It’s been a good couple of weeks for the team, although we haven’t been operating at quite the strike rate we were in November (43%), we have still notched up another 3 winners, and have had some excellent runs in Graded and Listed contests.
Roe and Co brought up the hattrick of wins when winning in courageous fashion at Leicester earlier this month. He battled back to win in a photo finish over a trip short of his best. He has gone up another 4lbs, but should continue to be competitive off his revised mark, and hopefully he can continue his winning sequence in the New Year. We had an across the card double that day as Livingonaprayer won well under a penalty at Wincanton. She is only 4 years old, and has won two of her three starts, and is improving rapidly. We’ll look to try and get some black type into her now.
I was thrilled to see Hollygrove Cha Cha winning over fences yesterday at Exeter in the most atrocious conditions. The rain fell heavily, and the ground was almost saturated, but she galloped on powerfully and won going away. She was a Grade 2 winner over hurdles, already has black type over fences, but it would be lovely to win another big race with her, and she has the class to go up in Grade now.
Having won on his chasing debut, Laurens Bay was 3rd in the Grade 2 novice chase at Sandown earlier this month. His jumping was a bit novicey and he will improve again from this. He’ll head to another Grade 2 at Warwick next, on route to the National Hunt chase at the Festival. Fresh Perspective was denied the hattrick of wins over hurdles when 3rd in the Listed novice at Sandown. He did however, run a cracking race and we’ll now look to step him up in trip and he could be one for the EBF Final.
Talking of which, Cinquenta might be on target for that race after narrowly being beaten at Lingfield. He has been knocking on the door in bumpers and over hurdles, and can surely break his maiden tag before long.
We’ve had a bit of a run of seconds over the last couple of weeks as Kosac D’Oudairies was beaten under a penalty in a valuable introductory hurdle. He should be able to defy that penalty back down in class. Whilst, Marche D’Aligre was 2nd in a good race at Sandown. He has improved with both runs this season, but its always a bit frustrating when you keep hitting the cross bar, and yet the handicapper keeps putting him up!
Sapphos Word had been 2nd on her racecourse debut in a bumper at Uttoxeter, and she was 2nd again at Carlisle last weekend. She is a smart mare but will be better with a jump in front of her, and I keep reminding myself that our Hennessey winner, Datsalrightgino, never won a bumper!
Of our other recent runners, most have been placed with Flying Pimpernel running well to be 3rd in a bumper at Plumpton, where she stayed on very powerfully. Future Bucks was 3rd under a penalty at Uttoxeter today, whilst Torneo was only beaten 4 lengths at Newbury this week, after the handicapper put him up 4lbs for being 2nd at Cheltenham last time out.
Luck didn’t fall our way at Cheltenham’s December fixture as She Is For Me Boys was undone by her wind, and the ground dried out too much for our Grand Sefton winner, Colonel Harry.
We’ve a busy day tomorrow……so let’s hope we can have a bit of luck before the build up to Christmas.
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