Songe

Songe ran out a game and gutsy winner of the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday. He made nice headway from the top of the home straight, took second place behind Afsoun on the run to the second last, wore that one down on the approach to the last and kept on really strongly all the way to the line.

Fourth in the Triumph Hurdle last season, it appears that Songe’s chasing career has been put on hold for now. He ran fairly well on his debut over the larger obstacles behind Free World at Ascot, and then brook a blood vessel when taking on Araldur and Chapoturgeon at Warwick in November. He was seen a much better light back over hurdles in the Ladbroke at Ascot in December, when he stayed on well to take third place, just two lengths behind Sentry Duty. The Totesport Trophy is next on Songe’s radar, and that makes sense given how good a record five-year-olds have in the race. However, the 5lb penalty that he incurs for Saturday’s win means that he will be racing off a mark of 148 in the Totesport, which would leave him on 11st if top weight Snap Tie takes his chance. If Snap Tie comes out, however, that will leave Songe with at least 11st 5lb to carry, and that may be just too much.

17^th January, 2009