yard has a record of two winners from five in Wetherby juveniles. However, the yard’s first time strike rate stands at just 4.41%, and the Wetherby winners already had plenty of experience; Pola Chance was making his seventh appearance over hurdles, and Historic Heart his fourth. The latest Bolger-Hawke-America candidate is Run At Dawn who made his racecourse debut for Hawke at Ffos Las in early August in a heavy ground maiden over an extended seven furlongs. Though far too green to do himself justice, he still outran his 80/1 SP when eventually figuring out how to go in a straight line to finish a seven and a half length third. He returned to the former coal mine later than month, but weakened to finish fifth over ten furlongs. Though his dam was a fair novice hurdler, Run At Dawn has a modest pedigree for the sphere overall. Sire Dawn Approach has had just one winning juvenile from seventeen, and the nearest winner on the damline is Concetta at 5/5. Run At Dawn is unexposed and does provoke some curiosity, although his profile is not sufficiently substantial to warrant considerable attention first time out.Vintage Valley grg Donald McCain f3-0-0 (65) 66 j1-0-0 (-) 87 85
Mastercraftsman (Araafa){1-i}(1.50) 2/2 Genuflex 106 2nd Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle (L), Wetherby 2021
In 2011, Hollow Tree left Andrew Balding to join Donald McCain for who he won three races as a juvenile including the Grade One Finale Hurdle. Since then, two other juveniles failed to score having made that journey, although there is some evidence to suggest that Vintage Valley is capable of breaking that trend. A thrice raced maiden on the flat, Vintage Valley shaped with some promise on his debut at Haydock in April when running green and lacking the pace to better fifth in a steadily run mile and a half contest. He failed to show on his return to that venue the following month, but probably matched the form of his debut when fifth of eight at Chepstow back in June. After fetching £32,000 at the Tattersalls Ascot Sale in July, Vintage Valley made his hurdling debut at Sedgefield a fortnight ago in the same contest McCain introduced Genever Dragon to make a winning debut two years ago. On breeding, there is plenty of encouragement in the pedigree for the game. Mastercraftsman is one of the most successful sires of juveniles and along with Genuflex, he is also a cousin of Gendarme and Good Prince, as well as a nephew of Ginistrelli. Starting at 10/1, he was much easier in the market of the two Fyffe runners, although the other was rated eighteen pounds superior on the flat and already had a run over hurdles to his name. Leading early before getting a lead in the straight first time round, he disputed going out onto the second circuit before a tight jump at the last in the back saw him lose ground. Well behind by the time they turned for home, Vintage Valley merely got the better of a scrap with a 100/1 outsider for a twenty-nine length fourth. Apart from tight jumps at the first, and the same flight on the second circuit, he posted a fair round of jumping; albeit with a tendency to go towards his left. The bare form of Vintage Valley’s debut is modest, but he shapes as though he ought to improve in due course. Notwithstanding, the leading pair have more substance about them and with McCain having won only two from thirty with juveniles at Wetherby, there will be better opportunities later in the season.Strong prospects
1. Highland Frolic
2. The Churchill Lad
Feasible/Moderate prospects
3. Vintage Valley
4. Run At Dawn
Negligible prospects
5. John The Pirate
6. Ballynaveen Boy
7. Robin GoodfellowHi FJ
I actually wrote a piece on that sort of race a couple of months ago
Junior National Hunt Development Hurdle Races
That probably would have been the bulk of any preview I would have written on the race. In the event, the only four who stood a chance were all French bred and the fifth was an Irish bred by a Milan who is 0 winners 17 runners in juvenile hurdles, out of a Presenting who is 22-1 winner runner as a sire and 22-0 WR as a damsire. Interesting novelty but a profoundly stupid idea if the intention is to improve the breeding industry.
Someone lock the door and swallow the key so BH can’t go awol again.
Superb.
Highland Frolic for me too now, seeing as The Churchill Lad is once again a NR.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“Someone lock the door and swallow the key so BH can’t go awol again.
Superb.”
Seconded !!!
Thank you for this massive effort.
The fact that the racing post or any other publication deeming itself worthy of calling themselves racing press have failed to approach you or even acknowledged your existence puts them in a poor light.*
We are lucky to have the benefit mate.
The Bolger runner for Hawkes is likely to be in the shake up along with Milton Harris’and the vintage valley.
* Of course when you have been signed up, we can all have a bloody good moan at the cost of accessing your work!Like that horse of McCains that totally forgot its schooling yesterday and made everyone look silly at odds-on “Hawke’s thing” did the same as did Highland Frolic. We all see the training videos, full speed and not touching a hair of the schooling hurdle and we could despair…
But there is no need for such anguish. Unless there is naiveity that leads to the pocket being touched….
Long game.
Thanks lads :) Oddly enough, I did get name dropped by David Carr in the August 23rd Racing Post which was really nice!
The “top prospects” have been doing miserably this season so am not sure how much of a handle I have on this year’s bunch. I think the seconds are doing alright but I haven’t really had a look. Would be happier if more was going as expected but for however dumb I can feel from time to time, at least I am not the genius who came up with this sort of race…
Junior “National Hunt” Hurdles are a dumb idea. In August, I wrote a piece about them and had I previewed the first race of its kind, which took place at Ffos Las last Sunday, I would have borrowed heavily from said piece. Since this is the first race of its kind that I will preview, I will just repost the whole thing; partially for posterity, and partially because apart from some misunderstanding of the race’s conditions, my view has stayed unchanged for the most part.
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This season will see the introduction of Junior National Hunt Development Hurdle Races. They will be open to juveniles that have not previously competed in a Flat race, or a Jump race except for a NH Flat or Junior National Hunt Development Hurdle Race. According to Richard Wayman of the BHA, their purpose is to provide “young jumping horses with the opportunity to start their careers at an earlier stage”. The idea, according to TBA’s Bryan Mayoh is that “Jump horses need to be broken and taught to jump earlier than has been traditional in Britain”.
As things currently stand, juvenile hurdles in Britain, that traditionally begin at Hexham on Epsom Derby Day, are the opportunity and there is nothing to prevent any trainer from breaking in horses and teaching them to jump in order to participate in these contests. Indeed, in Britain and Ireland since 2004/05, 1035 horses have made their first racecourse appearances as juvenile hurdlers while 643 entered the division having started in NH Flat races and a further 103 joined from the French AQPS division. There have also been 18 juvenile hurdlers during the tail end of the season from the point-to-point field. Whether these will be excluded from the new races is not clear although for what it is worth, none of them fared better than Cobaltic who finished second in a Wexford maiden in 2019 (incidentally, Seabass does form part of this very niche group).
The apparent issue is that the French bred youngsters with hurdling experience regularly outperform the homegrown talent, and this notion is played out in the statistics. During this period, there have been 504 such imports enter the division. Their winner-to-runner rate is 45.83%, their strike rate is 22.96% and 68.25% of these animals achieve RPRs exceeding 107 during their initial campaigns. These figures alone are useless without context, so their impact values compared to all juvenile hurdlers (1.00 being the standard) read as 2.51, 2.61 and 3.92 respectively. Naturally, the fact that many of the ex-French hurdlers will have already shown sufficient ability to warrant the expense of import will skew the figures, but that they are able to outperform the local horses to such a degree is still very notable.
There is another group of juveniles with even better figures, although these are flat recruits who were officially rated 100 and above. Given that this type is invariably the most expensive available through public sale, and is increasingly sent to race in warmer climes, their relevance would be of diminishing interest to breeders and organisers alike.
Insofar as those qualified to run in this new subdivision of juvenile hurdling are concerned, it would be useful to see how such types have fared over the years;
From this table, the most prominent finding is that if you want to win one of these races, simply buy a French bumper horse. This is perfectly fine for those who wish to mop up a few races which will be less competitive than open juvenile hurdles. However, quite how it resolves the issues this initiative sets out to remedy is another matter entirely. Furthermore, of the 72 unraced horses who won as juveniles, 28 of them were bred in France at a winner-to-runner rate of 16.67% (ahead of Germany – 8.33%, Britain – 6.49%, America – 6.25%, and Ireland – 4.60%). Among the sires of the unraced French bred winners were Discover d’Auteuil, Kapgarde and Maille Pistol, while the sires of ex-AQPS performers includes the likes of Buck’s Boum, Cokoriko, Dom Alco and Great Pretender before we even get past the G’s.
The direction of where this exposition is going is not very well hidden, but it is one rooted in fundamental breeding theory. If you want a precocious foal, you send a speedy mare to Dark Angel or No Nay Never. If you want a foal that will stay, then send a stout mare to Camelot or Nathaniel. If you want your foal to hold its form for a few years then maybe use Sea The Stars or Dubawi.
If you want a jumper who will win races as early as three, send a jumps mare to a stallion who did well over obstacles at an early age.
The common denominator among a sizable portion of successful young hurdlers in France is that their sires ran over hurdles themselves. The likes of Saint des Saints, Kapgarde, Turgeon, Balko and Great Pretender have been mainstays on the leading sire lists for over a generation while Cokoriko, Jeu St Eloi, Castle du Berlais (all by jumpers themselves), Choeur du Nord, Magneticjim and Gemix promise to perpetuate this precept for the foreseeable future.
The above notwithstanding, these Junior National Hunt Development Hurdle Races will be welcomed in this quarter; albeit purely as a novelty offshoot to the division rather than as an initiative that will make any discernible impact on the British jumps breeding industry. The solution to the dearth of young jumps talent produced by British breeders would be to stock more stallions with jumps experience. Simply buying existing stallions from France would be a short-cut but perhaps not one conducive to long term success. A more viable and sustainable option would be to encourage connections to keep their national hunt prospects entire. Rather admirably, this is being attempted by the Pitchall Stud in an effort to keep Midnight Legend’s legacy alive with Midnights Legacy. However, it is a hefty responsibility for one horse to carry on its shoulders. The mares’ side of the sport has seen an expansive proliferation of races and save for the festival’s mares’ hurdle detracting from several Champion Hurdles and Stayers Hurdles over the years, the positive results on the breed have been self-evident. An equivalent series of jumps contests for colts and horses would, at this juncture, suffer greatly from the shallow pool of possible participants. Nevertheless, if a significant bonus was offered to connections of an entire horse winning or even reaching the frame in a Grade One hurdle, that would most probably yield far greater results than this latest initiative.
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Regarding the bit within the conditions I misunderstood, it turns out that those who had raced prior to the 1st of October 2022 are not qualified. However, while it states that horses must not have ran in flat races, it is not clear whether Bumpers held since the start of this month are counted. Nor does it make any mention of a horse making a winning jumps debut in France since October (and it is worth noting that Auteuil and Cagnes-sur-Mer each host decent newcomers races during this time period).
In any event, the first one was held last Sunday and to the astonishment of absolutely nobody, there were just five declared runners, four were French bred and the rank outsider was an Irish bred by Milan who has not had a single winning juvenile from seventeen, out of a mare by Presenting who has one winner from twenty-two as a sire, and none from twenty-two as a damsire. The second edition has just four newcomers set to face the starter. Half are French bred, one is a flat bred who has an accidentally good pedigree for the sphere, and the other is the first runner over hurdles for an actual British based jumps sire; albeit a slow maturing staying type.
Quite how these races are supposed to strengthen the British national hunt breeding industry is anybody’s guess. Perhaps the genius in the programme’s design will stun us all in a decade’s time. But for now, it is just a stupid novelty which will serve no purpose beyond messing up my stats for unraced horses. Indeed, if any good horses do emerge, they can remain novices for next season provided they stick to three races. What a stupid, stupid idea. Newton Abbot is a tight track with its winning Dis putting it in the sharper third of racecourses. The going is currently good although light showers are forecast.
Him Malaya bg Paul Nicholls Unraced
Martaline (Kendor){12-e}(0.57) 1/1 Malaya 142 1st Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle (L), Wetherby 2017
Paul Nicholls is one of the most successful trainers of juvenile hurdlers around. Since 2004, he has trained 105 individual winning juveniles (second only to Alan King), earned £2.3 million (second only to Willie Mullins) and won Grade Ones with Adrien du Pont, All Yours, Celestial Halo, Monmiral, Quel Destin and Zarkandar. Many of his juvenile hurdlers have also gone on to become top class in the long term including Clan des Obeaux, Frodon, Twist Magic and Dodging Bullets. However, not once has he sent a horse out to make his racing debut in a juvenile hurdle. The closest to doing so has been with Grand Sancy who ran in a couple of “junior bumpers” in 2017 before a four race campaign which saw him twice finish second in novice hurdles before a well held fourth in the Adonis and his pulling up in the Fred Winter. Nevertheless, there will be few more appropriate juveniles for his first foray into this novelty sphere than Him Malaya. As his fairly witty name suggests, Him Malaya is a full-brother to Malaya; a filly who won the Listed Wensleydale Juvenile for the yard in 2017 before winning the juvenile handicap at Ascot later in the season and eventually landing the Imperial Cup. Malaya was very much an early sort as she took a three-year-old hurdle at Lyon in March (by thirty lengths) as well as the listed Prix d’Iena in May before moving to Ditcheat. However, she was also a useful fairly sort on the flat and thought good enough to run in listed company at two. Him Malaya is also an uncle of this season’s useful looking three-year-old hurdler Jac Jumper, his grandam was a good multiple winner over jumps while other capable relatives include Cladour (2/1), Daytona Beach AA (2/2) and Saint Charles (3/1). Martaline is one of the strongest French sires of three-year-old jumpers (34.69% winner to runner in his native country) and his exported juveniles have represented him well as per We Have A Dream, Riviere d’Etel and the aforementioned Malaya. None of his five unraced British or Irish juvenile debutants managed a win in eleven starts although his juvenile offspring are undefeated at Newton Abbot thanks to Hell Red. Paul Nicholls also has a solid record at the venue, boasting three wins and three placings from nine starts, and his overall stable form is strong at the moment.Ice N Slice chg Kayley Woollacott Unraced
New Approach (Medicean){11-d}(0.60) 2/1 Thomas Hobson 158 1st Leamington Novices’ Hurdle (G2), Warwick 2016
Kayley Woollacott has yet to saddle a juvenile hurdler although her late husband did have seven run without success; including three who would have qualified for these races. Her first runner in the sphere is set to be Ice N Slice who, after fetching 105,000 guineas as a yearling, failed to see the racecourse for Jessica Harrington and was sold for just 5,500 guineas at the Tattersalls May Online sale. Those who Jessica Harrington eschews a juvenile hurdling career for the sales have just a 3.03% strike rate, although few will have more compelling pedigrees for the sphere. Sire New Approach has a fine winner to runner rate of 40.74% headed by useful multiple scorers in Stepney Causeway, Jaleo and last season’s top class Pied Piper (he is also two wins from three with juveniles at Newton Abbot). Ice N Slice is also a nephew of the talented Thomas Hobson and Fearless, while his third dam produced another classy type in Torpichen. Nevertheless, the tumbling sales prices and the trainer having a quiet spell (only recent runner failed to land gamble) limit appeal here.Jupiter Allen chg Jane Williams Unraced
Castle du Berlais (Network){u}(0.23) 1/0 Bienvenue Allen 55.0 1st 3600m 45yo AQPS Mares Conditions Hurdle, Argentan 2016
Of all the British trainers who this series would have appealed to, there is no more obvious candidate than the George Nympton pairing of Nick and Jane Williams. While the woeful record of unraced newcomers is covered in the introduction, Nick and Jane Williams are something of an exception. Since 2004, they have had sixteen such horses win in the sphere (four doing so first-time-out), along with another five winners who were trained by the pair to make their debuts in France. Amongst these horses are graded winning juveniles Flying Tiger, Le Rocher and Me Voici, along with the top class pair of Fox Norton and Reve de Sivola. They naturally had a runner in the first race of its kind at Ffos Las, although that one ran out at the last while still competitive. Their second such runner is set to be Jupiter Allen who, in the spirit of firsts, is set to be the maiden British representative of first-crop sire Castle du Berlais (also mentioned in the intro). A son of Saint des Saints, Castle du Berlais has the type of pedigree one would expect in a French based jumps sire. A full-brother to the dam of Grade One winner Altesse du Berlais and Grade One placed Colbert du Berlais, he is a half-brother to Sire du Berlais, the son of another Grade One winning mare, and the nephew of Royal Rosa and Royal Atalza. During his brief racing career, he won two of eight starts including the Prix Roger de Minvielle; a listed chase for three-year-olds. His first season at stud has started well, with four winners from fifteen including the useful looking Goliath du Rheu and Chief Cove. Jupiter Allen’s damline has plenty of winning jumpers, although those nearby are not wholly precocious. His dam registered her sole success as a five-year-old while uncle Doll Allen and granddam Nadou won in cross country chases. There are earlier types from the third dam including Montreal (3/1), Eden Conti (3/2), Moissac (4/1), Mirande (4/1), Connetable (4/3) and Hemevoici (4/3). Any horse of this nature sent out by the yard will be of obvious interest and current stable form is better than numbers suggest. However, Newton Abbot is not the dour test that would probably bring out the best in Jupiter Allen.Sailing Grace bf Anthony Honeyball Unraced
Dartmouth (Scorpion){1-w}(0.69) 1/0 War Creation 121 1st 2m3f Handicap Hurdle (112), Haydock 2017
From the archetypal first-crop French jumps stallion to the fairly typical first-crop British jumps stallion. Dartmouth won a mile maiden at Sandown as a two year old, though he would spend all but the end of his three-year-old campaign handicapping. At four, he won the Ormonde and Hardwicke before placing in the King George and Canadian International, and his five-year-old campaign saw him win the Yorkshire Cup and fail by a nose to win the Lonsdale. Though he has had a flat winner (over twelve furlongs), Dartmouth has the hallmarks of a jumps stallion. A tall horse at 16.1hh, he is a half-brother to a hurdler who won his sole race at six, while Forgotten Voice, Idol’s Lad, Big Occasion (3/2) Flash Ball and Boarding School (4/2) also appear on his damline. Seven of the ten sons of Dubawi to have tried have produced winning juvenile hurdlers, although the combined winner runner rate is a fair 18.06%His first runner over jumps is set to be Sailing Grace who is out of a winning hurdler by Scorpion; another typical jumps sire who, though capable of producing top-class jumpers in Might Bite and Riders On the Storm, had an abysmal record with juvenile hurdlers – none of his sixteen winning from thirty starts between them. Sailing Grace is the niece of three other winning jumpers in Taniokey, Blazer’s Mill and On The Sixth Day, while Plaid Maid (5/3), Carruthers and Coneygree (5/4) are notable distant relatives. Anthony Honeyball is not a prolific trainer of juveniles although of the ten he has saddled, three were able to win with two doing so first time out. Sailing Grace has a reasonable profile for a national hunt horse, although based on most available evidence, “store horse” types tend not to make juvenile hurdlers.Strong prospects
1. Him Malaya
Reasonable prospects
2. Jupiter Allen
Moderate prospects
3. Sailing Grace
4. Ice N SliceUp until 1996, Kempton’s first juvenile hurdle of the season had been known as the Riverdale – a name which survived from the sixties and predated the Ferry Boat Chase, Charisma Gold Cup and Captain Quist Hurdles. Though a contest with more ordinary renewals than good, it did launch the jumps careers of Broadsword, Barnbrook Again, Silver Wedge and Bring Sweets during the eighties and nineties, while Combermere and Runway Romance were other useful graduates during the period. In 2002, the finish was fought between hurdling newcomers Spectroscope and Nas Na Riogh; who would go on to win the Triumph and Finale Hurdles respectively, and last year, the Anniversary winner, Knight Salute, saw off Scottish Triumph hero Impulsive One. In between these editions, the race was also contested by the likes of Chief Yeoman, Trouble At Bay, Noble Request, Quel Destin, Cerium, Katies Tutor and All Set To Go. This year’s edition looks fair-to-middling at this juncture as while five of the seven are maidens, four have flat ratings higher than the average winner of the contest. The standard is set by Chepstow runner-up, Age Of Sail, who ran creditably in what was probably the best British juvenile seen to date, although Alan King has won this race five times and he introduces a 79 rated newcomer. Kempton is a flat, right handed circuit with a reputation of being a speedy track. However, it’s winning DIs of 1.00 median, 1.22 mean are low compared to other courses (sixth lowest in Britain) as well as the beaten runners at the venue. Though stamina would theoretically become more of an issue on a testing surface, the figures for this contest (invariably ran on good ground) are consistent with the standard for the course. Clear round and completion rates are on the fairer side of average and though newcomers are at a slight disadvantage in this particular contest, their overall record at the venue shows little discernible difference. The going at Kempton is currently described as good, good to firm in places, and while watering will continue throughout Saturday, there is no rain forecast before post time. With only two instances of frontrunning in the field, the pace may not be especially strong.
Admiralty House chg Alan King f7-0-4 (79) 86
Sea The Stars (Tobougg){5-h}(1.00) 2/1 Enchanted Forest 133 3rd 2m Handicap Hurdle (120), Punchestown 2013
Since 2004, Alan King has saddled more winning juvenile hurdlers than anybody else in Britain or Ireland, with his tally of 112 including top class animals in Katchit, Walkon, Grumeti, Blazing Bailey and Franchoek to name but a few. He boasts a 30% strike rate with juveniles at Kempton since 2004, with five winners coming in this contest. The yard’s record with debutants is two wins from five, those trained on the flat by himself is one from four, and those trained by himself making their hurdling debuts are zero from three. Notwithstanding, when it comes to all Alan King self-trained newcomers rated 70 and above, his record of 17 wins from 49 runs is both healthy and substantial. Admiralty House is such a horse, having earned a BHA mark of 79 during a seven race flat career at the yard. Costing 55,000 guineas at a two-year-old breeze-up, and gelded before seeing the track, Admiralty House finished third in a nine furlong Wolverhampton novice stakes in January before going one better at Chelmsford over ten furlongs the following month; getting within a length of King Edward VII runner-up Grand Alliance. Given a near four month break, he returned to finish a good second in a Salisbury maiden over a mile and a half, but pulled too hard for his own good at Newbury and, with the hood applied, at Wolverhampton. His penultimate start saw him post a career best in a ten furlong handicap at Newbury in mid-August. Racing off 76, he took a keen hold once again while held up off a strong pace, but finished strongly within the distance and got to within a head of Cracksman’s brother at the line. However, he reverted to type at Yarmouth when last seen a month ago when finishing last of ten at Yarmouth having pulled hard and raced awkwardly under pressure. A nephew of Dutch Art (who has a 4.08% strike rate 8.33% improvement rate as a juvenile sire), the damline of Admiralty House consists of maiden jumpers. Half-brother Combarro twice finished runner-up in claiming hurdles as a four-year-old while uncle Enchanted Forest did place in a handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, but was still a twenty-three race maiden. Nevertheless, sire Sea The Stars is a positive attribute as per his winner to runner rate of 31.25% which includes Stars Over The Sea and Starchitect – the former landing this race on his hurdles debut in 2014. His progeny’s strike rate does improve form 9.38% first-time to 42.86% by the third run, but drops to 0% on the fourth run, highlighting the limitations of statistics. The yard and sire afford Admiralty House plenty of respect, although his inconsistency on the flat suggests that he might benefit from experience.Age Of Sail bg Gary Moore f6-0-2 (76) 83 j1-0-1 (-) 108 113
Frankel (Pivotal){22-b}(1.06) 0.5 Polarisation 114 2nd Juvenile Hurdle, Sandown 2015
Gelded shortly after his sole outing for Godolphin, where he beat one home in a Goodwood maiden last September, Age Of Sail’s next public appearance came at the Tattersalls February Sale where he fetched 60,000 guineas and joined Joseph Parr. In the space of eighty-two days, running over distances between eight and twelve furlongs, Age Of Sail failed to breach the front two in five outings. Nevertheless, he was never beaten any more than three and a half lengths and ended his stint with a BHA mark of 76. Twice placing fourth in a Windsor maiden and Southwell novice, he ran on well to finish third off 77 on his handicap debut over ten furlongs at Sandown, and might have finished closer when squeezed out in the closing stages at Leicester over an extra two furlongs. His flat stint was capped with a solid enough fifth of fourteen at Newbury and his attentions were turned to hurdles as he moved to Gary Moore’s yard. Another successful trainer in the sphere, Moore has a winner-to-runner rate of 35.91% while sire Frankel has one of 31.25%. A nephew of Lammtarra, jumpers are thin on Age Of Sail’s damline as while half-brother Polarisation finished second on his sole run in the sphere, the nearest winners stem from the fourth dam in King Of The Picts (4/5), Noland (4/5) and Ruzzini (4/6). Introduced at Chepstow last Saturday, Age Of Sail was backed from 5/2 in the morning to 13/8 second-favourite at the off and spent much of the contest held up in fourth of the five runners. Taking closer order at the top of the straight, he briefly held a narrow lead approaching two out, and disputed until his being slow away from the last gave the initiative, and ultimately a near three-length victory to Alan King’s Tuddenham Green. His round was reasonable for a debutant, but there was still room for improvement as he was slow away from the same flight on the first circuit, stumbled on landing after the fourth and tight at the next two. The winning time was comparable to the “Free Handicap Hurdle” later on the card (which was more steadily ran) and the form is about as strong as anything seen in what has been a weak British division thus far. Age Of Sail sets the standard on the basis of his Chepstow outing and likely experience, although the record of Gary Moore juveniles at Kempton is a curious one as only one from fifty-two has won since 2004. That being said, he has also had three of the last four runners-up in the Adonis Hurdle.Lark Lane bg Richenda Ford f17-0-3 (45) 56
Sixties Icon (Rip Van Winkle){1-n}(0.68) 3/1 Visibility 138 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Leicester 2003
With seventeen flat outings to his name, Lark Lane is by far the most experienced runner in this field. His official rating of 45 is also the lowest. The closest he came to winning was when headed near the line in a Leicester mile handicap off 46, although he has also placed third in selling company including when last seen at Ripon over ten furlongs at the end of August. Set to be the second juvenile trained by Richenda Ford, Lark Lane was formerly with Mick Channon whose ex-inmates have a 25.17% winner runner rate which drops to 19.64% when Sheena West juveniles are eliminated. Sixties Icon has a solid 22.45% winner to runner rate while the third dam produced winning juvenile Visibility as well as the dam of winning jumpers Vorashann and Vaziani. Lark Lane does not have the worst pedigree for the sphere, but his exposed flat ability and occasionally suspect attitude negate interest at this juncture.Tartarus bg Alexandra Dunn f3-0-2 (71) 71
Ruler Of The World (Mark Of Esteem){14-b}(0.48) 2/2 Atalan 1st 3900m Premio Piero e Franco Richard Novices Chase (G3), Merano 2017
With only three runs to his name, Tartarus is the least expereinced runner in this field. He is also coming into the race off the longest break having not been seen since April. His debut came in a ten furlong Lingfield maiden in March where, having been supported from 7/1 to 3/1 raced close up but ran very green under pressure before finishing a length and three quarter second, nearly four lengths clear of the remainder. Tartarus ran a similar race to a similar level over the same course and distance at the end of the month, losing second on the line. His last flat outing came when an eleven length eighth of thirteen in a ten furlong Windsor novice where he was again green under pressure before fading in the final half-furlong. As the race was inundated with subsequent winners, the form would not have been far off his best, itself worth little more than his official mark of 71. This would be his final outing for Paul Cole, whose former inmates have a winner runner rate of 14.71%, and improvement rate of 33.33%. Fetching £14,000 at the Tattersalls Ascot May Sale, Tartarus has since joined an Alexandra Dunn whose improvement rate stands at 18.18%, with only one of her twenty-three juveniles finding the winners’ enclosure. Ruler Of The World has one winning juvenile from seven and Tartarus has a half-brother and three uncles that are maidens over hurdles; although cousins Atalan and Jewel de Cerisy have fair form on the continent while Converti won a three mile maiden at Worcester.Trojan Horse chc Anthony Honeyball f9-2-3 (78) 88
Ulysses (Monsun){22-d}(0.58) 0.5 Guiri 125 1st 2m4½f Handicap Hurdle (113), Punchestown 2021
Anthony Honeyball does not train many juvenile hurdlers, although he has done well with those who have run for him. With Sailing Grace winning at Newton Abbot, he is now on four winners from eleven since 2011; three of these scoring first time out. His next is set to be Trojan Horse; a 78 rated dual winner formerly trained by Mark Johnston. Honeyball has had just one higher rated in Jukebox Jive, but Trojan Horse will be his highest rated recruit. While ex-Mark Johnstone recruits have a solid winner runner rate of 23.47%, only 29.82% improve for the switch in codes. Nevertheless, the sole juvenile to switch between the yards was the 50 rated Mister Allegro who won twice for Honeyball last term. After finishing a near six length third in a mile novice at York last October, Trojan Horse got off the mark at the second time of asking towards the end of that month with an easy win at Redcar from a high seventies rated performer. Returning in mid-April, Trojan Horse landed a cross-winter brace when taking a five runner novice stakes over twelve furlongs at Ripon on heavy ground. Racing keenly to the fore he hit the front three furlongs out and though ponderous under pressure, ran to the line with a bit to spare over three subsequent winners. Trojan Horse would not add to his tally in six outings, but apart from a Royal Ascot handicap, would still run consistently. He was last seen sixty-nine days ago in a twelve furlong handicap at Ripon where, having been rated 84 earlier in the season, was running off 78. Racing close up off a steady gallop, he was unable to match the winner for pace in the final couple of furlongs, but did keep on to pull upwards of three lengths clear of the remainder. He is set to be one of two runners for first-crop sire, Ulysses, who is off the mark with jumpers after Lincoln won in France. The winner of an International Stakes and an Eclipse, and third in the 2017 Arc, Ulysses boasts a classy and well-rounded profile. Out of Galileo and Oaks winner Light Shift, he comfortably has the stamina for the minimum trip over jumps and is also an adequate 16.1hh. His pedigree credentials are further supplemented by damline appearances of Champion Chaser Dodging Bullets (3/2) and Kingwell Hurdle winner Elgin (2/3). From the family of Guadalupe (2/1) and Royal Rebel (3/1) Trojan Horse is a half-brother to two winning jumpers in Guiri and Gambol as well as being a nephew of jumps sire Getaway. Damsire Monsun is also a positive, with his broodmares producing thirteen winning juveniles from thirty-six. The entire Trojan Horse might be a little fresh first time out, but he has a decent size about him and should have no trouble getting the trip so a decent showing would not be discounted.Volenti bg Adam West f9-1-0 (50) 60
Estidhkaar (Mastercraftsman){8-c}(3.00) 3/1 Grapelli 60.0 1st 3700, Handicap Chase (56.0), Cagnes-dur-Mer 2004
The second of two winners in this field, but rated over a stone below Trojan Horse, Volenti gained his sole success in a seven furlong Epsom handicap in mid-July. Racing off 51, he was held up off a blistering gallop and traded at 180 at one stage, but kept on as the race fell apart and led in the final strides. Since then, he has not ran to within a stone of that performance in four outings; showing a tendency to pull hard and sweat freely in the process. Switched to hurdling, his pedigree offers mixed messages as while Mastercraftsman is looking as good a damsire as sire, and the third dam produced a winning chaser in France, Volenti’s sire Estidhkaar has yet to produce a winning juvenile from eight (with twenty-six attempts between them). Adam West enjoyed his first winning juvenile this term in Rolypolymoly, but has been struggling as of late.Rendition chf Stuart Edmunds f5-0-1 (68) 73 j1-0-0 (-) 44 68
Ulysses (Pivotal){13-e}(0.85) 3/1 Poet 127 1st 2m½f Maiden Hurdle, Newbury 2012
Since 2004/2005, three-hundred-and-eight British and Irish trainers have saddled ten or more juvenile hurdlers. Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins have the strongest winner-to-runner rates, while in joint-third place on 55.56% are Paul Nicholls and Stuart Edmunds. That was until Rendition and Via Serica brought that number down to 50% – which still gives him a clear fourth. The two juveniles previously bought by Stuart Edmund at the Tattersalls July Sale, Wolf Of Windlesham and Addosh would each earn black type during their first campaigns over hurdles having only cost 15,000 guineas. This year, Stuart Edmunds parted with 24,000 guineas in order to secure the 68 rated maiden, Rendition. Initially with Andrew Balding, Rendition made her debut when midfield in a Wolverhampton novice last December before returning in a similar contest at Chepstow in late April where she still looked green and was not strenuously encouraged to better her midfield finish. A few weeks later, Rendition went to Redcar for a ten furlong fillies’ race on good to soft where she lacked the pace of the two short-priced market principals, but was able to finish four lengths clear of the remainder. A twenty-one length midfield finish at Newbury can probably be dismissed as the race rather fell apart, and she posted what was probably her best effort to date early July in a ten-furlong fillies’ handicap at Ffos Las off 72. Unable to quicken off a modestly-run contest, she ultimately finished a six-length sixth of ten in a race which is working out quite well. Rendition is a daughter of Ulysses (covered in the Trojan Horse profile) and has a couple of pertinent uncles in Ace Ventura, who finished third in a juvenile hurdle on his debut, and Alessandro Volta, who won the Lingfield Derby Trial. The third dam produced winning hurdlers Poet and High Stratos. Rendition made her hurdling debut in late July at Stratford; the same venue where Addosh was introduced. However, while supported in the morning from 11/4 to 7/4, she drifted to 5/2 in the ring and though still sent off the second favourite, she ran a race too bad to be true. Racing keenly in the rear, she was big over the first, and awkward and slowly away at the second fifth and seventh; whereafter she was struggling to keep in touch and detached before the turn for home. Her performance was capped with a very tired jump at the last which saw her finish a thirty-one length sixth of six. Naturally, a great deal will need to have been learned from the experience and she will also need to show benefit from her wind operation. Nevertheless, her flat form does not leave her with a great deal to find on these terms and the Edmunds yard (which has had one winning juvenile from two at Kempton) is currently in decent health.Strong prospects
I don’t know / Age Of Sail
Reasonable prospects
I don’t know / Rendition/Trojan Horse
Feasible prospects
I don’t know / Admiralty House
Moderate prospects
I don’t know / Tartarus
Negligible prospects
I don’t know / Volenti/Lark LaneThat Nicholls jolly today forgot the job completely and forgot to jump as soon as it came under pressure- the Honeyball mare was being boxed on the ears a long way out. Hard to know what gained from that race.
Admiralty House was (just about) the best of these on the Flat.
Disappointed last time out, but prior to that had been beaten just a head off 76 at Newbury over 1m2f, finishing strongly, and is with a yard which does well in this sphere.
He is marginally preferred to Trojan Horse, who ran well off 78 over 1m4f at Ripon, and Age Of Sail, who should be better for the experience at Chepstow, but who I had expected to do better there and wasn’t quite as good as the aforementioned pair on the level.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"3yo hurdling debutants with an OR of 102 on the Flat are a trifle unusual at Sedgefield, but Scriptwriter is one tomorrow.
He was six-lengths fifth to subsequent – but ultimately ill fated – 2,000 Guineas winner Coroebus in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket over a mile at two.
And he was beaten the same margin when fifth to Piz Badile in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown in April.
He was sold for 62,000 guineas, having been a £220,000 yearling, in July, suggesting his ability to run to three figures on the Flat is a thing of the past.
But if he takes to hurdling and gets the trip, he should win races for another yard which does well in this sphere.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Scriptwriter gets the job done at 11/10.
My Brother Jack a plucky runner up.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"A VERY pleasing result for me at Kempton Park.
Admiralty House took a very strong hold, but Tom Cannon somehow managed to keep him anchored in last place until about halfway when either giving up the unequal struggle or simply deciding to let him go on.
The winner actually really attacked him hurdles and saw out the 2m better than I’d feared early on.
Touched 6.6 at Betfair Exchange near the Off.
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