Ffos Las 23/06/11

A first visit to Ffos Las, and after the first rain shower hit when halfway across the Severn Bridge, it is so far into Wales that there was time for four more downpours. So what are the first impressions of the course? Access - awkward, being a long way off the beaten track, on narrow, undulating roads full of overladen tractors, horse boxes and people unable of maintaining a steady speed when driving uphill. Local trainer Tim Vaughan exited by following the B4137 up to Cross Hands, and joining the A48 there. It is probably wise to assume he knows the best way around these parts. Parking -good, having learned the lesson from many other sporting venues that get it horribly wrong. It helps that the course entrance is on a quiet road, but having multiple exits rather than a single lane bottleneck makes a massive positive difference. Racing surface - good, not a hint of an undulation and the turf seems to be ready to be used as a bowling green, especially impressive considering the high number of meetings here. Facilities - very disappointing. There is one stand, which a rough estimate of space per person in today's crowd suggested would be packed with 700 people using it. There are two bars, neither huge, and the only permanent food point was a tiny corner of the bar in the stand selling pies. There was a mobile burger/pork roast outlet as well, but that was a touch on the expensive side for what was on offer. There is lots of open space, where additional crowd and temporary catering can go, but if they were there, the viewing would be sacrificed in a major way. And the small stand is the only point to provide cover from poor weather, which raises the question of whether the course was designed by someone who did not realise that South Wales and New South Wales have nothing in common. All this suggests that the stated ambition of luring the Welsh National from Chepstow* is pie the sky, as the course would be unable to provide a sufficient standard of service to the attending racegoers. And it also tells us that all the press coverage when Ffos Las opened in 2009, suggesting that it was the eighth wonder of the world was written either by Ffos Las' PR team or journalists too drunk on hospitality to discern reality. Perhaps the clue is that when translated to English, the course shares a name with L'Etang Bleu, a hurdler of minor repute that occasionally threatened to be half decent but generally produced disappointment.

* Chepstow is awful, but it is far more conveniently located, and built to handle a big crowd. 

The other odd thing on arrival was the large police presence. This instantly seemed a scathing critique of the course's regular clientele or suggested that Kidwelly's finest were bored to tears on a typical Thursday afternoon. It turned out that Prince Charles was in attendance presenting trophies and supporting his charities. Apparently, the death of bin Laden has reduced Al-Qaida morale to the point where a couple of youngsters sporting helmets two sizes too big will scare them off. Anyway, as soon as the guest of honour departed, the rozzers of South Wales melted away also.

Unlike some recent meetings, there were plenty of runners in general, and far more than usual trained outside South Wales. This was presumably because there were a couple of races with better than normal prize money, which was worth travelling for, and perhaps even putting a second horse in the box for one of the lesser races. Perhaps a clue for the course for the future?

Going: Good (Good to Firm places)

Race 1: Theakston's Pub Is The Hub Lightfoot Novice Hurdle [2m]

1: First In The Queue     2: King's Realm     3: Lava Lamp

Winner owned: Liam Breslin, trained: Nicky Henderson, ridden: Tony McCoy

All predictions were for First In The Queue to be a short odds favourite, but Lava Lamp and Sorcillera were competing with him in the betting until a late spurt of support left him clear on his own. The race needed no such closing pace, and First In The Queue proved far more decisively superior than a margin of two and a half lengths implied. He had only one win and moments of clumsiness to his name as a hurdler prior to today, but this was back down to the standard of race where he had gained his win. Sorcillera took a tumble at the first, and thoughts that using a visor would liven Lava Lamp up were wide of the mark. He was good on the flat, but not especially prolific and could go the same underachieving way as a jumper. King's Realm stayed on for a place, repeating the apparent absence of a late turn of foot that has prevented him winning anything other than a maiden claiming hurdle.  

A stroll for First In The Queue, with King's Realm, settling for second and Lava Lamp's rider working a bit harder than the horse did

Race 2: Cambrian Mountain Lamb Handicap Chase [2m 5f]

1: Very Stylish     2: Lord Ryeford     3: Stormyisland Ahead

Winner owned: Mrs Gay Smith, trained: Jonjo O'Neill, ridden: Tony McCoy

Backing a chase debutant at 1/2 in a handicap is a work of madness, even if one of his five rivals was also new to chasing. This time the crazy had their moment of triumph, but in the long term they are doomed. Doomed! As it happened, this turned into a cakewalk for Very Stylish, summed up in "travelled well, jumped well, easily." He is tactically flexible and should win more when he sticks to good or faster ground. After having recently been terrible in hunter chases, Lord Ryeford was a revelation back in a handicap, and ran a very reasonable race, from a handicap mark lower than has had to deal with for nearly four years. Stormyisland Ahead looked like he could yet come and make a race of it three from home, but after a blunder at the next, his jockey accepted the inevitable and did not push him out to challenge for a possible second. 

Very Stylish - concerned post-race that the tack is preventing him living up to his name

Race 3: Lloyds TSB Commercial 'Best For Business' Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Ixora     2: One For Joules     3: Owen Glendower

Winner owned: The Ixora Racing Partnership, trained: Jamie Snowden, ridden: Ian Popham

The presence of chasing failure The Jigsaw Man compressed the weights for this decent standard of race, so that thirteen of the fourteen carried 10 stone 12 pounds or less, and six of those were slightly out of the handicap. The first pair to finish were in the latter category, but Ixora charged down the straight with great purpose and scant regard for the slight handicapping inconvenience. She has won three of her last four, including two over this course and distance, but the other two were nowhere near as high grade as this. One For Joules, who was seven pounds out of the weights and thus unable also to claim a few pounds age allowance did really well in the circumstances, effectively running from sixteen pounds above her winning mark at Tipperary. She edged out Owen Glendower by a nose, and that horse seemed to get caught a bit flat footed when the pace picked up leaving the final bend, but he did rally enough to suggest that he got close enough to challenge had he been good enough. The one odd thing about this was that this trio and fourth placed Dorabelle ended up putting daylight between them and the rest, yet none of the quartet looked to the naked eye as if they were going that quickly at the finish. 

Ixora passes the line looking a great deal more relaxed than the vain pursuit - One For Joules on this side

Race 4: Prince's Countryside Fund supported by Asda Novice Chase [2m 5f]

1: Siberian Tiger     2: Strong Soul     3: Mad Moose

Winner owned: Mrs Janet Davies, trained: Evan Williams, ridden: Paul Moloney

For the most part Siberian Tigers need to be protected from the acts of man, but in this case it is mankind who need a good defence from the activities of Siberian Tiger, as even in a small field race in which he was utterly dominant, he still almost found a way to dig out a defeat. He struggled to see off Strong Soul, and when he did, there were all sorts of signs that he hated every second of it. Strong Soul was a really rather poor Irish pointer, and his UK/hurdling debut last week was similarly inept. A solid round of jumping enabled him to improve on that, but how far did Siberian Tiger regress into making him look good? Mad Moose was chase debuting, and although the margin of defeat was worrying, he seems like a longer trip and softer ground will be in his favour.

Race 5: Abaca Sleep System supporting Prince's Trust Handicap Chase [3m 1.5f]

1: Cullahill     2: Quattrocento     3: The Ferbane Man

Winner owned: Nick Elliott, trained: Bib Buckler, ridden: Nathan Sweeney

This was a strange old race. Firstly, all six runners seemed to have moments of betting market popularity. Then, when the sport began, the race began to unfold in earnest in home straight and progress from the back looked to have seen The Ferbane Man or Quattrocento play a winning hand. The Ferbane Man weakened first, but even halfway up the run-in Quattrocento had the race in the bag. Agonisingly for those of us who had backed him, he just began to falter in the last fifty yards, and Cullahill's relentless finish nicked the race right on the line. As enough is known about Cullahill in a busy career to be certain that he does not possess a devastating turn of pace, it could only be the runner-up losing his way late on - stamina a likely factor. Cullahill did himself a huge favour by avoiding jumping right, which he has done when given room to do so on left-handed tracks in the past. With everything going as much in his benefit as possible, he may struggle to repeat this result from a raised handicap mark.

Race 6: Prince's Charities Raceday Handicap Hurdle [2m 4f]

1: Capdalight     2: Risk Challenge     3: Henri Prends Garde

Winner owned: The Rockbourne Partnership, trained: Paul Henderson, ridden: Tom O'Brien

This also was a strange old race, as it looked like it should be a really competitive low grade race, but finished with the field strung out like a bunch of cats that someone would like to stand in a tight group. Capdalight had run pretty well on his debut for his current yard, and after going for home early, he stayed where he had got himself despite at times looking slightly embarrassed about the fact that he was about to win a race. Risk Challenge is a challenging risk to predict, but he had run one of his better races at Cartmel last time, and also has a course and distance win, so Capdalight's eight length win ought not be dismissed without due consideration of some merit. Henri Prends Garde had won a few points, but not top level ones, and on his debut for Tim Vaughan he started just odds-on, which was brave of punters given his record under rules, and they got the same old Henri - OK in defeat, but limitations obvious. 

Race 7: Sinclair Group Prince's Charities Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m]

1: Sir Johnson     2: Bhaltair     3: Billy Cuckoo

Winner owned: Jacqueline Fleetham, Gillian Davies, trained: Peter Bowen, ridden: Jamie Moore

Six went to post for this: Two had won bumpers, one had been second in a bumper, two had been runner-up in Irish points. The other was a newcomer to racing. For the most part these peak performances had come in races that did not look especially strong, but combine all that promise and this race cannot be a total lemon. The first two home served up a mighty ding-dong for a finish, in which Sir Johnson proved just a bit stronger than Bhaltair. The newcomer, Two For Free, looked very well and plenty fit enough for this, but ran a race that was one or both of very green and out of his depth. Although last and at times all over the shop, it would not be the greatest surprise if he did turn out better than this, but perhaps not immediately. 

Plus Points

Sorcillera (race 1): A fall here will not have done her any mental good, but she did managed third to Sprinter Sacre on debut and has hurdle form of 30271F, suggesting a good show will accrue every other race. A handicap mark of 110 does not look too much to handle on her better days.

Stormyisland Ahead (race 2): Only one error on his chase debut, and could have finished much closer than he did, although the winner was not being bashed about clear in front either. His hurdle form suggests he ideally wants three miles, and this experience ought not to have done any harm.

Lord Ryeford (race 2): Possibly it was the switch from amateur to professional jockey, but he made a rapid arresting of what was looking a catastrophic decline. He tends to win when bullying inferior horses from higher weights, and it is not beyond belief to see the losing run ending - it goes back to 2008 but only includes ten races.

One For Joules (race 3): Seemed like a filly on the upgrade, as long as the handicappers either side of the Irish Sea do not stitch her up.

Strong Soul (race 4): How ever far below par Siberian Tiger was, he did at least show that there is something to work with, and he may not be the hapless buffoon that he previously appeared.

Quattrocento (race 5): Now owns a course record of 1139412 and he could easily add to that in future. This race was a furlong further than he has won over, and although it does not sound much, it made the difference to the result today.

The Ferbane Man (race 5): When six or less run, and the going is good or faster, his record before today was 21212121. This ruined the sequence, but as he fell last time, it was a perfectly acceptable response to a bad day at work. Three of the wins came on good to firm, so there seems to be a bit of a more specific preference there.

Down Arrows

Lava Lamp (race 1): Does not lack ability, but it is time to start wondering about his willingness to use it, although he won at two miles on the flat and might prove happier in longer distance races.

Baily Storm (race 2): Has a good record in Britain when avoiding softish ground, and excels in small fields. He got both today, but was very sluggish throughout. A bad omen, although it will be interesting to see if the first time tongue tie is ditched in future.

Owen Glendower (race 3): Did nothing wrong but looks as if several good efforts have landed him in handicapping hot water.

Siberian Tiger (race 4): A 135-rated hurdler who only won once in twelve tries, but looked more determined in his chase debut. However, this was a most unimpressive struggle, and raises plenty of questions for the future.

Horsford (race 5): Won a shocker of a four runner chase recently but pulled up afterwards, and has looked ill at ease in two earlier chases. Despite having opened a mere 7/2 chance, his limitations were readily exposed.

Henri Prends Garde (race 6): Did nothing to suggest the rules duck will be broken over hurdles - maybe chases will be the answer, maybe they will be more of the same.

UK-Jumping Selections

Quattrocento (race 5): Did well enough, but raised doubts about his stamina beyond 3m 1f