Carlisle on Sunday managed to attract Irish Grade 1 winner Caldwell Potter to the North to start his chasing career for his new connections. He was due to run at Newbury on the Friday but connections came here for the easier starting point and it looked the wise option. He has a tendency to jump a bit to his left so may find improvement when sent round that way and his jumping wasn't the most economical but he will improve. He was incredibly fresh and I thought he was a quite impressive winner considering it was his first run in such a long time. He may be better when running over further but there is no rush for that at the moment. Connections stated afterwards that he has a preference for soft ground so I'm not sure if he's an Arkle horse or not but either way I expect him to take high rank amongst the Novice Chasers this side of the Irish Sea.
Talking of the Irish, it was a fantastic card at Fairyhouse on Sunday featuring 2 Grade 1's but one of the most interesting stories of the day was Triumph Hurdle favourite Willy De Houelle making his debut for Willie Mullins in the Grade 3 Juvenile Hurdle. He helped set a furious pace and ran with enthusiasm before being picked off late on by 33/1 shot Naturally Nimble. I think this may turn out to be a good race and the winner can certainly improve again now but all the talk was about what went wrong for the favourite. It's worth noting that this was his first run of the season and although many fingers were burnt here (sent off at odds of 1/4), perhaps being pushed out to as big as 25/1 for the Triumph Hurdle was over the top. He is clearly well thought of and can still make a name for himself this season now he has the freshness taken out of him. The Royal Bond Novice's Hurdle has been won by some of the best Irish racehorses of all time such as Istabraq (1996), Moscow Flyer (1999), Hardy Eustace (2002) and Hurricane Fly (2008). Even in recent years in has been captured by Cheltenham Festival winners Jezki (2012), Nichols Canyon (2014), Envoi Allen (2019) and Marine Nationale (2022). Now, it looked beforehand that there probably wasn't a future Champion Hurdle winner in the field and that thought was hammered home when 12/1 shot Tounsivator pounded late to down the odds-on Romeo Coolio. It was amazing that this was run at such a crawl for a Grade 1 and it definitely didn't suit the favourite. I'm not saying this form was rubbish as I'm sure plenty will win more races but I don't expect the seasons' top Novice to emerge from this. I thought the 3rd placed Sea Of Sands is the one to keep onside off, especially when he steps up in trip. The Drinmore was also run at a steady temp and was duly won by 22/1 shot Croke Park. I still think Firefox will prove the best of these, especially when thrust into a bigger field but there doesn't appear to be an obvious route for him now this season. Perhaps he will be dropped back in trip and sent down an Arkle path. The big race of the day was the Hatton's Grace Hurdle. It was billed as a big clash between Stayer's Hurdle winner Teahupoo and Mare's Hurdle winner Lossiemouth. The battle didn't really emerge as the race was run at too slow a pace for Gordon Elliott's stable star and he was subsequently picked off by the mare. I'm not sure we learnt a lot from this but Lossiemouth is definitely a mare going places and will hopefully lay her Champion Hurdle credentials on the line at Kempton on Boxing Day.
My betting week started at Plumpton on Monday due to the abandonment of Ffos Las's card. I had one bet on the card and that came in the 2 mile 4 furlong handicap hurdle. There were 11 runners and I fancied Through The Ages to make the most of dropping in grade back at a course he had won at. I took the 7/2 on offer in the morning and was pleased to see he was backed down to 11/4 favourite by the off. I saw Batwoman as the biggest danger and decided to have a saver bet on him to cover my stake. Unfortunately, Baltray fell heavily at the 10th flight and brought Through The Ages to a complete standstill just as he was making headway to challenge. Caolin Quinn had no choice but to pull the 5 year old up and the race was won in the end by Bertie B at 5/1 who held off the late challenge of Batwoman. Not the ideal start to the week.
On Tuesday I focussed on Southwell. My first bet was in the opening Novices' Handicap Chase. I've been a big fan of Ben Pauling's Awaythelad and he looked well handicapped here to take advantage of his chasing experience gained at Lingfield on seasonal debut. He jumped and travelled well but he's a strong stayer and the race just wasn't run to suit him in the end on a flat track. He was done for pace up the run in to finish a disappointing 4th. This was probably a half decent little race however and he should be kept onside when running on a stiffer track and softer ground. The race was won impressively by Theformismighty for the Skelton's and he looked like he could go on to take higher rank this season. A very strong traveller who could have a big win in him at some point this season.
My only other bet on the card was in the last race. A low level handicap hurdle, I sided to Kingoftheswingerz to improve on his seasonal debut when 2nd at Ffos Las. Harriet Dickin's runner couldn't though as he fell back into old ways and weakened up the run in. It was telling that I had taken 7/1 and he drifted to as big at 16/1. The race was won by 20/1 shot Miss Applejack who had her connections duly pulled into the Steward's room afterwards to try and explain the improvement in form.
By Wednesday things were looking a bit bleak. And the place to find bleakness in mid winter always seems to be Haydock but it hosted a decent day of racing and I focussed on the Grade 1 track to attempt to find a ray of sunshine. The light was found however, as I focused in on the Veteran's Handicap Chase. All bar one were making their seasonal debut's and would likely come on for it on what was very soft ground. Venatia William's horses love it when the mud is flying and she ran her likeable Cloudy Glen. He was incredibly handicapped on past form and his trainer always has her horses primed for the occasion from a lay-off. I duly took the 15/8 on offer and he was duly sent off the 11/8 favourite. Charlie Deutsch had come here instead of going to Ludlow (where Venetia Williams ran 3) and it duly paid off as Cloudy Glen ran out a powerful winner. It proved an even better result as I had put the old timer in a double with White Rhino in the Novice's Handicap Chase earlier on the card. When I put the bet on White Rhino was 7/4 favourite. He drifted out to 7/2 and powered clear. Amazingly Haydock in December was where the clouds hard parted and I could see the sun again!
Now back in front for the week, I moved onto Thursday full of optimism. Wincanton's card looked fiendish for all that I fancied Caeruleum in the long distance handicap chase. The Robert Walford stable is in form and the horse looked crying out for this sort of test. I tried to get 5/1 or even 4/1 but the price had collapsed and I chose to leave him alone, as we was still a maiden after all.... he bolted up at 15 lengths at 2/1. Typical. Instead I had my one bet of the day in a 3 mile handicap chase at Market Rasen. The race was dominated in the market by Cokytho and Kelce. I thought Cokytho was inconsistent and worth taking on and Kelce was a short priced favourite off the back of 2 seconds. Ben Case sent Felton Bellevue to Market Rasen which was the scene of 2 victories. He looked to be working his way into form and when he drifted to 4/1 I had a decent each-way bet on the 9 year old in this 8 runner field. Cokytho duly ran poorly and although Harry Bannister kept Felton Bellevue in touch with front running Kelce throughout the race when all others had cried enough, he couldn't get to the favourite and finished a gallant second. Not the worst bet I've ever placed but he still never looked quite like winning which was frustrating.
We moved onto Sandown's 2 day December meeting. The Friday card was littered with small fields and I decided not to get too involved. City of London let me down in the first but I managed to strike with Mount Tempest (6/4) and Hoe Joly Smoke (9/4) who I had also put in a Skelton double. My 2 biggest bets on the card we Quebecois and Resplendent Grey. Both ran great races to finish 2nd and should both win plenty more races this season, especially Resplendent Grey who looks like he'll love being smuggled into a big field handicap on better ground. This course didn't really suit him. I'd managed to come out of Sandown's card just about in front but the biggest roar of the day came from watching the marathon 3 mile 6 furlong handicap chase down at Exeter. I originally hadn't had a bet in the race as I fancied Leissieres Express but the form of the Jeremy Scott stable had put me off. I did however see that his runners earlier in the card had run very well, so with signs positive I stepped in and took 13/2 about his strong staying 7 year old. He's a giant boy and does nothing but gallop and stay. He's not flash and he's not quick but he will plough on through and after being dead last of the 11 runners for about 3 miles he was expertly guided by Lorcan Williams to weave through tired horses in front of him and outbattle the Robert Walford trained Art Decco to prevail. This provided Jeremy Scott his first winner in quite a few months so it may be worth following the stable over the next few weeks.
Saturday was the big day and after surviving a 7.30am inspection, off I set up to Esher. I have always got the train to Sandown due to the proximity of the station to the course and amazingly considering the apocalyptic weather the trains ran on time and I arrived without any issue (more to come on travel later). I fancied Juby Ball from the Evan Williams stable in the first but he was declared a non-runner perhaps due to travel disruption and it left me without a bet in the race. I was not a big fan of Hartingdon and saw that the Venetia Williams trained runner was drifting. The race looked at the mercy of Honky Tonk Highway so I decided to put her in a treble with the other 2 odds-on favourites on the card (paid about 4/1). Honky Tonk Highway duly went away and did the business well after being given an aggressive ride by the jockey and she looks set to keep on improving. My biggest bet of the day came in the Mare's Handicap Hurdle. I had predicted that Larchmont Lass isn't the most consistent and worth taking on. I went for Good Look Charm each-way at 8/1 (4 places). There were plenty of non-runners which reduced the field to 8 and each-way terms now only 3 places. I was never worried however, as Anthony Honeyball's mare is a strong stayer at this trip and loves the ground. She powered up the run in to win well from the gallant Cast's Tasha with the 6/4 favourite back in 3rd. Chad Bament is well worth his 10 pound claim having come from the pointing circuit and expect to see his name more over the rest of the season. No matter what happened I couldn't lose on the day, let alone the week. And that looked good as my 2 bets in the next were poor (Authorized Art and Grozni both pulled up). I'm not sure where connections go with these horses now as they are proving frustrating. I the end Henri The Second was backed down to 11/4 favourite and ran out the most impressive winner of the day, scoring by a widening 18 lengths. He clearly loves the combination of 3 miles on soft ground and a chasing career looks to be put on hold. Expect him to keep improving and he could yet land another big pot when faced with similar conditions. I had backed Willmount in the next handicap hurdle but he was declared a non runner. That left me with just a bet on last year's winner Spirit D'aunou but hit with a 45p deduction. The market spoke heavily in favour of the Skelton's Kickerbockerglory and I decided to cover my stake on their runner by nibbling a bit of the 13/8. He duly ran out an impressive winner from Namean Lion who was burdened by 12 stone on terrible ground. Kerry Lee's horses haven't hit form yet but this was a great seasonal starting point for her stable star. The winner will likely be hit by the handicapper now and won't find many hurdles worth that amount of money contested by only 6 runners so life will be harder now. As for Spirit D'aunou, well he was off the bridle from a long way out and never really travelled a yard. Something looks amiss and Gary Moore has his work cut out for him now. L'eau Du Sud was a strong winner of the Henry VIII after doing the Irish horses for speed late on. None of the 4 jumped that well though and Touch Me Not may have made the winner fight harder has he not clouted the open ditch down the back. Down Memory Lane didn't jump with any fluency from flag fall and is much better than this. He looks a picture and has loads of scope. I hadn't had a bet in the Henry VIII but I did do the Jonbon-Edwardstone exacta which looked on before Alan King's previous winner departed at the last of the Railway Fences (he was none the worse). Jonbon won commandingly to cement his status and the leading 2 mile chaser in the land. He jumped well on the whole and it will take a very good one to defeat him in the Champion Chase so long as the ground doesn't get as deep as it has had done for the past few years on that Wednesday in March. I thought JPR ran well and can win more races this season if kept away from Jonbon (perhaps the Desert Orchid). The exacta had gone down but the 4/1 treble was landed with the minimum of fuss and I had the impression from the crowd that I was not the only punter who landed a multiple that windy afternoon. I was well ahead for the day but still managed to leave even happier when the gallant Mr Vango ploughed through the Surrey mud like a tractor to win the London Grand National for Sarah Bradstock and Tingle Creek winner Nico De Boinville. I thought that this race was tailor made for this warrior and he ran out a strong winner after jumping boldly. He is being aimed at the Welsh National next and with conditions expected to be soggy, he should run very well indeed. The day had gone well from a punting point of view but due to a downed tree on the railway line after Basingstoke, I found myself stuck on Hook station with no way of getting home. But, as luck would have it, after looking at potential buses back to Basingstoke the 2 hourly stagecoach service was due in just 5 minutes! It didn't take too long to find the bus stop and after a brief wait in the wind and rain, the bus in question appeared over the railway bridge and I was back where I needed to be in under 15 minutes. By this point in the afternoon the day was as dark and gloomy as it seemed after a bleak start to my punting week. But those glorious headlights of the the number 13 bus lifted my spirits just brightly as the Yellow and Green of those famous Trevor Hemmings silks did on the back of Cloudy Glen.
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