Ante-post Angles Week 3 – The Fan Base
Ante-post Angles – Jeriko Du Weaponet?
I was lucky enough to be at Newbury on Friday for a very interesting seven race card. Talking horse Jeriko Du Reponet cantered to success in the first under a motionless Nico De Boinville. We didn’t learn a great deal and I look forward to seeing him upped in grade.
My gut instinct is he’s a galloper, Nico appeared ice cool, but his hands were fairly busy up the straight and the response from Jeriko wasn’t immediate. He’ll need a strong pace to aim at to be seen to best effect.
Ante-post Angles – Marie’s Flop leaves the old boys to battle out an epic finish
Elsewhere on the card, Marie’s Rock failed to fire in the Coral Long Distance Hurdle leaving old boys Dashel Drasher and Paisley Park to fight out the finish. Credit to both horses, they clearly love the game and are still running to a decent standard.
Hermes Allen was a good winner on chase debut, but I can’t help but think the runner up Nick Back didn’t help himself, putting in a round of jumping littered with mistakes. Tightenourbelts ran an eye-catching race in third and I’d say there’s plenty of races to be won with him, especially in handicap company off a mark of 136.
Ante-post Angles – Keep Ed on side going forward
The combination of Sam Thomas and Sam Twiston-Davies continues to bang in the winners, and the pair teamed up again to land the spoils in the lucky last with Ed Keeper for owner Dai Walters. He relished the step up to three miles and made a mockery of his mark. The handicapper has hit him with a 9lb rise but I believe there is plenty more to come.
He caught my eye in the parade ring before hand and physically looks a typical chaser in the making. Up to a mark of 133, I think there’s another handicap hurdle in him and looking further down the line, he could be an exciting novice chaser next season.
Ante-post Angles – Corbetts Cross lands fascinating novices’ chase
Corbetts Cross bounced back from a disappointing fencing debut to land an extremely competitive novices’ chase. His jumping was better, but he was still scruffy at a few. Travelling enthusiastically throughout, I thought Mark Walsh gave him a peach to produce him after the last. He stayed on strongly and put himself back in contention for the RSA.
Three Card Brag nearly made all and should be suited to going left-handed having jumped slightly left throughout. I think he has an abundance of stamina and I’d be interested in him for the National Hunt Chase. Monty’s Star jumped well on debut but I’m not entirely sure on where I stand with him. Well thought of as a novice hurdler, he disappointed in the Albert Bartlett last March. Along with the fourth Nick Rockett, I’ll be making a deeper assessment after their next start.
Ante-post Angles – Ballyburn beaten but the Ballymore now surely beckons
One of my major antepost hope’s and arguably the most hyped-up novice of the season, Ballyburn was defeated on hurdles debut. I thought he ran an excellent race and there was plenty of positives. Sporting his exceptionally low head carriage, he settled better than in his bumpers and jumped smartly throughout.
Quickening off a slow gallop, Ballyburn was unable to go with Firefox and he made a fiddley error at the second last. He learnt from that mistake and absolutely pinged the last before staying on all the way to the line. Given his pedigree is riddled with stamina and the fact he took a while to get going in his bumpers, I wasn’t at all surprised that Ballyburn was unable to sprint past Firefox.
Gordon Elliott’s son of Walk In The Park was vastly more experienced and race fit having had the six starts under rules, including hurdles experience, and a bumper run earlier this season. Ballyburn was also weak in the betting, and it is worth noting, he’s not the first high profile Mullins horse to drift before the off and run slightly below expectations on their first outing this season.
Credit to Firefox, he looks very smart and had the form in the book having beaten Ile Atlantique in a bumper last season. I’d imagine he’ll be kept to two miles for now, whilst a step up in trip surely beckons for Ballyburn. Who knows, maybe this novice hurdle will be reminiscent of Ferny Hollow vs Bob Olinger a few years back.
Ante-post Angles – Redknapp’s Arry can score later in the season
The Coral Gold Cup took centre stage at Newbury on Saturday, where Datsalrightgino ran out an impressive winner under an excellent Gavin Sheehan ride. The handicapper was clearly impressed and has subsequently slammed him with an 11lb rise. Graded company now surely awaits, but I believe this form could be worth following with a handful of beaten horses running eye catching races in defeat.
Placed horses Mahler Mission and Monbeg Genius shaped as though they may well be well suited to marathon trips, and both have obvious claims for the big one at Aintree in April. Midnight River was my selection in the race, and I thought Skelton was giving him a confident ride before he came crashing down at the 14th. He’s one I will be keeping on side moving forward.
These hotly contested handicap chases can often be a messy watch and I find you often concentrate on the horse you have backed. Despite being on Midnight River, my eye was constantly drawn to Shakem Up’Arry. Ben Pauling’s son of Flemensfirth sat up with the pace and travelled powerfully throughout. Bar a slight mistake at the second, he jumped superbly and tanked into the contest.
He clearly didn’t stay the three miles and two furlongs but a drop back in trip to either the intermediate trip or an easy three miles on a tighter track may really suit. Off an unchanged mark, he’s one I’ll be keeping an eye on.
Ante-post Angles – Plenty of long term prospects in the Royal Bond
The Royal Bond is often an underrated form line and that proved the case last year with the likes of Marine Nationale, Irish Point, Ashroe Diamond and Champ Kiely contesting the finish. An Tobar was sent off favourite and slightly disappointed, getting outpaced and falling back to third.
Henry described this horse as an Albert Bartlett type before a setback last season, so I think it speaks volumes for just how highly they rate him that he was allowed to take his chance here. He looks like a chaser and I have no doubt he will improve significantly for the step up in trip and looking further down the line when sent novice chasing. Don’t give up on him.
Farren Glory landed the spoils and he’s another who I think will be seen to best effect over further and like An Tobar will no doubt make a smashing novice chaser next season. King Of Kingsfield was second and with plenty of runs under his belt he’s like to be one of these wise guys handicap horses come Cheltenham.
He appears to be a tricky ride and I wouldn’t be convinced about his finishing effort. In the short term, the Royal Bond form may take a few knocks, but I think further down the line, a few of these will prove themselves as very smart types.
Ante-post Angles – Magic Mullins at it again with Maximus
I Am Maximus landed somewhat of a surprise by landing the Grade 1 Drinmore Novices’ Chase. This proved to be a masterful piece of race planning from Mullins, but I think Jody McGarvey deserves plenty of credit for his ride. He kept busy on Maximus and ensured he was in the fight turning for home.
Coming from an incredible Irish National success, it would have been easy to let the leaders get away, but Jody ensured I Am Maximus stayed in contention. I was slightly disappointed in Found A fifty who I expected to be bold from the front. Letsbeclearabout pinched the lead off him but seemed to empty when it mattered most. He’s a smart jumper and despite being campaigned as a stayer over hurdlers, I wouldn’t be against seeing him revert to the minimum trip.
Ante-post Angles – Underrated Teahupoo adds another scalp to his collection
Last season Teahupoo ended the unbeaten streak of the Mighty Honeysuckle and he’s done the same this year to the extremely exciting Impaire Et Passe. I thought there were huge positives to take from both runners. Teahupoo stayed on strongly in his favoured soft ground and Gordon hinted that he may head straight to Cheltenham. I wouldn’t be against that thinking given Teahupoo’s excellent record when fresh. He’s the one they all have to beat.
As for Impaire Et Passe, I thought he paid the price late on for racing keenly throughout. He looked like a horse making his first start of the season and his mid race exertions may have told late home. Travelling powerfully throughout, his jumping was a tad sloppy at times but fairly slick in the main. The step back down to two miles certainly looks like it could suit, and I’m convinced he has an abundance of speed.
He possesses the physique of a chaser and to my eye looked a scopey, leggy sort in the pre parade ring before the Ballymore. I don’t believe he is a better hurdler than stablemate State Man, but I do believe he has huge potential when sent novice chasing. It is worth remembering he is still only five so age is on his side. An extra season over hurdlers didn’t hurt a certain Footpad and this fella is classier hurdler that he was. I’m interested to see what Impaire Et Passe can do for the rest of this season, before we get involved again for the 2025 Arkle. He’ll be an airplane, just be patient!
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