Kornati Kid

Kornati Kid struggled to win the Towton Chase, the three-mile-one-furlong novices’ chase, at Wetherby on Saturday. Niggled along by Tom O’Brien from more than a circuit out, he always looked ill at ease, and it wasn’t until the Ferdy Murphy horse Poker De Sivola crashed out at the second last that it looked like Kornati Kid might prevail. Even at that, he was all out to get the better of long-time leader Will Be Done on the run-in.

On the face of it, it looked like the seven-year-old needed every yard of the trip, and that may be the case. He is by stamina influence Kayf Tara out of a mare who won a hunter chase over three miles and three furlongs. However, it may also be that Kornati Kid wasn’t happy going left-handed. Certainly, he seemed to lack confidence at his fences, particularly when he was jumping among horses, and he did show a tendency to want to go to his right. Both of his wins over hurdles and his sole win over fences before Saturday were achieved at right-handed tracks. He is in both the RSA Chase and the four-miler at Cheltenham, but he may be even better going right-handed, and he would be interesting if he was allowed take his chance in the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot on 14th February.

© The Irish Field, 7^th February, 2009