Beaumont’s Party

Mentioned here before when fourth in a Goodwood handicap on his final start last season, Beaumont’s Party was most impressive in landing a handicap at Chester on Saturday. You could have easily forgiven him his previous run at Newmarket where he led a remote group of three into the headwind against the stands rail in the hot handicap on 2000 Guineas day won by Hunt Cup favourite Green Destiny, where he possibly still needed it slightly after appearing to blow up on his seasonal return in the Flat v Jump Jockeys handicap at Sandown having travelled well into the race. Andrew Balding’s gelding gained due compensation here, having the pace to adopt a handy position despite being drawn 11 of 11, travelling really well throughout and picking up impressively at the top of the home straight to come clear. This was just his third run for Andrew Balding after the trainer picked him up cheaply at the Horses-in-Training Sale last year, and he remains highly progressive. He coped with the step up in trip really well, this was his first try at a distance in excess of nine furlongs, and it looks like being his optimum now. He stays well, but he is not devoid of pace.

Turned out just three days later under a 6lb penalty at Chepstow, actually down a grade into a Class 5, he barely had to break sweat to justify odds of 8/13. He has been raised a total of 17lb for his two latest wins, which is a pity as he did not win the Chepstow race any more easily than he should have under a 6lb penalty. He is in the Class 2 10-furlong handicap at Epsom on Friday, on a mark of 89, 3lb lower than his new mark, which sees him set to carry 8st 11lb, and that could be more than manageable, despite the fact that he is stepping up in grade to Class 2. He is also entered in the mile and a half handicap on the Saturday, but he is set to take his chance on Friday. Despite the big rise in class he looks set to take, Beaumont’s Party comes into the race as one of the form horses and he could go very well. The fact that he handled Chester so well augurs well for Epsom. On top of this, Balding’s horses have struck a rich vein of form recently, he had a cross-card treble on Monday, and the yard’s runners are always to be noted at Epsom where he has a better than one in four record. This High Chaparral gelding has clearly thrived for the switch to Kingsclere, and, Epsom aside, he could be worth following for a little while yet.

21st May 2011