CATHEDRAL ROCK     (N. J. Gifford)

5 year old bay gelding     (New Frontier - Cathadubh)     4/3310-3

For the bulk of his short career, Cathedral Rock has been not quite rising majestically from the desert of the larger tracks, his one win coming at Kempton on heavy going. Two miles was the agenda from the off, whether it be bumpers or hurdles, and the only step up in trip was a flop, but did come only seven days after his previous race. However, the point to be taken from his defeats is that they have been mostly fairly comprehensive - 16 lengths and 21 lengths despite making the frame on the first two tries over obstacles. And whilst he could improve with maturity, the same argument could apply to those that have beaten him. Things were more interesting for his chase debut as he raced on a faster going than ever before, and was not especially well in at the weights. Apart from a bit of a nudge to make certain of third going down the hill, it was a fairly educational intro. Expect Cathedral Rock to step up in trip and go for softer ground in the future, with hopefully less ambitious targets than he was offered earlier. The other perspective is that if Cathedral Rock does not go on from a sound debut over fences, his yard tends to race their inmates quite lightly, so he will not rack up that many defeats! An interesting (or maybe not) wobble is that in his short career Cathedral Rock has met William Bonney three times, and finished exactly one place behind him on each occasion. Revenge will be sweet. Warning: When looking up Cathedral Rock on Webfetch, one of the first suggested similar links is Utah State Prison. These things tend to have a reason beyond simple coincidence.

Chases over 2m 3f to 2m 5f on soft or heavy

A horse named, hopefully with great irony, after a huge, immobile monolith

MASTER DARCY     (Mrs L. J. Mongan)

5 year old bay/brown gelding     (Cloudings – Swift Conveyance)     50-2

This horse has been on the list for inclusion for the best part of a year, in anticipation of him learning to run in a straight line, but impatience has ruled the roost, and he is added to the list in the hope that connections will give in to the will of the horse and run him right handed. An eye-catcher in the paddock, and not totally unsupported in the market, on his debut at Fontwell, he hung out to the right badly in the latter stages, almost certainly sacrificing a place as a consequence. Thus going to Newbury next was a asking a lot of Master Darcy, and he did not surprise anyone to be 19^th. After eight months off, he came back at Lingfield, and on the tight all-weather track, where he again got in contention and showed an inclination to go off to his right. Colin Bolger, knowing that he could not beat the decent Outlandish, concentrated on steering to make second. Is it greenness or is it mulishness (there was no stable exit to blame at Lingfield) but the horse has the looks, has the ability, and time to learn.

Handicap hurdles on a right handed track.  

Even in the parade ring Master Darcy cannot help dreaming of a drift to the right

NOBLE ACTION     (A. J. Honeyball)

8 year old chesnut gelding     (Mister Lord - Triggered)     12//3-212

As Noble as the Action may be, the relatively light career so far tends to suggest that the action on this horse is as limpy as it is Noble. Do not be fooled by an apparent busy spell, as he actually ran twice in May and then had a six month break to recover from the excess of excitement. Conqueror of Butler's Cabin in a bumper at lowly Folkestone, the only defeat by more than eight lengths after that came in a torrential downpour at Chepstow, when taking on Flight Leader in a three miler - a bit like trying to fight a polar bear in a blizzard on a glacier: once stuck there, you have do try, even though the task is impossible. Noble Action recently made his chase debut at Lingfield, although he did have winning experience in the pointing world - sometimes a plus, on others not so helpful. The Rules opener was OK. He was beaten by another debutant, Victor Daly, but was conceding eighteen pounds and saw off some more experienced enemies in the course of it. There was one mistake at halfway, and an awkward flop over the last looked to be down to tiredness. Suffice to say that his current rating of 110 looks very workable providing that Noble Action's achilles heel - health - does not hold him back again.

Handicap chases over 2m 7f or more, not on good to firm or firm, rated up to 125

Noble  in demeanour, proud of ear, and a reasonably good chase debut.

PROUD TO PRESENT     (B. G. Powell)

6 year old bay gelding     (Presenting - Proud Polly)     903-52

Emerging from the Irish pointing scene with form of P1 - or it could have been pi, predicting a career average finishing position of 3.14159 etc. If that is the case, the current tally of 6.4 will have to be improved upon, and some rules agreed for how to handle letters. Eventually arriving back at the point, Proud To Present had three educationals over hurdles - the highlight being a seventeen length third in a big field at Stratford, and the low point a hundred and one length drubbing at Newbury. Irrespective of the opposition, a three figure margin (equates to 25 seconds, and in a typical two mile hurdle it takes only 15 seconds or so to run a furlong) are desperately short on positives. The chase debut was not at all bad, fifth at Uttoxeter on unsuitably fast ground. Despite serious reservations about the lack of ability of a couple of them, all of the horses that beat Proud To Present that day went on to win soon after, a big hand to the trainers for some cunning placement, an when our hero turned up at dank Folkestone, his chances looked obvious. Readily outpointed by a chase debutant, he did nothing wrong, but just may have not seen out 3m 1f on good ground that was soaking up some rain. If he does not cut it over fences, he could still make a mark over hurdles.

Handicap hurdles/handicap chases from 2m 6f to 3m (monitoring a possible sharp track preference)

Proud To Present about to take exception to being made to run on Boxing Day

SHERIFF ROSCOE     (P. Winkworth)

7 year old bay gelding     (Roscoe Blake – Silva Linda)     2/458/52012-3

A winner of a hurdle, runner up in a bumper, and not really disappointing in a novice chase at the first time of asking, all that Sheriff Roscoe needs is to get a little bit more prolific in the win department, and his yard is one that has fielded a few horses that are bigger in the talent than the determination aspects of the game in recent years. But for this one, the perfect solution is at hand. Line him up against The General Lee (currently in action in the north), get Waylon Jennings to do the commentary, in a narrative style that makes Simon Holt seem hyperactive and the results will flow. Except, for those who have the foggiest idea of what is going on here, we know that The General Lee would always get the better of Sheriff Roscoe. Instead, stick to chases on a right handed track, and them Duke boys will get what’s for. Gyuk, gyuk, gyuk!

Handicap chases on a right handed track, rated up to 115

Too dark and rainy for a good picture but this proves that Sheriff Roscoe exists and is not just an excuse to waffle on about early 80s daft television

TOPLESS     (D. P. Keane)

6 year old grey mare     (Presenting – Tara The Grey)     6/F3617-2

A mere 100/1 shot on her bumper debut, Topless ran a decent race to be sixth of seventeen and has continued to show promise ever since, even though on her hurdles bow it only lasted as far as the first flight. Dusting herself down, she next made the frame against modest but race hardened rivals and got off the mark on hurdle race number four, when stepped up to three miles. The follow up was not too bad, only seventh in a big field, but beaten just over five lengths when the oppo set a pace too slow to suit Topless. Her yard hit a very quiet patch from the summer of 2007, and she had eight months off before reappearing in novice handicap chase at Plumpton. She had the top weight, the tongue tie used in her last race was missing, and it looked generally a day for learning. Left in contention by fallers, Topless was very game in making the winner fight all the way, and she ought to grab some attention when her team hits better form, and the stamina shown in her formative races suggests she will find no distance too far.

Handicap chases, over 3 miles or more, on good or good to soft on a sharp track

Here is a Topless photo (the grey)