With bright sunshine replacing the wet stuff many came through the gates for a meeting that was abandoned last year, and this good card was well attended.

Not much going on in the opening 2m juvenile hurdle, with the ones expected to be the first two holding those positions throughout, but runner-up Screaming Brave was the moral winner.

Corredor Sun is a good type for a three-year-old, a medium-height, well made gelding (looked well in his coat) and was supported from 10/1 to 13/2. He was going much worse than Screaming Brave on the home turn, but stayed on and wasn't out of it when the runner-up made a mistake at the last, stamina maybe coming through over pace as well..

Screaming Brave may be among the best juveniles seen out so far but there's nothing of him, a leggy, spindly gelding. He still looked like winning this on the home turn though, but, probably struggling on the ground, was being gained on by the eventual winner when making a mistake at the last. He should be given a break now, and is worth another chance to defy his penalty on better ground..

Nothing much among the remainder, Highway Code (looked a bit backward) staying on from mid-division to fill the frame, but if there is one for another time then it's Hector Spectre, who's on the lengthy side, possessing enough size to make a hurdler; supported from 6/1 to 9/2, he took a keen hold and weakened from his prominent position after three out, running better than his tenth-placing would suggest. He needs to learn to settle, but this 1m2f Flat-winner could do something over timber.

There was a well above-average 2m beginners' chase next, which would have gone to Copper Bleu but for a mistake at the last, but then again the winner did the best round of jumping and deserved the win more.

My Moment, a medium-to-tallish, well made gelding, impressed with his jumping when second to Dave's Dream at Huntingdon on his chasing debut, although he shaped to hang left on the home turn that time. Here he had a left-handed track and that suited him, along with some good jumps, as he opened up a clear lead at the fifth. Copper Bleu joined him on the home turn and looked sure to go on between the last two, but the jump at the last decided it. My Moment is now as likely as Copper Bleu is to win a Graded novice chase before the end of the season, but should be kept to anti-clockwise tracks.

Copper Bleu is tall, leggy and light-bodied, easily the tallest in this line-up, but not possessing the build to take too many races close together. Having run into one in Take The Breeze at Exeter on his chasing debut, he was supported at all rates to 1/2 here but blew a winning opportunity. Chasing the winner from the sixth, he was getting closer when blundering three out (normally four out). Still he stayed on and was upsides on the home turn and may have led by a head approaching the last, but went through it and that was that. He's in this website's Ten To Follow, but he looks a slow learner and has been disappointing thus far.

Quartz De Thaix (medium, workmanlike) spread a plate on the way to post and raced with three shoes - his backers will thank commentator Mark Johnson for delivering that info to the public after the race had started. Actually he improved on his chasing debut effort at Fontwell, when he went right quite a bit, just tapped for pace after three out, and maybe next time connections will leave the shoes off altogether!

Aigle D'Or drifted from 7/2 to 6/1 and his lack of size must be the major factor in, after this race, two performances that are a long way short of his hurdling form - when beaten a long way behind Weird Al and Knockara Beau at Cheltenham and here, reverted to arguably his best trip of 2m this time - and he's one to leave alone over fences.

A big field next for the 2m 0-105 handicap hurdle, won by Victory Surge (medium-to-tallish, workmanlike, close-coupled), who'd shown just a bit of ability previously; held up, he was off the bit to make headway from the midfield from five out, racing wide, and pushed along more firmly by A.P.McCoy from the third last, wandering when going on between the last two and hitting the last, ridden out for an all-out win. There's probably no improvement to come here.

Runner-up Anay Turge (light-bodied) was in touch till tapped for a bit of toe four out, staying on after the last and running as if he'll be suited by further, and Midnight Spirit (tallish, bandaged behind) tried to make all and went down with honours, keeping on in third.

The most interesting in the field was arguably the fourth Willandrich (workmanlike in build), running for the first time for 908 days; he went quite well in midfield till outpaced and pushed along on the home turn.

There was £40,000 in the pot for the feature race, the 3m110y conditions' chase, but despite the fact that five good horses lined up, the race looks unlikely to be a source of future winners.

The one and only Our Vic is a horse I've seen an awful lot of over the years, indeed before I started doing this website, and I've seen him looking a lot, lot better than he did here, as though he was fit, his coat lacked the shine of when he was at the peak of his powers back in early 2006. Trading blows with Miss Mitch from the tape, it looked like he was getting the worst of it when his jumping 'went' going down the side, but, after coming under pressure on the home turn, his stamina came through as that of his rival for the lead failed. With the mistake of Don't Push it at the last also helping, Our Vic was ridden out for a popular success.

Miss Mitch (tallish, well made), looking well though perhaps with a bit to work on, normally goes well fresh and made a good fist of it; she took on Our Vic for the lead and looked the one to beat starting down the side for the last time, but though good jumps kept her in it Robert Walford was already riding a desperate finish before three out, and she came back to them two out, handed the runner-up berth thanks to Don't Push It's error at the last. She needs a trip around 2m4f and a right-handed track.

Not for the first time Don't Push It (well made, looked well, on his toes and a second handler in attendance in the paddock, 2/1 to 13/8) was let down by his jumping over fences. Cajoled into contention by A.P., he had his chance but made a mistake at the last and that was him done, and for me, even though a win might slip through the radar at some stage, he's one to be against over fences.

Miko De Beauchene is a gross individual who looked well; not surprisingly for a horse who was almost too slow to win a Welsh National, the trip here was too short, and he was fighting a losing battle starting down the side for the last time. A heavy-ground Grand National will provide his best chance of a win this season. The other runner, My Will, ran like a horse who's had enough, having nothing to do with it inside the final mile.

Next a 3m5f 0-120 handicap chase, a slog in the conditions. Fine By Me (workmanlike), the thick end of 20 lengths behind the horse he beat here Tarquinius at Wincanton on their previous outing, turned it round comprehensively. Always in the first two, he actually looked the winner throughout the final circuit, at least until Tarquinius went on two out, but he saw it out thoroughly when asked for a renewed effort from the last. He'll stay 4m.

Tarquinius (stocky, looked well, out to 4/1) is holding his form and on this, his third start of the campaign, ran a third good race, always in the first two or three and looking the winner when leading two out but unable to resist Fine By Me's final effort. He'll go up the weights again, but should continue to run well over at least 3m2f.

The five year-old Quazy De Joie, not a chasing type in appearance (workmanlike), ran well despite mistakes at Lingfield the time before and, stepped up in trip, ran the same race, working into it when making mistakes four out and at the next and renewing his effort from the last, gaining on Tarquinius at the line; he's not one to take a short price about on account of his jumping.

Sir Peter (about medium height, leggy) was dull in his coat and, having made a move after being held up in the early stages, was pushed along going down the back straight last time and again over the fences down the side, and was a spent force on the home turn, and nothing this time from The Gangerman, who needs strong handling and, not going a yard, won the battle against new jockey Mr Sam Twiston-Davies, who pulled him up with four to jump.

An interesting 2m5f maiden hurdle next and I'm taking two of the frame-fillers out of it - one to keep on the right side, and one to watch rather than back.

Winning pointer Sandynow (medium, leggy), an Old Vic four-year-old, could be a long-term prospect, probably not yet the finished article physically. He led before five out and made the rest, staying on well from the last. It won't be long before Divy (medium-to-tallish) wins over hurdles, every chance two out having been prominent throughout. He's the stronger physically of the first two home at this stage of their careers.

Ballycracken, an angular, good-bodied gelding, is a winning pointer but showed nothing in his only bumper. On this first start for Nicky Henderson he was very strong in the market, touching 11/4 before going off 5/2 favourite despite his credentials on paper not being as strong as others in this line-up. He went close, making ground five out, challenging at the third last and with a sniff of the lead on the home turn, but not going on from two out and idling/carrying his head awkwardly after the last, losing second to Divy. Having demonstrated a lack of resolution under pressure, this is one to be against for the time being.

Gifted Leader, successful over 1m6f on the Flat, shaped okay when sixth to Inventor in an introductory hurdle at Ascot on his jumping debut and did so again, and has a hurdle race in him. He came from the midfield and was going on quite nicely at the end, and is one to look out for next time.

In the 13-runner 2m handicap chase those that raced up with the pace were well held, notably Josear, who was swamped by several rivals three out having been at the front end from the tape, and to a greater extent chasing debutant Kack Handed (about medium height, two handlers), who along with the third did best of those to contest the early gallop.

Russian Flag, typically travelling well, closed up with four or five to pass rounding the omitted third last, but had an easy target to aim at after the final fence and it made his strong finish to lead with 100 yards or so to run maybe look better than it was - often it's Russian Flag's whose finish is suspect, and he might not be one for a follow-up off a higher mark.

Amble Forge (well made, looked well) is a short runner, and was vulnerable the instant he opened up a lead two out, and was easy to beat for Russian Flag once he tied up. After these Magnetic Pole, who is better over 2m4f than shorter and ran as well as could be expected as he tried to defy a penalty for his Leicester win earlier in the week, finding one pace under pressure in the straight having been up with the gallop.

A 2m standard open National Hunt Flat Race to close with, and it was dominated by David Pipe's point winner Chartreux, who made all and stayed on well in the straight in a manner which suggests that 2m4f will suit him when he goes hurdling.

The Henderson yard's Anquetta (workmanlike, looked well in his coat, 2/1 to 7/2) was niggled for the first time three furlongs out and couldn't do any more inside the last. Oh No Not Harry, a medium-height Astarabad gelding who looked a bit backward, was prominent throughout and he has a bit of a future, and the same for Featherbed Lane, who was going on well under his amateur at the end and filled the frame.

Blanks from the Alan King and now in form-Warren Greatrex yards here, the former's Awesome Freddie (Karinga Bay half-brother to Awesome George) ridden at halfway and a bit green, pushed along down the side to take closer order and a spent force coming off the home turn, and Greatrex's Spiritual Guidance (backed from around 7/2) taking too keen a hold through the early stages.

---------

© Roy Waterhouse
2009

'The Meal Deal'