Supreme Novices Update: Clondaw Kaempfer

With the rain softened ground ruling out Overturn for his second start over fences and a lack of fitness ruling out Peddlers Cross for his seasonal reappearance in the Ascot Hurdle, Donald McCain was left without his two biggest guns for a weekend he likes to target with the cream of his crop. He did, however, unleash some of his exciting younger prospects, including Baltimoar and Super Duty, and none were more exciting than Clondaw Kaempfer on Friday in Haydock’s two mile Listed Novices’ Hurdle.

This attractive four-year-old son of Oscar began his life in the point-to-point fields where he was placed twice, finishing third to another exciting Supreme prospect in Sizing Rio on the first occasion at Bennettsbridge, and he was narrowly beaten on the second at Maralin where he apparently struggled in the testing conditions. He was then sent, by his trainer at the time Colin Bowe, to Fairyhouse for their valuable Tattersalls Ireland Sales Bumper. Held up in rear from the off, he travelled strongly thorough race and tracked Snake Eyes, a disappointing second on hurdling debut today, on the outside. Snake Eyes, ridden more prominently, got first run and it took Clondaw Kaempfer a while to get on terms but eventually he stayed on past Henderson’s inmate and comfortably held off The Liquidator, subsequently bought by David Pipe, who ran well in unsuitable conditions in the listed bumper during Cheltenham’s Open Meeting. This understandably left the impression that Clondaw Kaempfer would be suited by longer trips over hurdles, while the way he travelled and picked up smartly to circle the field and follow Snake Eyes into the straight also indicated abundant pace. This was a highly appealing combination and there was no shortage of interest at Cheltenham’s April sale, eventually being knocked down to Donald McCain for £130,000.

At the start of the season McCain suggested that Clondaw Kaempfer would be a strong stayer and consequently headed to Aintree for his hurdling debut over 2½ miles. It was very soft ground that day and after the race it was revealed that McCain had almost pulled his horse out as he believed this bay gelding might struggle in the conditions, in fact the opposite was true.

It was only a four runner event at Aintree but there did seem to be a major rival in the shape of Funny Star, for Paul Nicholls, who had won a big field hurdle race at Auteuil on his only previous start. They were taken along at an appropriately slow pace given the conditions and the two main protagonists sat together, tracking the front pair. Clondaw Kaempfer was a little fresh and keen early, but this was of little concern and he was soon travelling with ease. His jumping slick throughout, with a couple of notably exuberant leaps, and his jockey, Jason Maguire, looked full of confidence rounding the home turn, even prepared to let the field slightly get away from him. Then after the second last he gently nudged his mount and the response was immediate as he smoothly loomed up alongside the leader before stretching clear after the last in striking fashion, marking him out as a high class animal. He was barely tested in this race but it did at least prove that he handled bad ground which was important as McCain had no qualms about stepping him up in class for his next run in similarly testing conditions.

                                                                                                                                                            

Donald McCain had entered Clondaw Kaempfer in the fixed brush novices’ hurdle on Friday as well as the two mile listed event over the standard obstacles and prior to this weekend there was little talk of him being a potential Supreme horse. The ground, as it was at Haydock, persuaded connections to take in the two mile event and it paid off, with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle now looking a distinct possibility.

Again a small field but this time, over a shorter trip, the pace was noticeably quicker and Clondaw Kaempfer quickly settled into a nice rhythm on the inside. Once more his hurdling was fluid and quick, looking the likeliest winner from some way out with perhaps the most impressive part of the race coming on entry to the final straight. He was briefly asked by Maguire to move through a gap into a share of the lead and he responded instantly, before coming quickly back, hard on the bridle. Finally asked to go and win the race at the second last, he quickened up well putting a gap between him and the second Lienosus. A slow jump out to the right at the last cost him most of the ground he had taken out of the second between the last two hurdles, and the strong staying Lienosus looked a threat as Clondaw Kaempfer drifted right. He seemed to be tiring in the soft to heavy ground, however, Donald McCain’s charge picked up smartly again, in the end winning emphatically by 3¾ lengths from a well regarded and well backed second, who was also receiving 6lbs. Lienosus had shown smart form over further at Chepstow, on his first run for Evan Williams, in the Persian War where he finished behind the hugely exciting French import Wonderful Charm. He is a prospect worth following, particularly back over further as he lacked the speed of Clondaw Kaempfer, and crucially pulled 22 lengths clear of the third, impressive Exeter scorer, Landscape who seemingly had his ideal conditions.

The significant distance back to Landscape is the first point to note when considering Clondaw Kaempfer for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as, prior to his impressive win at Exeter, he had finished 14½ lengths behind another contender for Cheltenham’s curtain raiser, Court Minstrel. Yet on Friday he was some 26 lengths behind Clondaw Kaempfer and while testing ground can accentuate winning distances, those conditions were supposed to favour Landscape more than the quicker ground he faced at Cheltenham. His trainer, Paul Nicholls, was also keen to point out that his jumping had improved since then. As a result, this performance from Clondaw Kaempfer must be thought of as a significant Supreme trial.

He beat, what looks, a useful field comfortably and demonstrated, once again, his ability to quicken twice in a race while at the same time proving his tenacity in battle. The Neptune, at this stage, does look the obvious race having finished full of running over 2m4f on soft ground at Aintree and the Neptune, despite being run over 2m5f, is a race for speed horses at the moment with likes of Simonsig and Peddlers Cross winning it in recent years. The presence of Peddlers Cross in its history may well sway McCain that direction, especially with Clondaw Kaempfer possessing so much speed alongside his unquestionable stamina. It is this speed, though, which could encourage Donald McCain to go down the two mile route and if the ground came up soft in March, not unthinkable anymore with the incessant rain in this country, I am confident the Supreme is the race he would chose. His current odds of 16/1 for the race are not unreasonable if one is willing to take a chance and, who knows, as Donald McCain has more time with him Clondaw Kaempfer might become a faster horse. This son of Oscar will likely be even better on good/good to soft ground and under these conditions the longer trip will appeal to connections but the Neptune may also be the tougher race with last season’s top bumper performers, Champagne Fever, Don Cossack, The New One etc. all targeting that race. There are so many factors to consider when making this decision, including his other novices, such as Corrin Wood who ran so well in the aforementioned fixed brush race over the longer trip, and Donald McCain will probably make the right one. Even if he made the wrong decision it might not matter as Clondaw Kaempfer has already indicated that he could have the potential to win either race.

Supreme Novices Update: Opus Energy Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) review

The third race of Cheltenham’s Open Meeting 2012 had, since the entry stage, looked like a key pointer to the upcoming novice hurdle events over two miles with most of the entries promising much either, last season, the start of this season, or both. Once the declarations had been made it appeared we were in prospect for a highly informative clash that was bound to have a significant bearing on the, all important, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 2013.

There is no doubt we saw a group of high class novice hurdlers that, in all likelihood, will make up into horses capable of challenging in March, but whether we learned the respective merits of the runners in this race is another matter. The main problem, that had been alluded to beforehand, was a lack of pace. The race was full of horses in need of the experience or with concerns over their ability to settle; therefore nearly every runner’s ideal conditions were a fast run race in which they could settle in behind, receiving cover. As a result, nothing wanted to make the running leaving the bizarre situation where the tapes went up and it was nearly 15 seconds before the race actually began.

With Dodging Bullets having already had one season over hurdles and bearing in mind his convincing victory at the track last time, Ruby Walsh was reluctantly willing to set the pace on him. Walsh took the field along at a very sedate pace leaving a number in behind pulling for their heads, most notably Duke Of Navan who nearly pulled his way to the front rounding the first bend out of the home straight. Dodging Bullets settled well enough in front, largely jumped well, and, after Walsh bunched the field up one final time coming down the hill, he quickened smartly using all the advantage he had gained through the race to best effect, consequently running out a 1½ length winner. If there was going to be any danger to him it would have been following his mistake at the last but it lost him little, if any, ground and he was in fact quicker over the obstacle than the second.

There was strong support for Paul Nicholls’ charge before Friday’s race but I had question marks over him. He had won an extremely weak race at the previous Cheltenham meeting and he was up against high class horses here, from the flat and bumpers, for example, Court Minstrel who had won more decisively in a stronger race on the same day at Cheltenham’s October meeting. Although, on the back of Dodging Bullet’s first season over hurdles he had every right to be favourite, particularly when one reflected on his run in the Triumph Hurdle. With this win under his belt over seemingly decent opposition he should look a very appealing prospect for the Supreme, especially with his trainer showing so much faith in him that he is being considered for the Christmas Hurdle. The way the race panned out is just as likely to have inconvenienced Dodging Bullets as any other horse in the race and this is the point his connections and supporters will focus on going forward as he won in spite of the race being unsuitable. I take the view that in the end this was a farce of a race which was far less informative than it promised to be. I failed to see enough from the winner to dispel the doubts I previously held and would be willing to look past him at this stage for the 2013 Supreme Novices.

I was far more taken with the performances of the second and third, both of whom I would rather have on my side going forward. Second behind Dodging Bullets was River Maigue, who was making his hurdling debut in this Grade 2. This is hugely significant primarily because it shows the high esteem in which he is held by trainer Nicky Henderson, who has any number of high class novice hurdlers in his care, including My Tent Or Yours who was entered in this race at the five day stage. River Maigue, an impressive point-to-point winner, started his career for Nicky Henderson in one of last season’s best bumpers at Ascot where he was beaten into third by Royal Guardsman and Atlantic Roller, having pulled hard for most of the race. He then went on to the bumper at Ayr on Scottish Grand National day which Nicky Henderson had won for the previous two years, once with Sprinter Sacre, and River Maigue was impressive having again been keen early on, this time picking up well when asked. I was taken by this performance and he was one of the novice hurdle prospects I was most excited by this season and all my enthusiasm for him is intact after Friday, despite getting beaten.

As the horse had had issues settling early on in the past Barry Geraghty was keen to find him cover at Cheltenham once the race finally started. He settled River Maigue as well as he could in behind Magic Star up the straight before pulling himself alongside Magic Star on the exit of the first bend. The Zagreb gelding kept taking himself forward until he was nearly alongside Dodging Bullets before a slow jump at the fourth intervened. Geraghty was happy enough to give the front runner a three length lead and it was only a prodigious leap at the third last which took him alongside Ruby Walsh’s mount. Another sound jump two out put him there with a winning chance but on approach to the final turn he couldn’t match the instant acceleration from the flat bred, race fit, experienced rival, thereby losing the ground he had made up at the third last. He was quickly shoved along to regain the ground but could only stay on up the hill with the easy lead handed to the winner proving crucial.

Also crucial was River Maigue’s lack of fitness. This was his first run of the season and he is entitled to come on for it but in the paddock he certainly looked as if he was carrying some excess weight, Henderson suggested afterwards that his bay gelding had done a little too well over the summer. With this run under his, hopefully looser, belt he should improve considerably and I would not be in the least surprised were he to reverse the form with the winner even without the 7lb weight concession he received here. River Maigue is a horse with class and should prove himself very smart in a strongly run two miles. He jumps and travels so well that he could make up into a serious contender for the Supreme but as a convincing winner of his point-to-point over three miles he could also be even better over further. As an individual, he is well made with enough scope to make a high class chaser and the way he jumps his hurdles suggests this could be where we eventually see him at his very best, he does remind me very much of Finian’s Rainbow.

In third behind Dodging Bullets was the hard luck story of the race, Court Minstrel. If the race had panned out slightly differently, even off this ultra slow pace, I suspect he would have won and he comes out with a huge amount of credit. Evan Williams’ excitable son of Court Cave came into the race off the back of a striking victory over course and distance in October and the form of that race has worked out reasonably well with the second and sixth winning since, while fourth, fifth and seventh have been placed. Court Minstrel has been an excessively free-going sort throughout his time with Evan Williams and it would appear that he must be dropped out in rear in order to settle. These tactics resulted in him being most inconvenienced by the farcical nature of the contest, yet it was not just the ground he had to make up and the lack of a decent gallop which cost him here. Having managed to settle well in behind, Court Minstrel jumped fluently through the race and his rider, Paul Maloney, guided him into contention approaching the last. Unfortunately for him Magic Spear just jumped across in front, leaving him unsighted at the final hurdle, causing a mistake and a collision which cost Paul Maloney’s mount ground, momentum (just as he was quickening) and, crucially, race position. Court Minstrel then had to recover and it took him a few strides to organise himself, but once he did he flew up the hill passing Magic Spear and Duke Of Navan in the process. Without such interference I am confident that he would have been at worst second. With all his attributes and a new found maturity, in that he has finally learnt to settle, Court Minstrel looks tailor-made for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and if forced to have an antepost bet on something from Friday’s race it would be on him.

Tominator

Of the rest of the field behind Dodging Bullets, Duke Of Navan shaped the best, finishing just half-a-length behind Court Minstrel. He had strong bumper form, including behind River Maigue where, just like on Friday, he pulled himself to the front rounding the first bend. If he learns to settle he can put in more high class displays akin to his hurdling debut. Joint second favourite for this Supreme trial was Tominator. A talented stayer on the flat, he started his hurdling career at Bangor where he won decisively but his hurdling was far from fluent as was the case here. He also had a fast pace to run at that day ,set up by a stablemate, and he looks one for handicaps over further as his jumping inadequacies will find him out at this level.

Supreme Novices Update: Jezki and Sizing Rio

It is back to Ireland for this update as in Britain the one novice hurdler who had looked capable of developing into a Supreme Novices’ horse was beaten, showing signs of immaturity and waywardness in the process. Mr Mole has significant potential but the fierce hold he took and his tendency to hang left late in races leave him with questions to answer. Far more amenable this weekend was Jezki, who ran out an ultra-impressive winner of the Grade 3 hurdle for four-year-olds at Naas.

Jezki ended last season as one of Ireland’s best bumper horses, winning twice and only beaten in the notably competitive Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. Jessica Harrington’s four-year-old son of Milan started his career in January in a warm looking bumper where he faced an odds shot trained by Dermot Weld, Silver Concorde, and a well regarded newcomer trained by Noel Meade, Ned Buntline. Jezki, understandably, took a while to settle on his race debut, eventually dropping back to the rear with his rider in search of cover. As the runners entered the home straight, he circled the field, finding himself in a battle with Ned Buntline. The race was in doubt for a moment but a useful looking turn of foot saw him home, winning cosily in the end. Ned Buntline ran again for the first time in another bumper on Saturday, on the same card as Jezki, and he slaughtered his field thereby adding further merit to the debut performance of Jessica Harrington’s charge.

This run promised much for the future and on his next start in March, Jezki proved he had learnt from his initial experience, winning very easily, looking a high class animal in the process. Here he displayed his inherent speed, travelling smoothly through the race before cruising to victory from his stablemate The Big Easy, a gelding destined for chasing. There was little of note behind but this style of victory put him into the picture for the Cheltenham bumper and whilst it was just ten days later, Jezki had hardly had a race so there was every reason to go.

Jezki was very keen as the tapes went up at Cheltenham but he was soon settled in rear of mid-division. He maintained his position well through the race, moving comfortably into contention coming down the hill before his effort flattened out. Whether this was down to a lack of stamina, having looked a speed horse up until then, or a lack of experience, having only had the two races, this was still an encouraging run, eventually finishing eighth. The loss of his unbeaten tag may have been disappointing but it did not take away from his promising first season and a successful career over hurdles was in prospect.

After a pipe-opener on the flat, where Jezki finished fifth behind the likes of Go Native and Glam Gerry, Jessica Harrington’s charge began his hurdling career over two miles at Naas (29th October). There looked to be one serious rival beforehand and so it proved with impressive bumper scorer Ally Cascade, another for Noel Meade, fighting out the finish with Jezki, leaving the rest a distance behind. The race was run at a steady gallop with Jezki always travelling sweetly. His jockey, Barry Geraghty decided to track Ally Cascade until the two were clear and Jezki’s turn of speed saw him swoop by while the runner up merely plugged on. On the evidence of this run the front two look high class recruits, with Jezki’s pace proving the difference, and Ally Cascade may well become high achieving novice hurdler once upped in trip.

On his first start over hurdles, Jezki travelled well, jumped neatly and displayed his potent turn of foot. This was all again on display at the weekend on his first foray into graded company. In this early season test for four-year-olds, Jezki moved smartly through the race before pulling away after the last for an emphatic eight length win. Even when messed about at the final two flights by the runner up, Un Beau Matin, Jezki jumped quickly, displaying a sure-footedness that can only hold him in good stead for the future. The form in behind Jezki though is very questionable as his main market-rivals ran no race at all and he was getting nearly a stone from the fourth placed runner, favourite, Hisaabaat. Un Beau Matin had also not shown a great deal in his two starts since arriving from France. It was almost certainly a career best from Gordon Elliott’s son of Sagamix and it may be unwise to underestimate him in similar events for such a talented trainer, while at the same time, I wouldn’t be overly keen to back him to confirm the form with those in behind.

There are significant doubts over the strength of this race and Jezki will have to show significant improvement to be considered as a potential Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, but what is so appealing about Jezki is that, in all likelihood, he will do. For a horse with so much natural speed he has been excelling on ground that would surely not see him to best effect and in winning a graded race by eight lengths on the bridle he has performed in the style of a high class hurdler. The real test will come when he makes the leap into Grade 1 company in the Royal Bond. If he shows up well there, and there is no reason to think he is not capable, then he becomes a real contender for the top honours come March. Even if he is beaten, Jezki is not necessarily one to give up on as the prevailing ground in Ireland will always blunt his speed to an extent, a situation which he is unlikely to face at Cheltenham.

I have already discussed Sizing Rio here on the back of his debut over hurdles, in which he looked an exciting prospect. A rise in class was expected for Henry De Bromhead’s charge and on Sunday at Navan he took this rise firmly in his stride. Sent off the 4/5 favourite, Sizing Rio, who may require a decent pace to run at, took up the running from the third flight. He again showed his enthusiasm for jumping with one particularly special, race sealing leap at the last. He jumps in the style of a chaser and his trainer suggested that is where his future lies. 

This was not the saunter to victory that his hurdling debut was and, jockey, Andrew Lynch had to shake him up to see off the attentions of Ted Veale but as soon as it was needed he found what was required on the run-in. Ted Veale was a very useful horse in bumpers and his victories in a maiden flat race and two subsequent hurdle races marked him out as a classy individual for Tony Martin. Just the heavy ground over an inadequate trip next time saw him disappoint. Some may be concerned that Sizing Rio only narrowly defeated Ted Veale but he is an underrated novice hurdler and the winner’s superiority over the runner-up and the rest of the field is probably far greater than it seemed here and he is still in the Supreme picture.

It is a slight worry however, in terms of Supreme Novice aspirations, that Sizing Rio’s trainer sees him as a “big raw four-year-old” as he may be willing to skip the punishing test of the Cheltenham Festival at this stage with the ultimate aim of returning there for tests over fences. There is still plenty of time for connections to decide which direction to go in and the intention now is to take a break until a Christmas. A much bigger worry is Sizing Rio’s dislike for travelling around left-handed bends. It was plain to see during Sunday’s race that Andrew Lynch was struggling to manoeuvre this scopey gelding around the turns and with Cheltenham in mind, it is hard to envisage a scenario where a horse with these problems could compete. Sizing Rio appears to be an extremely talented novice who jumps fluently, consistently making ground at his hurdles, but until there are signs that he is over his dislike for left-handed turns or they make Cheltenham right-handed, he has to be viewed with a considerable degree of caution.