Peveril

Peveril won the two-and-a-half-mile novices’ hurdle at Leicester on Sunday with a lot more in hand than the winning margin of merely a length suggests. Always travelling well in the front rank, he took it up on the inside, going well under Andrew Tinkler at the top of the home straight. A number of them travelled well down to the third last, including Daring Origyn and Azulada Bay, and Peveril was a little slow at that flight, but he still emerged in front. Much better at the second last, he moved on nicely between the last two flights, and looked to have the race in safe keeping. However, another slow jump at the last – when his rider allowed him slow into it and just go in and pop it, with the result that he landed a little flat-footed and lost all momentum – allowed the others in. Actually, it looked like Azulada Bay was going to sweep past on the outside, but Peveril got going again and surged on to win by a length.

This wasn’t a great performance on the face of it from Peveril, he only scrambled home and the time wasn’t good, but he could be under-rated next time as a result, and it was more impressive than it first appears. There was a lot to like about the attitude that Peveril displayed for starters, his ability and willingness to get going again when he could have chucked it when challenged. As well as the attitude, the fact that he was able to get going again after losing momentum with his deliberate jump at the last also suggests that he had plenty of energy left. He is a big strapping chasing sort, as you would expect from a horse owned by Trevor Hemmings and trained by Nicky Henderson, so it is probable that he will not come into his own until he jumps fences, but he can still be effective over the smaller obstacles. He won his bumper at Haydock last April and he is obviously highly regarded at home. He is worth keeping an eye on next time.

29th November 2009