Must read update from Chris Days Ten To Follow this National Hunt season 2014/15

 Ten To Follow this National Hunt season 2014/15 

  

Update report from our ten to follow analyst  Chris Day @Chrisday100 click to follow 

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A fortnight ago, I was reviewing two excellent winners at good prices from the same number of runners but the three to have run since have all been disappointing.

We’ll start with Taquin Du Seuil, who was pulled up in a very hot Betfair Chase having jumped poorly under Barry Geraghty. The horse has now performed moderately on all three occasions he’s seen a racecourse this season and has plenty of questions to answer. On the positive side, the stable have not really been in form and another of their Gold Cup contenders, Holywell, also ran below form at Carlisle recently. O’Neill is a master target trainer and has four months to sort these out but that may be clutching at straws and we’d really want to see a solid run next time if Gold Cup aspirations are to be retained.

Our second runner, Saphir Du Rheu, made his chasing debut in a race which usually works out at Newbury’s Hennessy meeting on Friday and jumped well enough until unseating his jockey at the seventh fence. Reportedly difficult to get fit, he was very keen behind the winner Coneygree and, in view of the high regard in which he’s held by connections, this had to be a disappointing display and I feel they could now give him time and possibly only run a couple more times this season, maybe taking the Big Buck’s route of Spa Hurdle then World Hurdle. There’s no doubt his hurdles form is up there with the best and More Of That now has doubts surrounding him after Saturday so that could be viewed as a viable option with a view to saving his novice status for next season.

Finally, the fate of Allez Colombieres yesterday at Fairyhouse demonstrates what a tough sport this can be for all connected with horses. There’s little point in speculating what might have been but these horses do occasionally pay the ultimate price for their noble efforts. Anyone who has ever owned horses or visited a training establishment will realise how loved they are and how well looked after and exercised they are. Commiserations to connections who will obviously feel his loss more than us.

In other news, Calipto has had a breathing operation and is now being aimed at The Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, a race I feel is tailor made for this strong travelling course and distance winner and his mark of 143 should be exploited sooner rather than later, Doctor Harper I believe is out for the season but remains one to be interested in when we do see him and Beat That is likely to remain over hurdles. I’d take this as a positive as he annihilated Cole Harden, who has run two excellent races in top company this year when winning the Grade 1 at Liverpool last season and, as More Of That’s Cheltenham jockey, Barry Geraghty should have a fair idea of what’s needed to win The World Hurdle.

Let’s hope our next review is a little more upbeat but these are the ups and downs everyone who follows National Hunt racing in any capacity has to be prepared for.