November 11 – Carlisle – Asta La Pasta – 73
Just the three went to post for this novices’ handicap chase and even though we lost the favourite, Pic Roc, at an early stage, the time figure produced by the winner was still very good – suggesting he had gone a proper gallop. Jumping much better throughout than he did on his chase debut at Ffos Las, Dan Skelton’s inmate should kick on from this performance and he he may well prove better over this sort of trip (2m4f) over fences.
November 13 – Bangor – Jagwar – 64
Well backed when scoring on chase debut, there was also plenty of support for the son of Karaktar to follow up at the Welsh venue and despite making one or two notable errors on the way around, he still came through strongly to justify the confidence beforehand. Moreover, his main market rival, Lowry’s Bar, had, in contrast, jumped superbly throughout which makes the performance of the five-year-old even more praiseworthy under the circumstances. The fact the pair were well clear in a time that came out comparatively well to the listed race won by Shecouldbeanything points towards the him and the runner-up being two to keep on side for the foreseeable future and it would come as no surprise if the winner ended up in the revamped novices’ handicap chase at the Cheltenham festival later in the season.
November 15 – Cheltenham – Potters Charm – 65
A race dominated in the betting beforehand by the two previous winners at the Showcase meeting and it was the superior stamina of Nigel Twiston-Davies’ inmate that proved the decisive factor. Racing upsides his main market rival for the first two miles, connections were obviously keen not to let Valgrand dictate a slow pace in front and from the second last, it soon became apparent he was going best. Scooting up the hill, the five-year-old pulled readily clear and his winning speed figure matched the one he produced a month earlier. Clearly towards the fore of the early season novices’ over this trip (2m4f), the son of Valirann will probably have the Gallagher’s Novices’ Hurdle as his main target and will worked back from that race in the interim.
November 16 – Cheltenham – East India Dock – 74
For once, a juvenile contest run at a proper gallop from the start and it produced a performance right out of the top drawer. Impressive on his debut at Wincanton, the market very much favoured James Owen’s inmate building on that initial effort and at no point did he ever not look like justifying those pre-race thoughts. Tracking the strong pace set by Static, the son of Golden Horn cruised upsides the front runner on the run to two out and once easing into the lead rounding the home turn, he simply took off up the run-in. Recording a resounding 18 length success, his winning speed figure we awarded strongly suggest he is one of the best three-year-olds we have witnessed in recent years and even though it is a relatively early stage of the season, there’s a strong possibility his display won’t be matched by anything either side of the Irish Sea, In short, he thoroughly deserves to be towards the head of the market for the Triumph Hurdle and even though there is likely to be strong opposition emerging from various sources during the rest of the campaign, we wouldn’t put anyone off taking his current odds of 9-1 for the Cheltenham showpiece.
November 16 – Cheltenham – Il Ridoto – 76
As ever, a well-contested renewal of the Paddy Power Chase run at a sound gallop and, one of several course specialist beforehand, Paul Nicholl’s inmate added to his already impressive cv. Showing the benefit from his seasonal bow at Chepstow, the seven-year-old readily went two places better than he did last year and on the evidence of this display, he is likely to prove a potent force in similar races throughout the remainder of the season.
November 17 – Navan – The Yellow Clay – 67
Gordon Elliott has taken advantage of Willie Mullins sitting on his hands with some of his best novices in the early part of the season and this five-year-old is one of several who have reaped the rewards. However, that should not detract from the fact the son of Yeats is a potentially top class novice hurdler in his own right and the performance he produced both visually and on the clock at the Meath venue backs up that view. Tracking the strong pace set by Where’s My Jet, he soon took command when the front runner gave way two out and from that point he readily drew clear. Obviously, tougher assignments lie ahead for this exciting prospect but he already looks to have a big engine and he thoroughly deserves to be mentioned as a Cheltenham horse. Whether he ends up in the Turner’s or Albert Bartlett only time will tell but he looks to have a touch of class and stamina in equal measures and he deserves to be kept on side accordingly.