Equinties - Jonbon

Gm Equinauts

Even though the recent storm meant a reduced number of cards this weekend, the Tingle Creek survived and we got to enjoy a brilliant horse do his thing.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

JP’S BEST

It’s a nice time to be JP McManus.

The great man has always had good talent sporting his iconic green and gold silks, yet it seems he has one of the best team of chasers he’s ever had. A lot, and we mean a lot, of attention coming into this season was directed towards his staying three-milers. Fair enough.

With FACT TO FILE et al, this was understandable.

All of this chat only added to the profile of JONBON who, incredibly, had probably been overlooked ahead of the season proper starting. Dare we say, he’s always been a bit underrated? However, that certainly isn’t the feeling anymore, not after Saturday’s easy Tingle Creek victory. The tweet below, along with all the likes it has accumulated, shows how many people love him.

He’s only been beaten three times in his career. Once by CONSTITUTION HILL, once by EL FABIOLO, and once by ELIXIR DE NUTZ when taking home the fourth last fence in the rearranged Clarence House Chase. That incredible streak continued on Saturday when taking home the Tingle Creek. In the process, he won his eighth Grade 1, second Tingle Creek, and fifth race at Sandown. Arguably, he showed a bit of a different side to him this weekend. He’s always been a very good jumper, but the data showed that he really was on top form on Saturday despite getting quite tight into a few. He was clever, and that really showed in the numbers.

We imagine the reason he’s underappreciated by some is because he hasn’t won a festival race and even though racing is a game of opinions, the season is long a more than March and he’s a very, very good horse who we’re able to see, enjoy and add to acca’s through out the whole winter.

Talking of top chasers, the pinnacle of racing is the Gold Cup and is the reason why there will always be a larger attraction to three-mile Grade 1 winners where FACT TO FILE fits the bill. Barring his chase debut at Warwick, this horse has never put in an RPR of below 164 across his 10 subsequent chase starts. He’s also achieved ratings of 170, 171, and 172 (three times). He’s very good and we really hope he gets his hooves on a Champion Chase this season. Mind you, after ENERGUMENE’s reappearance yesterday and the imminent season starter for GAELIC WARRIOR, it won’t be an easy feat.

ONLY UP FOR L’EAU DU SUD

Aintree, amongst others, had their meetings called off due to the weather this weekend, so we’ll keep our focus on Sandown. L’EAU DU SUD won the other Grade 1 contest on Saturday, the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, but what is there to make of the performance?

He is clearly good and he was much the best horse on the day. To jump with inconsistency and still win easily enough is commendable. But, the form of the race can initially be questioned. DOWN MEMORY LANE, the third, was off the bridle from a long way out as he didn’t like the ground too much. Yet, he was only beaten by eight lengths, and he actually has no proper Graded form in the book. As for TOUCH ME NOT, he looked impressive before Sandown, but one could question his form a little bit as well. He also took home the sixth fence with him and still managed to finish second.

L’EAU DU SUD, bar BALLYBURN, sets a good standard in the Arkle picture as not much has come out and played a decent hand. He has, but you can poke fairly obvious holes. Well, we say the division is weak, but there could be a performance to note from the weekend if connections want to send her against the boys further down the line. Of course, we’re talking about ONLY BY NIGHT who looked epic in the Grade 2 Mares Novice Chase at Cork on Sunday. She gave six pounds away to NARA and KARIA DES BLAISES, who admittedly don’t have the best form, and fairly trounced them.

We’ve seen mares pitch up to the Arkle and run well before, notably PUT THE KETTLE ON in recent years, so it would be rather cool to see connections campaign her that way. She has the engine and the speed. What’s not to like?!

WEEKEND EYE-CATCHERS

FASOL – SANDOWN 15.35 FRIDAY

We looked back at Sandown’s action from Friday and have come to the conclusion that FASOL is a winner in waiting. He came from France before landing in Ditcheat, so he’s taken time to settle into life in Britain. He’s also five, so he’s still improving. This season, he needed the run at Cheltenham in November and he nearly won on Friday when going off a fancied 85/40 second favourite. The winner was 100/1 on seasonal reappearance (which is funny) and the well-backed favourite finished a staying-on third, so the form of the race looks solid. Off a low mark in the 100s, he can win soon.

CAST’S TASHA – SANDOWN 12:40 SATURDAY 

GOOD LOOK CHARM was a ferociously well-handicapped horse on Saturday, especially thanks to the 10lb claim of Chad Bament, but the heavy ground was a worry. She went and won the mares’ handicap hurdle at Sandown, so the performance of CAST’S TASHA in second can probably be upgraded. She has been a big improver since her opening mark of 98 in March 2023, and to be fair to her, she was second to MARSH WREN at Uttoxeter in April 2023. So, she could be at the top of her handicap mark now, but she travelled notably well in bad conditions and even stayed on nicely up the hill. She just ran into one. Plain and simple.

RISK ON

A tricky days racing with pending winners too short. We’ll wait for a bit of value.

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