Embittered

Embittered ran a big race in the two-mile-one-furlong beginners’ chase at Navan on Sunday. He went down by almost three lengths to Easywork in the end, but he ran really well in defeat and he was clear of the third horse.

He jumped the first three fences well, and Rachael Blackmore allowed him stride on as they passed the winning post first time. He jumped well in front down the back straight and, while a mistake at the cross fence didn’t help, he still travelled well in the lead into the home straight. He was challenged by Easywork on the run to the third last, and there wasn’t much between them on the run down to the second last, separated, as they were, by the width of the track. Embittered still led on landing over the second last, it wasn’t until they were on the approach to the final fence that he was headed, but he still kept on well up the run-in after he was passed to finish second, clear of Port Stanley in third.

Joseph O’Brien’s horse was a progressive young hurdler last season. He only won once, but he kept good company, he ran in the Royal Bond Hurdle and in the Future Champions Hurdle, and he ran a big race in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on his last run before Sunday. He did well to finish third behind Saint Roi that day, after racing prominently in a race in which the hold-up horses came to the fore. He was the only one of the first four home who raced prominently. He jumped his fences well here and, a half-brother to 145-rated chaser Precious Cargo, he should be winning his beginners’ chase soon before stepping up in grade.

Navan, 8th November 2020, © Sportinglife.com 9th November 2020