Huntingdon 21/11/09

The crowd was a little on the low side for this, presumably because nobody expected the weather to be as mild as it was, and only a few were ready for a meeting when the track had raced two days previously. That did not prevent some competitive racing being staged - often more tightly contested than the betting market suggested. And the course did a good job of getting maximum coverage, including PA commentary, of the big races up north. While Haydock may be utterly contemptuous of racing fans, Huntingdon provided a service - Kauto Star and Imperial Commander, Mr Thriller and Starluck, plus Diamond Harry, made it all well worthwhile. Perhaps people were keen to watch the England versus New Zealand rugby, the next installment in proving that Mike Catt was the brains of the world cup winning backline.

The other thing that is of concern is why the Tote has removed all the spaces from the names of the bets it offers. Tote Placepot is now toteplacepot. Is it really required to make your branding distinctive by introducing total illiteracy? Why not call it the Tote Ug if they believe the customers are that stupid?

Going: Good

Race 1: Toteplaceplot EBF mares' Novice Hurdle [2m 4.5f]

1: Ryde Back     2: Asturienne     3: Willow Wren

Winner owned: Mrs GM Tregaskes, trained: Nicky Henderson, ridden: Felix de Giles

This appeared to be a decent enough mares race, even though ex-flat runners were barred, and the market enthusiasm that knocked Asturienne down to 1/2 favourite was probably under-estimating the oppo, and also having no qualms about the way here bumper form started well and tailed off. Penny Queen (22 lengths behind Asturienne over hurdles) and Ryde Back (a short head away from winning both bumpers) made the running, and when Ryde Back went for home, Asturienne found responding to be hard work, and she never looked like catching the leader. Penny Queen tied up, and was pipped for third by Willow Wren, but remained well clear of the pack.

Penny Queen and Ryde Back (8) lead out onto the final lap. The pursuit (left to right) are Willow Wren, Emmaslegend, Naughty Naughty, Asturienne (1), Joking Aside, My Rebecca and Desert Pearl.

Race 2: Toteswinger Novice Chase [2m 4.5f]

1: Bergo     2: Franchoek     3: Bedizen

Winner owned: Mrs M Findlay, trained: Gary Moore, ridden: Andrew Glassonbury

The market opened with Franchoek a shade of odds on for his chase debut, but those that were nervous that he had never really delivered when in serious company prevailed and he ended up joint favourite with Bergo. But five from home an enormous upset was threatening. Bergo had just made a mistake and was getting himself reorganised, Franchoek was already ridden along and 200/1 outsider of five Grenoli, was bowling along happily in front, outjumping his more illustrious rivals. That ended suddenly with a fall four out, and the way that Bergo regained his composure implies that he would have had a cracking chance of winning anyway. Another chase newcomer, Bedizen, finished about as far behind Franchoek as their comparative hurdle marks said he should. Given the poor showing of the fading favourite, it is not necessarily a good thing, but Bedizen is a transformed character when he is at Stratford. Perhaps it is a Shakespearen thing and he considers the rest of the country a cultural desert.

A fine jump at the open ditch sends Grenoli to the front, with Bergo keeping a wary eye on him. Franchoek already looks ill at ease, or has spotted a chum arriving late and wants to go for a chat.

Race 3: Totequadpot Juvenile Novice Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Ultimate     2: Zarinski     3: Supernoverre

Winner owned: Dan Gilbert, trained: Brian Ellison, ridden: Danny Cook

There were murmurings of discontent in the crowd as the tapes went up when Ultimate was right on them whilst the rest were forming an orderly mob five lengths adrift. As he went on to win by 22 lengths, the five at the start proved to be fairly immaterial. His flat wins were all-weather mile races, but a close second over 1m 3f at Newbury gave a stronger recommendation for hurdling, and he looks like he could be quite handy, but harder races lay ahead. After being second at Sandown, it was a bit of a flop that Zarinski was beaten quite so far, and the third in the Sandown race, Space Telescope was brought down at halfway, thus losing a marker on how much (or maybe not) Zarinski went backwards. Most of the others seemed unlikely to make a mark in novices, but have possibilities for handicaps. On that basis it was a shame that the chunky Foxtrot Charlie fell before giving clues to his potential.

Race 4: Toteexacta Handicap Chase [2m 4.5f]

1: Bennynthejets     2: War Footing     3: Phar Again

Winner owned: Payplan Partnership, trained: Chris Bealby, ridden: Tom Messenger

Advance expectations were that Bennynthejets would get an uncontested lead, but Phar Again insisted on harrassing him up front. The stress was not enough to stop Bennynthejets following up his Towcester win, even though Phar Again was continually outjumping him on the far side of the track. Rounding the turn, the leaders seemed to have burnt off the other quartet, and when Phar Again decided he had done enough for the day, it looked in the bag for Benny (the Jets' status was unclear). However, there was time for a minor scare as War Footing managed to sneak into contention. At the last, he was right on the leader's heels, but was outbattled on the run-in by a horse with a history of determination - a trait that it is becoming slightly suspected of absence in War Footing. 

Bennynthejets and Phar Again set off on the final lap, from War Footing, High Jack, Patton and Rapid Increase.

Race 5: Totetrifecta Handicap Hurdle [2m 4.5f]

1: I Hear A Symphony     2: Spanish Conquest     3: Moment Present

Winner owned: Alan Peterson, trained: Charlie Longsdon, ridden: Sean Quinlan

This was one of those races where the complexion changed several times. The first serious attack came from Spanish Conquest, but then Akram appeared with a dangerous looking challenge. Except that I Hear A Symphony was making progress from a long way back, and whizzed past the other pair at the final hurdle. He showed off by veering all over the place on the run-in just because he could, but had no real danger of losing the race, and Akram eventually failed to pass Spanish Conquest and faded on the run-in. And all that ignored the late run of Moment Present which seemed likely to grab second place but sort of petered out in the last three inches of the race.

Race 6: Totepool veterans' Handicap Chase [2m 4.5f]

1: Laskari     2: Alderburn     3: Mister McGoldrick

Winner owned: Mrs W Morrell, Mrs LC Taylor, trained: Paul Webber, ridden: Sam Jones

The veterans races will be an attractive option to trainers if, as seemed the case here, entering one immediately sees the horse's handicap mark drop down to the last winning rating. Nine went to post (total wins 55, from 322 tries), and three looked to have an forlorn task. That trio were: Mister McGoldrick, as although he was down to the mark he won from at the Festival, twelve of his thirteen wins were on left-handed, galloping courses; Alderburn, because he needs much further, nor had he won after a longer break than two months (today was eight months); Bob Bob Bobbin because he needs bottomless ground. The latter was subject to a mystifying gamble, but was outpaced from the off, and the other two confounded the betting by running much better in a race full of front-runners that ensured a manic pace. After Kenzo III gave way, the race bunched up, but it was Laskari who emerged to win, even though he copied the previous winner's imperfect route to the line. As ever with concepts like the vets races, there will be anomalies. Kenzo III was having only his thirteenth run, and Hobbs Hill was sufficiently non-veteran to have run in the Supreme Novices Hurdle as recently as 2007!

Laskari returns to the winner's enclosure, letting us know that he knew this was in the bag before they even started

Race 7: Bet Totepool On All UK Racing Handicap Hurdle [3m 2f]

1: Tarvini     2: Alfadora     3: Casual Garcia

Winner owned: JP McManus, trained: Jonjo O'Neill, ridden: Richie McLernon

Tarvini had gone up a lot in the weights for a win at 2m 6f and a neck defeat over course and distance. His form prior to that was not encouraging, but his real problem today seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm for the job. He came into the race two out travelling extremely comfortably, but really struggled to worry Alfadora out of it. At the same time, Casual Garcia, another winner over much shorter was unobtrusively reeling them in, but never managed to quite get in touch. Paddock pick Earcomesthedream had been the first to go for home, but weakened rapidly when the main contenders breezed past. He was not certain to stay the trip, but also ran in snatches - cheek pieces were recently added to his repertoire. He is still in the "don't quite know what to expect" category.

Plus Points

Willow Wren (race 1): Won her only bumper run, and then smugly watched as the placed horses managed to finish in the frame in all their other runs, and this was a fair enough start over hurdles, for which she will come on a fair bit.

Grenoli (race 2): Rated 79 over hurdles and with chase form of PF, there are all sorts of obvious negatives, but for nearly two miles he looked like a much better horse than that.

Supernoverre (race 3): Won four on the flat at a mile and a half, and was presumably was 25/1 due to them being on fast ground and his having an inexperienced rider. This was a good effort.

Garter Knight (race 3): Did not win on the flat, but was running a huge race on his hurdles debut, looking set for second turning for home. He faded back into fourth, and if he makes progress on this, can make a mark jumping. 

Phar Again (race 4): Won a two mile chase at Leicester and then lost his way a bit. This effort and his previous one show signs of easing back to form.

Moment Present (race 5): Is not attractively handicapped but has a Huntingdon record of 113, so is not to be ignored here.

Ballymacduff (race 5): Given a waiting ride, his run on the final turn was checked and he was beaten by much further than he was capable of. It was still the best hurdle race that he has run so far.

Alderburn (race 6): Does not win fresh, nor below three miles, so second in this was a very encouraging pipe opener.

Lidjo De Rouge (race 6): By far the least well known contender and bottom weight, he came with a challenge two out, but it stopped and he was fourth. The last couple of runs have been a step up from a spell in the doldrums and he could spark a bit more.

Tarvini (race 7): The downside was the hard work he made of winning, but the upside is that he probably can handle another rise up the weights, if in the mood.

Down Arrows

My Rebecca (race 1): Debuted badly and then improved a lot on the second run. A quiet run for a handicap mark might have been expected here, but she was reported to have broken a blood vessel.

Franchoek (race 2): Was not travelling sweetly a mile out and tended to jump left. The shortcomings could be put right, but it was a very uninspiring chase debut.

Barnhill Brownie (race 2): A 120 rated hurdler, he has not got a clue over the big obstacles, and is one to ignore unless he goes back to hurdles.

War Footing (race 4): Overcame a couple of novicey mistakes mid-race, but came there at the last with every chance, and did not win. For all the positives of his chase debut, this is not an entirely new experience for him.

Patton (race 4): A maiden over hurdles, he was hampered and gave up fairly early on his chase debut, and he was only slightly more enthused in this race.

Knight Legend (race 6): His last three chase wins have been in fields of six, six and four, and he seems to get a bit flustered when things are a bit busier.

Alfadora (race 7): Has eight wins, including a couple first time out, and despite this battling effort, is not certain to go one better next time.

UK-Jumping Selections

Oscar Owen (race 7): Came into this on the back of two disappointing runs after a good summer, and with blinkers on for the first time. With less than half a lap to go, he was in contention and looking happy, but when the pressure came, he dropped away too quickly for comfort.