Lingfield 8/2/10

Going: Heavy (but would have been “mega heavy” if that was an official measure)

Race 1: Group Clean Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race, Div I [2m]

1: Tiger Bay     2: Treacle Tart     3: Trojan Reef

Winner owned: D Hitchens, trained: Noel Chance, ridden: William Kennedy

Either the field were of more diverse talents than normal, or this was an abnormal all-weather bumper, as the possibles segregated themselves from the probables a fair way out. Initially in the rear clump, but travelling well, Tiger Bay had to be hard ridden to close, and then seemed to flatten out his rally when he got in to third. However, when Treacle Tart edged past Trojan Reef, Tiger Bay was switched off of the rail, and fought his way into first place. So, a game effort, but will it amount to anything for the future?

Race 2: Group Clean Handicap Chase [3m]

1: Shaking Hands     2: Topless     3: Its A Classic

Winner owned: Brocade Racing, trained: David Pipe, ridden: Tom Scudamore

Is it the racing fad of 2010? Owners of Shaking Hands were adorned in scarves with their racing colours on. Obviously they were ready for this improved performance, attributed to the first use of blinkers. It helped that Topless, who made the running, seems doomed not to win a chase, although even in these testing conditions, the three mile trip was on the short side for her, and Its A Classic was turning out quickly after a thirty length win at Towcester, earning over twelve stone to lug around as well. The winner needed some encouragement from the saddle to close on the leader going up the hill, but once he got his nose in front, he seemed to draw great heart from not seeing any other horses, and eased clear. Had Freddies Return not unseated three from home, there might have been a tougher battle, as that horse looked certain to finish in front of the other placed horses. After debuting at the minimum trip, Mister Pink now tried chasing at three miles and was happier – or was that less unhappy?

A picture taken of the 1.50 race, just before it got too dark and gloomy to bother! Inexplicably joyful Topless leads with a lap to go, from Shaking Hands (4), Its A Classic (1) and Billybo. Quartz Du Montceau and Freddies Return are enlivening the background

Race 3: Group Clean Novice Hurdle [2m 3.5f]

1: Sarando     2: Rif     3: Chosen Native

Winner owned: Eight Men & A Hoss, trained: Paul Webber, ridden: Lima Treadwell

This was a modest event by Lingfield standards, and the first four in the betting were heading to fill the first four places, when market leader The Rainbow Hunter stumbled and came down on the final turn. He was a bit adrift of the first two and being ridden at the time, so was far from certain to get involved in the finish. Rif ran out of puff between the last two flights, and this left Sarando to come home in relatively glorious isolation. He had done no better than so-so on better ground, improved enormously the first time he tried soft and raised his game further on this quagmire (giggedy), but he was already handicapped at 121 before this, and might find openings harder to come by now he has a penalty in novice races. As you would expect of his yard, he has the scope to make a chaser, if he has the skillset.

Race 4: Roger Everard Remembered And Celebrated Novice Chase [2m 4.5f]

Winner owned: Three Line Whip, trained: Alan King, ridden: Christian Williams

1: Bakbenscher     2: Chariot Charger     3: Nomecheki

Beware the Ides of March, the wrath of Poseidon and the form of this race. The area where The Rainbow Hunter came down was dolled off before the set off, and despite no visible catastrophic blunder in race two, the final fence was deemed unfit for further use. So with all five runners having question marks over their jumping, the riders adopted the policy of having a gentle school round and see who could sprint home best from the usual second last fence. This ought to have favoured Nomecheki, who has looked a distinctly nippy for a chaser (two of his five wins were on the flat). However, the step up in trip on such ground was too much for him, and Bakbenscher (the horse that John Francome memorably described as “a muttonhead”) was quicker than Chariot Charger in the crucial thrust for the line.

Race 5: Group Clean Handicap Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Letham Island      2: Watch out     3: Keyneema

Winner owned: Diamond Racing Ltd, trained: Tim Vaughan, ridden: Richard Johnson

An unfathomable race with half of the fourteen runner field priced between 5/1 and 8/1 at the head of the betting. Having gone chasing to amass form of P7U, Letham Island showed her approval of reverting to hurdles by picking up a comfortable win, clearly going better than her main rivals with a fair way still to travel. Watch Out briefly suggested that he might pose a threat, but he needs much further and second was the best he could do. Keyneema, in contrast had the right trip, but although he will handle soft this would have been a squelch too far. The others came in at a variety of distances in what was one of the few races in which being fourth of fourteen counts as a straggler.

Race 6: London Welsh Rugby Club Handicap Chase [2m]

1: Pret A Thou     2: Sole Agent     3: Turbo Shandy

Winner owned: CJ Tipton, trained: Jeremy Groucott, ridden: Harry Challoner

Life is pretty simple where Pret A Thou is concerned, especially when his morale is as high as it is now. Wait for it to get muddy. Jump off in front, and hope nothing else is trying the same thing. Steer to line. Pick up prize. When that recipe is used, small things such as being raised ten pounds for winning an egg and spoon race become a complete irrelevance as his very joie de vivre outweighs incidentals such as handicapping and weight bearing (which means it is a good job he is racehorse and  not a roofer). Sole Agent made a stab at disrupting the plan, which failed, and perhaps tellingly, he was still able to hold at bay the horses that were more patiently ridden.

Race 7: London Welsh Rugby Club Handicap Hurdle [2m 7f]

1: Fruity O’Rooney     2: The Boffinator     3: Magnifico

Winner owned: Heart Of The South Racing, trained: Gary Moore, ridden: Joshua Moore

The sponsors had supported two races today to celebrate their latest insolvency, and the theme of perseverance beyond the realms of common sense was continued by staging the staying hurdle as the last race on the turf course, which was already in quite a battered state before the race started. Of those people at the course, no more four had failed to express an intent to back Fruity O’Rooney (one man had travelled from Laos for the purpose), which meant being 3/1 favourite was a short but unsurprising price. The support was justified with extreme ease, as only he and pace setter Quinte Du Chatelet appeared to have any chance as they crossed the brow of the hill. The latter wilted, and whilst The Boffinator was then closing on the winner with some menace two from home, his stamina reached an end soon after that and the race was in the bag.

Race 8: Group Clean Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race, Div II [2m]

1: Yemeni Princess     2: Yukon Quest     3: Boa

Winner owned: Miss Juliet E Reed, trained: Brendan Powell, ridden: James Davies

What is worse than an all-weather bumper? Two all weather bumpers. With gags like this, the time and sleet just flew by. At least in the opener the main protagonists fought it out like real racehorses. In this, they all huddled together for warmth and waited to see who could dash the last furlong quicker than the others. The answer was Yemeni Princess, who got up and mugged Yukon Quest just when that horse appeared to have nicked the spoils.

Plus Points

Freddies Return (race 2): After two dire chase runs, he stepped up a great deal third time, and was repeating the effort when he unseated today. On this showing a win is perfectly possible, and it should be observed that in a light career to date, he has shown an affection for Warwick (well, someone has to).

Goring One (race 3): Tailed off on his only other sight of a racecourse, he was only edged out of third today by Chosen Native (who has been showing hints of better to come), and did not seem to be as hard ridden as that rival. Further improvement is possible. Do not confuse him with Goring Two, whom the same connections seem determined to have contest exactly the same races.

Constant Cupid (race 3): Attracted some money at long odds and was on the heels of The Rainbow Hunter (and thus not forlorn for a place) when that horse toppled over. This brought Constant Cupid to a stop, and in the mire he was unable to get going again, but he is clearly more capable than shown previously when pulling up in three points and tailing off in a bumper.

Towmater (race 3): Failed to finish his first Irish point, then won the follow up on fast ground. He was also in the vicinity of The Rainbow Hunter incident, but suffered less due to having gone wider down the hill. Shortly after this he tied up very badly, and was tailed off. Assuming he does need better ground, and also the run after nearly two years off, there looks to be something to work with.

Watch Out (race 5): Needs three miles these days, so a chug round for second is a fair outcome.

Sole Agent (race 6): Had appeared to be a bit jaded lately, but did quite well here considering that all his wins have been right-handed and the winner got to write his own script.

Only Dreams (race 6): A confirmed two miler, despite his pointing background, he was on the wrong track and on going he usually avoids like the plague. Expect better on another occasion.

Fruity O’Rooney (race 7): Did not look especially well handicapped before this, but when conditions are this extreme, ability to handle them is paramount and ratings largely irrelevant. Which would add up to more wins being possible when racing is close to being abandoned.

The Boffinator (race 7): Failed to get home on ground he has not up to now been tried on, but showed that the ability to win a race is present.

Down Arrows

Topless (race 2): The manner in which she held off Its A Classic for second shows that she is not soft under pressure, but a chase win is proving elusive (regular failures to complete do not help), but anything other than four miles and barely raceable going is too nippy for her, and how often do those two combine?

Rif (race 3): Has some sound novice form. He also played up and delayed the start, and pulled his way through to the lead when the jockey looked to prefer more patient tactics. Is a suspect attitude going to torpedo his ability?

Bakbenchser, Chariot Charger, Nomecheki (race 4): A trio whose jumping has ranged from 50% convincing down to 5%, this glorified training session did not prove anything – although it may have provide a boost to their self belief.

Great Endeavour (race 4): Has folded a bit tamely twice in a row now, and needs to start showing a bit more verve at the business end.

Wondersobright (race 5): Some of his old form would make him an appealing prospect for an each-way bet when conditions are this testing, but he has not proved a very willing contestant in recent races that should have suited him down to the ground.

Invisible Man (race 6): In four chases in Britain , he had never been beaten more than fifteen lengths, but that was more than doubled here. His effort was lacklustre, and might be down to more than just the fast pace and bad ground.

William Bonney (race 6): Like Wondersobright, he has some eye-catching form dating back to not so long ago, but is currently a long way from recapturing it.

Quickbeam (race 7): Was a good prospect early in his career before failing as a chaser. The evidence this season is that he is none too enthused about hurdling either.