DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY JANUARY 2
12.10 AYR
The novice hurdle won by Decorated Hero at Kelso last month was, according to the numbers, a useful race of its kind, and YOUNG GETAWAY did more than enough in finishing a creditable third to suggest he could do better over today’s longer trip.
Noted travelling well enough turning for home, Nicky Richards’ gelding just couldn’t quite live with the two who kicked clear from two out, but he did keep on well enough to finish encouragingly and in a race that was quite strongly run, his time figure came out as his best so far to date.
Similarly, the six-year-old also expressed the same traits over two miles behind the smart Country Mile over today’s course on his hurdles debut previously and now returning to the Scottish venue with an extra half a mile to help his cause, he looks sure to be one of the leading players.
YOUNG GETAWAY – 1-point win@
12.25 HUNTINGDON
GEORGE’S LAD caught a tartar in the shape of Miami Magic on his second start over hurdles at Kempton last time out, but it was still a promising effort all the same and with the possibility of more to come, Emma Lavelle’s inmate can make a bigger impact in this similar affair.
Quite keen in the early exchanges at the Sunbury track, the five-year-old was noted doing some sterling late work in the final half a mile of the contest, when the tempo was at its strongest, and it was a performance that boded well for the future.
Since that race two months ago, the winner has gone on to run well in Grade 1 company and with the third winning along with the fourth and fifth being placed, the form has worked out as well as the data suggested it might.
With the greatest respect to today’s field, there is unlikely to be a horse of Miami Magic’s magnitude in its midst and with connections seemingly going out of their way to find a similar track layoff to the one he encountered 38 days ago, the son of Order Of St George is fully expected to play a leading role in the outcome.
GEORGE’S LAD – 1-point
2.50 AYR
Time may tell HASHTAG BOUM (best price 4-1) faced an impossible task trying to keep tabs on Jingko Blue at Uttoxeter last time out, but she still took the scalps of some notable young chasers in the process and a repeat of a similar standard of performance makes her an irresistible force in this weaker race on paper.
Seemingly thrown into the lion’s den at the Midland venue, Ruth Jefferson’s mare was probably a shade lucky to finish second when the strongly fancied Jagwar made a bad mistake at the last when still in with a remote chance of justifying favouritism but either way, the data suggest it was a fair effort to finish nine lengths behind the impressive winner.
Additionally, the useful pair Theatre Man and Rambo T were well beaten off in behind and with only the promising President Scottie remotely considered as being in that sort of class in today’s contest, connections of the daughter of Al Namix should have firm game in their bid to topple the favourite.
HASHTAG BOUM – 1-point win@4-1