Adams Island

Although he disappointed in the valuable three-and-a-half-mile handicap chase won by Blazing Bailey at Ffos Las on Saturday, his run was probably too bad to be true and Adams Island deserves another chance. The Rebecca Curtis-trained gelding travelled and jumped well through first half of the race, and having raced in mid-division of the 11-runner field over the first few fences, he joined the leader Minella Four Star as they went out the back on their first circuit. He travelled well up there with David Pipe’s horse, and he was still there by the time they had come round again, but his jumping started to deteriorate from that point. He made a mistake at the sixth last, halting his momentum and appearing to affect his confidence, resulting in consecutive slow jumps at the next two fences. As they turned into the straight, it was fairly clear he was fighting a losing battle and his rider Aodhagan Conlon wasn’t hard on him, letting him come home in his own time after jumping the third last.

Adams Island looked like a progressive staying chaser coming into this race, a seven-year-old who had run just four times over fences. He was a good winner at Doncaster previously, where he made all to beat Mostly Bob, who franked that form by winning impressively by eight lengths over the same course and distance on his next start. Prior to that, Adams Island put a decent effort to finish third, not beaten all that far by RSA Chase contender Wymott in a decent three-mile novice chase at Exeter. He was weak in the market before this race, and the run was simply too bad to be true. He will have to get his confidence back over fences, but he is deserving of another chance after this. Also, it may have been the extra four furlongs that didn’t suit him, and so a return to three miles could be on the cards now. He handles soft ground and good ground, and he remains progressive. He could be underrated now next time.

5th February 2011