Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece I complete my look back at the weekends jumps action. Plus, there's two for the tracker.
I was expecting to write about a good Sunday card at Aintree. Sadly, events there mean I won’t bother although one of today’s tracker horses comes from that meeting.
Aintree’s Low Sun Fiasco
Besides the two days’ at Cheltenham’s Open Meeting. There was a good looking card at Aintree on Sunday where the highlight was a deep looking Old Roan Handicap Chase.
Sadly, the race was spoilt by three fences in the home straight being omitted due to low sun. It’s happened at the meeting in the past so why can’t Aintree racecourse erect temporary screens at the end of the course.
Something must be done about the situation. I appreciate solutions are not easy. Maybe start the meeting at noon with the Old Roan Chase going off at say 1pm or as I mentioned above erecting some temporary screens.
At present we punters are getting a raw deal. We’ve put our bets expecting a full compliment of fences to be jumped instead we lose six of them. If you have placed bets early you don’t necessarily have the time to react to a short notice decision like we got on Sunday.
Not jumping six fences changes the whole dynamic of the race. Good jumpers are suddenly disadvantaged. What had looked a good jumps race on paper was turned into an unsatisfactory spectacle.
Were getting to a point where you must ask yourself. Is there any point to jump racing if they’re going to miss out nearly half of the fences in a race?
It's only year ago that I was bemoaning that low sun would spoil the winter jumps season. Twelve months on were back to square one and no one in the racing hierarchy seems concerned to do anything about it.
Once again low sun going to be bane of the winter jumps season in the coming weeks. It’s come to something when you must pray for cloudy weather.
Old Roan Chase: Blips and blowouts
The Old Roan Chase was marred by omission of six fences due to low sun. With all three fences in the straight missed out it meant the runners had a very long run-in to deal negotiate.
Jetoile (25/1) burst a few big stable bubbles to win the race. The 8-year-old ended last season with a couple of wins at Chepstow but showed here that he doesn’t need that track to shine. He was a worthy winner and well on the top at the finish. It was a great win for a small yard that of Ryan Potter. Provided the handicapper doesn’t go overboard with his success there could be another valuable handicap pot in the 8-year-old this season.
One horse who could have done with jumping those final three fences was Tommy’s Oscar. He was going as well as the winner coming to the omitted fences. However, a stamina sapping run from the last fences jumped was just too much for the 8-year-old.
The two big disappointments of the race were Hitman and My Drogo.
Hitman beaten a head in last years race was sent off the 7/2 favourite but was a beaten horse four out. It was a lifeless run from the top weight. He’s already had his wind tinkered with three times and more surgery could be forthcoming.
My Drogo was returning from a 21 month absence so his underwhelming run can be partly explained. He never got competitive from the rear and wasn’t knocked about by his jockey. His next race will reveal how much of his old ability remains.
There must be a question mark over the reliability of the form given so few fences were jumped, and several of the well fancied runners ran below par.
Two For The Tracker:
Given the quality of action last week not surprisingly there were plenty that could have been added to the tracker. I put up Strictlyadancer up as an eyecatcher after his seasonal reappearance at Chepstow earlier in the month. The 9-year-old did best of those who came from off the pace when a 1 ¾ length 4th of 16 in the amateur riders handicap chase at Cheltenham on Friday. He could have done with ridden a bit closer to the pace. However, he showed he remains on a good mark and he’ll no doubt be back for another amateur riders handicap chase over C&D at the November Meeting.
In Excelsis Deo – Harry Fry
The 5-year-old didn’t really kick on in a way that connections would have liked after making a winning chasing debut at Hereford last December. He was doing his best work at the finish when 2 ½ length 3rd of 11 to Dancing On My Own in the 2m handicap chase that opened Saturday’s Cheltenham card. He’s only had five starts over fences and nine altogether and is open to further progress if building on this promising seasonal return. Softer ground won’t inconvenience him and he may stay a bit further than 2m.
It’s a race that looks strong form. The winner Dancing On My Own needs decent ground and a well-run race which he got here and will remain competitive when he gets such a scenario. He could well be back for the Grand Annual Handicap Chase at the Festival.
The well fancied Haddex Des Obeaux was still bang there when falling at the last. He’s a 2m chaser that you should keep onside this season despite this mishap as he’s on a good mark.
Meanwhile the second Triple Trade needs further 2m. However, he remains on the upgrade and can win more races back up in trip.
Jimmy The Digger – Henry Daly
Jimmy The Digger had won a Cheltenham handicap chase 12 months ago and looked on a competitive mark in the veterans chase at Aintree on Sunday. The 10-year-old was jumping nicely just behind the leaders before stumbling and unseating his rider at the 11th. The way he travelled through the race suggests to me he's on a handy mark. He can pop up in handicap chase in the coming weeks.
Tuesday Preview
The Curragh must survive a 7am inspection to see if its fixture can go ahead. The track was partly waterlogged on Monday afternoon so there must be a doubt if they can race. If they can race 134 runners have been declared for the eight races. It’s a day for big fields as 100 have been declared for Chepstow’s eight race jumps card.
Chepstow
3:15 – Join The Vickers Customer Racing Club Handicap Chase (Class 3) – 2m 3 ½ f
The race of the day at Chepstow and its an interesting one.
Nocte Volatus is a consistent handicap chaser who has race fitness on his side having finished 2nd of 5 over C&D 17 days ago. He’s a decent jumper of a fence and will ensure the that the chase debutants have to put in a good round of jumping to win.
Hymac is the least exposed of 11 runners having just had three starts under rules. A bumper winner on stable debut in March last year. He was only beaten a nose when 2nd of 15 here in a maiden hurdle in December. He’s bred to be a chaser and a mark of 124 could well be lenient one on handicap/chase debut.
The King Of Ryhope ran out a comfortable winner of an Exeter maiden hurdle in February and improved again when a 3 ½ length 3rd of 12 in a Grade 2 (3m ½ f) at Haydock. Below par dropped back in trip when a 6/4 favourite at Kempton on final start. An interesting recruit to chasing but trainer Dan Skelton is 2-30 in the past 14 days.
Georges Saint failed to win on eight starts over hurdles for Venetia Williams but was 2-4 over fences when trained in France. He won’t be inconvenienced if the ground eases further and is interesting returning to the larger obstacles.
Eureka Creek jumped well to win on her chase debut at Uttoxeter last November. She didn’t kick on two subsequent starts last season. However, she starts the season just 2lb above her last winning mark. Trainer Emma Lavelle is 6-17 with her runners in the past 14 days which means the mare can’t be discounted.
Curragh
The Curragh looks one for masochists only. However, I do quite like one in the in the 6f handicap (12:50). Magical Vision really hit form last autumn winning 5f handicaps at Navan & Naas. Both those successes came on heavy ground and the mare began this season with another heavy ground handicap success at Naas (6f) in March. She returned from a six month absence to post a career best effort on RPR’s when a head 2nd of 19 over C&D (soft) 24 days ago. Nudged up 4lb but looks set for a big run.
Tuesday Selection:
I know For a nineteen runner handicap Magical Vision is hardly an exciting price at 11/2 but she’s today’s pick.
Curragh
12:50 – Magical Vision – 11/2 @ Coral.
Good luck with your Tuesday bets.
John