With the nights drawing in and the temperatures dropping, a lot of National Hunt fans are starting to rub their hands with glee. Our favourite type of racing is going to return soon and I for one am very much looking forward to the return of real jumps racing. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the flat, but proper National Hunt racing is where my heart lies. As such, I've picked out a couple of horses that I'm looking forward to seeing these coming winter months.
Cyrus Darius 7 b g - (Overbury x Barton Belle (Barathea)) - Malcolm Jefferson
I first watched him bolt up at Hexham by 23 lengths from Captain Hox in second and although he was the hot favourite in that race, he did it all in second gear. I could not get over the size of him, he's a giant. All in all, he's three from three over hurdles, including a Grade Two win. He made a less than impressive debut over fences last season, but still managed to get up on the line. He looked to have the race put to bed, but a big mistake three out let Shadow Catcher back in it and he nearly managed to throw it away. There were excuses for his performance that day, but we haven't yet been able to see if he is the real deal after injury ruled him out for the season.
But all the same, he's still a very exciting prospect. A big strapping type of a horse, he showed some promise jumping over fences on his first start over a trip that may well have been slightly too far (2m4, whereas he's always ran over two miles previously). Jefferson stated afterwards he'd be going back in trip and I do think two miles will see him in the best light. Having won that race at Perth, he's no longer a novice, so he'll have to take on some of the stars of the division if he's going to show how good he is. No plans have come out of Newstead Stables yet, so it is a case of wait and see. Personally, I'd love to see him take on the very best, but with a curtailed novice season, he may need to grow a bit before he's capable of doing that.
Either way, I'll be watching with interest.
Valadom 7 g g - (Dadarissime x Laurana (Badolato)) - Richard Hobson
My regular followers will know that Valadom is a big favourite of mine and he's brought be a decent return last year, with two wins and two places. He ran really well on all three of his visits to Cheltenham, running over the Cross Country course, trying to make the running before fading in the last half mile. But there was encouragement for Hobson and his team when the grey gelding won at Uttoxeter on his latest outing over three miles, staying on strongly from the last. He runs the cross country course really well and if he's gotten a bit stronger, he could well be a challenger around that course again this winter. He is a great jumper and there's something about a grey horse flashing over a fence that is immensely pleasing to the eye.
I asked Richard Hobson on Twitter if we'd see him at the cross country again and he replied that he was hopeful, but that the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree (over 2m5f) was the main aim for the autumn. Hopefully, he'll get good-ish ground for that, as that seems to be where he performs best (although his solitary soft/heavy ground appearance saw him claim second despite some uncharacteristic indifferent jumping).
In any case, he's a great horse to watch and I'm hoping we'll see him to his very best over fences again this season.
Milsean 7 b g - (Milan x Boro Supreme (Supreme Leader)) - Willie Mullins
Another one who was plagued by injury last year and has not been seen since the 2015 Albert Bartlett, this son of Milan is all about stamina. He was only just touched off by Martello Tower in said Cheltenham race by half a length, having made most of the running. I was on him that day at 33/1 and was gutted that he couldn't quite hold on. But he did beat some of last years stars in No More Heroes, Black Hercules and Native River. All three of those have since won Grade 1 Novice Chases and I would imagine Milsean will go that route now that he's back in training. Gigginstown are no great fans of hurdling and like their runners to go over fences.
Milsean's best runs have come on soft or heavy ground and he does have a bit of a high knee action, so that would probably suit him quite well. A strong stayer, I'd imagine he'll go either three miles or further, which puts the National Hunt Chase and the RSA on the map as potential targets at Cheltenham (especially with the former now up in Grade). But as is usual with horses trained by Mr Mullins, your guess is as good as mine. We'll have to see where he turns up and how he is after a long lay-off, but that Albert Bartlett run was full of potential and I'd happily follow him all winter long in soft or heavy conditions.
Ok Corral 6 b g - (Mahler x Acoola (Flemensfirth)) - Nicky Henderson
The third of my list that has missed last season due to injury, this horse was very impressive in a bumper at the Punchestown festival in 2015, behind Yorkhill. That was only his second run and he closed in the final stages of that race, from six lengths behind to finish only just over two behind the eventual winner, who wasn't eased. He beat the likes of Up For Review, Newsworth and Alamein that day, but hasn't been seen all of last year. There was nothing in particular, just niggles that kept him out all season and Henderson is notoriously cautious, especially with younger horses.
He will be running in the colours of JP McManus this season when he returns and I'd imagine JP will be hoping he can be a dart in one of the novice races at the festival. Looking at the way he kept on and the path Yorkhill took, the Neptune seems to be a likely consideration. I think the Supreme might be too sharp for him and you'd imagine that 2m5f will be much more suitable. One to keep an eye out for to see how he gets on early doors.
Clondaw Cian 6 b g - (Gold Well x Cocktail Bar (Hubbly Bubbly)) - Susie Smith
The final one is another I've banged on about in the past. Clondaw Cian has been found out at Grade Two level last season, but ran promisingly behind Copper Kay on debut in a bumper, before duly obliging the next time out beating subsequent Supreme runner William H Bonney. He followed that up with a win on hurdles debut, winning quite comfortably. He couldn't follow that up in two Grade 2 Neptune trials and although he finished second in two subsequent novice hurdles, he was the short price favourite for both of them and didn't seem to have come on.
I don't know what the plans are, if they are likely to go chasing or handicap hurdling, but I do think in either discipline he's got the potential to improve. He did win a maiden point to point for Michael Goff before he came to Susie Smith, so you'd think chasing would be on the agenda. He's a strong dour type who seems suited by soft or heavy conditions and I'll be looking out for him this winter
No comments:
Post a Comment