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.
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