Plumpton 02/01/11

Going: Good to Soft

Race 1: Attheraces.com Free Race Replays Novice Hurdle [2m]

1: Gibb River     2: Mr Muddle     3: Extremely So

Winner owned: Corbett Stud, trained: Nicky Henderson, ridden: Tony McCoy

In advance this had the makings of a decent novice hurdle by Plumpton standards, but when four kicked clear with a lap to go and the others sat back and watched, it was obvious that a certain degree of fine tuning and education was the order of the day for some participants. Mr Muddle proved that his debut second was no fluke at all, trying to threaten the winner when a blunder two out stopped his momentum. In the end, Gibb River won so easily that the error made no difference to the final outcome. It was a slick, no exertion success, and a further boost to the form of his Huntingdon win, which was already shaping up well. Extremely So also backed up her surprise hurdle debut (a win at Folkestone), jumping better than that day, but looking that bit one paced that her flat history implied that she ought to be. Non Dom emerged from the pack to pinch fourth from the labouring Teshali, but did not have to work hard to achieve that. Keep a wary eye on any of those down the field, especially when handicapped, because several ought to turn out better than this.

Mr Muddle, Teshali, Gibb River and Extremely So have charged on from Alcalde with a lap to go

Race 2: At The Races Sky 415 Novice Chase [2m 1f]

1: Tullamore Dew     2: Norman The Great     3: Smack That

Winner owned: Give Every Man His Due, trained: Nick Gifford, ridden: Liam Treadwell

With his recent conqueror Medermit having fared well enough in the Dipper Chase, Tullamore Dew backed up the promise with a good round of jumping, which had him going better than Giorgio Quercus when that horse fell two out. Although one was a bit of a muppet race, Tullamore Dew is now two from three as a chaser and perhaps he will go on to gain the number of wins he ought to have been capable of as a hurdler. Giorgio Quercus, who had only run once (a recent all-weather bumper) since April 2009, tended to jump right, but safely, until he fell. As both hurdle wins came going clockwise, perhaps Plumpton was not the best course for his chase debut. Norman The Great was having a real educational when he inherited second, and then did nothing to try and change that. 

Race 3: attheraces.com EBF Novice Hurdle [2m 5f]

1: Mister Hyde     2: Charming Lad     3: Carribs Leap

Winner owned: Bensaranat Club & Ocean Trailers Ltd, trained: Jonjo O'Neill, ridden: Tony McCoy

A race that looked quite competitive before the betting opened saw a rush of money for Mister Hyde, who backed up the support by winning far, far more easily than the official 2.75 lengths tells. His earlier win came in a handicap, and resulted in a hefty rise which prevented him following up, but back in novice company, he looked very happy indeed. Charming Lad took five goes to wins his Irish point, and although fourth on his hurdle debut, he was horrendously tailed off in a fashion that cannot possibly consider that result an achievement. This was better. Carribs Leap lost his unbeaten record, but should be better for the race and in fourth Invictus (won his sole Irish point beating three subsequent winners) looked a little bit ploddy when it mattered. Rated only a pound worse than the winner, prematurely named Time For Spring ran a big race for a long way, but was stopping quickly when he fell at the last. Water Garden, second in an average bumper on his debut, was as popular as measles in the betting, and ran accordingly.

A bit smug, but Mister Hyde knows it is a job well done

Race 4: At The Races Sussex National Handicap Chase [3m 5f]

1: Minella Boys     2: Master Overseer     3: Peut Etre Sivola

Winner owned: Miss Penny Zygmant, trained: Charlie Longson, ridden: Felix de Giles

The course and sponsor are trying to promote and develop the race, but a 0-130 chase with £15,000 prize money is nothing special in the grand scheme of things, unless you have a horse that absolutely has to have a sharp, undulating, left-handed track. This renewal will be most memorable for the abysmal jumping on offer early in the race, although once the chaos engines had got out of the way, the survivors showed a bit extra skill and confidence. The finish was epic, as last year's winner, Master Overseer, tried to make all, or stay within a whisker of Rebel Melody, despite not having had a run since. He slugged away in a gritty style but Minella Boys finally niggled his way into the lead at the last, and ran on that little bit more quickly. Minella Boys had won three hurdles on soft ground, including over nearly this far at Sedgfield, but as a chaser he had been a bit unreliable in the skill side of things - fascinatingly, in a dull sort of way, he was one of two that had not a previous chase win. Master Overseer went up a lot in the weights for going three out of three last season, but this run suggested that upped further in trip he can add to the tally. Peut Etre Sivola, on the other hand, travelled sweetly, yet finished weakly, saving a place only because Rebel Melody was very tired.

Master Overseer and Rebel Melody scoot along in front, from a line (far side first) of Minella Boys, Martys Mission and Peut Etre Sivola. The Ferbane Man is next.

Race 5: attheraces.com Be A Virtual Owner Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Manshoor     2: Beside The Fire     3: Lepido

Winner owned: Tim Wood, trained: Lucy Wadham, ridden: Tony McCoy

This was one for the paranoiacs, as seven pound claimer Matt Crawley was replaced by Tony McCoy, but although Manshoor's price did shorten, it was hardly a wild plunge. Kicking on two from home, the race was won at that stage, but Beside The Fire showed a little passion for the job and in the end the winner did need a few reminders to maintain his place at the head of things. He had pulled up last time, over 2m 5f on soft ground at Towcester, and this course and distance, plus dead but not overly holding ground, obviously suited better. Lepido ran in a solid but not good enough fashion that is hard to criticise too much but is becoming a little too habitual for comfort. Given that his stable has been in very quiet form, perhaps he really can do a touch better, although we should not accept too many more excuses - the season for forgiveness is rapidly nearing an end.

Race 6: At The Races Virgin 534 Handicap Chase [2m 4f]

1: Manmoon     2: Romney Marsh     3: The Hardy Boy

Winner owned: DR Mead, GC Board, trained: Nigel Hawke, ridden: Matt Griffiths

The field was split between consistent performers that have been off the boil and not likely to snap out of it in an instant, with some unpredictable nutters who may or may not choose to take advantage. The exception was Ere Alfie, who was thus a short priced favourite, but spoiled it for punters by choosing to align himself in the sulky brigade. He likes sharp tracks, but was unproven on left handed and undulating, so maybe Plumpton just did not put a fire in his belly - what a buffoon. Manmoon ran six times in 2010, nabbing a shocking five runner race, and being utterly terrible in the other five. He was in and out of the lead, and had to work hard for this, but at least was willing enough. He was helped as the moody Romney Marsh was hampered when Sumdancer stumbled rounding the rail bend for the first time, and nearly slipped up of her own accord a lap later. She lost more than the length and a half she lost by. Local uberlegend The Hardy Boy was quite a way back in third, and probably only held that as chase newcomer Health Is Wealth made a diabolical blunder and unseated four out. Up to that, his jumping was fine, but he obviously has to prove he can see it out to the end.

The Hardy Boy and Manmoon (4) set the early pace, Health Is Wealth (yellow) and Ere Alfie hide Sumdancer. Romney Marsh and Maximix are close on their heels.

Race 7: attheraces.com Exclusive Hugh Taylor Handicap Hurdle [2m 5f]

1: Arctic Flow     2: Crystal Prince     3: Little Roxy

Winner owned: Mrs CJ Dunn, trained: Caroline Keevil, ridden: Wayne Kavanagh

Sometimes horses emerge from losing a few decent novice hurdles by fifty lengths with a rating in the eighties, and it can be argued that with something to work for in small handicaps, they can run better than that mark. In the case of Arctic Flow she had been beaten horrendous distances in unexceptional races, and the most optimistic form comment she had gained was "finished eventually." After being left in front at the fifth, she kept trundling away, like some kind of squat, brown trundling machine, and surprisingly found that nothing could get past her. Although she ran off of 63, her real mark was 37 and even that looked hardly generous. Conditions did not seem so bad that bottom weight was a disproportionate advantage, so the result is a real headscratcher. Crystal Prince travelled well approaching three out, but when asked to go for the race it took an awful long time for him to wind up the spring, and the line came too soon. The other three finishers were well scattered, and Little Roxy was no better than her improved run last up, in a race that has worked out quite well form-wise.

Plus Points

Non Dom (race 1): Won a fast ground mile and a half race on the flat, and was rated 79, but had been stuffed at Newbury on his hurdle debut. He was not asked to do a lot here and duly sealed a careful and risk free fourth. 

Fireitfromye (race 1): Last ran when second in Down Royal bumper last February, a race in which the rest of the first five home have won since, including the third nabbing a couple of decent hurdles. Finished sixth and can do an awful lot more than that.

Perfect Shot (race 1): A decent flat handicapper, his hurdle debut ended with a second flight fall. He looks the part and is worth monitoring, once he has proved that he can do the jumping part of the job. Another fiasco would be a serious alarm bell.

Norman The Great (race 2): Won a two mile hurdle but had not raced for 14 months before this. Having seen the race appear to become a two horse duel, he emerged from the railway turn four lengths off of the leaders, having not been asked for a jot of effort. Even after one ahead of him fell, no exertion was made. His jumping was sound, and he looks to have taken to this, the one fear being that after a not-really-off comeback, some horses cannot respond when asked to give 100%.

Carribs Leap (race 3): Unbeaten in an Irish point, a bumper and a hurdle, he was a bit below par here - perhaps needing the run. In his point, the six horses behind him all went on to win, including under rules, such as Jetnova and Mallusk. Should be up to better than this.

Master Overseer (race 4): Assuming he comes on for the race and can show a hint of patience in his races, more wins can come, over even further than this.

Beside The Fire (race 5): Was not good enough at Cheltenham on his previous run, but has shown enough to win. Having got outpaced and then stayed on, perhaps a small rise in race distance will do the job.

Where's Johnny (race 5): Still is not on the verge of winning, but reminded us all again that he hates chasing and will do his best over hurdles to keep demonstrating that ideal.

Tocatchaprince (race 7): Was hampered when the erratic jumping Snow Patrol eventually unseated at the fifth. He made his own error at the ninth, immediately lost ground, was pulled up and then dismounted. He is competitive at this level, and this one can be written off as a day when every possible problem happened for him.

Down Arrows

Gibb River (race 1): On the flat he was rated 78 and was second in four of his eleven runs, without winning. Whilst he can clean up wandering around the small tracks, should he step up to better class races, he could be the sort to resent it when the work gets harder - i.e. he needs to prove himself all over again.

Teshali (race 1): Won three French flat races, but had flopped in hurdles at Chepstow and Newbury. He seemed set to run a big race here, but went out like a light in the straight, and probably needs some remedial work - on his breathing?

Peut Etre Sivola (race 4): Seemed to be bottomed out by winning Fontwell's big staying chase in 2009, and things are looking similar in 2010/11.

The Ferbane Man (race 4): Had been well placed to go on a run of firsts and seconds in fundamentally weak races, and this more numerous affair exposed his limitations.

Quetzal (race 5): Lost his two previous races by a length and a half each, both on better ground. The dead conditions were an obvious excuse but he was excessively lethargic this time.

Health Is Wealth (race 6): In the interest of sounding like a broken record, just because he jumped well before blundering the race away four out, do not be lambasted into assuming that he can finish, and win, a chase until he has proven that he can.

Sir John (race 7): Showed his first signs of ability in a handicap chase last time, until he fell, but was back over hurdles and totally unenthralled by the prospect.

UK-Jumping Selections

Alcalde (race 1): Ran a similar race to his debut and reinforced the gut feeling that he will need decent ground.