Stratford 19/07/09

Overheard comment of the day? “You know times are hard when there is a Poundland opened in Stratford.”

Worst stat of the weekend? The one touted by the Racing Post on Saturday that Evan Williams was +68.75 points in the opener at Market Rasen. It turned out that this was based on two runners and two winners. This dopey non-understanding is what gives statistics a bad name.

Going: Good (Showers all day, but were any enough to ease the going? Maybe not)

Race 1: Pegasusracingclub.com Handicap Hurdle [2m 6.5f]

1: Aberdeen Park     2: Bathwick Man     3: Sheikhman

Winner owned: Chemipetro Ltd, trained: Venetia Williams, ridden: Aidan Coleman

On paper, this was a competitive big field handicap, but the race panned out with the first three well clear of the pack. Aberdeen Park, who had posted a very sound comeback from a year off last month, led two out and defied a mistake at the last to nick the win. Bathwick Man, stepping up in trip, cannot be declared a non-stayer, but he was given a big chance by Aberdeen Park at the final flight and could not take it. A similar story sticks to Sheikhman, who is unproven beyond 2m 3f. Coming into this on the back of several decent runs, Tootsie Too effortlessly eased from the back to the heels of the leaders from the fourth last – then it all ground to a halt as they turned for home. An odd balance of encouraging and disappointing, like trying to read ‘Moby Dick.’

Race 2: Sporting Dynamo Football Club Selling Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Tora Petcha     2: Feeling     3: Bet Noir

Winner owned: Mr N Heath, trained: Barry Leavy, ridden: Danny Cook

This race lacked the highly rated trophy hunter that accurses many selling hurdles, and was a more interesting and competitive spectacle for it. The in-form North Walk was favourite, with the sharp, level track possible not ideal. He was going well in front when a bad mistake three from brought his effort to a halt, and Tora Petcha swept by when it happened. The winner had not been sighted in victory for over two years, and had also been off seven months, in which time he had changed stables. On his old form, he was very well in at the weights, and whilst the win was game enough, it probably did not require him to be back to his best, and did not attract a post race bid. Rather like his last run at Worcester, Feeling stayed on that little bit too late, and seems the type to appreciate a step up in trip.

Race 3: Claydon Horse Exercisers Novice Chase [2m 7f]

1: Just Amazing     2: Tot Of The Knar     3: Coq Hardi

Winner owned: Catherine Penny, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Christian Williams

Of all the names that he could have been given, Just Amazing had not looked particularly appropriate for the winner of this, but he took a step towards it, and away from Adequate Mid-Tier Tool But Can Sulk, with a very wide margin win in this race. In the past, there have been signs of him being an awkward ride, but after reluctantly being forced to make the running, he seemed to enjoy setting his own, sensible pace. Perhaps the tactics suited him (and sound jumping did no harm!), but there was also a question as to what sort of effort the oppo put up – Shenanigan seemed a good candidate to pull up with a lap to go, yet almost pinched third place near the line.

Race 4: Claydon Horse Exercisers Novice Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Consulate     2: Classic Swain     3: Seader

Winner owned & trained: Gordon Edwards, ridden: Daryl Jacob

A major upset occurred here, with the 1/3 favourite being turned over in a dash for the line from the second last hurdle. But how can it be interpreted? On the one hand, Classic Swain’s only defeat in his last four came when dodging the issue over course and distance. He had, however, been in a far lighter mood since, and he was not visibly wayward this time around. The case for Consulate is that he had once been rated over 100 on the flat in Ireland. After a duff debut at Killarney, he had run much better on his UK debut, being unlucky in running when fourth. However, he probably would not have appreciated any of the rain. So either Classic Swain disappointed, or not, or Consulate raised his game, or not. Clear as mud?

Race 5: Claydon Horse Exercisers Novice Handicap Hurdle [2m 3f]

1: King Ozzy     2: Danish Monarch     3: Crazy Bold

Winner owned: The Black Pearl Racing Club: Martin Keighley, ridden: Warren Marston

For some reason, this race unfolded into a turgid struggle to the line, as if all the runners were being asked to forge a path through chest high custard. Overlooking the pluses of a five foot tide of said culinary delight, the form could be overturned should the same horses re-oppose, especially on faster going. King Ozzy was travelling well in the back straight, took the lead three out and was niggled all the way to the line. In fairness, he left those that were near him unable to seriously challenge, even though the margin was not huge, and his inability to speed clear may have been down to Danish Monarch and Crazy Bold finishing in strong, encouraging style. Fourth was Aspolan, running perfectly well and sowing the seeds of an idea for Britain’s newest theme park – Aspell Land. Obviously the star feature would be Leighton Aspell, but any other Aspells of note could donate to be part of the celebration. After some good tries, Bankstair had pulled up last time apparently lame. This time he ran poorly without any glaring excuse.

Race 6: Lime Tree Caravan Park Handicap Chase [2m 7f]

1: Alfie’s Sun     2: Flashy Sir     3: Tempsford

Winner owned: IA Low, trained: Don Cantillon, ridden: Seamus Durack

After a showery morning, there had been at least one short, sharp downpour per race, and sometimes two, and adding that to the way the fifth race finished, suspicions that the ground was easing grew. This had significance for this race, as from nine runners, five were either proven not to enjoy any cut, or had pointedly avoided it completely. This was another slow motion finish, sealed when Alfie’s Sun went clear from the third last, on only his second run since the end of 2007 (the other one was not very good in the jumping or galloping areas). He also had to overcome never having won a chase with more than six runners and no historical affinity for left-handed or sharp courses. He was, however, back down to his last winning rating, and it all came right on this occasion. Flashy Sir ran his regular decent but not shaping to win race, just hanging on for second from Tempsford, finding the going a bit tougher again in a higher class than that he has won in.

Plus Points

Sheikhman (race 1): Put up a decent effort, and showed again his like for a sharp track, but probably needs a bit of a drop in trip.

Tora Petcha (race 2): Follow up if sticking to sellers and claimers? Quite possibly.

Twill (race 4): Disappointed on his first two hurdle runs, before doing much better at Ffos Las last time. This was a bit of a regression, but his last flat win was at two miles, and his hurdling thing could all come together over quite a bit further.

Crazy Bold (race 5): Is hard to assess, because he has had plenty of hefty defeats, but there are faint signals in his form that a sharp track is not ideal, and the way he kept on in the straight, once all the turns had been negotiated, added another dry twig to the fuel of that particular fire, which would make the effort fairly creditable.

Marrel (race 6): Had everything in his favour, except that it was a chase, not a hurdle. He was fourth, showing that he is in good order should he revert to hurdling.

Otantique (race 6): Did not see any impact from a first time tongue tie, but he was on a course designed to bamboozle him. He was out of things after a mistake at the seventh, but could easily bounce back on a right-handed, non-sharp track.

Down Arrows

Synonymy (race 1): Despite winning a race that has worked out well enough on his last run, he was eight pounds out of the handicap. In rear and not going especially well, he dropped away after a mistake at halfway. The fear is that whatever he becomes synonymous with, it is not going to be glorious triumph.

Bet Noir (race 2): Was a bit frisky in the paddock, and managed to unseat and injure her jockey after the line in this. She is not devoid of ability for sellers, but there is obviously an edge to her that needs smoothing.

Papuan Prince (race 2): Shaped a touch dodgily on his hurdles debut, but then did much better next time in being fifth (although the third was a 12 year old rated just 85). This unco-operative showing was back to square one.

Coq Hardi (race 3): Looked to be in trouble when a bad blunder three out allowed Just Amazing to skip clear of him, but there was a sense that his confidence had suffered from a fall last time – when not under any pressure.

Tot Of The Knar (race 3): A decent hurdler who has joined the bewildering merry-go-round of horses between the yards in South Wales, she was making her Rules chasing debut, but had too many small, sloppy errors to threaten success. The ground may have been on the quick side, but races with more cut would probably be stronger anyway.

Seader (race 4): Looked like he tried to refuse the first, or at best jumped it appallingly, and did not travel sweetly. He made progress to go third on the far side, but in the straight his rider seemed reluctant to give anything more than a gentle tap with the whip, and indulge in some arm waving. Seader also carried his head at an unconvincing angle. All the signs are that he has some ability and even more bad attitude. But he is still an entire, and on today’s showing, that may be a temporary situation.

House Of Bourbon (race 6): Ended his run of futility with a winning debut for his yard last time, but the novelty had worn off, and when he chose to dog his way out of this, it was back to business as usual.

Black Anshan (race 6): Either wins or runs a total stinker, and it was the latter today. He needs to front run, and even though only Scalloway was present to take him on for that role, it was enough to dissuade him from contributing much to the race.

UK-Jumping Selections

King Ozzy (race 5): Progressed on his fair fourth last time, and won dourly, at a lucrative price. Ultimately he threatened to be more devastating than proved to be the case, but maybe that will turn out to be his way of doing things.