God’s Own

God’s Own did well to get up for second place behind Third Intention in the Old Roan Chase after he was very badly hampered at the third last fence.

Weak in the market beforehand, Tom George’s horse travelled and jumped for Adrian Heskin through the early stages of the race, and he had manoeuvred himself into a challenging position from the rear as they rounded the home turn. All seven runners were still in contention at that point, but God’s Own travelled better than most in behind horses on the run to the second last. He was among horses, however, and he had nowhere to go when Royal Regatta made a mistake in front of him. Heskin had to snatch him up quickly and, from travelling well just behind the leaders and about to deliver a challenge, he was quickly shuffled back to sixth of the seven runners on the run to the second last fence. Still sixth jumping that fence, his rider got him back balanced and asked him to improve, which he did. He was third jumping the last, and he ran on strongly up the run-in to take second place from Vibrato Valtat at the line, getting to within two lengths of the winner Third Intention.

It was a fine run by the Oscar gelding on his seasonal debut, and he can be marked up a fair bit on the bare form of the run. He would have got even closer to the winner without that incident at the third last. He is often an under-rated horse, but he is high-class, as he proved yet again last spring when he won Grade 1 contests at Aintree, after Vautour had departed, and Punchestown, where he beat Vautour and Simonsig. He does go well at Aintree, his record there now reads 212, all three races in Grade 1 contests, but he does jump to his right and he is probably even better on right-handed tracks. It does appear that he is at his best, though, in the autumn and in the spring, he is probably not a horse for the December/January depths of winter racing, but he remains an interesting horse, ideally on a right-handed track and away from the deep winter ground.

23^rd October 2016