Rydon Pynes

Rydon Pynes ran a big race to finish second to Upswing in the three-mile handicap hurdle at Newbury on Saturday.

Settled just behind the leaders and on the inside by Hadden Frost in the early stages, he travelled well, but got in a little tight to a couple of his obstacles, and he made a moderately significant error at the final flight in the back straight. Even so, he travelled well into the home straight and hit the front on the run to the second last flight.

Upswing tracked him on the far side at that point, apparently travelling far better, but the JP McManus horse was slow enough at the second last, and suddenly Rydon Pynes had about a four-length lead. He was still two lengths clear at the last, but he had been sent for home from a long way out on really tiring ground, and that, combined with the fact that AP McCoy was riding his challenger, enabled Upswing to get the better of him on the run-in.

Even so, there was a lot to like about this performance from Martin Hill’s horse. For starters, he was really weak in the market. He was a general 5/1 or 11/2 shot in the morning, but he was allowed go off a 9/1 shot, and he was bigger on Betfair. Also, this was his first run since last November, and there is every chance that he will come on for it, especially considering how weak he was in the market beforehand. On top of that, this was his first attempt at three miles, he went for home from a long way out on tiring ground, and he was only just caught by a well-fancied and well-backed favourite, after trading at 1.09 in-running.

Even though he was ultimately out-stayed, it is difficult to conclude that Rydon Pynes does not stay three miles. If he had been ridden a little more patiently, or if the ground had not been as holding as it was, he could easily have won, and that opens up options for him. The handicapper has raised him just 3lb to a mark of 128 for this, which looks lenient. There could be a good three-mile handicap hurdle in him off that mark.

He is only six, this was just his fourth run over hurdles and just the ninth run of his life under any code, so he has lots of scope for progression. He handles this soft ground well, but he can also operate on better ground, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next.

8th February 2014