Equinties - what the fans want

Gm Equinauts

Last week was a brilliant week of racing where dreams of glory in March were both made and ruined,

but before we start with a review of the action, we send our heartfelt condolences to the Snowden yard.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

WHAT RACING WANTS

Cheltenham Trials Day was a pristine day of racing for the National Hunt scene as Graded races and competitive handicaps littered the eight-race card at Prestbury Park, and that’s before you remember the good racing at Doncaster on the same day.

The standout performance on Saturday went the way of LOSSIEMOUTH in the Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle as she trounced a good field under a double handed Paul Townend. 

Her final four furlongs were quicker than the Triumph Trial won by SIR GINO, though the opening race on the card was nearly two seconds quicker overall.

Now, taking the times and the visually impressive way she won, which race in March should she be heading to? 

Of course, for the benefit of racing, it would be amazing to see LOSSIEMOUTH stand upside CONSTITUTION HILL and give him a race. After all, he has already beaten the (apparently) best two-mile hurdler in Closutton with STATE MAN, so why not give the improving mare a chance while receiving 7lbs? 

Some might read the collateral form and want to pour cold water on the debate and her owners are near guaranteed a Festival win if she stands, 

but people want to see the best race. They don’t want processions. She should go to the Champion hurdle. 

Will she stay the extra 4f?

Well her dam side is basically all milers so it’s not guaranteed but an early look at March’s line up suggests she won’t need even need to try in order to win so yeh, she’ll stay and be fine.

BEST OF THE REST 

There was a lot of action on Saturday, so here are our standouts with a look towards Cheltenham.

SIR GINO took the opener and absolutely made mince meat of our NAP. As we said above, he was good on the clock in what was a facile success. 

BURDETT ROAD was disappointing and it will take a big swing around to reverse that form come the Triumph Hurdle on Gold Cup Day. Hendo did try to warn us that he was a bit of a monster and it’s easy to see where he was coming from. He’s now 6/4 for the Triumph.

JONBON. Oh JONBON. Nothing much more needs to be said, does it?

It just shows that nothing in racing is certain.

The fact he nearly fell, lost six lengths, regathered himself, and then nearly won impressed us. He’s blotted the copybook slightly ahead of March, but he showed Saturday what a monster he is.

His owner JP McManus had a mixed day. Despite the success of CAPODANNO in the Cotswold Chase, JONBON was, as we know, beaten, UNDER CONTROL was beaten in the Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle and JERIKO DU REPONET found the Rossington Main tough work over at Donny.

Whenever a newcomer wins as easily as JERIKO DU REPONET at Newbury, it’s hard to both determine actually how good they are and equally, not get carried away with excitement of trying to work it out.

But what we can know for sure from Saturday is he probably isn’t the wonder horse people thought he was and the Supreme still remains WIDE open.

Another horse who has been winning so easily we have no idea just how good she is is DYSART ENOS.

Fergal has boringly been keeping her in novice meaning at 6 she hasn’t had one test yet over hurdles. Some might say it’s shrewd planning so she doesn’t carry a penalty come March, others might say it’s an ego play to keep her unbeaten record intact.

Newsflash - she’ll lose that record in March. She won’t know what’s hit her.

One of the mares who will be up against her and not been hidden from competition is JADE DE GRUGY who put in a nice display in the Grade 3 Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle. 

Hear that Fergal? A GRADE 3 RACE! Not some pointless exercise where you learn nothing.

“Now that Honeysuckle has retired, Kenny [Alexander] will have something to look forward to” was the quote from Willie Mullins after her success, and she has now shot into 7/2 joint favourtism.

EYECATCHERS OF THE WEEK

The weekly section of eyecatchers is back. You know the rules.

WRECKLESS ERIC - Tuesday 14.00 Newbury

Ben Pauling’s £38,000 purchase was green as grass on his debut for the yard, yet he ran a good race behind VALADON who has form in the book with SALVER. He will probably be a short price on his next run, but if he grows up any amount for the experience, he should be winning races soon.

CAN’T RESIST IT - Thursday 13.25 Huntingdon

Fergal used to have the winner of this race, MOON CHIME, when he was in partnership with Graeme McPherson, so it’s interesting that CAN’T RESIST IT was backed before the off on stable debut. Maybe it was a case of finding a way to take on the fav or shutting down EW value, but he ran well and just needs to dust up on his jumping. Fergal and Paddy are shrood buyers at the sales and this could pop up somewhere in a handicap once he gets a mark (two more runs needed) and be dangerous.

BOWTOGREATNESS - Saturday 12.40 Cheltenham

Ben Pauling described BOWTOGREATNESS as the ‘apple of his eye’ at the start of this season when he was recovering from a small setback, so it was interesting to see him pop up in a 2m4f novices’ handicap chase considering he put up his best effort over three miles at the end of last season. 

He has form with COMPLETE UNKNOWN and was even good enough to be sent into Grade 1 company last year. A few pounds off his back would see him on a very, very good mark and a big three-mile handicap chase in the spring could be the target for this second-season novice. He may even sneak into the bottom of an Ultima or a Kim Muir.

LUCKY PLACE - Saturday 16.10 Cheltenham

Although it looked to the eye that GIDLEIGH PARK slightly tempered enthusiasms with his half-a-length success in the Cheltenham finale, the reason for his tight win may be because the second, LUCKY PLACE, is a nice horse. His sweeping move up the nearside rail was eye-catching and a look through his form reveals form with GOLDEN ACE (a horse who beat BEAT THE BAT in a bumper), INSURRECTION, and TELLHERTHENAME. Nicky Henderson hasn’t been one for too many Martin Pipe winners in the past, but he looks just the type for it and could be interesting if chucked into handicap company.

RISK ON

A tough days racing. Any bets will be posted on X @equinties.

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