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Tataniano, Atouchbetweenacara and Line Freedom.
Some pretty competitive racing over the three days and I suspect that even if these three are not challenging at next year’s Festival they should still make an impact during the season.
I had Tataniano down as a stayer but clearly the minimum trip and good ground suit him pretty well. Obviously, some of the Champion Hurdle horses may go for the race, but I have had a little on him at 20/1 for the Arkle.
Atouchbetweenacara is another well suited to a faster surface and given those conditions must have a chance of picking up another decent handicap – Paddy Power?
It was probably a very poor race but still hard not to be impressed the way Line Freedom travelled and then stormed up the hill. She looks more of a bargain at £17,000 than the £200,000 the owner has just shelled out for Candy Creek.
Atouchbetweenacara will be aimed at the Paddy Power next season, Stilvi. Could be an interesting season for Venetia Williams – the strength of her ‘squad’ seems to be improving all the time.
Agreed.
Developing that last point further, I actually think she’ll be pulling out a few more stops to make sure her string is finding its form earlier next season than she did this. Reading between the lines of some of her interviews in the last six weeks or so, there’s been a bit of frustration on her part that she’s not improved (and may even still be down) in terms of numbers of winners this term, for all that some of those winners have been in higher-profile contests. Her comparatively poor autumn campaign will have had a lot to do with that.
That then being the case, I’ll be looking for more positive signs from the Kings Caple runners from October onwards this time around, and if they are forthcoming, then yes, Atouchbetweenacara would probably stand as good a chance as anything in the Paddy Power.
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Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
It’s amazing to me how long ago last year’s Paddy Power was, yet it seems so recent. Seems so recent that there was so much hype about how fabulous Silverburn would be this year, all for it to turn to dust. It’s now closer to this year’s Paddy Power than last. I think it’ll be interesting what ‘good’ horses stay in training for the summer jumping this year, and whether that’ll affect if the quality of horses running around October/November time is affected. With that new big Handicap Chase and Hurdles at Ffos Las, and the Summer Plate and Summer Hurdles from Market Rasen and other good races, the summer jumping scene seems to be improving year on year, as does the quality of horse.
Sing it, brother. It’s now the case that a rating in the mid-120s is no longer a guarantee of a place in a maximum-field renewal of the Summer Plate, Lord Mildmay Chase, etc. The summer season continues to improve at a very pleasing rate.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Indeed. Snoopy Loopy won last year’s renewal of the Summer Plate. Admittedly, he wasn’t rated 160 or whatever he is now, but must have been 140 ish, and I believe he’s being aimed at this year’s big chase at Ffos Las, which his owners own of course. I’d have thought he’d have needed a rest now, he’s had an awfully long season and been on the go since well before last year’s Summer Plate, but ‘waddeva ya say’, Mr Bowen.
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