Weekend round up for 26 to 28 October 2007

By Graham Richards

Graham's 2007/8 National Hunt Season Guide is published next Tuesday - details at the bottom of the page. Order your copy now.

Doncaster 26 October

Speedy Dollar confirmed the promise shown on his debut run. He won comfortably and should do well next season. The race was run in a 2.45 seconds faster time than the following division and several runners in behind caught the eye. King Kenny, Colorado Blue, Institute and Daraahem all look worth following in the future. The first named will I understand run before the season ends.

Naval Affair looked likely to win the second division easily when taking the lead a furlong from home. In the end it was a close run affair, with a combination of idling and lack of a run, almost costing the horse his race; he may well turn out to be quite decent. The runner-up Louis Seffens looks sure to win a maiden at least, while High Plains is now qualified for a handicap mark; he looks the type to do well in that sphere.

Jack Dawkins won the nursery in comfortable fashion; it would not surprise me in the least, if he were up to winning in Group Company next season. Henry has brought him along steadily and he is held in similar regard to Kandahar Run.

Doncaster 27 October

Kal Barg was heavily backed to win the nursery and ran out a comfortable winner. He was entitled to have a few pounds on his back and the handicapper has raised him 11lb. Nevertheless, he looks a smart colt in the making. Upton Grey needs a mile now and he too should make up into a decent handicapper newt season. Lodi ran well on the stands side. He came home clear of the remainder of the field that side and should be able to win a small race. Having already won on the all-weather he has that option open to him.

Floristry ran out an impressive winner of the Listed race and looks a Group filly in the making. She travelled supremely well before quickening through to win with any amount in hand. A mile may be beyond her on breeding, but she looked here as though she would stay further. A Nell Gwyn 2008 candidate I feel.

Ibn Khaldun could not have been any more impressive. He has made remarkable progress and is now only a few pounds behind the top rated two-year-olds. Despite being of limited stature, he was soon bossing his rivals in mid-field, racing with an enormous amount of enthusiasm. Quickening away in the final furlong, he went clear of the game, but one paced City Leader. That fellow raised his FSF rating here which suggests to me the form is rock solid. A mile suits “IK” and he should stay ten-furlongs next season. The 2000 Guineas ante-post list has a seriously competitive look to it.

Newbury

Whistledownwind ran out a cosy winner of the first division of the one-mile maiden. Slowly away from stall one; he ended up on the stands rails, showing a likeable attitude in the finish. He will come on again for this effort and looks one to follow. In behind, Scuffle ran well on her debut and a maiden should be a formality. King’s Kazeem finished well, along with Dancing Dik who looks nursery material. Askar Tau looks a three-year-old in the making and is one to monitor.

Three to take from the slower run second division, are Forget It, Simone Martini and Red Twist. The latter in particular caught my eye; although needing another run for a handicap mark, he looks capable of taking a small maiden.

In the Horris Hill, Beacon Lodge ran on well to hold a somewhat unlucky in running Stimulation. Overall impression was this was just an average Group Three contest. In behind, Brave Prospector looks a ready-made winner of a maiden.

Heaven Knows made hard work of taking the mile and a quarter handicap. He was in fairness, given an awful lot to do on the ground and may be capable of taking another race this season. King’s Event ran well again; he is a potentially decent four-year-old in the making.

Chepstow

Elusive Dream could hardly be described an impressive winner of the opening race. He looked as though he wanted to run out at one stage and constantly went to his left. His jumping was far from fluent, though he galloped on strongly with his ears pricked, looking as though he was enjoying the job in hand. He is best in small fields; having shown some of his best form at Ascot, Galway, Hamburg and Market Rasen, he may well be happiest going right-handed.

Don’t Push It needed every yard of the two and a half-miles to get up close up close home. Rather like the first winner, he seemed to want to go left-handed up the straight. One would assume he will come on for the run and he looks to me a three-mile chaser in the making. Lead On ran well and this lightly raced horse should be winning again soon. He has the option of going over fences and seems equally effective over two or two and a half miles. Further back, I thought Special Envoy ran a fair race on his comeback, as did Court Ruler, who will come on a bundle for this effort.

Michael Muck won his first chase in a likeable manner; despite one or two clumsy jumps, his overall fencing was sound. He looks a good, old-fashioned, staying handicapper chaser in the making.

Aintree

Leslingtaylor jumped well on his first outing over fences. They went very fast in the early stages, and he may be slightly flattered, by both that fact, and Marodima’s clumsy jumping. His best runs have come on flat tracks and he is best on good or good to soft. He looks sure to win again in similar grade, as will Rowdy Yates if his sights are slightly lowered. It looked as though another half a mile would suit him.

Spectait ran out a comfortable winner of the novices hurdle. On his first run for over a year, he was held-up in rear off a slow pace. Steadily making ground in the straight, he jumped the last three hurdles adequately and used his flat speed to pull clear in the closing stages. A pleasing start, though it has not told us whether he will get two-miles in a strongly run race on a stiffer track. Pagano was not disgraced and jumped well. He too had been off the track for sometime and may have needed the race more than his trainer thought. He needs a stronger pace over this trip. Further back, Ballabrook showed some ability and looks one to monitor for the future.

Souffleur won the last easily. He has been raised 12lb and will not find things as easy next time. He may be even better with some give underhoof and his jockey rates him highly.

Aintree 28 October

Crocodiles Rock won his first race over hurdles in comfortable fashion. His hurdling was good, though the time of the race was slightly disappointing. Nevertheless, this was a good starting point and he will stay further.

Tidal Bay ran out an impressive winner of the novice chase. He was a little novicey at one or two hurdles; however, overall his jumping was good. What impressed me was the way he managed to put himself right when he approached a fence on the wrong stride. Having started over two and a half miles it is hard to say whether he should go up or down in trip. Given the Championship Novice races at Cheltenham and Aintree are over two-miles and three-miles, a decision will need to be made at some stage. My gut reaction is he has enough speed to drop down in distance. Albertas Run jumped appallingly and did well to finish second. If he can get his fencing sorted out, he will win races.

Katchit ran out a workmanlike winner of the Limited handicap hurdle. A strict interpretation of the form with Degas Art, suggests Katchit has improved 11lb since they met exactly one year ago. Degas Art came here fit as a flea and and in a lot better health after extensive back treatment. It is reasonable to assume Katchit is still on an upward curve. The race will have put him spot on for the Fighting Fifth; we will know a lot more about his Champion Hurdle pretensions after that race.

Both Kauto Star and Monet’s Garden ran close to their best form. In a race run at a good clip, “Monet’s” had the speed to dictate the race after Ashley Brook fell. That Kauto Star was able to close the gap, giving weight away, on his first run of the season, is highly encouraging. Exotic Dancer ran disappointingly, though he performed in similar fashion on his first run last season. As I near the completion of the NH Guide, I thought I would include Kauto Star’s write up for you to peruse.

Kauto Star: The current holder of the Blue Riband, Kauto Star went through 2006/07 unbeaten. Rather than dwell on last season’s achievements, what can we expect from him this time round? He will be eight-years-old in March 2008; were he not a French bred you would be sure he had not reached the summit of his ability. His recent run at Aintree displayed he is fit, healthy, and still blessed with all his ability. His tendency to run “lazy” as Paul Nicholls stated, is a slight concern but the result cannot be viewed that way. I had him, on the best of his achievements, 10lb ahead of Monet’s Garden. Asked to concede 14lb he went down by a length and a half on a course that played to the winner’s strengths. Therefore, one has to say he is as good, if not possibly slightly better, than last season. Nicholls stated in an interview in late summer that "KS" was unlikely to run at Aintree. One would imagine that following such an arduous campaign the horse had had a long and well-deserved break. It would not be unreasonable, given that scenario, to change plans and give him a prep race prior to his attempt on the Betfair Million. In addition, as he gets older, it is quite natural he will lose some of his speed over shorter distances. Overall, I feel it was a satisfactory start to the season, with the promise of more to come. The Betfair Chase will tell us more and one hopes it produces a top-class three-mile field.

Finally, I would just like to express my dissatisfaction at the Breeders Cup races. Given the stature and prize money involved with event, I cannot believe what we witnessed. Viewing Grade One horses, running on a surface more akin to the Somme, is both distressing and unedifying. Having to race on a surface (dirt track) that must have shaken and stretched their bones and muscles to the extreme, will have taken its toll; not only on the sadly missed George Washington, but numerous others. With Mick Kinane, Michael Dickinson and Henry Cecil confirming their displeasure at the surfaces, the whole episode is one to forget. The groups in this country who demonstrate about Aintree, Cheltenham and jump racing in general, would I imagine, have had a field day had they been in New Jersey on Saturday night.

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