Double W’s

Double W’s put up a really impressive performance to win the Red Rum Chase at Aintree on Friday.

Settled just behind the leaders by Brian Hughes behind a fairly frenetic pace that confirmed front-runners Gino Trail and Foxtail Hill set, he travelled well and his jumping was good. Fifth as they passed the winning post with a circuit to run, he got in too tight to the first fence in the back straight, but, that aside, his jumping was good. He moved up with Theinval as they started around the home turn, chased that rival between the last two fences, jumped the final fence in a dispute of the lead with him, then stayed on strongly up the run-in to get the better of Nicky Henderson’s horse, going on to win by a length.

It was a really likeable performance by Malcolm Jefferson’s horse. A dual winner over two miles over fences at the start of the season, the two and a half miles of the Close Brothers Chase at Cheltenham probably stretched him. He was much happier here, back over two miles behind a fast pace. Indeed, a fast-run two miles on good ground is probably ideal for him. He kept on well here to beat a talented and well-backed horse in Theinval, the pair of them finishing nicely clear, and the winning time was really good, 0.19secs/furlong faster than Racing Post par.

Double W’s has good form on flat tracks, but he finished third behind A Hare Breath in a good novices’ handicap hurdle at Cheltenham’s November meeting last season, and he won on his chasing bow at Carlisle last October, so he can go well too on undulating tracks.

The handicapper raised him 5lb for Thursday’s win, and that was not overly harsh. He is only seven and that was just his sixth chase, so he still has the scope to progress beyond his new handicap mark of 144. He will be of interest if he races again this season, and he could be progressive enough to step up into graded races next season.

6^th April 2017