Plumpton 19/12/11

Having been a victim of Southern Rail, the first half of opening race was missed, causing the deadline to pass without a Placepot being submitted. It would have survived the first five races, but gone down on the last, due to both selections being late non-runners and both lines defaulting onto a favourite which seemed well worth avoiding. So on the one hand, an eternal curse on Southern, but on the other, thank you for saving the stress of a controversial loss on leg six of a Placepot which paid £46,606. It was almost motivating to join the chubby fellow standing forlornly by the second last hurdle humming "I'm so rone-ry, so rone-ry..."

For admirers of well named horses, this was a productive day. Hi Note (Acclamation - Top Tune), Ministry (Iceman - Choirgirl), Jordan (Golden Snake - Formula One Affair), Free Speech (King's Best - Daring Miss), although he probably pre-dates the Oscar winning film.

Going: Soft, but continual rain meant that it was possibly more testing by the end of the card.

Race 1: starsportsbet.co.uk Juvenile Hurdle [2m]

1: Dark And Dangerous     2: Hi Note     3: Ministry

Winner owned: North South Alliance , trained: Brendan Powell, ridden: Brendan Powell jnr

The betting market went bananas here for West Brit, a well touted newcomer from the Charlie Longsdon yard, at the expense of a couple of proven hurdles winners. On arriving with the field descending the hill to three out, the experienced pair were duelling for the lead, with West Brit under pressure close behind. He stopped quickly on the rail turn, eventually pulling up, and Dark And Dangerous, who has the makings of a hearty mudlark, was too strong for Hi Note, who in turn plugged away in vain right to the line. As expected, they were wildly scattered in behind, with most of them calling it a day before two out.

Race 2: Broadfeed Remembering Manhattan Boy Novice Chase [2m 1f]

1: Spear Thistle     2: Cucumber Run     3: Lady Willa

Winner owned: Tony Hayward and Sue Heard, trained: Charlie Mann, ridden: Dave Crosse

Two withdrawals left three to compete in this. In betting order, they were Cucumber Run (decent hurdler, jumped badly on his chase debut, runner-up beaten since), Spear Thistle (seemingly been around since the Hundred Years War, but in fact only nine and a mudlover who had been unconvincing in the odd chasing dabble), and Lady Willa (runner-up in small fields twice, has to go right-handed). It may be argued that someone had to win, but a void race was not inconceivable here. After terrible attempts at the second and third, Cucumber Run’s jumping got better as the race went on, but even once he headed Spear Thistle between the last two, the not-as-veteran-as-you-might-imagine one battled back and won by a head. A good day for exchange users, as surely they were laying Cucumber Run in spades at a price of 2/7, and then shorter.  

Let the chaos begin - except that it did not. Lady Willa (5) and Spear Thistle (2) jump off sharply, Cucumber Run is more cautious.

Race 3: Yes Promo Products Novice Hurdle [2m 5f]

1: Ohio Gold     2: Isleofhopendreams     3: Solaise Express

Winner owned: PM Warren, trained: Colin Tizzard, ridden: Brendan Powell jnr

A convincing and relentless performance from Ohio Gold, who was much more impressive than when opening his account at Folkestone. The margins were officially 22 and 16 lengths between the first three home, but multiply those numbers by five and the picture provided is not inaccurate. As he eased down, the race unfolding behind was a bit unexpected, as two relative outsiders filled the frame, maybe due to the worsening conditions. Isleofhopendream had been tailed off at Ascot on his debut, and perhaps could have been predicted as one to possibly sneak a place in a race with much less strength in depth. Solaise Express had posted modest achievements for Philip Hobbs before being quickly moved on, and he more or less ran to that level of form. Changing yards has not yet improved him nor demoralised him. The second to fourth horses in the betting filled the next three places, in a group that got out of contention at the top of the hill, but finished in the home straight more strongly than would have seemed likely. Exeter second Edlomond ran a fizzless race and pulled up, eliminating one of the possible yardsticks for the midfield trundlers. As previously noted, Fitobust is en route to a handicap future in a fairly acceptable style, today being more of the same.

Race 4: Derek Hunnisett OBE Memorial Handicap Chase [3m 2f]

1: Reblis     3: It’s A Classic     3: Ballinhassig

Winner owned: Kingsley, Avery, Farr, Glover, Humphreys, trained: Gary Moore, ridden: Joshua Moore

Another race that turned into something as well distributed over the countryside as a herd of cattle caught on the prairie in a thunderstorm – or at least just how Hollywood depicts that scenario. Reblis had all the qualifications to win this except not being proven to go on the ground (not disproven either) and the worrying stat that his only UK win was a narrow defeat of an ungenuine rival. Always going best, he kicked on at the foot of the hill, and from then on he could only beat himself. He did not take that option. Its A Classic plodded on in his usual style (it could be said to be inimitable, but sadly far too many horses do copy it) for a safe, clear second. At least he avoided another refusal. Ballinhassig is rated just 49, so was 33 pounds out of the handicap here. He lost by a tantalising 35 lengths, but carrying a low weight in this ground did have greater than usual help. And it is still his best ever run, as he was the last one to stay in touch with the winner, earning second but failing to hold on to it. Zimbabwe failed to repeat his going day here last time, but perhaps the failure of any of the tack to break was to blame.

Race 5: Follow Us On Twitter @starsportsbet_bet Handicap Hurdle [3m 1.5f]

1: Hazy Boy     2: Chicharito     3: Easter Lad

Winner owned & trained: Mike Roberts, ridden: Andrew Thornton

Hazy Bay gained his first win in the mud over this course and distance in February, and the mere fact that he had not bothered with a race since failed to stop him. A nine pound rise looks harsh on paper, but the way he had demolished the oppo that day meant worse could have happened. This was much harder work, but he really put his authority on the enemy in the last furlong, where perhaps Chicarito’s unproven stamina for a slog like this began to weigh heavily against her. The runner-up was having her first try in a handicap, but Easter Lad had already flopped in one, only to choose now to post his best performance so far. It still rarely looked enough to make the first two, but it is progress of a sort. In fact, if Gentleman Jimmy had been a bit more determined late on, Easter Lad might even has been run out of a place. Winning chaser Delgany Gunner did not offer a great deal on only his second ever hurdle run. Jennys's Gold ran well for a long way (about two and a half laps), but when she came out of her comfort zone, the response was barely measurable.

P.S. Twitter remains a tragic waste of time and electricity.  

Hazy Bay - not as out of breath as he is entitled to be

Race 6: Sussexfx.co.uk Handicap Chase [2m 4f]

1: Goring Two     2: Oscar Charlie     3: Free Speech

Winner owned: George Goring, trained: Anna Newton-Smith, ridden: Marc Goldstein

After being beaten at Folkestone by what hindsight told us was a genuine good thing, Free Speech had won his race since, with a little luck on his side. The difference here was a longer distance and much softer ground, and the absence of Tony McCoy, presumably to remove some of the 12 stone 4 pounds weight burden he had been allocated. Would he cope? Well...no. Another aggressive front-running ride was offered, but he Free Speech was out on his feet turning for home, and a more patiently ridden Goring Two sauntered into a win, with Oscar Charlie pinching second under much harder work. There had been one or two occasional flashes of promise in the past, but nothing much in the vicinity of what Goring Two dealt out today. After failing in Irish points and for Jamie Snowden, Oscar Charlie was sent here from a new yard and proved to be another to post his best performance yet, but the winner was a great deal more superior than the seven length margin implies. The Hardy Boy was fourth, but not a manner which hinted at a late revival of interest.

Race 7: GE White & Sons Agricultural Buildings Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Drawn Free     2: Missionaire     3: Snow Patrol

Winner owned: The Jazz Club, trained: Colin Tizzard, ridden: Brendan Powell jnr

Most notable about this race was that six of the eight wore headgear, and one of those without probably should be. Amongst that was a rare instance of two horses wearing a hood. Just how noisy did they expect the last race at Plumpton in the rain to be? Or was it a cunning case of noticing that the field may pass the station just as a train is pulling in? The betting market latched onto Missionaire, but how much money does it take in the gloom of a winter Monday to shorten a horse from 9/4 to 15/8? What this support failed to respect (or at least respect enough) was the three year old diving into handicaps on his first possible opportunity. Drawn Free (as in free of headgear) had lost his races by 53, 91 and 20 lengths (in addition to having just one flat run), and the only clue was the least awful run came on good to soft, the easiest ground tackled.  The handicapper had no chance of doing anything other than guess a rating. Anyone think there may have been a hint of not trying about the earlier runs? Too many questions? Missionaire can have few complaints, as he himself had suddenly gone from no-hoper to competing once he had three runs to get a rating, but the difference is that he has not turned it into a win yet. The hoodies were Snow Patrol and Marie Deja La, who both ran to their recent best and finished third and fourth. Get ahead, get a hood? With most things in his favour, Zelos Diktator was disappointing back in seventh, but he is a bit sporadic on slow ground and more consistent on quick, so perhaps the failure was not such a big deal.

Plus Points

Dark And Dangerous (race 1): Was lowly rated on the flat, but when jumping in soft ground, his slow cruising speed is barely affected, and he can continue ot exceed expectation in bad conditions.

Ministry (race 1): Appeared to be thrown in to an awkward challenge for his skill set in this hurdles debut, but he seemed to give it a fair go, and two and a half miles on good or quicker ground will be more suitable for him.

Lady Willa (race 2): Tailed off in the end, her jumping has been adequate in her chases, so another chance when in a handicap on a right-handed track is deserved.

Ohio Gold (race 3): Did not replicate the quirky style of his Folkestone win, which can be attributed to one or both of going left-handed and not having a rival cheekily trying to poke his nose ahead on the rails. Progressive, but a well enough known to prevent any value for money prices being offered.

Kumasi Clan (race 3): Showed some minor promise on his debut, but has not been so good in two runs since. He may get a handicap mark for this, which instantly makes him worthy of closer attention.

Dragon’s Roost (race 3): Beat Cucumber Run in a bumper and then was not embarrassed by Al Ferof and Raya Star. After an eighteen month absence, he has done less well as a hurdler, but if the handicapper rates him on hurdle form instead of bumper efforts, a different story may be on the cards.

Hazy Bay (race 5): Will go up the weights more, but he seems the sort for which no distance is too far, and chasing must be on the agenda soon.

Chicarito (race 5): Went handicapping after three novice hurdle hammerings and duly found the improvement expected (a fortuitous fifty-two length third meant that she did not fall foul of the “never previously placed” guideline). In the end, 3m 1½f in the mud caught her out, but connections will find a race for her.

No Woman No Cry (race 5): Had not been persecuted for winning a fur runner race narrowly last time, but this was not his ground at all, and the defeat can be dismissed as a guide to what he may be able to do on decent going.

Goring Two (race 6): May find extreme conditions essential, but his yard has been able to sustain a sudden improvement like this in their chasers before.

Oscar Charlie (race 6): Has joined a yard adept at coaxing a win from modest raw material, so it is unwise to assume this performance cannot be repeated.

Down Arrows

West Brit (race 1): Probably can put the blame on the ground, even though soft suited on the flat, but provided another example of the risks of dismissing valuable experience in the face of hype and potential.

Cucumber Run (race 2): Named after the worst idea for a Wallace & Gromit film ever, he is living down to that in chases. There was plenty of time to put the two early errors behind him, and yet he still found a way to lose.

Captain Moonman (race 3): Had been off for almost a year, after winning the third Irish point he contested. The horse he beat that day, Mount Benbulben , has won two points, two bumpers and two hurdles since, including a Grade 2 novice. As Captain Moonman was a huge market drifter and looked a bit slow here, the initially thought was that Mount Benbulben had a bad off day when losing that race.

Jamesson (race 3): Lost his bumpers by less than six lengths when racing on good, but fared much worse when once tried on good to soft. Even allowing for the ground as an issue, there were a few in this that he ought to have been able to beat home, but failed to do so.

Near The Water (race 4): Ran better than expected when suddenly upped to three miles recently at Lingfield, but could not replicate it here and seems a bit short of stamina. It would not be amazing if he was dropped back to 2m 4f or 2m 6f once the handicap mark has fallen a little.

Jordan (race 4): Still had a chance, and looked a good shout for a place when she walloped the fourteenth and quickly dropped out of contention. This was her chase debut, and she needs to prove that she will not do it again under pressure before we can consider supporting her.

Portrait Royale (race 4): Had an unusual flop on her seasonal debut, and the failure to show it was a different training approach by running better here augurs badly for her imminent prospects.

Venetian Lad (race 5): Had his moments in bumpers, but has not really replicated it as a hurdler, although his return to action earlier this month was not too bad. The betting market making him as short as 9/2 seemed something of an over reaction to that.

Free Speech (race 6): Can win, but seems to have a very limited window of opportunity, and it will not be over 2m 4f on soft ground unless he races much more conservatively.

Snow Patrol (race 7): Is not overly keen on racing, with one win in thirty-three tries, and even when he is a bit motivated, he normally ends up third rather than second. One of his better days, but unlikely to lead to anything more noteworthy.

Marie Deja La (race 7): Used to win in France every so often, but has not cut the moutard since coming to the UK , although this was her least bad run. In France she had a very busy 2009 and 20110, and perhaps that is taking a toll now.