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 and insight from our ten to follow must follow analyst Chris Day Chrisday100 

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The Christmas racing programme appears to become more congested very year with racing on both sides of the Irish Sea meaning it’s very difficult to keep up with everything and it’s going to take some reviewing and assessing before we head into the pre Cheltenham section of the season.

Four of our horses have run since Boxing Day and, whilst none of been successful, it’s probably fair to say that three were not really betting propositions anyway.

First up was Saphir Du Rheu, who fell in Kempton’s Grade 1 Feltham Novice Chase, a race which was a catalogue of disasters and it may well be that none of those who finished have much say in the spring festival races. Nevertheless, he’s now fallen twice out of three visits to the course in his first season over the bigger obstacles and that’s not a profile normally associated with Cheltenham winners. On the plus side, he has almost limitless potential and it will be interesting to see what Nicholls does with him now as he has already lost his novice status. I feel he may swerve Cheltenham with a view to winning the Aintree Grade 1 and contesting the top open races next season.

Next up was Sgt Reckless, who had very little chance against a red hot Christmas Hurdle field and ran as well as could be expected. The reason given was that they wanted to avoid soft ground, a policy they adopted last season over hurdles which culminated in a fourth place at Cheltenham and runner up berth at Aintree. His chasing debut at Uttoxeter was text book and it may be that connections feel he needs looking after and jumps well enough not to need much racecourse experience before the big day but I'd have thought they'd want to get at least one more run into him before March.

Champagne West ran against arguably the best chaser seen in Britain, Ptit Zig, a horse who easily disposed of Supreme Novice runner up, Josses Hill at Ascot last time. Travelling well within himself if a little keen, he was left in the lead when the pace setter fell and his earlier exertions may have taken their toll when challenged at the last. First of all, the form is exceptionally strong with a 20 length break to a fast improving 137 rated chaser of Alan King’s and it’s clear both are right at the top of the tree. However, given how strongly he’s travelled in all three runs this season, I wonder if connections could adopt a policy they did with Captain Chris and try and win an Arkle with a stayer. He certainly travels like a horse who would be well served by being held up off a fast pace and there are question marks over a few major Arkle contenders so where he goes next will presumably tell us what Hobbs is thinking.

Finally, our World Hurdle hope, Beat That, made his seasonal debut over too short a trip behind Rock On Ruby and travelled well to two out before getting outpaced, He carried an 8lb penalty and was abandoned by Barry Geraghty who rode Vaniteux into second place so presumably wasn't considered ready. The actual run was nothing more than acceptable but he remains a big talent and hopefully will return to the track for the Cleeve Hurdle on Trials Day when a much better showing will be needed if he’s to retain serious festival hopes. It’s commonly known that his trainer has had problems with the wellbeing of his string and he seems to be putting all his eggs into his Cheltenham basket so we'll have to wait and see but that race is now wide open.