Highway One O One

Highway One O One ran a fine race to finish fourth in the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase. Prominent from early, he wasn’t overly fluent over his fences early on, he was slow at the cross-fence first time, with the result that he found himself in behind Westend Story and ultimate winner Benn’s King. He kept with them though and, even though he was being niggled along by Tom Cannon early enough, he kept finding for pressure, and he almost joined the leader at the third last fence, at which point it looked like he might take a hand in the finish. Bennys King and Samategal got away from him from there, but he still kept on well enough to get back up for fourth place.

It was a good run by Chris Gordon’s horse, racing over the longest trip over which he had ever raced. He saw out the two-mile-six-furlong distance well though, and he raced as if he could improve again for a step up to three miles. He could also improve again if he could improve on his fluency over his fences. He has run well too at Cheltenham in the past, and on softer ground than this, so he will be of interest if and when he returns to Cheltenham. He is only seven, and there could still be a good handicap in him off this type of mark in the mid-140s.

Newbury, 30^th November 2019