Bristol The Third! - A weekend review

After events at Taunton, Cheltenham and Fontwell in the past fortnight, jumps fans needed a boost and as ever, Haydock's Betfair Chase meeting delivered the perfect gift despite the horrific conditions. Since the race was founded in 2005, the race keeps throwing up memorable and emotional renewals. Cue Card winning the race three times, Silviniaco Conti a dual winner, the war between Kauto Star and Imperial Commander in 2009 and the best of all, Kauto returning to win his fourth Betfair in 2011 aged 11, with the packed stands all shouting him home regardless of what you'd backed.

This season though, Bristol De Mai went for a third win in the race, up against the horse who knocked him off his throne last year Lostintranslation together with dual King George winner Clan Des Obeaux. More on that later, but let's rewind to Friday first.

Friday 20th November 2020:

Ascot played host to a couple of nice races for young horses including the chasing debut of Chantry House, the latest in a batch of exciting Nicky Henderson horses for the season. Personally, I thought his performance was reminiscent of Altior in it's appearance, with some slow and not very slick jumping in the early stages and having to be kidded along at a couple of junctures in the race. However when the tap was turned on, just prior to Pic D'Orhy taking a tumble at three out, he came back hard on the bridle and jumped the last two with lots of enthausiasm and quickened well when asked. He strikes me as a horse who will keep improving and the sky remains the limit. Speaking of Henderson horses, Buzz, who ran well in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las on his return this season, absolutely hacked up in a good field. He was a well above-average Flat horse and there is an argument to say that if Seven Barrows weren't armed with Buveur D'Air and Epatante, then Buzz may well be considered for a spot higher up the ladder. For now though, a return to Ascot for the big handicap just before Christmas could well be on the agenda. 

Metier again impressed for Harry Fry in the introductory hurdle, with the second horse Tile Tapper definitely one to keep on side for a trainer who certainly knows what he is doing in Chris Honour. 

One to catch the eye at Chepstow amidst the gloomy weather was Eclair D'Ainay taking the novice handicap chase for the Skelton brothers. You won't see many better rounds of jumping around Chepstow, which is a real test for any horse let alone one making his chase debut. He won this off 116 but despite being destined for a hike in the weights, if he jumps like that again, he'll be very hard to beat wherever he goes.

Saturday 21st November 2020:

As mentioned earlier on, Bristol De Mai left his Gloucestershire base to try and wrestle back the Betfair Chase trophy. The weather gods certainly were on Bristol's side as it tipped it down all day leaving the ground heavy for the off. Lostintranslation didn't look himself for most of the final circuit and despite Clan Des Obeaux travelling best to two out, you always felt that Bristol would find enough. This was 'his Gold Cup' as opposed to the others you feel. It's all about the King George with Clan Des Obeaux and with the Tizzard horses all needing the run, you sense the Gold Cup itself is the primary target for Lostintranslation. 

Elsewhere on the card, it is great to see Master Tommytucker begin to sort his jumping out after taking the Graduation Chase in impressive fashion under Sam Twiston-Davies. He's still not 100% but I wouldn't like to guess where he could be come the end of the season. 

Main Fact remarkably landed yet another win in the feature three mile handicap hurdle, giving the impressive young rider Fergus Gillard a big Saturday winner. More on the horses in behind below.

At Ascot, Imperial Aura once again enhanced his growing reputation with a very good performance against Itchy Feet, whose jumping could have been better, and Real Steel bombed out quickly on his debut for Paul Nicholls. The winner was the only horse with a run this season and once again, like so many of Kim Bailey's horses, his jumping was very good all race. First Flow was also successful for the yard later on the card on ground which definitely would be as quick as he'd want it, as he loves heavy ground, reminiscant of the yard's former top staying chaser Harry Topper.

Song For Someone was also impressive for the very much in form Tom Symonds yard, beating Call Me Lord, who ran just ok and the disappointing Laurina, who once again ran a stinker, this time on her first run for Paul Nicholls. I feel she hasn't really been the same since her disappointing run in the Champion Hurdle to the ill fated Espoir D'Allen in heavy ground in 2018, and now it requires a serious time spent at the drawing board.

I've compiled a list of 5 to keep onside from Saturday:

Third Wind (Hughie Morrison) - A very good second to Main Fact at Haydock under Jonjo O'Neill Jnr and this likeable and consistent performer looks set for another good campaign. He is already qualified for the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival, a race in which he ran well in last year. The Pertemps qualifier at Wincanton on Boxing Day could be a target.

Imperial Alcazar (Fergal O'Brien) - Midfield behind Main Fact as well on his seasonal reappearance after travelling very well if not a bit keen through the race. He came to nearly take over at the third last before his exersions took their toll in the bottomless ground. Paddy Brennan looked after him and he remains a nice prospect.

Frimeur De Lancray (Sue Smith) - 4th in the opening Listed novice hurdle at Haydock on his third hurdle start, staying on strongly all the way to the line after being outpaced on the home turn. The three ahead of him were all past winners, with one win, two wins and three hurdle wins respectively ahead of him and this lad, with a step up in trip, will definitely be winning very soon.

Camprond (Phillip Hobbs) - A very good 2nd on his Huntingdon hurdle debut for Phillip Hobbs behind Glory And Honour, a horse that Tom Lacey rates highly. He had been off for the best part of two years since leaving Pia Brandt's yard in France, but running in the colours of JP McManus, this four year old ran a fantastic race, jumping well and travelling powerfully throughout. He's a winner waiting to happen.

The Denholm Bandit (Stuart Kittow) - Ran in the farcically run bumper at Ascot on Saturday and ultimately finished in midfield. He is one to pop on your trackers with "3m handicaps", which will hopefully prove fruitful once that avenue is explored further down the line.

Next weekend brings us the Fighting Fifth and Ladbroke Trophy Festival, plus some top class Irish racing too.

2020/21 National Hunt Season - 10 to follow

Published 8th October 2020.

As you can see it's been some time since I pushed the keys on here, but on the eve of the traditional "proper" jumps season curtain-raiser at Chepstow, I thought I'd give you all a few horses to keep an eye on over the coming campaign. As will become apparent quickly on here, I like to find horses across all levels, and enjoy midweek racing just as much as the big races, so we have horses rated from as low as 78 to 150!! There are two horses based across the Irish Sea as well. So, in alphabetical order, let's get into it.

Benevolentdictator (Gary Moore) - Official rating: 106 

This 6yo by Schiaparelli hasn't had a great deal of racing, but has shown signs of promise and in the shape of a horse who is well handicapped off 106. He went on my tracker after his debut in an Ascot bumper when keeping on past beaten horses under tender handling from Josh Moore. He went straight hurdling and again there were glimmers despite the wide margins he was beaten ultimately. We last saw him in January at Plumpton in his first handicap where they crawled along through the first two miles of the journey before quickening the tempo after the ninth hurdle. He got caught flat footed initially and to add insult to injury, made a mistake at the tenth, before running on steadily into fourth. The winner went on to post two very fair efforts in defeat afterwards, and the two directly ahead, the loveable mare Tambura and Fortunate George both won afterwards, so the form has worked out well. The handicapper dropped him for that and I'd like to think he can be very competitive this term off this mark, and given his size, chasing is certainly an option too going forward. It's also worth noting that the yard have had success with the family in the past.

Brandy Pad (Jennie Candlish) - Official rating: 78

If this horse doesn't win at least one race this season, I'll be baffled! He won an Irish PTP before having a very quiet spell in novice hurdles. He went straight chasing and in a novice handicap chase on 7th December 2019, he was backed from 25/1 into 7/2 before pulling up in the straight after travelling menacingly through the contest. Uttoxeter three weeks later wasn't too dissimilar before a small break and a trip to Musselburgh. In a small field, he was backed into favouritism beforehand and looked the likely winner two out despite a display littered with mistakes, before being headed and losing out by a length to Eagle Ridge. He is off 78 now but he strikes me as the sort of horse who could rattle off a sequence of wins as he can still run in 0-100 company for probably at least three wins. He's only a 6yo and if he brushes his jumping up a bit, his season could prove fruitful for all.

Dreamsundermyfeet (Martin Keighley) - No Official rating at time of writing

This lad is very much one for the future in staying handicaps. He has run twice post-lockdown in Uttoxeter in 2m4f maiden hurdles with promise in both styles. He was very rusty in the first of them when held up in rear and coming off the bridle at around halfway before staying on all the way to the line at the one pace into midfield in a seventeen runner field. He returned at the start of October in what I think is an above average maiden hurdles, with the front pair, both smart horses, pulling a long way clear of the remainder. He travelled much sweeter this time and was one of the last off the bridle and was one paced once they quickened but was still fifth of a big field. The fourth was The Triple Pillar who had been beaten narrowly at Warwick the run before so the form has some depth and I envisage this lad winning a staying handicap hurdle, or even a handicap chase before the season is out. Ground shouldn't be an issue either for this unexposed five year old.

Fil D'Ariane (Tom Symonds) - Official rating 115

The first of a couple of Tom Symonds runners on the list. The yard have had a bit more joy in the early stages of the season so far, after the successful link up between Tom and David Dennis, who now is alongside Tom after winding down his own operation in the past few months. I saw this gelding make his British debut at Southwell and was really taken by him physically beforehand, a well built sort who was only going to get better with time. He was beaten by Shantou Vow (a winner since) that day and Aidan Coleman was very complimentary afterwards. Following that run he had a wind operation and two further runs in novice company, despite having a mark after seven runs in France. You would be excused for thinking he was an old horse, but he's just a 5yo and his mark has dropped 5lbs in the space of those three runs and the extended break will have done him good physically. He should be able to find a race or two all being well.

Induno (David Pipe) - Official rating 115

I'm a big fan of this son of Flemensfirth, who runs in the colours of Ronnie Bartlett. He has won half of his four starts and could be a good bit ahead of the handicapper. He was a good second in his opening bumper at Warwick, before brushing aside the now 135 rated Mario De Pail with contempt at Ffos Las, quickening in bad ground, which tends to be a sign of a decent horse. He then went to Sedgefield and won on his hurdles debut beating some fair sorts, before being a well-beaten odds on favourite at the same venue on Boxing Day. There must have been a reason for that, whether it was the trip or something else, but in a recent stable tour, David Pipe inferred he is well thought of and is a "good work horse at home who will probably start off over hurdles". He's worth keeping on side.

Kaproyale (Olly Murphy) - No Official rating (Runs Chepstow 4.25 on Friday 9th October)

Kaproyale is a fine looking grey gelding who will have his second start at Chepstow tomorrow (9/10/20). He is not one to be backing in novice company I doubt, unless you have extra places, but it won't be long until he gets a mark and will hopefully make hay in handicap company. This outfit tend to get the three novice hurdles in pretty quick and this looks the case here too as Kaproyale made his debut on 30th September in a good maiden hurdle at Bangor, where he was given a quiet ride by Adrian Heskin but ultimately not beaten far. A step up in trip looks a plus going forward and I'll be intrigued to see what the handicapper says.

Mack The Man (Evan Williams) - Official rating 131

Mack The Man was certainly a big improver last term, after a reasonably innocuous start to his hurdling career. He started off last season with a cosy win in a 0-115 handicap hurdle at Warwick for which he received a 7lb rise in the handicap before sneaking into the December handicap hurdle at Sandown at the start of December 2019, where he won once again off a featherweight. After a couple of months to freshen up, he was holding a chance when brought down at the last in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury. Speaking to Isabel Williams, daughter of trainer Evan Williams, Mack The Man is going chasing and will be out in the next few weeks. He strikes me as a sort who will keep improving and the sky is the limit for him.

Montagne D'Argent (David Harry Kelly) - Official rating 109

It is a reasonably rare occurrence for me to include an Irish trained horse in one of these lists that you will not see at one of the big meetings, but this horse really caught my eye last term. I was particularly taken by the way he went through his race before being brought down at Limerick at the very end of 2019, and improved on that to be 2nd at Gowran Park. I expect him to be able to prove pretty competitive off his mark.

Tornado Flyer (Willie Mullins) - Official rating 150

Tornado Flyer was one of the horses from the Cheltenham Festival that caught my eye in the Graded races staying on late in the Marsh Novice Chase. He has a track record of a horse that might just be a touch below the top level over obstacles, being beaten less than ten lengths in three Grade 1s over hurdles and fences after winning a Grade 1 bumper at the Punchestown Festival. It wouldn't be the biggest surprise should this 7yo go and improve and be right in amongst the top dogs come the end of the season. The other element to him is that he potentially can slot in over two miles, two and a half miles and a fast three miles. He could just be the horse that emerges amongst the big boys this winter.

Williams Overture (Tom Symonds) - Official rating 94

This lad is definitely one to stick with for the long-term. He has contested one 'bumper'  and four maiden or novice hurdles, going off at 66/1 or higher on every occasion, but that doesn't tell the full story. He is another horse to transfer from David Dennis to Tom Symonds and is the sort of horse traditionally that Tom has done well with in the past and I envisage he might be able to do some damage off this low mark in staying handicap hurdles and chases. He is a raw, big lump of a horse and I imagine this 5yo son of Mahler would have taken plenty of getting fit for his seasonal and stable debut recently at Uttoxeter and there was enough in that effort to make me think he could be one to keep onside.

Two others to note that just missed the cut were Monkey Harris for Richenda Ford and Ladronne for Tjade Collier's yard. The former will not be out until the New Year and needs soft ground while the latter could be a nice handicap chaser in the North.

Once again a brilliant season awaits us, and despite everything that is going on in this world right now, I'm sure the sport can continue to put smiles on peoples' faces even if they can't be there in person to see the action on the track.