21st-Dec-2019

Lord Du Mesnil has a real chance of winning the Tommy Whittle Chase.  Richard Hobson’s horse did well to win a handicap chase at Newcastle last time.  He led from flagfall and, although he was caught and passed by Sam’s Adventure when he got in tight to the second last fence, he battled back well on the far side, jumped the final fence well and stayed on strongly to get home by a neck.

That was a good run.  Sam’s Adventure is a progressive young chaser who had shaped well on his chasing debut, and the pair of them pulled nicely clear.

The handicapper raised Lord Du Mesnil by 5lb for that to a mark of 127, but he probably won with more in hand than the bare winning margin.  He was probably idling in front, he had been in front for a long way, and he found more when he was challenged.

He has had plenty of racing, but he is only six.  He still has plenty of scope for progression as a staying chaser.  Also, that was his first ever win.  There is every chance that that will be the catalyst that he needed in order to allow him progress again.

LORD DU MESNIL WON (ADV 7/1, SP 5/1)