Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation was really impressive in landing a Grade 2 novices’ hurdle over three miles at Doncaster on Saturday. He travelled strongly throughout and jumped well, so well, in fact, that Phil Kinsella had to take a tug on landing over a couple of his obstacles.

This may not have been the most competitive Grade 2 novices’ hurdle ever run, and there is no question that the fall of the 11/10 favourite On Raglan Road at the third last made it significantly easier for Cape Tribulation, but the winner looked to be travelling the better anyway, and he was mighty impressive in beating what was left after On Raglan Road’s departure. Runner-up Junior is a really decent staying second-season novice, who finished third in the Coral Cup last March off a mark of 133, who beat On Raglan Road in a Grade 2 contest at Sandown in December and who got to within six lengths of Diamond Harry in the Challow Hurdle on his previous run. Cape Tribulation beat him pointless, and the winning time was the best comparative time of the day.

While Malcolm Jefferson’s gelding is obviously effective on soft ground, he did win a bumper at Market Rasen on good ground on his racecourse debut, and he ran well to finish third in the Aintree bumper on good ground last April. Deserving of a rating of 86 on the flat, he is undoubtedly well suited by a test of stamina, which is what he will get in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham, if that is the route that his trainer chooses to go down. Even if he misses Cheltenham for Aintree, he looks like a horse worth following.

24^th January, 2009