Court In Motion

Court In Motion has always been highly regarded by connections, and he took another step towards fulfilling that potential when he hacked up in a two-mile-five-furlong Grade 2 novices’ hurdle at Warwick on Saturday. Although the value of the form is an unknown at this stage, it was hard not to be impressed by the son of Fruits Of Love, who seemed to revel in the heavy ground. Held up out the back by Aiden Coleman, he was always travelling well and he made good ground up towards the leaders down the back straight. He hit the front as far out as the third last, fully five furlongs from home, but he was the only horse still on the bridle at that point. He simply went further and further clear up the straight, without Coleman having to move a muscle, to win in the style of a really smart sort.

This was a more than pleasing performance from Emma Lavelle’s gelding, who had finished second to the smart-looking Backspin in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury on his previous run. This was just his second win from six starts over hurdles, but there have been excuses: he has met some decent sorts, like Oscar Whisky, the ill-fated Peveril and the afore-mentioned Backspin, and he was also about to win on his debut over hurdles at Exeter when he stumbled after the last and fell.

It could be that the very testing conditions are necessary for him to be seen at his best, he seemed to revel in the heavy ground here. He apparently goes for the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the festival now and that race should suit him very well. Three miles shouldn’t be a problem and, although the ground is unlikely to be very soft, that three-mile contest takes place late in the week, and the ground can be cut up by then, and that can take a lot of getting for novices.

15th January 2011