SEPTEMBER 2011 HORSES

6 year old bay gelding     (Sunshine Street – Browneyed Daughter)     2123P4

After beginning his Irish pointing career with the honour of joint favouritism and the dismay of a fall, Ely Brown closed that chapter of his racing career one race later being much less fancied but winning in convincing fashion. He was seen a couple of months later losing a Hereford bumper by only a neck, and put that failure right when winning a three mile Worcester hurdle at the first attempt jumping under rules – his pointing experience probably helping over the brush hurdles. He was terrible at long odds-on at Hexham afterwards, good to soft official going (seemingly easier in reality as two hurdles were omitted all day and the struggle home in the bumper had a strong wintry flavour to it), but then fared better back at Worcester behind the in-form Teenage Kicks. The Ely Brown roller-coaster extravaganza took it’s next dip at Uttoxeter, but he again rallied to be a fair fourth to UK-Jumping favourite Red Not Blue at Worcester (again). The thought that he needs a galloping track is stymied by the Hereford effort, but easing ground and/or undulations seem to be outside his sporting comprehension. There could be one or two more hurdle runs to be had with him this year, but chases would presumably be the long term plan.

Handicap hurdles or handicap chases on a level track, over 3 miles or more, on good or good to firm

Watch me! Watch me! Ely Brown goes to post at Worcester

MICKMACMAGOOLE     (Evan Williams)

9 year old bay gelding     (Sadler's Wells - Musk Lime)     509/2121F69/10P53/176P1410/52590115-3P065

Sometimes when a horse is given an unfortunately silly name (with apologies to any real Mick Mac Magoole's who may be loitering around with intent to punctuate), it carries over into their everyday business of racing. Fortunately, in the case of Mickmacmagoole, he wears his talents on his sleeve, and not the one he uses to wipe his nose either. He dabbled in chasing, and proved he did not care for it. The old dogs/new tricks cliché comes into play if anyone is wondering about another attempt. So we have 32 hurdle races to concern ourselves with. Three were novices in Ireland, outclassed behind the likes of Big Zeb, or pottering round to get handicapped. Of the remaining 29 he has won a very honourable eight. The record going left-handed is 2 from 14, going the other way it is thus 6 wins from 15 tries. Admittedly he has attempted five at Cheltenham, with results of F0050, but even if that dismay is discounted, a level stake profit going right handed is an appealing nugget in what is still a bias to turning that way, even though only one Sandown run in the total is outside his class. Admittedly three wins have come in sellers, but he has just begun again to show the little bit of spark that comes with a declining handicap mark.

Hurdles up to 2m 5f on a right-handed track 

NATAANI     (Joanna Davis)

8 year old brown gelding     (Presenting – Clahada Rose)     1/4

Started as a racing machine all the way back in spring of 2008, when he undertook a fairly traditional method of learning by pulling up in an Irish point-to-point. Nataani was only 7/2 that day, which made him third favourite, and the story was a little different to the cynical intro, as he was bang in contention when badly hampered two from home. Next time he finished second, and after a break of a couple of months, he was sent to Tramore for a bumper on New Year’s Eve. Nataani handled the tricky track with aplomb, and saw off the second with ease – a horse eventually rated 132 over hurdles. The next two home have since been much less exciting, but if they were all geniuses (geniii?) they would likely have been bumpering at a less awkward venue. And that was that. At least it was, until earlier in August, when he returned from 31 months absence with a creditable fourth, tiring late on, at Worcester. As long as he stays sound, he ought to be able to win a hurdle or two, probably on easier going, and given his massive time on the sidelines, we ought to forgive him if it takes a couple more runs to build up to maximum power.

Hurdles on good to soft, soft or heavy  

Photographer picks a woeful spot to aim for a post-race snap of Nataani

NIFTY ROY     (Brian Storey)

11 year old bay gelding     (Royal Applause - Nifty Fifty)     O08320/31P47959090631U31/70764413/PP668/206/P0/P477340-2165

The notable feature of Nifty Roy's career has been a long spell in which he was considerably short of niftiness, resulting in a winless stretch from spring 2007 to spring 2011. However, many of the runs in that period were over hurdles and with a tally in that sphere of 1 win from 30, compared to 4 from 22 as a chaser, there was an obvious reason to expect limited results whilst back hurdling. Ultimately he has not had a bad jumps career for a horse who showed his thoughts on hurdling by running out at the first one he attempted in public. Two features stand out when trying to balance his winning and losing chase efforts. The highest weight he has carried to success has been 10 stone 9 pounds (and for a lowly rated horse, he has ended up carrying more than 11 stone more often than might have been predicted). As well as that, he is sort of a spring/summer horse. The twilight zone for performance comes from October to January, when he is consistently poor, but the first hint of a brighter day, even as early as February, and he blooms like <insert your own spring flower reference here, possibly consulting a botanist.> Despite advancing years, another win or two is not out of the question, especially as he showed previously untapped stamina reserves in the last one. His record in the specified conditions is 31U3141316 for a 25.5 point level stake profit, with one of the thirds coming at Cheltenham, and the U is his only jumping blemish so far -always a nice comfort blanket (like the one he hides under for the winter).

Chases carrying less than 11 stone, between February and September

RAWAAJ     (Donald McCain)

5 year old roan gelding     (Linamix - Inaaq)     4643/949211d22317-435

The selection of Rawaaj is based on attempting to second guess a mystery. Some wile away their hours seeking the conspiracies that governments cover-up with a degree of competence that they are unable to ply elsewhere. Others find perennial enjoyment in almost totally vain tracking of legendary beasts, completion of puzzles and all steps in between. But what we (and it assumed anyone that has persevered this far is going to see it out, even the ones that fear it will not be worth the effort) want to know is... why when Rawaaj won hurdles on soft at Hereford and Carlisle, as well as a void but truly run race at Huntingdon, has he run his two chases on good at Bangor and Cartmel. Yes, he did demonstrate enough on soft ground going left-handed to think he may get away with it (and the Cartmel run was not at all bad) but he had already set out his stall as a wallowing river/mud beast, so the chances of success were dependent on opposition failure rather than his own excellence. Let us predict superior chase results when back in the conditions he relishes.

Handicap chases on a right-handed, easy track, on soft or heavy

TENZING     (Paul Henderson)

7 year old bay gelding     (Luso – Black Dale)     706/0-80

The form figures are misleading here, as before the last two runs, Tenzing failed to be placed in four Irish points. Yes, he has been less effective than the numbers imply. That raging run of non-success gave him a chance emigrate to England (no record of a Joanna Lumley lobbying campaign), to see if he could continue in the same vein. So far, Tenzing has done nothing worthy of note. Except climb Everest, and these days everyone bar Brian Blessed and the Sultan Of Brunei have managed that. However, his latest run at Newton Abbot was not at all terrible – beaten thirty lengths but tenth of eighteen without seeming to have tried too hard. Still on a fact finding mission it appeared. We have no idea of preferences at all, and perhaps chases are on the agenda, but he is worth following in any sort of handicap – but seriously consider drawing stumps after he has won. So far, Tenzing has not run on soft or heavy, but it would be embarrassing if snow caused him a problem, or the run-ins at Towcester and Carlisle.

Handicap hurdles or handicap chases, stop  at the first win