Quick update as we’re at the end of January
Cheltenham staged a brilliantly day’s racing on Saturday when we were also reminded of what a cruel sport jump racing can be.
Many Clouds had just produced arguably the best performance of his career in beating Gold Cup favourite, Thistlecrack, when he collapsed and died on the track. The sport we love is only possible due to the bravery of these animals but I do feel it shows how much they love what they do that they’re prepared to go so far to try and win and, as somebody who has seen at first hand the way they’re looked after, I do believe their lives are very fulfilled and they’re looked after as well as many of their human counterparts.
For those who work with them and care for them every day the effects are undeniably devastating but the rest of us have to accept that it's a part of the sport and move on with the day to day of our own life.
As far as the ten To Follow goes, the month started well with a victory for Ball D’Arc in a 2 miles 1 furlong handicap chase at Fairyhouse from what appeared a lenient mark of 133, interestingly the same mark as Empire of Dirt won his first handicap chase from a year earlier. It seems that he will head to Cheltenham for the same race the aforementioned stablemate won last March and I feel he will be winning again soon.
On Friday at Doncaster, a horse who has been touted for the big Grade 1 novice chases this spring, Aux Ptits Soins, ran deplorably in a 3 mile novice chase on what should have been his favoured good ground. The stable has not been in good form in recent weeks but I do feel he has big questions to answer and others have surely overtaken him now.
At Naas on Saturday, recent winner, Supasundae ran a 7 ½ length second to a very impressive horse of Gordon Elliott and JP McManus, Sutton Court over 2 miles. I do feel the trip was on the short side but he appeared to run his race and he ought to be able to win if returned to further at this level.
In the Spa Hurdle on Cheltenham Trials’ Day card, West Approach ran a fine third behind Stayers Hurdle favourite, Unowhatimeanharry beaten just over 3 lengths. He was given an exaggerated waiting ride by Ruby Walsh but was the only runner to make ground up from off the pace and must line up at the festival, presumably for the Albert Bartlett, with a major chance. All his form stands up and he is a top class novice.
Finally, in the Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle over 2 miles at Cheltenham, Wait For Me ran his trademark race over a trip too short but I felt he was still disappointing, fading into fifth having raced close to the pace. He needs a step up in trip which will presumably come in the Coral Cup when he should also prefer better ground.
All the Best
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