Stratford 14/06/09

Going: Good to Firm (Good places) - however, there was a lush covering of grass and below that it appeared to be very, very firm. I walked part of the track and saw one man try to dig his heel in and see his ankle shatter. Mind you, he admitted that he was made of balsa wood. My, how we laughed! However, when the racing got going, there were plenty of horses that were just nursed home when their chance had gone, and can probably improve markedly on easier ground.

Race 1: Avon Estates of Stratford Novice Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Classic Swain     2: Persian Warrior     3: Split The Wind

Winner owned: The Stewart Family, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Christian Williams

Overheard from one participating jockey as they came in - "that rode like such a bad race." However, we know that Classic Swain and Nordwind have multiple formlines justifying their ratings in the vicinity of 130, and Persian Warrior did beat Classic Swain two runs ago, so the reason for the race seeming poor must have been the horses struggling to cope with the fast ground rather than innate incompetence on their part. In the end Classic Swain won rather comfortably, reversing form with his course and distance conqueror (their clash in Devon between the two here ended when Persian Warrior fell). Split The Wind kept on late to edge Just Victor out of third, both of them showing improvement on unexceptional debuts over jumps, although the third had plenty of flat experience, compared to Just Victor's single bumper run.  

Race 2: Allens of Wootton Hall Handicap Chase [2m 4f]

1: Tubber Gael Holly     2: Cheeky Lad     3: No Greater Love

Winner owned: Tuffy Ten Syndicate, trained: Michael Hourigan, ridden: Tom Doyle

Any doubts about the going were erased with Tubber Gael Holly's win, as her three previous successes, all over hurdles, came exclusively on firm ground. She seemed to be struggling six out, but Tom Doyle stuck to the task, and the third last came to her aid as pace setter No Greater Love made a small error, Shake The Barley made a really bad one and either hampered or distracted Eljay's Boy (relished the going) into a fall. Cheeky Lad, who had been very slowly away, but was allowed to creep back into contention at a sensible rate, seemed to have made a decisive and positive move two from home, but the winner's perseverance saw him off. No Greater Love did appreciate the novelty of making the running, but overall his profile is one of inconsistency and unpredictability and no animal upon this earth can be certain of what he will do next - race-wise, socially it will be a nap and a snack. The final verdict - is it just me, or is it hard to have faith in a horse with a name that includes the word 'Tubber.' It sounds like a nickname for a pet hippo.

Before the race, Tubber Gael Holly spots a stray jockey, separated from the herd, and goes in for the attack. She is a known associate of The Artist Formerly Known As Prince

Race 3: Allenscaravans.com Handicap Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Acambo     2: Know The Law     3: Bedizen

Winner owned: David Johnson, trained: David Pipe, ridden: Timmy Murphy

This was a drop in class for Acambo, and after initially being well backed to appreciate it, he them drifted out to roughly the price he opened at in the ring. Timmy Murphy sent him to the front at the third, and he did it all with a relish from there, that some may have felt had deserted him. He is another not used to front running, although in this case it may have been that the lesser competition simply enabled him to do what he could not go fast enough to do at top level. After seeming a bit dodgy when he started over hurdles (embarrassingly outbattled by Gloucester, who was fifth here), Know The Law has been better on fast ground, and again showed that he appreciated it, even if he was not up to actually winning as seemed to have been widely expected in the crowd. Bedizen is a funny creature. He seems to have all the wrong attributes for a tight, level track like Stratford, but consistently runs well here, now with form of 1133. Beshairt won twice over further on good going, once at this venue, so fourth in such a speed test was a creditable showing.

Acambo leads, Bedizen seems to have seen a hurdle twice as big as it really is. Meanwhile Zirkel (7) and Know The Law (5) behave relatively normally

Race 4: Nigel Munn Memorial Handicap Chase [2m 7f]

1: Seymar Lad     2: Some Craic     3: Otantique

Winner owned: Andrew Gemmell, trained: Emma Lavelle, ridden: Aidan Coleman

Despite the proven excellence of Michael Hourigan's weather forecasting, he was unable to complete a double as although Some Craic ran a similar sort of race to Tubber Gael Holly, he found Seymar Lad to be offering the visitors a less hospitable welcome. The first trio home swept the pace setters aside unceremoniously at the end of the back straight, and were it not for Some Craic's determined effort, the winning yard could have had a 1-2, but Otantique struggled on the final bend - all his wins have been right handed, and he has some noticeably mediocre form this way round. Other than Seymar Lad's decisive kick to the lead and ultimate success, this was an eerily uneventful race, if you exclude the air ambulance flying over the course before it started.

Race 5: Allens Caravans Novice Handicap Hurdle [2m 6.5f]

1: Ring For Time     2: Dont Even Ask     3: Avoine

Winner owned: Jason Tucker, trained: Dai Burchell, ridden: William Kennedy

What an odd race this proved to be. In the final couple of furlongs, the first three were clearly racing and the rest of the field going through the motions, awaiting the line to come to their rescue. Before this, Ring For Time had peaked when 100/1 third in a claimer, but Dai Burchell had spotted it to be no fluke, and the return on the investment took only a couple of races. He led three out, kicked clear on the turn, suffered a minor scare with an awkward peck at the second from home and then had it safely in the bag. The chunky Dont Even Ask was quite keen going to the start and fluffed the first two hurdles, so to last home for second was a decent showing, even though Avoine has not shown much since winning her bumper debut - on soft! Top weight Bolton Hall was ridden early in the race and eventually pulled up. He has looked a touch lazy in earlier runs, but had then usually responded to the jockey's efforts and ended up with a respectable outcome. Not this time. From the ones at the back running up the white flag by committee, Absolute Shambles emerged to claim the £205 fourth prize, which he did with a hint of embarrassment.

Race 6: Avon Estates Holiday & Home Parks Novice Chase [2m 7f]

1: Hills Of Aran     2: Winsley Hill     3: Oneforbertandhenry

Winner owned: David Hughes, Mike Evans and Partners, trained: Keith Goldsworthy, ridden: Tony McCoy

When Hills Of Aran went chasing around the New Year, his limitations in the field were cruelly exposed, and then highlighted by his brave efforts back over hurdles. Last time, he mopped up a muppet chase at Southwell, and this time, he had oodles in hand, in terms of raw ability over the opposition. However, he was deprived a soft lead by the manic Oneforbertandhenry, and the going was even faster than that which he usually avoids, and these factors made his early jumping unconvincing. However, he was by far the quickest between obstacles, and ultimately that allowed him to see off Winsley Hill (game try at the weights), Black Beauty (not out of it when falling three from home) and Oneforbertandhenry (surprisingly clung on until the fourth last). Given that he played up at the start, sweated up badly even allowing for the hot weather and charged off like a a bull in a china shop, we can but hope that Bert and Henry have been circumspect in supporting the horse named in their honour.

Race 7: Stratfordcaravans.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m 0.5f]

1: The Donserelli     2: Friendship Bay     3: Oscar Tom

Winner owned: Miss Lanta Gillett, trained: Jeremy Scott, ridden: Tom Scudamore

Although the bumper and pointing form already amassed for this was nothing out of the ordinary, and the sedate early pace allowed the field to stay bunched for most of the race, there is reason to suspect that it may be a reliable guide for the future. There was little in the way of inexperience or bemusement shown by the runners in the prelims, and most of them came from yards that have their horses well prepared for bumpers, even ones that would not immediately jump to mind for it, such as Rebecca Curtis (2/7 in the field to date) and Ray York (5/32 in the last five seasons, and the wins at nice prices). Of course, that just means that the horses are ready, it does not guarantee they are talented...such as paddock pick Wricksons Bridge, who ended up tailed off. The race itself was quite a mini-thriller, with The Donserelli leading a prime quintet clear of a secondary quintet. He had refused early on his pointing debut, but made it third time lucky in bumpers, after being second in both earlier races, including over course and distance. Rounding the turn, it seemed possible that it would be the usual story for The Donserelli, but Oscar Tom struggled to handle the bend, only to rally in the straight, and then tie up in the last fifty yards and lose second to fellow newcomer Friendship Bay. The well touted, but possibly over hyped, Great Mates was fifth. I wonder who won the Swedish National?

Plus Points

Persian Warrior (race 1): A nice, big chaser to be, who has already won a maiden point in the UK, he acquitted himself adequately against a rival who was in a much less stroppy mood than when Persian Warrior beat him before.

Split The Wind (race 1): Signs were shown that she can win a race, probably a handicap or two, but possibly even one of those occasional mares' novice hurdles that are devoid of any decent contenders, which crop up every now and then.

Just Victor (race 1): Looks the part and progressed on his debut stuffing, but may be a longer term project.

Cheeky Lad (race 2): Despite only one win since 2006, is a bit high in the handicap, but a small field, where he handles the conditions better than the oppo, could still see him add to his tally

Bedizen (race 3): Hung right on the flat, presumably due to the ground being wrong for him, but loves his visits to Stratford and must always be taken seriously here.

Aleron (race 4): This was his 99th race. He has 31 places, and 13 wins, 6 on the flat, 3 hurdles and 4 chases. Six jumps wins have been on sharp courses. Despite handling it on the level, he does not seem to relish jumping on good to firm, so this was a waste of a journey. If the going and course are suitable, do not rule out a big celebration for race number 100.

Prestbury Knight (race 4): Jumped with unimpressive skill and apart from one brief sojourn to the head of affairs, never really got into the race. This is par for the course for him going left-handed, so watch for a switch.

Rio Laine (race 5): Stood out as a horse with a future in the paddock, but as a tall, chasing built four year old, a charge round on fast ground (his best two runs have been on good to firm and soft - work that one out!) was unlikely to bring out the best in him. He certainly could have jumped better, but is one to give another chance.

Friendship Bay (race 7): Already his dam's most successful offspring, this was quite a likeable debut, even if the standard seems unexceptional at this stage.

Down Arrows

Classic Swain (race 1): It is hard to crab four wins from his last five, but he is an entire, and the sole defeat came when he conspicuously refused to compete with the winner, so can anyone be certain that he will not throw in a major wobble again? Approach with caution.

Shake The Barley (race 2): Seemed to have put his indifferent jumping behind him of late, but after a couple of minor errors, he made one crucial one - reminiscent of how he was last autumn.

Gloucester (race 3): Has been in a rare benevolent mood lately, flat and jumps, but here endeth the redemption.

Bazart (race 3): Did have the excuse of being on ground up to now avoided like commercial shipping should avoid the Somali coast, but his overall record of 1 win from twelve, with five places is a bit of a warning.

Leopold (race 4): Stratford is an ideal course for Leopold, and of the front runners, he was the only one still battling for a place on the run-in, but he is 14 pounds above his last winning rating, and this will not have done anything to alleviate that.

Hills Of Aran (race 6): Definitely to be opposed when he has to meet more talented opponents in chases, as he just does not look comfortable with the task.

UK-Jumping Selections

Nordwind (race 1): Ran too badly to be true, given his now established preference for going left-handed, and presumably the ground was to blame.