Taunton 30/12/11

A huge crowd turned out for this - even with the rare occurrence of the car park attendants not doing a runner and leaving drivers to manage the exit chaos there was still a log jam trying to exit the venue. And the quality of racing matched the attendance, with plenty of runners and three really good quality novice hurdles. On the downside, Derek Thompson was commentating but the general hubbub mostly drowned him out, which was nice. On arriving, it was striking that we were perhaps experiencing one of the coincidental cultural opposites that occasionally crop up around the world to confuse anthropologists, or other pologists that study such things. Instead of the Hindu Festival of Light, we had the Sumersaeten Festival of Gloom. With the mist and rain teasingly sliding down the mountains of the south west county behind the course, it was an especially good year for the Gloomfest. 

Going: Good to Soft (Good places). With either it raining readily or drizzling dourly for the whole afternoon, the latter races must have been much more testing.

Race 1: Play The Big Money totejackpot Today Novice Hurdle, Div I [2m 3.5f]

1: Black Thunder     2: Captain Sunshine     3: Talkonthestreet

Winner owned: Donlon, MacDonald, Fulton & Webb, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Daryl Jacob

A really solid race, in which half a dozen surged clear four out, and by the second last, the race was between Black Thunder, Captain Sunshine and Talkonsthestreet. Black Thunder, who had ordinary bumper form but suddenly looked much better based on the way his five length hurdle second to Tetlami was working out, always seemed to have the upper hand, but after losing a few lengths between the last two flights, Captain Sunshine rallied strongly in the last hundred metres to make it much closer than expected. Talkonthestreet, making his hurdle debut, lost a place as a result, but made a fine start after two bumper seconds. With a hat-trick to his name already, Mister Dillon found this a step to far, not a total shock as the form of his wins has not worked out as well as races some of his rivals have been tackling. In fifth was Irish point winner De Faoithesdream, who at least beat three subsequent winners in that success at home. He set a good pace here, but had a lot of problems on the bends. Ability seems to be present, but we need to see if it was sharpness of the turns, or the direction of them that messed him around. 

A lap to go and De Faoithesdream leads Talkonthestreet, Mister Dillon, Moorland Sunset and a confident Black Thunder

Race 2: toteexacta Novice Chase [2m 3f]

1: Menorah     2: Royale's Charter     3: Suburban Bay

Winner owned: Mrs Diana L Whateley, trained: Philip Hobbs, ridden: Richard Johnson

Surely Menorah should have run in the Christmas Hurdle. A win would have solved millennia of religious conflict and righted all that is wrong in the world. Maybe. Instead he is in a novice chase at Taunton. In the unlikely event that the world does end in 2012, think back on what Philip Hobbs might well have done to prevent it. This turned into a stroll for Menorah, but after minimising the awkward jumps to a couple early on, he made a right horlicks of the last. Sound familiar? Well this time he survived it. Neither Royale's Charter nor Suburban Bay were foot perfect through the race either, despite making minimal effort to tire themselves out challenging the winner. 

Before the rain rendered photography futile, Menorah leads Suburban Bay and Royale's Charter (2) during one of the more innocuous moments

Race 3: Play The Big Money totejackpot Today Novice Hurdle, Div II [2m 3.5f]

1: Salubrious     2: Carrigmorna King     3: Gleann Eagas

Winner owned: The Johnson & Stewart Families, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Daryl Jacob

This appeared to be the division with less depth, although the better horses were on a par with the opener, but the winning time for this race was negligibly slower. Salubrious, a fast ground bumper winner for Pam Sly, ran on really strongly from the final obstacle, much like a horse that genuinely relished the conditions, rather than one begrudgingly tolerating them. A good recovery from a slightly underwhelming debut for his new yard. Although unable to handle the winner, Carrigmorna King was well clear of the rest of the runners, and with two places at Newbury to his name, has shown the ability to win, he just needs to find the right race. Glenn Eagas' Plumpton win did not match the form of some runners here, but he performed quite well, just nicking third from a slightly disappointing favourite Zama Zama, who was tackling softer ground than he has earlier raced upon.

Race 4: totequadpot Novice Hurdle [2m 1f]

1: Grumeti     2: Ted Spread     3: Ifyouletmefinish

Winner owned: McNeill Family, trained: Alan King, ridden: Wayne Hutchinson

A real speedfest for the short novice hurdle, including some horses that recently cost a small fortune, and a couple of three year olds dropped in to increase the fascination and intrigue. Grumeti was one of the juveniles and also one of the expensive acquisitions, but he does at least have top hurdlers in his family, and he impressed on his first try over obstacles. He only had a slight lead at the last, yet had the resolve and pace to win by fourteen lengths, an error by Ted Spread assisting the cause. Ifyouletmefinish had won a bumper on debut and then not done nearly as well in the second. He was well out of contention turning for home but finished as strongly as the winner. He either needs a longer race or more aggressive tactics at this distance/going combination. 

Race 5: Steve Logan Memorial County Contractors Handicap Hurdle [2m 1f]

1: Drumshambo     2: Prince Of Dreams     3: Sun Quest

Winner owned: The Grouse Partnership, trained: Venetia Williams, ridden: Sam Thomas

By now Drumshambo must have been spotted as a really annoying horse. A promising return to action when not fit. Defeat drawn from the jaws of victory when blundering at the last next time out and stopping on the run-in. Another loss of a race late on, although at least to a decent opponent. Just when it seemed time to give up on him, slightly different tactics were employed, leaving it late before hitting the front, and Prince Of Dreams was the one who ended up mugged on the run-in. After travelling well throughout the race, the runner-up was just a little unlucky to bump into Drumshambo on an incident-free day. Sun Quest ran a good race in third, following up on a similar effort in November. But he does not win very often - now only twice in 39 hurdles. The favourite was Laudatory, presumably because in a bewildering big field handicap, a Nicky Henderson runner is, at present, the default pick. For a horse that had only tried good or faster over hurdles, he was actually doing quite well when he unseated at the last. Not about to win, and maybe not even placed, but far better than common sense suggested. 

Race 6: totetrifecta Handicap Chase [2m 7.5f]

1: Mr Chow     2: Hopeful Start     3: Might As Well

Winner owned: Malcolm C Denmark, trained: David Pipe, ridden: Tom Scudamore

As early as the fourth last this race only really concerned three of the runners, and through the rain and mud, Mr Chow appeared to be operating much more effectively than Hopeful Start (abandoned by Tony McCoy after his tumble half an hour earlier) and Lady Karinga. The foodly one strolled clear, and triumphed having as easy race as can be imagined in the conditions. So far, he is about the only horse of his owners that has responded to a change of stable. Hopeful Start could not live with the winner in the home straight, and fatigue made for some very laboured jumping. He could easily take some time to get over this run. It could be argued that in the circumstances, Might As Well was given far too much to do, but even if he could have laid up closer to the leaders, it would have gained him second place at best. Manmoon (who jumped the course crossing boldly both times round), was doing well until he got the sixth last wrong and paid the price. In contrast Pete The Feat was enjoying himself in the lead until hitting the tenth, and dropping quickly to the rear, before he pulled up. Presumably the error did some irretrievable damage. 

Race 7: totepool conditional jockeys' Handicap Hurdle [2m 3.5f]

1: Arab League     2: Cantabilly     3: The Reformer

Winner owned: Stuart M Mercer, trained: David Pipe, ridden: Francis Hayes

Kudos to Taunton for making their conditional riders' race a 0-140 handicap, when most courses frame the races to make them something of a rogues gallery - apparently it is character building for the jockeys. Kudos also to those who noticed that the Pipe yard seem to really target this race, and are not usually short of suitable riders to pitch in to the fray. With the yard having only two in the race, and both around 10/1, backing the pair would still have been very profitable. Having seen Arab League go hurdling at a time of year when fast going was inevitable, watching him dash to a wide margin win in this sort of mess was not something that could have been foreseen. But it did happen. And conditions had become so bleak that it would be harsh to blame any of the others for giving up the ghost and letting Arab League get on with it - in our theme of peace and reconciliation, can this be a metaphor for events in Syria. What a positive way to end the UK-Jumping year!

Plus Points

Captain Sunshine (race 1): Ran green in his bumper and still finished third to Montbazon in a big field. After a long absence this was a corking start over hurdles, and he has all the requisite ability to win races. All he needs is a little luck and a solid attitude.

Moorland Sunset (race 1): Initially looked to have disappointed when dropping out at the end of the back straight, but there is the suspicion that he wanted a much stiffer course to excel. Give him one more chance.

Carheney River (race 1): Hardly shone in Irish points, and never really got involved on his hurdles debut, behind Moorland Sunset. It was more of the same today, but did not have a hard time, and watch for greater impact in handicap company.

Your Turn Now (race 1): Went U5U1 in Irish points, but lost his hurdle debut on heavy at Chepstow by a mile. He looks the part physically and is another to bear in mind when handicapped. 

Carrigmorna King (race 3): See above - done all that is needed to win a race, except for pass the post first.

Enroller (race 3): Once a Group 3 winner on the flat, he had shown very little this year after a long absence, including a woeful first hurdle race. He ended up a much improved fifth here. With his history, it will be tempting to go after big prizes, but pitching lower may pay-off, based on a more up to date assessment.

Fergall (race 3): Finished prominently in two modest bumpers, and debuted over hurdles here. He loitered around the rear early on, made progress three out and finished a very encouraging sixth.

Shaddaii (race 3): Previously tailed off in a bumper and a hurdle, he was bang in contention two out, until grinding to a very rapid halt. The concern is that there is a stamina issue or physical problem, but he kept pace with some decent oppo for the first 2m 1f of the race.

Grumeti (race 4): Not to be underestimated simply because his win was at Taunton and not one of the major venues. 

Ted Spread (race 4): The second flat Group 3 winner to run on the card, he has slightly underachieved as a hurdler so far, but the ground almost certainly was against him on this occasion.

Battlecat (race 4): Finished second to Prospect Wells on his hurdles debut, which looked good enough form to compete here. His nose was in the mud at the fifth, and having lost position, he never recovered. Eliminate the error and much better is on the cards.

Balerina (race 5): Handy in novice hurdles, her last three races, dating back to spring, had been really shoddy. Adding the blinkers today livened her up, and whilst she is not going to embark on a winning spree, some sort of success is possible.

Might As Well (race 6): His best show since having twelve months off, and as earlier peaks have been in better conditions, he can offer more than this. 

Down Arrows

Beattie Green (race 3): Won an OK bumper on debut, ran not quite so well next time, and then lost her third by much further. This was her hurdles debut, and after going well for the first two miles, she tied up badly, finishing last and more exhausted than the effort merited. Overall, a generally regressive profile. 

War Singer (race 4): Won five of nine on the flat in France. As a hurdler he was average on his debut at Newbury, and it was no better this time around. Not a lost cause, but much less effective as a jumper. 

Cridda Boy (race 5): Had a very near miss over course, distance and similar going just over a week ago, but could not repeat it here, and although he was eased once headed by a few, it may be that his window of opportunity has passed. 

Leopard Hills (race 5): The form figures next to his name look most enticing, but they came in sellers and claimers. Back into the hurly-burly of handicaps, and he was not so bothered about the result. 

Lady Karinga (race 6): Tied up badly in the latter stages, and is yet to convince that she stays this far, the worsening conditions not helping at all.

UK-Jumping Selections

Blue Lovell (race 6): Tackled her second chase even less encouragingly than the first, but the ground was not likely to have helped her cause.