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Forum regulars will know I’ve always been enthusiastic about National Flat Races. In normal times I would be looking forward to seeing these contests live at Scottish tracks, more so now I’ve retired from work, but at the moment on-line viewing is the best I can manage.
I’ll keep and eye on the Scotland and northern bumpers to see if we can spot some that might follow up or go on to make up into jumpers.
AYR – October 26
SPIDER PIG led or disputed most of the way. Distinctly under-rated but capable jockey Richie McLernon kicked on from four furlongs out and nothing could quite get to him after that. He responded well when the second got to his quarters. After a fair run at Hexham this looked a significant improvement for the Ben Haslam trained gelding and the first pair were well clear of a well fancied pointing winner in Freezing Point. The dam was unraced, but half-brother Oscar Robertson won a novice hurdle over 2m 5f and being by Yeats suggests this one will benefit from a test of stamina in time.
FLY BY MILAN was given the slip by the winner turning for home but stayed on to harry the winner from the furlong marker without ever quite looking like getting there. He looked a bit green when asked to chase the winner and should benefit from the experience. The trainer/owner combinations push a stream of decent horses through the bumper route and this one should add to their win tally before long. The dam So Proper, placed in a bumper herself, has produced three siblings who have raced to date and all have won a race at 2 miles.
A couple of bumpers to look at over the weekend.
Ayr – Saturday October 31
Only 5 runners here in a newcomers’ event and heavy rain forecast so the going likely to be very testing.
Donald McCain introduces Akentrick, a half brother to four winners including a couple of Irish jumps winners.
David O’Meara has Flammarion, a half-brother to Fun Mac and jumps winner Favorite Girl.
Third of interest is Thunder In Milan who is out of a full sister to Ballabriggs who has produced staying jumps winner Kiltealy Briggs. You would expect this one to benefit from a test of stamina.Carlisle – Sunday November 1
Two days heavy rain forecast so conditions likely to be extreme, but there are some interesting ones amongst the 7 declarations and this could be a decent contest.
The one I particularly have an eye on is Ruth Jefferson trained Onward Route, a close second to well regarded Tupelo Mississippi at Newcastle in March. The stable’s other runner is Mauritian Bolt who ran a fair second at Hexham on October 10.
Most interesting rival to the above is Geonice, half-brother to a couple of winners in France including a double Grade 3 winner, and the mount of champion jockey Brian Hughes.
Fergal O’Brien has Karl Philippe a winner of a Hereford bumper last November. Form from those close up has been no better than moderate.Great to read your notes Rob.
I’ve been tackling bumpers for the first time this year. I’ve been at them them without any regional approach, (or much methodology to be fair) so it is particularly helpful to get your northern expertise.Thanks Sam. As those who see me regularly on course will know I always look forward to the bumper on a card, but missing the chance to see the horses in the flesh. Hope the weather holds for Carlisle and looking forward to tomorrow’s contest.
It was accidental, but we have a car number plate that has the letters NHF!
AYR – October 31
Difficult to draw too many hard and fast conclusions from this newcomers event run in testing going. The runenrs ambled for the first mile and a quarter before the pace increased and four of the five ended within a length of each other.
FLAMARRION just prevailed in a close finish and looked very green. Previously in John Gosden’s care, he didn’t make it to the track and became a rare bumper runner for David O’Meara. He pulled hard in rear early on, accelerated to lead a furlong out but weaved about and just held on. I get the impression he will be suited by better ground but unless he settles won’t see out much more than two miles at a proper racing pace.
THUNDER IN MILAN is a strongly built jumping type and anything he does in these contests must be seen as a bonus. He led, kicked on four out and responded well once headed, closing again to the line and just foiled. He had to set his own steady pace and more speed up front would surely suit an animal who will have stamina as his strong suit.
The apparently unfancied Scottish trained runners DEEP CHARM and ROYAL RANK gave up no ground in the closing stages so clearly have a bit about them as racehorses. I would need to see both in a race with more depth before drawing too many conclusions.
CARLISLE – November 1
The race was run at a steady pace until the third kicked on round the bottom bend. The first three pulled away from the rest up the straight and I would expect the form to prove decent.
KARL PHILIPPE handled the tough conditions best and stayed on well up the hill. Given the profile of this race, even with only 6 runners, this looks a decent performance and the winner looks well laden with stamina. An interesting prospect for hurdling if the stable choose to go down that route.
ONWARD ROUTE was driven and tapped for speed after two out but did see out the race well enough to the line if comfortably outpointed by the winner. Looks to me as if he will be better suited by less testing ground.
WARRIOR STORY was well clear of the remainder at the finish and in the firing line up the straight. His dam has produced a number of winners including Warriors Tale who was rated 147 and most of her progeny have been endowed with decent stamina. A prospect for staying contests in the long term.
KELSO – November 7
I like the Kelso bumpers as they often throw up one or two to follow and historically the likes of Knockara Beau and Simply Ned cut their teeth on the flat in the Borders.
My own analysis for this race knocked it down to five contenders who occupy the first five places in the Racing Post forecast plus one that might be for the long term notebook.
SAMBEZI comes off an easy win at Hexham on his Rules debut. The second was subsequently held in the competitive event at Carlisle but going was testing for that one.
CREGGAN WHITE HARE was a promising second on debut at Sedgefield in September. No breeding pointers to work on.
FETE CHAMPETRE is a newcomer trained by Rose Dobbin who has turned out decent horses in bumpers. This one is a half brother to very useful performer Ballymoy.
PLATINUMCARD was second in the other division of Sambezi’s Hexham contest behind a more experienced performer in Bucko’s Boy. On the face of it Sambezi looks better but Platinumcard’s race was run 4.5 seconds faster.
NEW DELHI EXPRESS debutant half brother to fair McCain trained jumper Middlebrow (6 times a winner but not completely straight forward).THE ELECTRICIAN probably needs time as he’s more stoutly bred than many, being a half brother to a fair winning staying chaser in Mister Don. Trainer is 0 from 41 in bumpers and, though he does train a few winners, this indicates a ‘long term project’.
I would love a look at these on course but sadly behind closed doors restrictions don’t allow that luxury so I’m relying on what on see on television.
KELSO – November 7th
FETE CHAMPETRE proved good enough on debut, leading over one out and seeing the race out well enough. This one will be a name to note for jumping in time. Given that the second won comfortably last time this looks decent bumper form.
SAMBEZI‘s Hexham form was nicely franked. He set the pace and stuck to his task if held in the final furlong.
The most interesting one in the first three was DIXIELAND SWING given a fairly easy time in his one Irish bumper but clearly possessed of ability. He stayed on in the way of one that will appreciate a trip in time. On breeding you would say this one would be a miler and indeed he’s a half brother to decent seven furlong handicapper Revich and another 7 furlong horse in City OF Angkor Wat. Evidence of runs to date suggests there is more stamina imbued in Dixieland Swing.
It would not surprise football fans to know SCHALKE a German stallion who, in the mould of his country’s typical equine stock, gets progeny endowed with stamina. He kept on promisingly without having the speed of the first three.
DUNNOTTAR CASTLE ran a fair enough race in fifth for Inverurire-based Jackie Stephen who has already trained a bumper winner this season. Her dam hasn’t yet produced anything of note but this one, unfancied at 80/1, looks sure to benefit from a stamina test.
Of those that had raced previously, CREGGAN WHITE HARE and PLATINUMCARD did not back up their debut efforts in a race with more depth.
NEW DELHI EXPRESS went well before lack of condition told in the closing stages. His trainer Iain Jardine is never one to hurry inexperienced horses, so likely to better in the tank.CARLISLE – November 9th
An eight runner event with a number of interesting newcomers and solid placed form from Grumpy McGrumpface. Current favourite is Barrichello, placed in a point and now making his debut for Donald McCain.
Barnabas Collins (Steven Crawford) and Del La Mar Rocket (Ben Pauling) are interesting well bred newcomers.
CARLISLE – November 9th
This event turned into a three furlong sprint so difficult to conclude too much but suspected contenders were there at the finish.
BARNABAS COLLINS showed good determination to forge ahead of DEL LA MAR ROCKET and it would be reasonable to expect both to progress for the experience.
Placed in a point BARRICHELLO will presumably benefit from going hurdling in time and stuck to his guns.Potentially most interesting here is NATIVE CHOICE who was right in the firing line a furlong out but gave way at that point to finish fourth. This one is a half-brother to three winners, notably Smiles for Miles (Official Rating 133) who was a progressive staying chaser in 2015 before suffering a career ending injury. He has a stamina laden pedigree and is certainly one to note when going jumping and it helpful that appears to have a fair bit of basic speed.
AYR – November 11th
A mares’ bumper that might yield a winner or two going forward.
FAIRFIELD FERRATA came to this off the back of solid placed form and kept on well to hold two challengers in the final furlong. She is a full-sister to a couple of jumps winners at up to 2m 5f.
TEESCOMPONENTS LASS is a home bred half-sister to three winners and sister to another. The training family Reveley have done nicely from the mare and it looks as if they have another winning prospect in this one. Possibly just got her nose in front two out and harried the winner to the line. She showed a good attitude and should win a bumper before going jumping, and she won’t find all mares’ bumpers as tough as this.
WITHOUT CONVICTION was second in an Irish point in March. The dam, more optimistically named With Conviction, bred a half-sister who won two races. Got into the race two out and saw it out to the line for a sound debut.
LAGONDA won a point at Milborne St Andrew and looks in need of a trip. In the firing line two out she faded in the final furlong but there should be better to come in time.
ORDERED LIVES was made Evens favourite off a fair effort but no more than that at Ffos Las. Half-sister to two moderate winners but was hedl from two out and needs to step up on this.
MINUIT CIEL, the first raced foal of an unraced mare, was a bit keen early on then put in an effort two out before calling enough. Probably nothing dramatic expected at this point but this run hinted that there might be better to come with experience.CATTERICK – November 20th
A four-year-olds only contest and I suspect a few of these will need some time. It’s a rather sad comment on the British jumps breeding industry that only four of the 14 were registered bred in Great Britain and of those only one finished in the first 11.
Peter Atkinson trained FINGAL’S HILL turned over a JP McManus owned. Breeding wise the pedigree is stamina loaded, the unraced dam being a half-sister to very useful performers Fingal Bay and Oodachee. Basic speed is clearly there and plenty of hope for progression in time.
THE BOMBER LISTON was backed down to 4/7 on the back of a fair third at Ffos Las first time out. Dam was a winning hurdler at two miles and it’s possible this one will be best at around the minimum distance. That said he was putting in good work at the finish here.
A whole host of others were close up in a race that turned into a blitz over the final three furlongs. GENTLEMAN VALLEY got loose before the start but still proved competitive, beaten around a length in third. Dam was a minor winner in the French provinces for Jehan Bertran De Balanda, from a family with a wide equestrian pedigree himself, and pedigree is well loaded on the stamina side.
GREGOR was putting in solid work at the finish to place a close up fourth. Another with stamina on male and distaff side.
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