Plumpton 08/05/11

There was also a mascot race on the day, although having one of the participants dressed as toilet gives it something a little more than other events of a similar nature. It can be argued that the proliferation of mascot races means that the bar needs to be raised in mascot sporting participation. Barnie The Stork versus a real stork at gliding. Hopper The Rabbit and a real rabbit in a game of "evade the greyhound," perhaps one involving Tadworth The Hound. And the main event on the card: Manny The Manatee fighting Manny Pacquiao.

Going: Good to Firm (Good places)

Race 1: "Timothy Mellett" Key Of The Door Maiden Hurdle [2m]

1: Kilburn      2: Stevie Thunder     3: Denton Ryal

Winner owned: Royal Windsor Racing Club, trained: Alastair Lidderdale, ridden: Will Kennedy

For the place and time of year, this was a fairly decent novice hurdle, with three 80+ rated flat runners in the line up. Of course, a smattering of traditionally jumps designed youngsters dwarfed the flat converts in the paddock, but this was always likely to be one for the speedsters. Kilburn came out best of the lot, with some comfort. As a horse that had never run over more than a mile, the big question he had to answer was one of stamina, and when he kicked for home leaving the back straight, it was apparent that his rider had no doubts. And less than minute later, neither did anyone watching. Stevie Thunder found the keen pace too much for him, but at least did not fold easily, which was an option for a horse on a bit of a worrying losing streak. On the flat a succession of losses gained him little respite in the handicap ratings, but even allowing for that, concern is building and he needs to snap the run soon. Highly Regal and Denton Ryal have given plenty of chances to weight them up in the last season and a bit, and they more or less ran as expected. Leading and keen, Highly Regal faded from the second last, ending up fourth, and Denton Ryal struggled to get down the hill at pace, but rallied gamely coming back up it, having got too far off the pace to make that count. It is nice to be surrounded by comfortable and familiar things sometimes. Overhead before the race - one trainer offering a bet of a Mars Bar to another on whose horse would finish highest up the order. That is a sign of how people are working to augment the low prize money.

Nearly halfway round and Kilburn (blue silks) pops over the hurdle in second place. Highly Regal leads, Stevie Thunder is about fourth (orange silks). Denton Ryal is the one in black and white on the outside

Race 2: Ann Stone Mother In Law Handicap Hurdle [3m 1.5f]  

1: Patrixbourne      2: Hereditary      3: The Wee Midget

Winner owned: Diamond Racing Ltd, trained: Tim Vaughan, ridden: Richie Killoran

Proven stamina can never be underestimated in these races, and Patrixbourne was the only one with it, although she had raced only once in the last twenty two months, so there were other concerns surrounding her. The money came for The Wee Midget, who had run well, staying on over nearly this far. As it turned out, the extra furlong and a half was too much for him, and Patrixbourne had gone clear sufficiently that when she showed signs of running out of puff, the race was in the bag. The revelation was Hereditary, who had unslumped himself last time in a terrible race, yet had never really shown any sign of wanting to run this sort of distance. He did not look keen to run anywhere early on, but somehow got his brain in gear and ended up looking solid in defeat. After two years off, Allonby Bay looked ready to go, but from the third last he just plugged away and did not quite prove that he had retained his ability nor that he had the staying power for ultra-long hurdle races. 

Patrixbourne leads The Wee Midget, with a miscellaneous gang of ne'er-do-wells chasing them. Hereditary, Hill Forts Gloria, So Extreme, Rossmill Lad, then Allonby Bay and Shropshirelass

Race 3: Brian Spencer Memorial Novice Handicap Chase  [3m 2f]

1: Or Sing About     2: Like Ice      3: Days Of Pleasure

Winner owned: Adam Day, trained: Seamus Mullins, ridden: Jimmy Derham

Having won a couple of times over hurdles, Or Sing About looked set fair for even better as a chaser, but undid the prep work with a fall and an unseated early on. He has gradually improved at the job, and adding the visor has found that few percentage points of improvements that were needed. Once he went to the front leaving the back straight, none of the opposition could raise a threat. Like Ice tried hard, but his inclination to jump and drift right was worse going over the final two fences, when extra pressure was on. Even making allowance for his habit of only ever delivering at Fontwell as a hurdler, Days Of Pleasure failed for the third time over fences, and some sort of sign of aptitude is needed urgently. 

Race 4: Create Your Wedding At Plumpton Pavilion Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Domino Dancer     2: Hawk Gold     3: Tecktal

Winner owned: Mrs JM Edmonds, trained: Lucy Jones, ridden: Nathan Sweeney

A deserved win for the consistent, but not especially prolific, Domino Dancer, which was his third in 22 starts. He looked at risk of failing again when Hawk Gold began to reel him in, but the challenger ploughed through the second last, and lost plenty of momentum. The final margin was three lengths, which suggests that it would have been a very close thing had the error been avoided. Tecktal ran quite well throughout the race, but proved totally devoid of a turn of foot from the end of the back straight. She has one weak flat race in the bag so far, and there was just enough spark in this to wonder if she might add to that as a hurdler. What sort of distance and going would suit is guesswork. Our random number generator says 2m 4.5f on good (good to soft places). If that proves to be true, UK-Jumping WILL be registering as a religion.

Domino Dancer really gets stuck into the last, whereas after his previous flight mishap, Hawk Gold is a touch more careful

Race 5: Betfair conditional jockeys' Training Series Final Handicap Hurdle [2m 5f]

1: Teenage Kicks     2: Sinbad The Sailor     3: Emmaslegend

Winner owned: G Carstairs, trained: Polly Gundry, ridden: Matt Griffiths

Having ruined a big run with a fall at Newton Abbot last time, it was no surprise at all that Teenage Kicks was up to landing this race, a win that was long overdue, as he had failed to build on a bumper win late in 2009. There was the small question of a possibly inadequate race distance and no experience of fast ground to overcome, but they were minor obstacles. From a fair way out, the only threat came from Sinbad The Sailor, who also wants a bit longer but did have that key bit of familiarity with quick conditions. In the end, he was not as nippy as Teenage Kicks over the last couple of furlongs. Having poodled round at the back, All For Free made a move on the rail bend, probably when the first two had already charged off to seal the major positions. However, having progressed to second, he weakened late on and lost third to Emmaslegend. After winning on his second race back from a long absence, Premier Des Marais has been poor once, extremely poor twice. He did a fair bit better here, but with several runners appearing very harshly handicapped, he perhaps did not achieve any more than he ought to have done in coming home fifth.

Race 6: Jared Young Memorial Handicap Chase [2m 4f]

1: Health Is Wealth     2: Take A Mile     3: Mister Matt

Winner owned: Gale Force Five, trained: Colin Tizzard, ridden: Steven Clements

Health Is Wealth had won his last two races, both at two miles, and the subsequent rise in the handicap left him 18 pounds worse off with Mister Matt, who he beat six lengths, and 21 worse off with She's Humble, who had lost by sixteen to him. But wellbeing, confidence and stubbornness can take you a long way at this level and whilst it may be stretching it to claim Health Is Wealth relished the trip (the pack was closing in on him from the second last, albeit not quickly enough), it did allow him to repeat the dismissal of those rivals in much more difficult circumstances. Take A Mile was a sluggish second in a weaker race at the end of April, but this was much more like his old self. Although he has made the first three eight times in seventeen races, Mister Matt has never won. With his history of winning occasionally and being utterly terrible when he did not, Prince Louis was conned into trying to compete by being ridden in the manner least like a horse race as possible. It sort of worked, as although he lost, he ran one of his better races. It may be the sort of trick that he will not fall for again. 

The runners gang up to attack the photographer. Left to right, Molanna View, Mister Matt and Health Is Wealth. The prospect of a bundle livens up Take A Mile (noseband & cheekpieces) and Prince Louis.

Race 7: Create Your Party At Plumpton Pavilion Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m 2f]

1: Grabtheglory     2: Chartplan     3: Jim Western

Winner owned: Stanley J Cohen, trained: Gary Moore, ridden: Jamie Moore

This cut up to five runners, and was run at such a dawdle that it is meaningless for any assessment of the contenders abilities in a proper race. Chartplan made the running, and proved a very resilient rival when Grabtheglory, 1/6 favourite, was trying to overtake. He eventually wore down the long time leader. The other trio of runners all looked the part, but time will tell if they are going to cut the mustard as competitors. 

Plus Points

Kilburn (race 1): A pretty decent debut and as long as he keeps to trips around the bare minimum on fast ground, this ought not to be the last win.

Kowloon (race 1): Third in a bumper that worked out poorly, but ran much worse in a stronger affair. This proved an unsuccessful hurdling beginning, but a fair two miler run at a sharp pace caught him out, and better seems entirely possible, if not immediately.

Denton Ryal (race 1): Has earned another go at a level course, where he may be able to replicate his good showing at Kempton.

Patrixbourne (race 2): Clearly fragile, fast ground marathons do seem right up her street.

Like Ice (race 3): Won recently at Towcester, and in defeat he looked like the sort of horse that needs to stick to going that way round. 

Domino Dancer (race 4): Is no giant, but he jumps his hurdles well enough to think that chasing would be worth an experiment.

All For Free (race 5): Had never before been raced beyond 2m 1f, and failed to stay today. He ran well enough to believe a drop back in distance could pay dividends soon.

Down Arrows

Beggar's Opera (race 1): Last seen on the flat with a rating of 81, where all his runs were on the all-weather. This disappointing jumps debut leaves him with his aptitude for both hurdling and turf racing to prove. That might happen, but is not an option to be taking short prices about yet. 

Hereditary (race 2): The result was better than the manner in which he went about getting it, and he is still not one to be taking short prices about, at any standard of racing.

Days Of Pleasure (race 3): Gained his least hefty chase defeat so far, but a fall in his rating has allowed him to drop in class, and it is not yet a sign of progress being made.

Casual Garcia (race 3): Was forced into a win against his will over Easter by an epic ride, but was armed and on the defensive for what he knew was coming. Travelling badly from the third, the decisive spitting of the dummy came at about halfway.

Just Beware (race 4): Has enjoyed a very consistent season, but ran a flat race this time around.

Emmaslegend (race 5): Won twice in March, one easily against very suspect oppo, and her rating has gone up from 88 to 115 as a consequence. At some point we have to presume somebody will notice that she appears totally unable to cope with that and a drop will ensue. But for now, she seems devoid of options.

Paddy Partridge (race 5): Has only three runs before today, and was handicapped on the best of them, a race which hindsight is not looking upon terribly favourably. He was rated 118 in this, and does not appear to merit that.

Mister Matt (race 6): Does not shirk the issue in a conspicuous way, but all those efforts in the frame without managing a win are adding up to a loss of faith.

She's Humble (race 6): Played up at the start, ran as unco-operatively as she could, seemed to liven her ideas up rounding the rail bend and then refused and unseated at the last. Does this mark the end of her recent spell of good form?

Karaskal (race 6): Had a vast attack of the sulks and pulled up. He does prefer going right-handed, but the mood was a truly foul one.

UK-Jumping Selections

Sinbad The Sailor (race 5): On a day when Sinbad And The Eye Of The Tiger was on television (which is perhaps the one featuring an gargantuan walrus), he was a topical selection, and ran quite decently in a race that was probably not quite ideal.