The densely packed festive period offered up its usual share of brilliant racing. Kempton played its part but Leopardstown stood out with
quality on show day after day with the highlight, undoubtedly, being the Lexus
Chase where Tidal Bay pulled the rug from under the feet of the crème de la crème
of Ireland’s staying chasers. The best Irish novice hurdlers were left to their
own devices in the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle and Jezki, who already had the strongest
novice form available, came out on top in decisive fashion.
Jezki’s defeat of last season’s premier bumper horse,
Champagne Fever, in the Royal Bond marked him out as the best two mile novice hurdler around. Despite
jumping left handed on occasion he displayed his considerable ability and, as I
mentioned in the Royal Bond piece,
bookmakers were generous with their antepost prices following the race. He is
now around the price he should have been after beating Champagne Fever and Zuzka,
who boosted the form with a runaway victory at Leopardstown on Saturday. She
clearly appreciated the step up in trip, an appreciation likely to be shared by
her aforementioned stablemate.
Jezki came up against a deep field last week, with the well
regarded trio of Waaheb, Sizing Rio and Bright New Dawn his main dangers. Usual
partner Barry Geraghty was over at Kempton riding the great Simonsig so Robbie
Power took over and with Henderson likely to offer Geraghty a choice of rides,
I expect Power will take the mount in March. Jezki settled nicely off the
strong pace, set by perennial front runner Sizing Rio, but once again his
jumping lacked fluency through the race. In fairness, he only really lost
ground at the fifth last, which he ploughed through, and it could just be his
quick style is more effective than it is pleasing to the eye. Better ground may
see an improvement in that department and connections have been adamant that a
sounder surface is what he needs but it is worth bearing in mind. Through
Thursday’s race he was always in the best position, able to track the leaders,
and it was evident how well he was travelling. Power even took a pull on the
home turn as he cantered all over the field, before pulling away easily on
approach to the last, eventually scoring by six lengths from an unlucky Waaheb.
Jessica Harrington must be thrilled with her charge and he is a worthy Supreme
favourite at this stage, only something special could depose him between now
and March.
As mentioned above, Waaheb was to a certain extent unlucky.
It is hard to argue that he would have won the race, seeing as Jezki had any
amount to spare, but there is no doubt he would have been closer without the
glaring error two out. He was moving up nicely alongside the winner, while
perhaps not travelling as strongly, and McCoy was keen to find a gain momentum
over the hurdle but Waaheb stuttered losing the pair at least three lengths,
costing them any chance of fighting out the finish with the winner. McCoy wasn’t
hard on Waaheb from then on, with his innate ability allowing him to take
second place comfortably from Bright New Dawn. His trainer Dermot Weld had been
concerned that inexperience would find him out in this grade and, despite
running well in second, it did. There must be significant improvement to come,
particularly on better ground and perhaps not on such a stiff track. While it
is hard to see him reversing form with Jezki this season, even with a three
pound pull in the weights, pushing him out to 20/1 for the Supreme is an
overreaction.
The rest of the important Supreme Novices related action
came from England with a number of noteworthy performances. The first of which
came from Puffin Billy at Ascot (21/12/2012),
in the Grade 2 Kennel Gate Novices hurdle. Puffin Billy was immense in his two
bumpers, especially under a penalty at Ascot where he cruised to victory at
Ascot by nine lengths. His trainer had understandably been talking him up for a
while and much was expected on his hurdling debut at Newbury. With the
prevailing conditions at the moment it is a plus that Puffin Billy is able to
handle, even thrive in, testing ground and this is what he did at Newbury, and
even more so at Ascot. Leighton Aspell tried to settle Puffin Billy in rear of
the large field at Newbury, but the pace was slow to non-existent hence he was
far too keen, pulling violently for his head, eventually taking his rider to
the front at the first. Aspell managed to settle him down in around third place
after that, often having to be reined back at the hurdles as his jumping continuously
carried him forward. On the home turn Puffin Billy inevitably tanked his way to
the front, from which point he was never headed, drawing away stylishly from an
unconsidered outsider and the very promising Sound Investment. Oliver Sherwood’s
son of Heron Island made one slight error in the back straight and he got in
close to the last once his rider let him down but otherwise his hurdling was
fluent. The same could not be said once upped in class at Ascot but the end
result was just as impressive, if not more so.
With Leighton Aspell serving his ban Geraghty took over the
ride on Puffin Billy, he had ridden him previously on his last visit to Ascot
in the bumper. There were only four runners in this grade 2 and Puffin Billy
was the odds on favourite. He was expected to win easily, and with market rival
Meganisi disappointing it would have been surprising had he not. Despite this,
one could not fail to be taken with the way he never came off the bridle,
Geraghty hardly flinched. This time on heavy ground (Newbury was only soft),
Puffin Billy again moved sweetly, he was nothing like as keen as at Newbury,
allowing Geraghty time to track the other runners and make his move when necessary.
In last of four for most of the trip, Puffin Billy appeared as if he wasn’t
concentrating at most of his hurdles. Apart from the second flight, he got in
close to each of the first six with his worst leap coming at the sixth. This
may have focussed his mind as he jumped the last three well, displaying an aptitude
for jumping. It is also possible that by pulling him out from last place,
Geraghty allowed him a better sight of his hurdles. I would not be overly
concerned with his hurdling, as the technique seems to be there and he is
another powerful sort who should improve with a faster pace. In a soft or heavy
ground Supreme he would be formidable but those are the only scenarios in which
we could see Puffin Billy in the festival’s opening race as Oliver Sherwood has
already pointed to a possible step up in trip for his next start in a race on Cheltenham
Trials day. He may prefer to stick to two miles at Haydock but I see no reason why he won’t stay the extra distance, in which case
I expect him to win at the end of January forcing connections down the Neptune
path. Ground will apparently dictate his festival target, yet on trials day it
will still be soft, at least, therefore, if he takes up his Cheltenham engagement, only a mishap of some sort looks likely
to prevent his target being over 2m5f.
Boxing Day saw Long Run nearly fluff his lines and last
season’s Supreme runner-up Darlan rout his opposition, sending himself to the
head of the Champion Hurdle market. These rightly took the headlines but the
day opened with dominant display from River Maigue. His previous race clearly
did not suit him and for a hurdling debut it was extremely encouraging. In
discussing it here at
the time I felt that he was likely to prove superior to his conqueror, Dodging
Bullets, despite receiving seven pounds and I still stand by that, with this
run going some way to proving that. Dodging Bullets ran respectably in third behind
Darlan in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle on the same day but that was a race
ostensibly of last season’s two mile novices, a crop that I felt were below
average. He does not look like a Supreme Novices winner to me and, despite
River Maigue boosting his form so comprehensively, the race at Cheltenham was won
by his jockey and once the festival arrives I suspect he will lack the class to
compete.
River Maigue, on the other hand, showed tremendous class in
bumpers and proved he was high class at Kempton by defeating last season’s
Champion Bumper second, New Year’s Eve by seven lengths, despite getting
hampered exiting the final bend. Jumping exuberantly throughout, he was nimble
when he got in close and jumped boldly at other times. River Maigue showed what
scope he has, a likely Arkle/Jewson contender next season, and he should
improve again on his next start. I have been a fan of this horse since I saw
him in the paddock at Ascot before his bumper debut and the Supreme Novices
looks on his agenda. I am sure he will show up well, particularly with his crisp
jumping, but there is just something about the way he travels and finishes his
races that suggests to me he will be even better over further. While we are
unlikely to see that theory tested at Cheltenham I imagine he will follow in
the footsteps of Spirit Son, also owned by Michael Buckley, who ran a brilliant
race to finish second in the Supreme before bolting up over four furlongs
further at Aintree. River Maigue handled the heavy ground at Kempton with
aplomb so a very soft festival would benefit him with the race shaping up to be
full of speed balls hoping for better ground. A normal festival picture would
leave him just lacking in the pace department I fear, but I would expect him to
be flying home at the death, quite possibly into a place. Either way the 14/1
available looks about right, with the win on Boxing Day looking solid form.
As usual this season, Nicky Henderson is awash with novice
hurdle talent and the best of those, according to him, at the start of the
season was My Tent Or Yours. On his first start over hurdles he
impressively dealt with the promising, Jonjo O’Neill trained, French recruit
Taquin Du Seuil despite jumping sloppily. On Taquin Du Seuil’s next start he
picked up a grade 2 at Sandown on the bridle. This eye-catching form boost
caused My Tent Or Yours’ price for the Supreme to contract significantly, halving
to 10/1 in many places. This seemed a bit hasty until Taquin Du Seuil followed
up the grade 2 with a convincing grade 1 victory in The Challow novices’ hurdle
on Saturday at Newbury. On the same card My Tent Or Yours was ready to make his
second appearance over hurdles despite the heavy ground being a huge concern
for connections. Sent off at 4/11 most people expected another convincing
success for McCoy (he rode Taquin Du Seuil as well earlier in the day). Most
people probably didn’t include the trainer, unfortunately for his supporters,
as his other runner in the race revelled in the mud and collected the prize in
decisive fashion. Chatterbox had won his only bumper narrowly, but being a son
of Poliglote he was expected to take to conditions and he did so in the manner
of a smart horse. Henderson does not see him as a Cheltenham horse therefore a
Supreme bid is obviously out of the question but a change of heart, to which Mr
Henderson is occasionally susceptible, and soft ground could bring him right
into the equation if this form is taken literally.
However, taking this form literally would be dangerous as My
Tent Or Yours failed to show his true ability. He was keen at Ascot and had
been keen in all his previous races, consequently McCoy tried to get him
settled by holding him up off the pace, some distance behind the leaders. Bar
one slight blemish at the third, My Tent Or Yours jumped accurately, showing
important progress had been made in that department, and, as he moved easily
through the race, his rider seemed happy turning into the straight as it looked
only a matter of time before he picked off those ahead. McCoy sat still all the
way up the straight until the last, while Geraghty had been pushing his mount
along for a while. On approach to the last My Tent Or Yours steadied whereas
Chatterbox flew it and came away running. The race was as good as over then,
with an insurmountable gap for My Tent Or Yours to make up. The idea had
clearly been to win as snugly as possible if at all on My Tent Or Yours in
order to avoid a hard race in the conditions. He could not quite come out on
top with such a talented rival enjoying the ground but I haven’t lost any faith
in this son of Desert Prince as the major concern with his last performance was
his jumping, which was solid here, and he was less keen showing he is maturing
and learning with experience. If he can find better ground, even soft should be
fine for him, then he should show his true colours. I expect he will be ridden
with slightly less restraint from now on as in both his starts this season he
has not shown the instant acceleration which seemed likely. My Tent Or Yours might
not be the most straightforward ride but he is certainly talented and I fancy next
time we will see another performance to justify his position near the head of
the Supreme Market, a position he lost this weekend.
Happy New Year!
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