Uncle Tom Cobley

Uncle Tom Cobley was impressive in getting off the mark at the third time of asking in a good two-mile beginners’ chase at Naas on Saturday. Always handy, the son of King’s Theatre took it up from the outsider Puddencullinan after the fourth fence. He travelled and jumped well in front, and he was the only one still on the bridle on the run to the second last. For whatever reason he jumped way out to his right at this fence, and from here Nicky O’Shea had to get to work on him, with Prince Erik looking a big threat on their outside. But he jumped the last much better, and he always seemed to be holding Dermot Weld’s horse, the pair of them coming eight lengths clear of the 8/15 favourite Cadspeed in third.

Uncle Tom Cobley had probably been just a bit unlucky to bump in to two useful recruits in Saludos and Lastoftheleaders on each of his previous two runs, but he looked quite useful himself here, in beating two useful sorts in Prince Erik and the Cadspeed, who had made a very promising start to his chasing career when finishing a close second to Torphichen on his seasonal debut. He pricked his ears on the run to the last, and he probably won with a fair bit more in hand than the winning margin suggests. The Conor O’Dwyer-trained gelding already is already shaping to be a better chaser than he was a hurdler (he is already rated 3lb higher over fences after just three runs), he is progressive and he will be interesting wherever he goes next. He should get further than two miles, he appears to be at his best on a galloping track with a cut in the ground, and he may be even better going right-handed.

2nd January 2011