Normal service was resumed this weekend, as Paul Nicholls
and Nicky Henderson dominated the jumping scene on both sides of the Irish Sea.
The most visually impressive performance of the weekend was Silviniaco Conti’s
rout in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby. He may have beaten overrated and unfit
rivals but the style of this performance along with his rock solid novices’
chase form marks him out as a key player in all the major staying chases this
season for Paul Nicholls. At Ascot, we saw a performance significantly less
impressive but from a horse with arguably just as much potential in his
division, the Nicky Henderson trained, My
Tent Or Yours.
If pressed for my 2013 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, at
the start of this jumps season, I would probably have said My Tent Or Yours.
Now, having witnessed his first run over hurdles, I am reluctant to switch allegiances
just yet.
As a bumper horse he was always highly regarded, he even
started odds-on for his first two starts and second favourite for the Aintree
Champion Bumper. In the run-up to Aintree Nicky Henderson made it clear that he
felt this son of Desert Prince was his best in that sphere.
For his first start under rules, Henderson sent My Tent Or
Yours to Ludlow, a venue where he often likes to test his talented youngsters. Over
1m6f he settled well, surprisingly well considering how keen he has been in all
his subsequent starts. This was quite a well run bumper and that surely aided
his cause, as did the trip as it put the emphasis far more on speed. As a
result, he ran out a supremely comfortable nine length winner displaying his
undoubted class (with, the since unbeaten in four, Vegas Cash back in fourth). After
a performance worthy of a step up in class, My Tent Or Yours was set the
considerably stiffer task of the DBS Sales Bumper at Newbury. On this occasion Nicky
Henderson’s charge pulled hard almost throughout and his rider, Barry Geraghty,
said “he
didn’t drop the bit until we were turning in for home”. It was, therefore,
extremely creditable to finish second to Up To Something (a winner on his hurdling
debut this season), beaten barely more than a length. Already a dual bumper
winner, Up To Something had the run of the race up front and his trainer
Charlie Longsdon sees him as novice hurdler for races over 2m4f+, consequently
it was no disgrace for My Tent Or Yours to just be outstayed over an extended
two miles. Inexperience also looked to play a part in this defeat as it was
only his second ever race and his first ‘battle’.
Connections of My Tent Or Yours, understandably, felt he was
unlucky at Newbury and headed to Aintree full of confidence. His abundance of
speed, shown at Ludlow and Newbury, suggested Aintree would suit. Again, he
pulled hard through early stages, although not to the same extent as at
Newbury, but this time Geraghty managed to settle him. Due to his strikingly
high cruising speed My Tent Or Yours inevitably took himself to the front
earlier than ideal and although the rest of the field were under pressure and he
was seemingly tanking along, he just couldn’t find enough off the bridle to
repel the late charge of The New One. Ostensibly a stayer, The New One was
always a possible danger if stamina was brought into play. The Aintree race was
also over 2m1f and at the moment it looks as if two miles is My Tent Or Yours’
limit. As such, he did well to finish where he did, ahead of many useful
performers and the form of the race has worked out exceptionally well. The New
One has already won impressively twice over hurdles, while My Tent Or Yours in
second, Court Minstrel (fourth), Ifyousayso (fifth) and Kaysersberg (14th) have
all won on their hurdling debuts this season. This, coupled with the way he
moved through race, left the impression that My Tent Or Yours would be an
exciting prospect for novice hurdles.
J P McManus evidently agreed and he purchased Barry Geraghty’s
usual mount thereby leaving the responsibility of guiding this promising novice
through his first season over hurdles to A P McCoy. McCoy had in fact ridden My
Tent Or Yours on his racecourse debut so he wasn’t unfamiliar with the strong
travelling bay gelding.
At Ascot, My Tent Or Yours was sent off a heavily fancied
4/7 favourite. He had plainly been showing the right signs at home and his
bumper form entitled him to be where he was in the market. There were however
murmurings of support for the opposition he faced, primarily the French import
Taquin Du Seuil, a winner at Uttoxeter on his hurdling debut (for McCoy), and
the listed class flat performer Chiberta King.
It was clear from the outset that McCoy was in for a battle
with My Tent Or Yours as his free going, hard pulling tendencies resurfaced and
appeared worse than ever. He was anchored in last place but the race was run at
an extremely slow pace which was never likely to suit and after jumping the first
well he was by no means foot perfect over his obstacles, making a hash of the
fourth, knocking the hurdle flat, and the last, where he was particularly slow.
The pace remained steady until My Tent Or Yours, in effect, pulled his way into
second just alongside Taquin Du Seuil rounding the final bend. Together they
quickly managed to put distance between them and the field. While there were
two horses left in with a chance there seemed little doubt that McCoy would
come out on top as he approached the last yet to move on My Tent Or Yours while
Geraghty, coincidentally replacing McCoy on Taquin Du Seuil, was all out in an
attempt to remain alongside. With the mistake at the last and his history of
failing to find as much as expected off the bridle, there was a moment’s worry
and My Tent Or Yours had to be pushed out until he found the extra gear which
he seems to posses. One crack of the whip was all but unnecessary and while he
was in receipt of 5lbs from the runner-up and the winning distance was only a
length-and-three-quarters, there was no hiding his superiority.
The way he has shaped on each of his four starts,
particularly his most recent, suggests he will be at his best when faced with a
strong pace in a big field. One cannot fail to be impressed by the way My Tent
Or Yours travels so menacingly through a race, very few horses can match his
ability to catch the eye, and for a hurdler he looks to be all about speed.
Once he gets the strong pace he needs over two miles, he will be a major force
to be reckoned with and I will not entertain any doubts over his class.
While his speed will get him so far, he will need to show
that he finds for pressure once he comes off the bridle. I am sure that in
previews to his future races people will be desperate to suggest laying him
short in running as he has travelled strongly without delivering the
anticipated finishing kick on three occasions. Excuses can be found however, and
I believe he will have to come across something really smart to be beaten in
the near future. At Newbury, the clearest case of him not finding off the
bridle, My Tent Or Yours came up against a horse who had controlled the race
from the front while Nicky Henderson’s charge showed signs of inexperience. At
Aintree, he came across a top class horse in The New One who stays well and it
was over a trip that just stretched his stamina to. Whilst, this weekend he
came up against a small field with no pace and had to fight out the finish with,
a not to be underestimated opponent in Taquin Du Seuil. Having previously shown
a decent level of form on the flat in France, Taquin Du Seuil could not have
been more impressive at Uttoxeter on his hurdling debut, beating the odds on
favourite by fifteen lengths eased down. He has jumped well on both runs over
hurdles and is surely one to look out for in future, while it is possible that he
lacks the class to challenge in a Supreme Novices’.
It is also possible that he just came across a seriously
talented horse in My Tent Or Yours, potentially the best two-mile novice
hurdler in the country. Were this to be the case, the 20/1 available now for
the Supreme would look very generous but it is so early that I would have to
see the whole package to get involved now. He has the speed, the class and there
are no doubts over him stepping up in trip. But, the fact remains My Tent Or
Yours has had only one run over hurdles and he jumped poorly. If on his next
start he jumps well and shows that he has learned from this experience, then
the prospect of a double figure price, even months in advance, may become too
tempting to resist.
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