- This topic has 11 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 3 months ago by
.
- Posts
Forumites with long memories will be aware of a thread that I kep t going for a few seasons with meeting reports from Scotland and the North of England. The thread ran out of steam a bit, but I’m remain vigilant for future prospects when at the races. On that basis I’m starting this thread drawing attention to horses that I spot on course, often catching attention in the paddock. This first report contains a mixture of winners and those that caught the eye down the field.
4th October 2024 – HEXHAM
KINGSTON JAMES caught the eye with an iumpressive hurdling debut over two miles. He’s a handsome individual looknig all over an athletic jumping type. He won this contest with any amount in hand and, while I could be getting ahead of myself, hints at being Graded class by the end of the season.
6th October 2024 – KELSO
BLOW A FORTUNE is mare whose unraced dam is a half-sister to a winning staying hurdler/chaser. She’s a robust type who caught the eye in the paddock, though understandably a bit green for her debut at 5 years old. The form book comment reads ‘tailed off from two out’ which doesn’t encourage, but I noted her keeping on up the straight having been outpaced by three previous winners. May be a long term project but showed soem promise and mares’ novice hurdles in this part of the world can be very weak. Breeding suggests a long trip will suit, so this 2m 5f would likel;y be a minimum.
LYLE VIEW, a filly placed in a point, this tall filly was on her toes in the paddock. Held up out the back over this two mile trip she made pleasing progress from two out to stay on into fourth win only a hands and heels ride. In the autumn of her fifth year I would think she can strengthen a little more and build on an encouraging start. Unlikely to come on my radar that often as she trained near Bath, but I’ll keep an eye out for her elsewhere.
SAMWISE caught eye in the paddock here looking very well off a two year break having shown promise in bumpers in 22-23. Looked to be coming off second best to favourite Yokkell, but battled hard under pressure and got up on the line. I always like horses that take part in a sustained duel so both these are worth taking forward but I do like Samwise who I trust will build on this encouraging hurdles debut. His trainer Susan Corbett disappears under the radar a bit but shows a 17% profit over the last 5 seasons from 370 runners. Note that last fact and use it to your advantage!
October 12th 2024 – Hexham
A meeting that often throws up some decent animals to take forward.
The novice handicap chase looked a very interesting race with a number of potentially decent chasers. I suspect you could follow all seven here but the winner CHOOSE A COPPER does stand out to me. He was biding his time hurdling last year, but still considered good enough to contest the Grade 2 Premier Hurdle at Kelso when not totally disgraced in sixth palce. Chasing was always likely to be his game though and he started off a pleasingly low mark of 117 for thsi contest. Won it nicely, but not too far, and would be expected to progress from here. I think he will rate substantially higher before the season is out.
In the same event, not one I would necessarily put on the list but a bit of an observation. BENSON comes to chasing late in his career and my first thought was ‘How long before he spits out the dummy?’ To his credit he ran well in front for a long way and only gave way on the stiff run to the last. Sandy Thomson has barely started the fire for this season so improvement can be expected from most if not all his horses going forward. If he can keep Benson sweet this one may well win a chase this season.
BATTLE BORN LAD won his novices’ hurdle beating a 6/5 favourite in the process, making all and holding the second as the pair pulled well clear. If you have done that round Hexham you are no slouch and the winner can build on this form. This one has shown promise for his trainer in bumpers, but Mark Walford has some interesting recruits this season and is a stable to keep an eye on over this jumps season. When he gets one really fit it won’t be far away.
Bit of a break for me until the next Scottish jumps meeting at Kelso on October 26th, but action cranks up with my membership giving me two freebies at Ayr in the first half November plus another Kelso meeting. My Kelso mates introduce me to their friends as ‘our paddock expert’, and thsoe friends include some scarily knowledgeable people, so I have reputation to live up to!
Good luck with the thread Rob, and was pleasantly surprised with Benson
Look forward to you unearthing a few crackers
26th October 2024 – KELSO
The opening novice hurdle offered plenty of pointers for the future. BRIDGE COURT ran on a decent race on hurdles and stable debut for Sandy Thomson. Close up for much of the trip he faded into fourth on the run-in, but should come on for the race and is well capable of wiining a run of the mill miaden or novice hurdle. He’s a half-brother to three decent winners over 2m 4f+ so will likely benefit from a step up in trip.
SOCIETY SOLDIER proved hard work in the first half of the race, ridden along by Conor O’Farrell to stay in touch and detached three out, but stayed on steadily in the straight to dead-heat for fifth. Dam is a half-sister to Paisley Park and otehrs that needed a trip.
BLOW A FORTUNE was never going to be favoured by a step down in trip and was well held on this occasion. Worth keeping in mind once she has three runs to gain a handicap mark.
Lightly raced WALK ON QUEST was keen early on chasing debut in the 2m 1f novices’ handicap but stayed on well to beat a determined AUGHARUE in a race in which the last two fences were omitted. THe winenr looks the type to progress with experience and the second showed aenough to suggest a Class 5 handicap is within his compass.
Paul Robson’s young son was watching from the Kelso roof and was very keen on CANNOCK PARK in the 2m 1f Nuts Well Handicap Chase. Oliver was a bit disappointed to see his favourite horse pipped for third place. However, if you take out impressive winner Pay The Piper winning the race named after his former stablemate, this was a very close contest for second and this was a decent effort for a novice against seasoned handicappers. Jumping was sketchy at times but the experience will help.
Paul Robson created a good impression from his small yard in Hawick, but expect him to up his game as he’s now resident at Hazelrigg formerly the yard or Rose Dobbin.
Nuts Well is planned to be amongst the Parade Of Favourites at the Morebattle meeting at Kelso next March.
2nd November 2024 – AYR
The opening novices’ hurdle looked a mix of decent novices and long term projects. Last season Nicky Richards was bit behind his normal schedule and took time to get going, however stable’s more forward this year and SARACEN BEAU was an impressive winenr of the opening novices’ hurdle. Travelled smoothly he eased clear on the run-in. An impressive hurdling debut from a strong looking sort.
NORTHERN AIR was short priced early market by virtue of the hoo-haa the followed his previous run when he was suspended for 40-days deemed as a non-trier at Worcester. Travelled well into the race in the straight and outpointed the remainder, should find a race soon.
ROCK ON JET and MY KIWI GIRL disputed the pace and battled on when challenge. The former is more expsed, but an ordinary novice or maiden should be within his grasp. My Kiwi Girl is an interesting filly, an expensive purchase for hte Alexander satbke and would be very interesting in mares’ novice company.
Don’t dismiss the fifth STEP OUT. Dropped down to 2 miles it was a surprise to see this one made favourite. The Racing Post comment reads “weakened quickly from two out” but quite frankly that is a load of cr*p, dropping in distance he was just outpaced. Back up to 2m 4f or more he’ll get competitive again.
KING ARISE ran a cracker in the Class 5 handicap chase beaten by a neck having lost a couple of lengths at the last. Jockey Charlie Hammond was very frustrated at losing, oaths were uttered in the unsaddling area! This was an excellent chasing debut after a 532 day spell off the coruse. The first pair were well clear nd Richard Newland gelding looks Class 4 potential.
WHITE RHINO made an impressive chase debut seeing off DONNY BOY on the run-in. Both can progress and Donny Boy will appreciate some cut in the ground.
There aren’t many riders that I mark as a positive when I see them on a horse I favour, tending to trust most jockeys to point them in the right direction. Some might be surprised, but one of those is amateur Kit Alexander who got the consistent MACK THE MAN up right on the line in the 2m handicap hurdle. Kit is as good as many of the professionals, but remains very much a part timer though 9 wins from 38 rides over 5 years suggests that anything he rides is significant.
Talking of riders our group of Scottish track regulars are pretty much of one mind that Danny McMenamin is as good as any National Hunt jockey. I’m sure he’d be pitching for the jockey’s title if he was attached to a big stable ‘down south’.
Flat season makes a brief return as Musselburgh sign off their flat fixture tomorrow (Wednesday 7th). We are then back at Kelso on Saturday, early breakfast time departure for an 11.10 ‘Premierisation Clash Avoidance’ start which does give us the bonus that low sun is likely to be less impactful. Ayr again on November 13th and, assuming all slots into place, that will be the most meetings I’ve visited in a year. Retirement Nirvana attained!
Just spotted this thread, Rob. A northerner myself, I’ll be checking in regularly now I’m aware of it.
Saracen Beau is a horse I’ve loved from the minute I watched his debut in an Ayr bumper. The way he finished that race marked him out as a potential stable star and I was delighted he proved me right on hurdles debut where he progressed past Step Out. A good 16/1 winner and a winner for my TRF10TF list too
9th November 2024 – KELSO
An early start courtesy of ‘Premierisation’. No real objection from me as it means I get home in the light and the dreaded ‘low sun’ problem becomes less, but plenty of predictable grumbles. Next meeting starts at 11.55 by necessity anyway!
Opening novices’ hurdle was lwo key affair with the favourite Tommy’s Law a one-paced sort for whom it is proving hard to ifnd a distance. The winner LUNAR CHIEF had a slow start to his hurdling career and came off a break, but won going away and looks a decent prospect for Ruth Jefferson (trainer of last year’s winner Kerryhill).
LUCKIE SEVEN was held in third on handicap debut but will benefit from the experience against senior opponents. Gave way in the latter stages of this 2m 5f hurdle, but will find winning opportunities.
Willie Young trains a stable of manily slow horses, but may have a potential winenr on his hands in SANTA CLARITA. The Class 5 Handicap Hurdle wasn’t a deep contest, but the highlighted animal caught the eye, outpaced two out but staying on strongly to take second place close home. This would point to a longer trip being the answer, but it’s arguable on previous evidence that this one is best around 2m 4f.
The bumper winner HUMBLE JUMBLE looked short of peak condition but beat a previous winner in Beyond The Verge despite running green in the closing stages. Better to come from this one I would think as betting suggested he is well regarded.
I’ve got a soft spot for Beyond the Verge, having backed him last time we were at Kelso. I’ve been following the stable too. They had an amazing strike rate: until I started backing them, that is!
Susan Corbett is much under rated, showing around a 15% profit on all runners in the last 5 years. Strike rate is not spectacular at 11% but her runners are clearly over priced.
13th November 2024 – AYR
The last of a burst of fixtures in late October/early November. We now break the Scottish until Musselburgh’s 2 day fixture at the end of the month. Generally a low key card at Ayr.
Ground once again dry with very little rain. Watering at Ayr maitained good ground and hopefully they can now leave the rest to nature with a break until January 2nd.
BLOW A FORTUNE ran a promising fourth behind a useful staying recruit form the flat in Evaluation. Iain Jardine’s mare stayed on from the last and would have been second in a few strides after the winning post, a fact hat seems to escape the Racing Post racereader. She will now be able to run in handicaps and will be suited by a step up in trip.
Nicky Richards introduced a decent sort in CASTLE CARROCK who needed the bare minimum touch on the accelerator to scoot clear in the bumper. This wasn’t a strong event but this impressive looking sort will go on to trouble much better company. He was keen early on but settled nicely once allowed to go to the front by Danny McMenamin. I understand the gelding goes to the Cheltenham Sales this week.
Of the remiander in the bumper PORTNABLAGH may be interesting long term. He looks all over a three mile chaser in the preliminaries, “three mile chase in the mud” was my suggestion to a fellow paddock watcher. It was no surprise to see him outpaced early in the straight, but he made up a lot of ground from the furlong pole as stamina cut in. Paul Traynor may well bring this one over again from his County Antrim base.
Not one to follow particularly, but a bit of breeding trivia. Winner of the 2m 4f Class 4 Handicap Hurdle, Kinbara Firstdraft is by the sire Koropick(IRE) and is the latter’s only jumping progeny to date. In the meantime Koropick has been gelded and ended up running in sprint handicaps for Colin Teague off Official Ratings in the low 40s.
28th & 29th November – MUSSELBURGH
A frosty start to the first day of this double header and I suspect it was a bit closer to being called off than the management cared to admit. There is a godo covering of grass though and it has to be a hard frost to get into the ground at THe Links.
The opeing novices’ hurdle had only 4 runenrs, but was a very interesting contest. The Irish trained IMPERO caught the eye in the paddock, a nicely balanced animal who floats over the ground when he walks and gives a simialr impression when on the course. He travelled easily in front and wwas a ready winner, though he gave backers a scare as he took off a stride early at the last lfight and hit it on the way down. No suggestion that this race found anything like the bottom of this horse who could make his mark in Pattern company.
Of the other three SHATTERED SOLDIER caught my eye. A hurdling debutant who comofrtably won an Irish point in April, he looks all over a chaser and anything he does over hurdles must be considered a bonus. He was held for second by the more experiened Ollie La Ba Ba, but created a sound impression.
The juvenile hurdle division is weak in these parts though MELINDA has the build for jumping and stuck on well to hold off stablemate Johnnny Ringo. The rest were strung out so form may carry some weight.
FREDDY ROBINSON put up an encouraging performance on his return from 74 days off his his last flat run and a lot longer since a hurdles win at Catterick in January. He chased home the progressive well backed Heart Above and looks the type to pick up a handicap hurdle before long.
On the second day the opening Conditionals’ Handicap Hurdle was a moderate event and the third AGILULF has yet to register a victory. He led for a long way here before being seen off in the closing stages. A bit of a leap of faith but I reckon there’s a race or two in this one, around this distance at a right-handed track.
The same stable’s WISE EAGLE was the satr of the day with an impressive belated return to hurdling in the maiden. He clattered acoupel of flights, but otherwise jumped well and sauntered clear from 2 out. Adam Nicol will look for an ovice under a penalty before going up in grade. Interesting that he’s got a rating of 123 of that run, so Nicol has a few options. Those behind are no mugs and JET PATROL may well have taken second but for comnig down at the last. Another to watch out for is ZEPHLYN who stayed well on the flat and needs a step up beyong two miles over hurdles, staying on steadily down the straight here for fourth. He’ll be interesting when handicapped.
I backed HAPY LA VIE in 2m 7f handicap chase and he led pretty much all the way bar the last couple of strides when he was headed by course specialist DR SHIROCCO. He’s clearly had training problems but is as game as they come, holding on grimly until near the line despite being under pressure from four out. He was reported lame afterwards, so I just hope that isn’t a recurring problem. The winner is worth keeping in mind when he runs here, and RETURN FIRE ran a sound race in a close third for one that is better suited by a stiffer track.
Regualr readers of my threads will know bumpers often catch my eye. The contest here should be of interest going forward. THe second KOOL RAOUL created the best impression on my eye. A little outpaced early in the straight he stayed on well in the latter stages for second place against a winner with previous experience. He’s related to jumps winners in France and one would expect him to be fairly forward in that sphere.
A bit of a catch up on meetings I’ve attended earlier in December.
8th December – KELSO
Always a highlight of the Kelso year with the Borders National headlining a decent card.
Plenty of interest in the opeining maiden hurdle. Those at the front of the market filled the first three places but the two following htem caught my eye. TUPPENCE ran once in France when unseating at Senonnes-Pounance in the North-East of the country. I had to look up that course, but from the Google Maps view it seems a very well appointed equestrian centre. Raymond Anderson-Green has a breeding operation in France which has produced some decent animals and Tuppence showed a deal of promise here, racing prominently and hurdling well before fading in the closing stages. I’d expect this half-sister to the useful Traprain Law to win a race or two before long.
Back in fifth and staying on encouragingly was the Jimmy Walton trained THAT ONE who stayed on steadily up the straight. His mark of 102 looks workable and will be interesting handicapping and stepped up in trip.
The Borders National was won by BRETNEY who made all the running to see off his principal front running opponent YOUR OWN STORY. The latter is a fair naiumal and stays well but doesn’t put it all in at the sharp end, passing the line with ears pricked suggesting htere was more to give if he were inclined.
TRAVAIL D’ORFEVRE, upped significantly in trip, stayed on from three out and gives the Alexander stable options in Northern staying chases in the coming months.
9th December – MUSSELBURGH
A ‘Zen Moment’ early in a card always helps the mood and that was provided by PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL in the opener, obliging for me at 18/1. The favourite YOU SOME GIRL didn’t look outrageously under priced at 6/4, but the winner was running in Class 5 for the first time, had an unchallenged lead and looked the winner from the turn for home. Maybe a case of right horse, right race, right day, but the second lost nothing in defeat and remains competitive.
The maiden hurdle only had four urnenrs but all interesting in their way. The winner SMOKERINGINTHEDARK looks a hurdling type and had just too much speed for his main challenger. He was a bit keen in the small field and there is probably better to come. The second JET TO VEGAS is more of a chasing type in stature so gains credit for pushing the winner to the line. He looks capable of winning a hurdle or two but chasing looks to be his future.
Lightly raced PRINCE OF PERTH won the 2m 4f Class 5 Handicap Hurdle in encouraging fashion and in a decent time for the class. He was ridden out to hold Catboy with the remainder well held and can progress from here and there’s a strong chance he will be suited by further.
Racecourse catering can be much of a muchness but Cafe 1816 by the Members’ Entrance comes up trumps with some very decent rolls and scrummy cakes. Offering for this pre-Christmas meeting was ‘Brie and Cranberry on a Beetroot and Spelt Roll’, a bit different and it really works. At regular meetings look out for the ‘Brie, Toasted Walnut and Chilli Jam on a Rustic Ciabatta Roll’ another absolute winner and one my wife has recreated for lunch at home!
21st January 2025 – AYR
Slow start to the New Year with a couple of call offs at Mussleburgh (well covered elsewhere) and Kelso (frozen solid), but decent weather for the two day meeting at Ayr and I attended the second day.
Ayr maiden hurdle’s are generally of interest and any of the five that finished in the 3 mile opener are worthy of soem interest. One that caught my eye in the paddock was hte otally unfancied Darragh Bourke trained WHOLLY BOLEY. Danny McMenamin set him off in front and he stayed there until before two out, one passed he was allowed to come home in his own time. He may need to get handicapped before finding his level but is worth keeping an eye on.
MY KIWI GIRL, previously mentioned in this thread, ran a sound enough race to finish second to a decent looknig southern raider in the mares’ maiden hurdle.She wasn’t toally disgraced in Pattern company at Haydock in her previous race and there will be a mares’ race for her.
CHASINGOUTTHEBLUES stayed on to take the staying handicap hurdle by a small margin, but gave hte impression there was a bit more in hand than the bare result suggests. A cracking purchase for Mark Walford’s stable he’s progressive and shoudl win more races. GAILLIMH A STOR had to settle for a close second once again but in his best from the last and his visit to the winner’s spot looks merely delayed. His wins to date have come in soft ground and cut does seem to help him.
HASHTAG BOUM was held from three out in the novices’ handicap chase. She’s only a small mare (15.2hh) and view from both jockey and connections was that while she jumped well enough out of the soft ground it does sap her energy. Plan appears to be to keep her to better ground than soft and she can do better than this bare form suggests. LUNAR DISCOVERY stayed on past her to take second place, made a perfectly acceptable return to chasing and would be of interest if lowered in class (some scope off 123).
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.