Worcester 06/07/11

It may have been Irish night, as there were one or two people in hats decorated with shamrocks, and a musical duo playing sort of Irish sounding music. For those uncertain whether to make the connection, the weather decided it, by being dark, windy and increasingly rainy as the evening went on. Definitely Irish night! 

The fields were mostly large and unfathomable, in a way nowhere does quite like Worcester (except Ireland), and the two big handicaps were reduced by non-runners from 16 to 15 runners and 18 to 15 runners. Is it any wonder that people become a bit cynical when this happens?

Going: Good (Good to Firm places for the first five races)

Race 1: Partex Marking Systems Novice Hurdle [2m 4f]

1: Geneva Geyser     2: Mercury Bay     3: Failed The Test

Winner owned: Angmering Park, trained: Lady Herries, ridden: Leighton Aspell

Geneva Geyser gets slightly puzzled as he works out that a website may be stalking him. Is all this mental activity going to catch him out one day?

On known evidence, i.e. that in the results to date, this seemed to be just short of a reasonable standard novice hurdle for the time of year, and Geneva Geyser followed up his debut win at Fontwell fairly well. Once in front at the second last, and going better than any rivals, he did seem to take a bit of reminding that he needed to put the race to bed. In the end he managed so, at the expense of Mercury Bay, whose previous form was 133 in two bumpers and a hurdle - all races that had produced no performances of any note at all from the other horses. The runner-up had led before halfway and stuck at the job quite well once headed, holding the late surge of Failed The Test. She won a mares' maiden point in Ireland and is still trained there, but bumper sixth at Market Rasen in February hardly caught the eye, but was too tough for Carabinier, who faded out of the places with a degree of tameness, or perhaps slowness, that augurs badly for the future.

Mercury Bay, Failed The Test, Grindy and Trepalo battle it out for the honour of leading into the second lap

Race 2: Give A Hound A Home hallgreenrgt.co.uk Novice Handicap Hurdle [3m]

1: Monty's Revenge     2: Mr Valentino     3: Tiger Line

Winner owned: Sureinvestment Partnership, trained: Martin Keighley, ridden: Ian Popham

There are several reasons to wonder about how much faith can be placed in the form shown here. Firstly, there was a serious lack of three mile performances amongst the contenders previous work. Secondly, despite that lack of proven stamina, Gunship and a couple of like-minded loons ensured the pace was intensely strong for the race type. Thirdly, the winner, who had no previous signs of talent and fell on his chase debut last time, veered left before the last, in the style of a horse all set to run out - had not Tiger Line, going about her normal business, cut off the exit route to her own inconvenience. Fourthly, Mr Valentino, having had opportunity thrust in his face, went left on the run-in, showing more interest in using the dolled off part of the track, rather than the active racing surface. And finally, Quick Tap, who was sweaty and extremely reluctant to go to post, managed to struggle into place contention until his stamina ran out from the second last but still nicked fifth. Other possible challengers were Study Troubles (ran very poorly after trying to lay up with the leaders), Crack At Dawn (same problem), Gunship (tricked into running past the horseboxes once, pulled himself up the second time), Klipper Breeze (had a chance until three out, nursed home very tired, looked bigger deal than merely not staying) and Danny John Boy (well backed, ran like a drain). The winning trainer suggested afterwards that the horse had been on the verge of being retired into another job, but perhaps had turned the corner mentally. That is probably not something to bank on. In fact, well done to connections for assembling such a bunch of rascals and it is hoped that the crowd realised that they were privileged to witness it.

Tiger Line (blue) is suddenly very aware that Monty's Revenge has changed his mind about racing and fights back. Mr Valentino even more suddenly realises that someone has left fencing between him and where he wants to be

Race 3: PP Business Improvement Consultants Handicap Chase [2m 7f]

1: Inishrush     2: Gem Mill     3: Snake Rave 

Winner owned: Michael & Will Potter, trained: Bill Turner, ridden: Will Potter

A large field 0-85 race, in which most of the runners had at some point shown something that would make the casual observer think that they had some chance of winning this. What was problematical was how infrequently these positive signs would appear. The pace was again manic, but was mostly set by the winner, so obviously it was not too manic - although some of his jumping was slovenly as a consequence. Inishrush was a law unto himself in points, with some truly mad moments, and in that sphere his rider today was also the trainer. In the post-race interview he observed that the horse is now fitter as a result of being in a professional yard, so certain types of health practitioner would argue that the result proves that a healthy body makes for a healthy mind. In second, Gem Mill was well seen off, but he ran a decent race in all respects where the winner is overlooked, especially considering his recent good runs were over shorter. At one point, Bernie The Banker seemed likely to nab a place from paddock pick Snake Rave, but his finish, even at this level, was very one paced, and in hindsight it is not surprising that he ran better recently over 3m 2f.

A mediocre picture reproduced due to the limited chance of seeing Inishrush this far ahead and this amenable ever again

Race 4: PP Business Improvement Consultants Maiden Hurdle [2m]

1: Banyan Tree     2: The Winged Assassin     3: Spirit Is Needed

Winner owned: G Costelloe, trained: Rebecca Curtis, ridden: Tony McCoy

The sponsors put there money where their mouthpiece is, as this was a definite improvement in standard on the race that they had sponsored half an hour earlier. In fact the first four home all produced encouraging performances - almost. Banyan Tree was debuting for his current yard, and the only issue for this 87 rated flat horse was whether the trip would be on the short side, as hinted by a couple of hurdle runs in Ireland. Clearly not, as he was just too quick on the run-in for The Winged Assassin, who ran his second game race in vain over hurdles. From the last, they opened some daylight back to Spirit Is Needed, who is rated 110 and looks a fair yardstick to trust for assessing the result, and ran Dear Maurice out of a place late on, having taken a while to wind up the pace once pressure was applied to him. The pace was set by Shadow's Gold, who weakened in the straight, but now should qualify for a handicap mark, so was not perhaps wanting to get too close to the handy winner?

Castle Legend (2) and Shadow's Gold (his shadow) over the second, from Broad Meaning, with Banyan Tree (blue & yellow) not letting the leaders get any reason for confidence. 

Race 5: Cotswold Scaffolding Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Spice Bar     2: Louis Ludwig     3: General Eliott

Winner owned: K McConnell, trained: Declan Carroll, ridden: Tony McCoy

A really game effort allowed Spice Bat to make it four wins from his last five hurdle runs (the loss being the one run at 2m 4f), including proof of willingness to adapt by landing a couple of them on soft ground. As his rating had risen 23 pounds in the course of this, he defied a great obstacle put in his way by the handicapper, as well as the brush hurdles which he had seemed to be bamboozled by in the past. Louis Ludwig led at the last, and put up a tremendous fight when the odds-on favourite was trying to get past. He eventually succumbed by a length and a quarter. The concern for the opposition is that he also appeared to be lugging an inflated handicap mark, and yet the first pair put a nice gap between them and the rest. This time the unusually quick pace was ensured by Knightsbridge Lives and Midnite Blews, and whilst the latter pulled up after a terrible error at the fourth, the former was only run out of the places at the very end of the race, by the lightly raced General Eliott, who had been a bit of a flop on his handicap debut at Cartmel recently.

Race 6: Mazak & Power Panels Together Success Novice Chase [2m]

1: Black Jack Blues     2: Cool Touch     3: Rio Gael

Winner owned: Peter Neary, trained: Rebecca Curtis, ridden: Rio Gael

On a night when fast run races were the order of the day, this stood out as something really quite daft. Cool Touch, making his chase debut, set off at such a manic pace that it seemed as if he would have trouble getting round the bends. Yet it did the trick to a certain degree, as Black Jack Blues - a greatly superior hurdler and also apparently more suited to two miles - really had to work hard to sort out the impudent challenge. And even when the winner edged ahead two out, Cool Touch battled back and led briefly again, before Black Jack Blues exerted his superiority, under a much stronger ride than odds of 2/7 implied should be necessary. None of the others ever quite threatened, although after a tardy start, Rio Gael was not far off the main pair two out, simply being unable to keep his run going. At least we know that Black Jack Blues can jump under pressure now!

Race 7: PP Business Improvement Consultants Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m]

1: Awaywiththegreys     2: Warrants A Name     3: Cock Of The Rock

Winner owned: W Bryan, trained: Peter Bowen, ridden: Tom O'Brien

This field looked a decent clump in paddock, although increasing rain did keep observation time to the minimum, and one or two had already failed to live up to that billing on the racecourse. It was quite gloomy during the race, but the first pair home left the others floundering, and even the third and fourth showed a fair degree of superiority over the pack. This was Awaywiththegreys fourth bumper, and none of the other three were that bad, it was just a touch worrying that he had performed slightly worse with each run. This was back in the right direction, although Warrants A Name's indifferent steering in the last quarter of a mile did make life easier for the winner. Cock Of The Rock had already landed bumper results of 121, all course and distance, so he gives the efforts a solid look. A betting bandwagon got going on The Big Freeze, who ended up favourite but was not quite good enough to melt Cock Of The Rock's mighty heart and let him into third.

Plus Points

Mercury Bay (race 1): Looked like he preferred this to the 2m 6f of his hurdling debut, and has potential to go one better. 

Another Kate (race 1): Won a handicap hurdle off 95 last time, appreciating the avoidance of soft ground, and she ran well enough in fifth here to think that avoiding novice hurdles and sticking to handicaps could pay dividends again.

Comrade Bob (race 1): Won three of his eleven points, but before today he has really failed to impress under a rules - a hunter chase and a novice hurdle. He did more or less equally moderately today, yet the over riding impression was to be alert to the possibilities once he is in handicaps.

Gem Mill (race 3): Is better suited to 2m 5f or so, and that step up in distance was probably the difference between success and defeat this time.

Mr Ironman (race 3): Has both his wins at Towcester, and after pulling up in his last two runs, he did much better this time, remaining in contention until three from home, and ending up fifth. He is handicapped to possible win a third race at his favourite track.

The Winged Assassin (race 4): Second on both hurdle runs, he has been unfortunately placed to run into a couple of big challenges so far, and he ought to manage to go one better soon.

Louis Ludwig (race 5): From a yard on the cold list, he put up an effort beyond fault, and was simply edged out by a better horse on the day. When he is in that sort of mood, adding to his sole win so far is perfectly possible. But see below!

Tram Express (race 5): Seemed to be just out of his comfort zone all the way and is worth a return to the easier pace at around two and a half miles. Bear in mind that his course and distance second was only a novice claiming hurdle.

Cool Touch (race 6): Jumped soundly and ran well above himself on this chase debut, or at least his hurdling self. Despite a few fair two mile runs, his one win came at Towcester over two and a half, a stamina demand which should be repeated in chases. But there are concerns, see below.

Just Victor (race 6): Settled at the back, and was still detached at halfway, before keeping on to get fourth, eventually with comfort. This was a real educational, but one which seemed to achieve the likely best possible placing as well. Keep an eye on him in chases from now.  

Down Arrows

Geneva Geyser (race 1): Stays 2m 4f better than his flat record suggests might have been the case, and although a clear winner in the end, that brief moment of uncertainty after the final hurdle is something that could be a problem when pressured by stronger opposition.

Carabinier (race 1): His prominence in the betting can only be because he is trained by Nicky Henderson, having been stuffed in his first three races and only winning last time in a five runner event. One to be taking on in this sort of race.

Tiger Line (race 2): Appeared to be unlucky when the winner hampered her approaching the last, but she was left in a good position to take advantage and took a conscious decision to slow down. Less mad than the first two, but same end effect. So really Mr Valentino and Monty's Revenge are here in equal measure.

The rest (race 2): They let a trio of reprobates leave them all struggling.

Inishrush (race 3): There was no fluke about this, but his pointing record, with an array of falls and unseateds in addition to running pout three times, makes him totally unable to be trusted to repeat the performance.

Snake Race (race 3): Won his share in points, but under rules his method is to be in or around a place in low grade races, and make extremely hard work of doing that. He may pop up and win somewhere, but the disappointments along the way are likely to be more numerous.

Craven (race 3): Has never been keen on winning - since 2005 he has one success under rules and a recent walkover in a point-to-point. When he sized up this lot and realised that there was a chance of another triumph, he briefly planted himself at the start, conceding at least 12 lengths. Do not be fooled by the smooth and patient rally into midfield, as the instant he became a slight threat, he eased off again.

Dear Maurice (race 4): Appeared to get under way as a hurdler respectably, but he was off the boil on the flat recently, which did not help, along with the unlikely chance that he stays two miles.

Louis Ludwig (race 5): Did not look well handicapped, lost out to another horse that is high in the weights, and was far enough clear of the third to think that a further inconvenient ratings rise is on the way.

Cool Touch (race 6): Set off like a crazy eejit in front, and had he made any errors in his jumping, there was no margin for error at all. Hopefully it was a measure intended to put the willies up the favourite, and not a more permanent policy decision.

Rio Gael (race 6): Slow away, his jockey reported that he almost refused to race. This is not a known trait (although his trainer was down at the start with him, so it was certainly not out of the blue), but beware that it is something which Rio Gael has plans to work with on a more regular basis.

Street Devil (race 6): Showed he can travel and jump in two mile chases, but before getting stuck in when he turns up in a low level handicap, bear in mind a long history of lowering his game to just below the standard of the race he is in.

The Big Freeze (race 7): Failed to land the gamble, and although fourth was not terrible in this race, the way he went about it was less encouraging. Last early, he was niggled early in the back straight, responded after a furlong or so, got himself into real contention on the final turn and then did not really look to find much for hard riding late on. It is too soon to condemn him, but beware any future signs of support in the betting.