Plumpton 17/12/07

Most of the races were sponsored by Betfair, celebrating the intro of their own SP. As a user for whom the attraction is the ability to fix your lay or back price, the point of an SP eludes me. But there you go.

Race 1: Steve High Is Juvenile Hurdle [2m]

1: Sweetheart 2: Bathwick Breeze 3: Ardmaddy

Winner owned: RW Huggins, trained: Jamie Poulton, ridden: Mattie Batchelor

By Plumpton standards this was a reasonable juvenile hurdle, unlikely to throw up any stars but with a bit of strength in depth that may throw up future winners as long as connections turn off Cheltenham and Sandown et al on their sat nav. In advance, Sweetheart seemed more of a possible than a probable for glory, even with her perfect profile for jumping, but she produced an authoritative win over the game Bathwick Breeze. Peter Chapple-Hyam was a surprise name on the list of trainers with a runner, and his Morning Farewell ran OK without being too exciting.

Race 2: Betfair SP As It Should Be Novice Chase [2m 1f]

1: Kruguyrova 2: It’s a Dream 3: William Bonney

Winner owned: Ronald Brimacombe, trained: Charles Egerton, ridden: Paddy Brennan

Another qualifier in the Cheltenham Bonus hunt, and a pretty decent race as a consequence. Kruguyrova, the highest rated hurdler, but bottom weight due to age and sex allowances, was a well backed and impressive winner. She was being reeled in by Its A Dream at the end, but as he was in need of further before the layoff, that was no surprise. As the weight changes implied, William Bonney turned over Pauillac, who played the Pat Garrett role to him at Lingfield, but it was the way in which Pauillac went about it that was eye-catchingly discouraging. Thierry Doumen's raider Zariyan was withdrawn at the start for the fitting of an undeclared hood. Those crazy French guys!

Kruguyrova (9) holds on as Its A Dream charges home - having been upsides the out of shot William Bonney at the last

Race 3: Peter Clark Memorial Novice Hurdle, Div I [2m 5f]

1: Herecomesthetruth 2: Pocket Aces 3: Richard’s Sundance

Winner owned: Paul K Barber & Mrs M Findlay, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Sam Thomas

After a bit if a let down on his bumper debut in a race that has not worked out so well, Herecomesthetruth showed his true colours to see off a confidently ridden Pocket Aces and end a 29 race losing run over hurdles here for Sam Thomas. The runner-up came from well back to be right on the winner’s tail two out, and although switched twice to avoid Herecomesthetruth’s random wanderings, the couple of lengths lost was less than Pocket Aces was beaten by. Having shown wayward tendencies in the past and in the paddock today, Richard’s Sundance improved a bit to make the frame here and who knows, he may get better still, if his temper holds up.

Herecomesthetruth has a lead at hurdle number two as a strong magnetic polar repellence forces Pangbourne (green, yellow & white) and Paradis Blue as far apart as possible. * Richard's Sundance (yellow and purple) looks on suspiciously as the grey Merlin's Magic is about to find that s equals no formula of u, v, a and t. **

* No more suspect GCSE physics unless it is specifically requested.

** A rapid about turn, even by UK-Jumping standards

Race 4: Peter Clark Memorial Novice Hurdle, Div II [2m 5f]

1: The Apprentice 2: Mister Pink 3: Mutual Respect

Winner owned: Robert Sinclair, trained: Victor Dartnall, ridden: James White

The first two went nose to nose from the rail turn to the line in a style of derring do that usually ends up only in a Sylvester Stallone film, the result only being decided in the last yard, as The Apprentice just outboxed Mister Pink. Obviously having learnt plenty in a defeat on his debut, the winner does appear to be on a rapid upgrade. After Mister Pink, the next three home finished in the sort of order their form implied that they should, Mutual Respect having been upside the leaders on the rail bend and going well, only to fail to find as much as them. How his conquerors run next time will tell whether he was faulty or simply seen off by better horses

Mister Pink (grey) and The Apprentice cross the last in a head to head, as they went from entering the home straight all the way to the line

Race 5: Thanks To The Loki Team Handicap Chase [3m 2f]

1: Ironside 2: Mistress Nell 3: Kiltimoney

Winner owned: DJ Hinks, trained: Colin Tizzard, ridden: Joe Tizzard

Like the previous race, two took the last together, but despite getting in a better jump, Mistress Nell found much less than Ironside, who had led most of the way, and was prepared to roll his sleeves up and knuckle down to the job. Recent course winner Kilitmoney did not disgrace himself from nine pounds out of the handicap, but will struggle to unearth races low grade enough to entertain thoughts of success. Finding a rare instance of a 0-115 chase with the Paul Nicholls runner in the middle of the weights, punters ensured chase debutant Low Delta was joint favourite despite real reasons to be so being significantly outnumbered by bad things, but he fell halfway – too early to know what may have happened

Race 6: Mischief Making Nonsense Handicap Chase [2m 4f]

1: Sou’wester 2: Running Hot 3: Extra Bold

Winner owned: Robert & Sarah Tizzard, trained: Colin Tizzard, ridden: Joe Tizzard

Sou’wester came into this rated forty-five pounds below his hurdle mark, but the possible pitfalls were the soft ground, an eighteen month absence, and the fact that the differential had come about due to him being completely clueless when tried over fences before. It was going to be win or bust, and win it proved to be. Despite some sloppy jumps, Running Hot emerges with credit for being best of the rest, although a variety of incidents did mean that only five finished. There was a run in the market on the Andy Stringer trained, Barney Curley owned Aqua Pura, as some people presumably deduced that his inability to jump a fence recently was down to a nefarious plot rather than equine incompetence. After being hampered at the sixth, he never got into the race. If there is a plot here, it is spectacularly well concealed.

Race 7: Bert It Was All My Idea Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Royal Wedding 2: Misbehaviour 3: Sahf London

Winner owned: DG Trangmar, trained: Nick Gifford, ridden: Jay Pemberton

When nine of the thirteen declared are sporting some form of declared headgear, Jim Best fields three (one was pulled out eventually) and one is from the string trained until recently by Barney Curley, there is a real treat in store. In fact, it was all much more predictable, as Royal Wedding stood out a mile in the paddock, and won similarly easily in the race. As he had comeback from a long time out to run really well at Kempton under the same jockey, it is so obvious that I cannot believe that I was in the vast majority of people that did not back him. A salutary tale of the dangers of drinking mulled wine all afternoon. Wotchalike was the only one to try and make a race of it, and that ultimately bottomed him sufficiently to prevent him even making the frame.

Plus Points

Ardmaddy (race 1): Looked tricky on his debut but blinkers seemed to help today and a modest race can come his way, perhaps in the spring when the festivals are keeping the bigger guns away from the smaller tracks.

Kruguyrova (race 2): Two miles on soft looked her minimum test after a very decent narrow defeat to Refinement on her British debut. Do not underestimate the performance due to it being ‘only Plumpton.’

Its A Dream (race 2): Good run after 22 months off, and although he has been hard work in the past, he was quite willing today. Watch for a longer trip. It should also be noted in his form: left-handed 3502, right handed 1111.

Ruairi (race 2): Out of his depth here, he has gone into chases direct from bumpers, and was not knocked about once beaten. The option to go handicapping after another run might make a big difference.

Pocket Aces (race 3): Found the winner too good, but was a clear second in a fair race.

Dawn Silk (race 4): Was rather erratic in points, winning a couple but otherwise often failing to complete. He has shown promise as a hurdler and now can get a handicap mark for more realistic targets, probably over further.

Cullahill (race 4): Overtook the outpaced Dawn Silk three out but was retaken by him at the last. He ran better than the bare form and is another who needs to get handicapped for lesser races.

Paddy The Optimist (race 5): Well beaten in the end, he was in contention as late as four out, but the longest break that he has managed to win after is just 16 days, so to have been off 26 days today was like having a gap year.

Extra Bold (race 6): Showed glimpses of promise hurdling, and although beaten in a duff race for his chase debut, may have learned from it.

Royal Wedding (race 7): Appears to be a long, long way ahead of the handicapper.

Darkshape (race 7): Did not shape too badly in defeat after seven months off.

Down Arrows

Daltaban (race 1): After being seemingly the victim of a badly judged ride last time, the horse was the villain on this occasion, coming under pressure on the top bend and finding very little for it.

Pauillac (race 2): Should have been suited by the softer ground, but came under pressure far too early for comfort.

Pangbourne (race 3): Those in front of Wichita Lineman in the 2006 Festival Bumper have had a woeful time of it since, posting very few runs, and only the odd win between them. With reminders after the second, and both times that they passed the racecourse stables, Pangbourne is carrying that standard with aplomb.

Choumakeur (race 3): Was impressive winning his bumper here, but flopped at Cheltenham after, and was none too promising on this hurdles debut.

Mistress Nell (race 5): Could easily have won but showed clearly why she has five places and no wins in twelve races.

Zimbabwe (race 5): Travelled much more sweetly than he has been this autumn, but after two miles he remembered what his agenda was and downed tools instantly.

Pitful Tercah (race 6): Disturbingly managed to be stuffed by the evil and twisted Rifleman on his chase debut, and unseated at the sixth this time. There appears to be an I missing from his first name.

UK-JUmping Selections

Wotchalike (race 7): Took on Royal Wedding in an act of folly, and paid the price in the last couple of furlongs.