Make A Track

Make A Track was a little uneasy in the market prior to a beginners’ chase run over two miles and three furlongs at Naas on Saturday, but he jumped well throughout and only went down narrowly to Texas Jack, suggesting he could be a useful novice chaser this season.

He tracked Teelin Star for the first half of the race, the pair of them a little away clear, and he jumped economically. He jumped up to join the leader over the first fence on the final circuit, though Davy Russell was happy to take a pull. Russell had little choice down the side of the course though, as Make A Track jumped into the lead at the first of the three fences on that part of the track as Teelin Star started to struggle. That meant he was in front five fences from home, and that was probably sooner than ideal, especially against a horse like Texas Jack who likes to have something to aim at. He again jumped well over the second last and looked to have Texas Jack in trouble before Noel Meade’s horse came to join him over the last apparently travelling much better. Even then, Make A Track battled back on the run-in and made Texas Jack pull out plenty to prevail by a length. The rest of the field was well strung out in behind.

Charlie Swan’s gelding had had a run this term, in a hurdle race at Navan at the end of September, but he was very disappointing there, and it is likely that he will come on again for this run. He was a useful handicap hurdler last season, he finished fifth behind Citizenship in the Boylesports.com Hurdle and he was a close fourth to Attaglance in the Martin Pipe race at Cheltenham off a mark of 134. He jumped so well here that he should be a better chaser than he was a hurdler, he should stay further but he has the pace for two and a half miles – his dam is a half-sister to the Champion Hurdle winner Make A Stand. He may be slightly better on better ground, but he copes with soft ground no problem, and he may just be a bit under-rated now.

12th November 2012