Hi all,
In today’s main piece, I’m reflecting on Saturday’s jumps action at Ffos Las and Fairyhouse.
Saturday’s Jumps Action: Ffos Las and Fairyhouse Recap
Saturday may have been low-key in terms of quality, but given the freezing weather, some jumps racing was certainly better than none.
Credit where it’s due—fair play to the BHA. Not exactly known for agile thinking, they reached out to racecourses to see if anyone could stage a jumps meeting on Saturday. Ffos Las stepped up, and racing went ahead. Impressively, they even relocated the Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase from Wetherby to Ffos Las. In collaboration with ITV, this effort resulted in a bumper 11-race programme of jumps and all-weather for viewers—proof of what can be achieved with collective action by the sport’s stakeholders.
Initially, I expected Saturday to be a quiet day for Victor Value subscribers. However, the closer we got to racing, the bets started to stack up. Thankfully, the decision paid off.
Two winners at Ffos Las – Up For Parol (17/2, early price advised) and Keep Running (6/1, early price advised)—delivered nicely. Over at Newcastle, Midnight Lion (5/1, early price advised) produced a strong front-running performance under Paul Mulrennan to claim victory in front of the ITV cameras.
Given my initial disappointment about Kempton's cancellation, where my main Saturday fancies were set to run! It was ironic Ffos Las I track I rarely punt at provided a good profit.
The weather since Christmas has been harsh for racing, but milder conditions are here, allowing jump racing to resume in full swing this week.
Handstands Impresses in Dramatic Towton at Ffos Las
ITV showcased four races from Ffos Las on Saturday, including the rearranged Towton Novices’ Chase. Even-money favourite Handstands lived up to expectations, delivering a commanding victory. As mentioned in Saturday’s preview, I was confident in Handstands, and he didn’t disappoint.
Taking the lead at the fourth fence, Handstands handled the testing ground and shorter trip (an extended 2m 3½f) with ease. Carrying a penalty for his Grade 2 success at Sandown, he powered home a clear cut winner. Adele Mulrennan summed it up perfectly on ITV: “He’s learning on the job.” With back-to-back wins over fences, this work-in-progress looks set to contend in Grade 1 novice chases at the spring festivals.
The race, however, wasn’t without drama. Cherie d'Am, struggling on the heavy ground, was beaten when falling three out. At the same fence, Saint Davy also came to grief, hampering Hillcrest, who unseated his rider. For Saint Davy, the drop in trip proved unsuitable as he was already under pressure when he fell. Hillcrest, despite his imposing size, still doesn’t convince as a natural chaser. However, he was arguably in the process of producing his best effort over fences when his race ended abruptly.
Up For Parol Back to Winning Ways Thanks to Sheehan’s Savvy Ride
Gavin Sheehan clearly did his homework before riding Up For Parol in the 3m handicap hurdle. He stuck to the inside, searching for better ground, and it proved a smart move.
Up For Parol didn’t run like a horse winless since December 2021. Dropped in the handicap, with three miles and soft ground in his favour, he delivered. I fancied him at Sandown last Saturday, so backing him here was an easy call.
Keep Running Right into the Spotlight!
Keep Running dominated from the front to win the 2m handicap chase. Up 7lb for his Ludlow success and in a deeper race, he continued his upward trajectory with an impressive victory. Despite jumping noticeably to the right at several fences, his overall accuracy held up.
In Saturday’s column, I noted he’d go close if he jumped as well as at Ludlow. While the right-handed tendency was a flaw, it didn’t stop him here. A switch to a right-handed track could unlock a bit more improvement.
I was tempted to make Ostrava Du Berlais the lay of the day, chasing a hat trick, but decided against it. Weak in the betting and returning at 7/2, the mare never got involved on much tougher ground than last time.
Cromwell's Fairyhouse Sweep: 1-2-3 Finish
The SBK Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (Grade 3) at Fairyhouse turned into a Gavin Cromwell masterclass. He saddled the first three home in the feature race, an impressive feat by any standard.
The progressive King Of Pr’s finally grabbed his moment, building on recent placed efforts in valuable handicap chases. With Conor Stone-Walsh claiming a useful 5lb, King Of Pr’s carried just 9-13 and made the most of his light weight to edge out stablemates Path d'Oroux and Midnight It Is.
All three are now being aimed at the Grand Annual Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Ante-post favourite Hunters Yarn disappointed, drifting in the market before the race and failing to fire, later found to have a bruised sternum. He may bounce back in a smaller field where his front-running style is better suited.
American Mike (fourth) found 2m 1f too short and needs further. There’s a handicap chase in the 8-year-old off a mark of 146 but you can’t rely on him.
Captain’s Nephew, a recent eyecatcher wasn’t far away in fifth. He can win a handicap chase before the season is out.
It’s not every day a trainer sweeps the podium in a high-class handicap chase, but Cromwell pulled it off in style!
In Tuesday’s column, I’ll review Sunday’s informative action from Punchestown.
Good luck with your Monday bets.
John