Aimigayle

Although she was eventually pulled up, there was much to like about the performance put up by Aimigayle on her first run for over 15 months in the Class 2 Totesport Masters Handicap Chase at Sandown last Saturday. She took the field along, jumping very nimbly in the main for one who had been off for as long as she had, with the exception of the first of the Railway fences first time round which she ploughed through. Beat The Boys moved up to press her going out on the final circuit but Aimigayle’s jumping kept her in front until the Railway fences. She moved back through to the front turning out of the back straight, apparently going better than most, but she soon started to struggle and she was left behind by the front six over the Pond Fence, eventually pulling up before the last.

The ground was much softer than the official description of good according to race times on the day, and that wouldn’t have suited her, especially first time back, as all her from has come on a sound surface, nor would the fact that she was taken on for the lead by Beat The Boys and probably went faster than she wanted to go. She did travel and jump well though, and it may pay to retain faith in her now as the ground gets better. The handicapper has felt the need to drop her 7lb for this effort which means she is back down to a mark of 127, the same mark off which she won the EBF Mares’ Final at Newbury two seasons ago. She is still only eight and, given the way she went for a long way here, she will be very interesting now on a sound surface next off that mark.

5th February 2011