Equinties - Dancing in the market

Gm Equinauts

For what looked like a bang average day of racing yesterday, we were treated to a couple of nice performances from horses we will be looking forward to seeing out again, definitely next time out and perhaps even after, in March.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

NO JINGKS IN HIS ARMOUR

JINGKO BLUE and JANGO BAIE are two five-year-olds owned by Countrywide Park Holmes Ltd and trained by Nicky Henderson who did well in the novice hurdle sphere last season, each winning a novice hurdle and quickly dipping their toes into better company, before having a summer break.

Now we’re into that new season, connections should have two nice horses for novice chasing this season, and JINGKO BLUE got his season off to a very strong start by winning the 2m4f novices’ handicap chase at Uttoxeter yesterday off 140.

This was quite a strong performance. JAGWAR, although he made a mistake at the last, was rising through the handicap and had race fitness, as did THEATRE MAN and RAMBO T. HASHTAG BOUM, the second, only had a 70-day break before this race as well! Still, off top weight, it was a big performance, and he’s now shown twice in handicap company that he is probably a Graded horse.

He showed this here and he also showed this at Sandown over hurdles off 124 when bolting up by six lengths. And he probably wouldn’t mind three miles either going forward. He started out in a 2m3f novice hurdle and has stayed on well over 2m4f twice now.

There was also a bit of a heart-warming post-scrip from the owner, Tony Barney, as he said: "My wife's got me quite emotional. There are a lot of stories behind these horses and it's quite unusual because they have the same initials as the son I lost, James Barney.

“I lost my son in a car accident and the horses, I didn't realise it at the time when I bought them at auction, have both got the initials JB."

We wish the Barney family all the best with their two very nice horses.

DANCING IN THE MARKET

As performances go on the track, yesterday was probably one of the better Tuesdays we’ve had in a while. Not only did we get to see JINGKO BLUE, but we also got our first glimpse of a three-time Grade 1-winning novice hurdler over fences.

DANCING CITY won over 2m7f at Punchestown to start his novice chasing career successfully and is now second fave for the Brown in March.

So, what did we make of it?

Let’s start with the positives! SHANNON ROYALE and MOSSY FEN PARK, the second and third, were race-fit, so he had that against him and his jumping was also pretty pristine, though MOSSY FEN PARK’s slow leaps did potentially accentuate this a little.

The negatives?

We know three milers aren’t meant to be flashy, especially on the first runs of their season, but the form can be questioned. SHANNON ROYALE is a generous 140 horse, MOSSY FEN PARK is probably a 130 horse, and OLYMPIC MAN is a 137 horse. Fair enough on his first run of the season, but in typical Racing X fashion, being lauded as ‘the Brown Advisory winner’ at this stage is too soon for however much it was the perfect start to life over fences.

COLOMBE IS COMING

As expected, but now confirmed, GERRI COLOMBE is set to return to the Savills Chase at Leopardstown for his next run. You may remember in the lead-up to Christmas last year, Gordon Elliott and the team were discussing the idea of sending him to Kempton for the King George.

It was all very last-minute stuff, but he ended up at Leopardstown to take on GALPOPIN DES CHAMPS. Ultimately, he was very disappointing on the day, but connections have set down their target early as GERRI COLOMBE will head to the Savills Chase. In fairness, he was also disappointing on his seasonal reappearance in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase last month, but he is entitled to improve for a run.

Elliott said: "That definitely wasn't the Gerri I know at Down Royal. I was never happy with him at any stage watching the race and he didn't even finish out his race. That was a real tell-tale sign to me that he wasn't right, as he always finishes out his races, and he just wasn't quite right in himself in the days after it either. "He's back bouncing at home now and all the signs seem good with him. We've been gearing him up for a crack at the Savills and he'll do an important piece of work next Tuesday which should tee him up perfectly for it. If that goes well, all roads will lead to Leopardstown and you'll see a different Gerri Colombe to the one you saw at Down Royal. He's better than that."

With this news, we have GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, GERRI COLOMBE, and FACT TO FILE definitely taking each other on, and SPILLANE’S TOWER or HEWICK could join depending on ground conditions in Kempton. Either way, we will have at least one good staying chase to look forward to at Christmas this year. Roll on!

RISK ON

Undecided whether to play one today, if we do it will be posted on X @equinties

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