Huntingdon 17/03/10

A smattering of dry, mild days, and the going quickened up in next to no time. The anecdotal  evidence was that the fast patches were actually most of the course, but the horses proven on good to firm did not do disproportionately well in the races run. £3,958.90 for the Placepot divided showed how the results generally went - and that with the biggest shock being in race 7, not even included in the Placepot!

Going: Good (Good to Firm places)

Race 1: 32red Casino lady riders' Handicap Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Crosby Jemma     2: Sophisticated Lady     3: Schinken Otto

Winner owned: RD Seldon, trained: Mike Sowersby, ridden: Zoe Lilly

This race used to be titled the "lady riders' champion hurdle," and drew fields not unlike that today - runners who had shown form but gone off the boil, or those from yards that were out of form. Then it used to be a matter of amusement that the title was a bit over the top. Now it seems a shame that it is just a bog standard handicap hurdle. The race began with a disjointed start which saw the field quickly spread out over a wide area, and caused commentator Iain Mackenxie to ponder aloud whether they might stop and give it another try. Despite that, the field did bunch up again by halfway, and most were still in contention turning for home. Initially it seemed that Gina Andrews had stolen first run on Sophisticated Lady, but Crosby Jemma picked up for pressure just that bit better. This was her first win, at the 31st attempt, but she had been beaten a head over course, distance and going by course specialist Viable, and a vgue simulation of that sufficed.

Race 2: Bet At 32red.com Maiden Hurdle [2m 4f]

1: Shilpa     2: Max Milano     3: Clerk's Choice

Winner owned: Mrs L Field, trained: Alan King, ridden: Gerard Tumelty

Race two was uncannily similar to the the first, except busier. The start was a bit chaotic, thanks to misbehaviour by Just An Ace (replace the last c with two letters?) and after a solid pace, the lead changed hands a few times late in the race. Shilpa was the eventual winner, having led approaching the last and ran on quite well. She had a mixed bag of modest bumper form and regressed for her hurdles debut, and would have been twice her price had she not been in a top yard. Max Milano's Ascot form had been held up well at Cheltenham by Finian's Rainbow, and he ran well again, despite being a bit green under pressure on the run-in. Wallace Monument won a bumper from a couple of subsequent winners, although he was beaten either side of it. This was a very much less than adequate hurdles debut, which probably told us he is not a two miler. He has to conquer a morbid fear that if his career is too good, he will be the subject of an awful Mel Gibson film. At least Max Milano would get Martin Scorsese on his case. 

Winning at Huntingdon seems more a relief than a delirious joy, but at least Shilpa seems quite pleased with herself

Race 3: 32red.com Handicap Chase [3m]

1: Ukrainian Star     2: Lord Collingwood     3: Phar Again 

Winner owned: The Class Act Partnership, trained: Richard Guest, ridden: Paddy Aspell

If Paddy Aspell was wondering how the buzz of Chief Dan George's Cheltenham win could be replicated, he did not have to wait long to find out - doing ten stone to win on 68-rated Ukrainian Star being at least an equal achievement, as the chief was at least some better raw material to be working with. Could Ukrainian Star be picked for this? On the basis of his two attempts in three mile chases being not poor, in the way that every other run had been, yes he could, but it did also require ignoring most of the good things that his rivals had done. This was the particular race that questioned the fast ground theory, as five runners of the nine were proven on it, and none of them made the frame. Phar Again had another solid day, which he currently alternates with off ones. As he has never convinced as staying two and a half miles, so this was a highly commendable effort, although potentially condemning him to a spell of vain stabs in long distance chases. Classic Rock was right off his game - his current losing run is 20 races, going back to November 2006, but he is still rated ten pounds above the rating when he did succeed. In contrast, Lahinch Lad can go back to May 2006 for his last win, a mere eight races in his case.

Race 4: Freddie's 50th Birthday Racing's Just Great Handicap Hurdle [2m 5.5f]

1: Watch Out     2: Bring It On Home     3: Carmela Maria

Winner owned: The Beefeaters, trained: Dai Burchell, ridden: Danny Cook

The Burchell yard was the first of the day to break a run of poor form, although Watch Out's brave effort on barely raceable ground at Lingfield gave a hint that he was nearly ready to do something to end the blank spell. He was always cruising along, and hit the front looking like a drubbing was on the cards. In the end, the entire field refused to give way to him (there was about ten lengths between the first seven), but they could not alter the result. Both Bring It On Home and Carmela Maria were taking a modest step up in trip, which they both appreciated - in a race devoid of any habitual front-runners.

Appointment and Super Ross drag them out for one more lap, from Elegant Olive, Wingull, a mostly obscured Bring It On Home, Lady De La Vega, Carmela Maria, Watch Out (rider disguised as a wasp) and the cloudy Quick Live (who showed no great sign of either).

Race 5: Bob Brown Memorial Novice Chase [2m 4.5f]

1: Viable     2: You And I     3: Chapel Flowers

Winner owned: Thorney Racing Club, trained: Pam Sly, ridden: Gina Andrews

Only three runners lined up for this, and early on it was nearly down to two, when Viable made a real horlicks of the seventh. Gina Andrews managed to rebuff the enticing embrace of gravity, and after surviving a none too convincing attempt at the next, Viable finally got his combobulation back. So much so, that he took up the running easily at the fourth last, and was in no danger after that. Both hurdle wins came on good going at Huntingdon, so this was a golden opportunity, snaffled as readily as a truffle hunting pig operates when the handler is distracted. You And I had not really convinced that he knew what was going on in his two chases to date - now that is three chases to date.

Race 6: £320 Free At 32red.com Handicap Hurdle [3m 2f]

1: Palos Conti     2: Colwyn Bay     3: Solway Minstrel

Winner owned: CN Barnes, trained: Tim Pitt, ridden: Phil Kinsella

After 309 days and 82 runners without a win, Tim Pitt's first two runners today had delivered more of the same, but Palos Conti finally ended the streak. The margin was narrow, but Phil Kinsella only nudged him along on the run-in and the superiority was more than the the bare facts show. There had been encouragement for Palos Conti in a couple of recent runs, but the trip was unknown territory and a potentially major anchor if the horse was still not at the top of his game. Colwyn Bay had posted some decent form in spring 2008, and this first good showing since was accompanied by market support. Teenager Solway Minstrel ran his usual game race in front, but being unable to exploit an uncontested lead in a six runner race does not point to a farewell victory lurking just over the horizon.

Race 7: 32red.com Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m ½f]

1: Theredballoon     2: Mawsem     3: Tricky Tree

Winner owned: F Allan, trained: Chris Bealby, ridden: Oliver Williams

A massive 100/1 upset concluded the day. An early manic pace meant that the horses that were patiently ridden came out well at the end, but there were some traffic problems as the field bunched up on the final bend. The racecard noted that Theredballoon's dam won nine races in France, but he did not especially catch the eye as a negative or a positive in the preliminaries. On the other hand, Mawsem did show plenty of green signs, which did not prevent him running fairly well. Tricky Tree had run OK a couple of times, the second in a race that may prove to be quite decent, and fourth placed Status Symbol had been a narrow runner-up at Kempton. All that seems to point to this potentially being a fair race - can the suspense of seeing how it turns out be endured. Furtive Flo, the Nicky Henderson second string, was a paddock eye catcher, as was Out To Impress, a less productive 100/1 chance than Theredballoon.

Plus Points

Schinken Otto (race 1): Was a solid chaser up to 2007, with 5 wins, and since then has won a couple on the flat, but remains a maiden over hurdles. He did well enough here to imagine that he could fix that.

King's Majesty (race 1): Last won in autumn 2008, but his yard has been in terrible form for almost a year (the losing run was broken later today). Despite that, he has posted a couple of not diabolical efforts of late and could be poised to bounce back soon.

Max Milano (race 2): After his good debut at Ascot, it was not certain whether shorter and faster was really needed, but his only hindrance was inexperience. 

Clerk's Choice (race 2): Rated 85 on the flat, and proven over a mile and a quarter, he looks as if hurdling will be something that he can cope with well enough.

Strike Three (race 2): Fell on her hurdles debut and did not show up so prominently here, but did glimmer enough to suggest that she has more in her than results to date imply.

Onemoreandstay (race 2): Despite the concern that he was an all-weather flat horse, Onemoreandstay ran OK considering that he was badly caught in traffic on the home turn and potentially is capable of a certain degree of improvement.

Ukrainian Star (race 3): This was race 11 of his life, and only chase number four, so it might really be a sign of better to come, rather than a one off. Winning by a less comprehensive margin may have been a good idea.

Colwyn Bay (race 6): Bounced back to form, not, it appears, unexpectedly, and his vast stamina is a weapon that there must be some application for.

Mawsem (race 7): Even if the race does not live up to expectation, he seems to be the one to come on plenty for it.

Down Arrows

Sir Liam (race 1): Ran OK when third nearly a year ago, but fell next time, and now has run badly twice since the tumble. The fact that his yard is in very good form lately makes today's flop extra ominously.

Call It On & Group Leader (race 2): Both ran in a solid looking race at Doncaster, where Group Leader fared better of the two, and that seemed to prime them to be very serious in this race. Neither ran disastrously, but both were beaten, and perhaps the Donny race was not all that it appeared to be.

Lord Collingwood (race 3): Missed nearly two years, and after pulling up on his return, has edged forwards both runs since. His old failing of careless jumping is still prevalent.

Kalmo Bay (race 3): The only real negative was a poor run last time, but a mistake a fence two (the open ditch) got him behind, the foolishness was repeated a lap later and he never showed any inclination to rectify it.

Wingull (race 4): Since taking on a virtually impossible task against Zabeel Palace last autumn, and making a fair stab of it, he has failed to improve on the outcome in races that probably took less winning.

You And I (race 5): Delivered on his handicap hurdle debut, but has struggled so badly in chases since that it is time to revisit that area of operations.

Chapel Flowers (race 5): Tim Vaughan came into today with his team in superb form, but all the runners today struggled. Of them, Chapel Flowers was the most disappointing as he had very solid winning chase form in the book, which was a mile away from how he ran here.

Connington (race 6): Another horse from an in-form yard to fail, he usually sticks to running and failing on soft/heavy ground over shorter. This experiment did not correct that.

Gunnadoit (race 6): Slightly less fed up than at Plumpton on Monday, but enough to make much difference.

Empire

Elegant Olive (race 4): Ran her first disappointing race at the track. Having got herself in a bit of a state before hand, she did travel well for a couple of miles, but was unable to up her game. In fairness, having got eight lengths or so off the pace, she lost no more ground, so was it an off day or just a case of needing a longer (and thus slightly slower run) race?