Noted in Running: Jumps 21/22

YOUNG BULL

Newbury 20 February
RacingTV Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (Gbb Race)
2m6½f, Class 3, £8,768.06
Going: Soft

Harry Whittington was very excited about Young Bull in his pre-season tour for last term.

I was delighted with his run in the novices' handicap chase at Uttoxeter where he finished third. The ground probably wasn't soft enough for him but he did that off 133 and they've given him an opening mark of 134. I'm really looking forward to running him again on very soft ground over 3m. He's just a big, quality, rangy, athletic chasing type and I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can do in the novice chasing department over 3m this season. I would think he'll be even better next year because he's always been such an enormous horse and I still feel that he's tomorrow's horse. He's got a big future over fences, for sure.

Something - I know not what - went amiss and he has only just reappeared at Newbury after 456 days. Given the length of his absence I thought he ran extremely well. His jumping was immaculate - except over the last when he was tiring - and he was well positioned to challenge before he got very tired towards the end. Assuming he comes out of it ok, he’s got to come on a bundle for the run and his jumping will surely stand him in good stead.
 
I don't imagine this will be a dark horse when it reappears but certainly worth noting.

Haydock Saturday 19 Feb - Albert Bartlett Hurdle - Crystal Glory

In a very strongly run event, one of three over the CD on the day, the impressive winner Hillcrest went to the top of my ratings for the Albert Bartlett hurdle at the festival. He burned off impressive recent winner Green Book by the two-mile mark but Crystal Glory, more patiently ridden, kept tabs with him most of the way up the straight and was ultimately only beaten eight lengths in receipt of 5lbs. With the winner going up to 148, a literal interpretation of the form at a pound to a length would have the runner-up on 135. He's been raised to 131.

I think 148 undervalues the winner and I don't think a pound per length applies in heavy ground at three miles. I reckon Crystal Glory is 150 horse waiting to happen. He just needs to recover from this excellent effort in tough conditions.
 
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Post #22 Pic D'orhy runs tomorrow 2:25 Kempton, early price 2/1 - has run twice since post W, 3rd/5
 
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Post #22

Desert Orchid said:
Last Friday at Newbury - Pic D'Orhy (novice chasing)

I had a sizeable bet on this one so was very interested in the race. The one thing that struck me was the strong early pace. This was strictly no messing. In fact, it reminded me of the 3m novice chase at Newbury in which Native River beat Un Temps Pour Tout (a race I'm wont to mention).

The game plan was clearly to make it a proper race and he had some good horses stone cold leaving the cross fence. My thought as he turned for home included an expletive to accompany a question of how far he was going to win. Seconds later, I'm shouting, "Cobden, no!!!" as even to my amateur eye he was not meeting the fence right.

Of course, the horse got too close at that pace and had no chance of recovering.

I can't help thinking he was going to put up the top novice performance of the season to date, possibly pushing 170 although it's possible he could have gone well clear and eased down a lot, or maybe just run out of steam, who knows?

The worry is that he now doesn't have a good completion rate but he does, to me, have one hell of an engine.

Hopefully they'll find an easy confidence booster next time before taking on the G2s and G1s. Alternatively, they might put him by and plot him up for the big handicaps next season ahead of targeting the better races at Cheltenham.

Whether he is one to back next time is a moot point but he is most certainly one to note.
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... and this is what I wrote elsewhere ahead of tomorrow:

Pic D’Orhy is well up to scratch for an average winner of this race and I think he’s a fair bit better than his rating. I’d be very confident but for the presence of Millers Bank which went up to 153 for placing in the G1 Aintree Hurdle (so should be a 163-ish novice chaser). Two unseats over fences isn’t an ideal record to bring into this race but the engine is there.

Pic D'Orhy would be a candidate for the odds-on thread but for Millers Bank.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Post #22




... and this is what I wrote elsewhere ahead of tomorrow:

Pic D’Orhy is well up to scratch for an average winner of this race and I think he’s a fair bit better than his rating. I’d be very confident but for the presence of Millers Bank which went up to 153 for placing in the G1 Aintree Hurdle (so should be a 163-ish novice chaser). Two unseats over fences isn’t an ideal record to bring into this race but the engine is there.

Pic D'Orhy would be a candidate for the odds-on thread but for Millers Bank.
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The correct conclusion is that you bet Millers Bank at 9/2.
 
I'm not convinced MB has the beating of PDO, though, and his unseats would be a worry. Maybe PDO without MB would be the safest play.
 
I'd be very wary of Pic D'Orhy coming off the back of a hard race. Nicholls horses have run deplorably this season when being turned out quickly again.
 
PN has a runner in one of the highly sought after prizes of the season the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novice Chase against one of the best young chasers seen out this season and stops him in front of the entire racing world.....Jackanory jackanory jackanory welcome to kiddies corner :lol: You wonder why I think he's clueless.......gimme a break

Pic D'Orhy was off for his life and Harry Cobden tried at one stage to kick on but the fav was going so well that just wasn't going to happen.

He was right there and was given every chance by his rider but crashed through the 5th last and continued to jump poorly at the rest.
Going to the last in 2nd place the horse was out on his feet and his jockey let him clamber over it being the safest option on a tired horse.

He understandably lost 2nd place on the run in.

He turns out today for the grade 2 Pendil which looks a tricky contest but he should get an easy lead in this being the only front runner.

You couldn't say his costly bad error that he made at Sandown was unforced he was taking on one of the country's top novices.

If he can have a flawless round of jumping he should go close.

This is a huge step up in class for Nicky Henderson's mare but she's getting 12lbs from him so I'd be happy to have my 10 quid on her.
 
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Desert Orchid said:
... and this is what I wrote elsewhere ahead of tomorrow:

Pic D’Orhy is well up to scratch for an average winner of this race and I think he’s a fair bit better than his rating. I’d be very confident but for the presence of Millers Bank which went up to 153 for placing in the G1 Aintree Hurdle (so should be a 163-ish novice chaser). Two unseats over fences isn’t an ideal record to bring into this race but the engine is there.

Pic D'Orhy would be a candidate for the odds-on thread but for Millers Bank.
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Nice to have got something right today...
 
Bonjers said:
Well done winners. Cracker from Cobden.
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Proper ride, giving the horse a strong decision going into the last. Don’t often see that anymore. Unlike the Moore brothers who seem to do everything possible to confuse their mounts into making a mistake at the last!
 
MONMIRAL

Fontwell 27 February
Royalequestrian Bedding And Manor Elite Horsebox National Spirit Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)
2m3f, Class 1, £51,255
Going: Good To Soft

Despite being extremely grumpy watching my good bet touched off by a 20/1 shot I was impressed by Monmiral’s run. He raced prominently, was still bang there approaching the last and then faded fast as lack of full fitness told without being given a hard time. Nicholls had been upfront about it beforehand and not sure how he started favourite even though he was probably the class horse of the race.

He’s taking on race-fit horses and this will be like his first run of the season as he was struck into at Newcastle in November and spent a month at the vets. He’s fit enough to run, but he’s going to improve for it. It will be a tough task. The plan is to go to Aintree from here.

A class horse, I think this run has put him right up there and wherever he goes I think he will feature.
 
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barjon said:
MONMIRAL

Fontwell 27 February
Royalequestrian Bedding And Manor Elite Horsebox National Spirit Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)
2m3f, Class 1, £51,255
Going: Good To Soft

Despite being extremely grumpy watching my good bet touched off by a 20/1 shot I was impressed by Monmiral’s run. He raced prominently, was still bang there approaching the last and then faded fast as lack of full fitness told without being given a hard time. Nicholls had been upfront about it beforehand and not sure how he started favourite even though he was probably the class horse of the race.

He’s taking on race-fit horses and this will be like his first run of the season as he was struck into at Newcastle in November and spent a month at the vets. He’s fit enough to run, but he’s going to improve for it. It will be a tough task. The plan is to go to Aintree from here.

A class horse, I think this run has put him right up there and wherever he goes I think he will feature.
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Given the size of the pot, I thought ne'd be up for it too, BJ, but the lack of a proper pace didn't help him. Reckon he'd need softer, or a stern pace to win around Aintree.
Still has a CH entry, though.
 
Having taken note of Nicholls warning I was betting against him, reet. Thought Brewin'upastorm had to be a good bet and I was busy counting my money until the no-hoper pinched it.
 
Post #75 Bold Plan runs tomorrow 3:37 Newbury, early price 11/2 - has Won since post
 
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MAJOR DUNDEE


Newbury 5 March
BetVictor Play Pick 6 For Free Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (Jacky Upton Trophy) (GBB Race)
2m7½f, Class 3, £6,535.20
Going: Soft


An enquiry was held to consider interference from after jumping the last fence involving the winner, FUJI FLIGHT (FR), ridden by Charlie Deutsch and MAJOR DUNDEE (IRE), placed second, ridden by Tom Cannon. After viewing a recording of the incident and hearing the evidence of both riders, it was found that no interference had taken place as Cannon stated that he had being riding a finish with his head down and had to correct his mount at the last moment to avoid the running rail adjacent to the water jump.

It looked to me that Major Dundee had just got his head in front immediately before Tom Cannon had to take evasive action which lost him a bit of momentum. Whether he would have kept it there given the strong finish of the winner is open to question, but it was a fine run by Major Dundee. He was going for a hat-trick and this was his first race after slight injury problems. Ran off 129 and I think he should remain very competitive unless the handicapper is draconian.
 
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