Stratford 13/06/10

In each of the first three races, frantic front-running proved a viable tactic. Usually at Stratford the winner comes from anything in close contention as they cross the small rise in the back straight, but the pace setters were finding that they could burn off almost all of their rivals before reaching that point. Will they be able to repeat it?

This was the first time we had seen Tony McCoy in action since getting his OBE. The results? 6^th, Unseated, 13^th, 8^th, 3^rd. Now is the time to start a campaign to rescind it (or at least transfer the award to Leighton Aspell), as it has clearly made him complacent. It is accepted that the horse was to blame for unseated, but it was destined for last place at the time anyway.

Race 1: Allens Caravans Novice Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Hilfiger     2: Den Maschine     3: Danimix

Winner owned: Patrick Kelly, trained: Ian Williams, ridden: Robert Thornton

With four runners already rated between 111 and 120, plus a couple heading that way, this was not a bad race for the time of year. German flat import Hilfiger delivered at the third time of asking, and being a keen and hard-pulling creature, going to post and in the race, the faster ground definitely played into his hands. The horse that beat him on debut had since finished behind the disappointing Saltagioo, which indicates a sharp curve of improvement. Den Maschine had been behind Cool Touch last time, but at least had looked more steerable and enthused in doing so. He was ridden in a clear second as they turned for home, and well beaten in the end, but still put up a good show for a horse that had won a mere seller.

Race 2: Avon Caravan Park Stratford Handicap Chase [2m 4f]

1: De Lauain Gorm     2: Tampa Boy     3: Prince Noora

Winner owned: Mrs M Trueman, trained: Chris Down, ridden: Aidan Coleman

The handicapper looked to have been very harsh in raising De Luain Gorm twelve pounds for skating off with a race in which limited opposition put up as much resistance as a wet paper bag. Upped in grade a little, and yet top weight, he was able to do the same again. He was heavily eased down after hitting the last awkwardly, though the narrowing of the gap by a determined Tampa Boy did no more than risk a hike in the ratings for being second. Benefit Game, who attracted some market support early on and then drifted out to his original price, was in good heart last year. His recent return to action was not very good, and he was not doing much better before unseating three out. He could snap out of his fugue at any stage. Or not?

Race 3: Nigel Munn Memorial Handicap Chase [2m 7f]

1: Putney Bridge     2: Ballycarney     3: Painter Man

Winner owned: Mrs LA Goldsworthy, M Duthie, trained: Keith Goldsworthy, ridden: Tom O'Brien

Putney Bridge was recording his fifth win in nine runs since late February, and although under a penalty for his latest, at Southwell, that had been by 23 lengths, and this was just as easy in a considerably harder race. Not bad considering the recent spree was kicked off by winning a novice hurdle where the long odds-on jolly fell and handed him the race on a plate. On his last run Ballycarney beat reliable guides River Indus and Terrible Tenant with a touch of comfort, so a ten pound rise can be explained, but it does remain his only win to date. The quartet who finished fourth through to seventh have shown lots of ways to be little short of delivering in chases and making life hard for themselves, so despite the big field in a decent quality of race, the also rans showed plenty of failure to end up where they did.

General exuberance greets Putney Bridge's win, none more than from the horse himself, despite the non-matching sheepskin accoutrements

Race 4: Allens Park Homes Handicap Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Dishdasha     2: Exulto     3: Aohna

Winner owned: Tristar, trained: Alison Thorpe, ridden: Oliver Dayman

Olympian Boy in full flight early on

The race ended with a thrilling four way battle on the run-in, caused by Aohna blundering badly at the final hurdle. Some called her unlucky, but as the pictures show, she was clear and only has herself to blame. In her defence, she is a stocky mare with shortish legs who looks as if she could sneak into pony racing, or be more at home lugging tourists up Icelandic volcanoes. Dishdasha was best placed to take advantage, defying a modest winning rate on left handed, sharp, level courses (1 of 16, but 8 places) as Exulto rallied furiously but slightly too slowly.

After stealing a small lead from the second last from Dishdasha and Exulto, Aohna makes an unimpressive attempt to cross the last (except by Icelandic pony standards) ...

... the landing is not much better, as Stumped also waddles into view...

...and Robert Thornton managed to avoid going over the neck of a small horse by balancing for a while on what little neck there was to hand (he went further forward in the next few strides). An outstanding effort to survive, but not enough to prevent two of the pursuit getting ahead of her.

Race 5: Rayford Caravan Park Stratford Novice Handicap Hurdle [2m 6.5f]

1: Miss Saffron     2: The Fox's Decree     3: Cool Bob

Winner owned: PA Tylor & GN Noye, trained: Sue Gardner, ridden: Jack Doyle

A horrible sixteen runner conundrum was not rendered any easier by a couple of non-runners, and despite the obvious reasons for treating the form of a bottom tier race with caution, King Raven was favourite, on the back of his 36 length success at Fontwell on Thursday. He lost his place with a couple of early errors but then plugged on for fourth. Miss Saffron had been forecast to head the betting in most places looked at, but was as popular as a wasp settling on the last spoonful of jam in the jar. She had a couple of reminders around the fifth hurdle but responded and kept on going as the competition fell away one by one. The Fox’s Decree sort of stuck at the job in vain. Another who was niggled along quite early was Cool Bob, and whilst the reaction was not as drastic as the winner, he did end up in the frame, which seemed unlikely a mile out. Mr Melodious had achieved an improved outcome when runner-up in his last race, but that was a maiden claiming hurdle, and his return to the realm of normal horses saw that form put into harsh perspective. As her name implies, eye catcher in the paddock was Hot Tottie. The race was a different story, and her rating off 100 largely relies on one novice hurdle run which has worked out fairly poorly with hindsight. Her yard has been short of winners, and even light on runners, so there is the possibility that she can perk up as they collectively find a bit of verve.

Race 6: Allens Caravan Holiday Homes Novice Chase [2m 7f]

1: Billie Magern     2: Last Flight     3: Port Talbot

Winner owned: Roger Nicholls, trained: Nigel Twiston-Davies, ridden: Paddy Brennan

There were horses of physical talent participating in this, but where there was chase experience in the book, they had not always seemed the most agile or careful. Billie Magern had just gone to the front when falling in his only chase, but there were no problems today, and whilst he seemed to have the measure of Last Flight all the way, she was close enough to cause him worry, and that produced no errors. Port Talbot was a distant third, over taking a couple that tied up badly late on. His early jumping was abysmal, but it progressed with time, and if he remembers what he did in the last mile there is progress to be made. A modest strike rate in British points (2 wins from 15) is discouraging, even with a hunter chase win to add to it.

Race 7: Riverside Caravan Park Stratford Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m 0.5f]

1: Vicpol     2: Whereveryougoigo     3: Jump Up

Winner owned: Paul Thorman, trained: Bill Turner, ridden: Tom O'Connor

Most of the field had experience of racing, and there was plenty of gently encouraging form (i.e finishing in the first six), if little to get too excited about. However, Bill Turner pulled an 80/1 rabbit out of the hat – normally he reserves these tricks for three year old hurdlers. The real plus for Vicpol is that he absolutely demolished a field that gave some form lines to work on, without looking as if he had to try awfully hard. You could name that tune, erm, winner in one from the home turn, even if there was no chance before hand. Whereveryougoigo was also new to competitive sport, and very well backed, but was no match for Vicpol.

Plus Points

Society Venue (race 1): One of a trio that set off at the rear and rapidly got detached, he ambled through the stragglers to claim a distant fourth. Having slipped up between hurdles on debut, the confidence booster ought to have helped, although some would have described him as a non-trier. Would a harder ride produced a higher finishing position? Questionable.

Tampa Boy (race 2): Coming back from 14 months off, when his last race was a three mile hurdle win, this was encouraging in that a) the trip was on the sharp side and b) his only other chase run was truly terrible, and this one was not.

Prince Noora (race 2): Did not get in contention at all, but all his best form is over further and on right handed courses, and this was better than a flop at Chepstow on soft last time.

Ballycarney (race 3): No match for the winner, his win was over Exeter’s more challenging three miles, which showed in the way he fought back for second after Painter Man had passed him. Despite having risen in the weights, he might still be on a workable mark.

Aohna (race 4): Will continue her sluggish climb up the handicap for this but it could have been worse. Size is against her, but the days that she avoids the errors can yet prove lucrative.

Stumped (race 4): Twice has been forced to descend into sellers to secure a win, but overall is 5 from 26 when avoiding chases. This was on ground a touch too quick and a trip a touch too short, so goes down as a creditable effort.

Billie Magern (race 6): Jumped better, and has a record here of 2111 now. Were defeats at Ascot and Cheltenham over hurdles down to the course or just the rise in grade? He can keep winning on left-handed, level tracks over the summer.

Last Flight (race 6): Went down by a head at Cartmel on her chase debut (and form at that track often fails to translate elsewhere) but seemed to do even better in this stronger race. There should be chase wins to pilfer.

Teri D Trixter (race 6): Had failed to win any of seven Irish points, and paired a couple of seconds with a couple of falls. He set a fierce pace for a staying novice chase, which told on him late in the day, but he looked better than his Irish pointing form implies.

Walamo (race 6): Made an adequate chase debut against mostly better hurdlers than he. A few novicey moments, and unable to cope when the heat was turned up on the final lap was not the end of the world.

Vicpol (race 7): Should not be underestimated just because he was a long price in winning this – there was no fluke and he was hugely convincing.

Superior Knight (race 7): Caught the eye amongst the newcomers in the paddock, and was not too far behind the runner-up in finishing fifth, keeping on nicely at the end.

Down Arrows

Swiss Guard (race 1): Got noticeably sweaty in the prelims, although this was before it clouded over and the temperature dropped. At the back early on, he never got involved and was reported to have burst a blood vessel. There have been hints of promise in his two earlier races, but this one sounded a small alarm that a quick dive into handicaps may not pay rapid dividends.

Saltagioo (race 1): A non-runner two days earlier, he came into this top rated by the handicapper but lost his place at the head of the market to Cool Touch, and did not jump well enough to prove punters wrong.

Cool Touch (race 1): Slaughtered some feeble oppo at Towcester, but has been vanquished over this course, distance and going twice since. Possibly a stiffer test is needed, but it could just be that he resents serious competition.

Foreign King (race 2): Had got off to a good start in his two race career over fences, which went off the rails here, as although he was not proven at the trip, sloppy jumping – maybe resulting from the pressure of a raise in class – knocked him out of contention before stamina became the issue.

Nordwind (race 4): From a yard in form, he was disappointingly hapless in trying to defy a nine month absence – and he had gone off the boil a little before his break, up to which he had been kept very busy. That might have had a more lasting effect than one break can rectify.

Agente Romano (race 4): Allowed Olympian Boy to cut out the early running, and then went on just before halfway. On a day when these tactics had been working, he caved in before the home turn. His short career is already a mixed bag of game efforts and tame folding.

King Raven (race 5): Before winning at Fontwell, he had looked a horse that was just too short of toe for any trip thrown his way, and it was back to normal again.

The Fox’s Decree (race 5): Has tried trips between 2m 3f and 3m in his last three and been a close second each time. He is as devotedly one paced as King Raven.

UK-Jumping Selections

Danimix (race 1): Returning from a long break and over an inadequate trip, he was predictably outpaced, and equally predictably plugged away for a non-threatening place. Should now be tuned up for a run over further.