Ibleo

Ibleo ran out a cosy winner in the end of the two-mile handicap chase, but he did well to win, coming from the rear at a track at which prominent racers do well.

They went fast from early, as the two Gary Moore horses Darebin and Early Du Lemo took them along. Ibleo actually lined up handily, it looked like Charlie Deutsch wanted to be prominent, but he allowed him drop in over the first two fences behind the fast pace. He was well back down the back straight, he was still only seventh of the eight runners jumping the water. He got in tight to the first of the Railway Fences too, which wasn’t ideal, but he jumped the next two well, and he travelled well to the Pond Fence. He wasn’t helped by Moonlighter jumping across him a little at that fence, but he was back on an even keel around the home turn, he made good ground from the second last fence, switched and joined Paddy’s Poem half way up the run-in and stayed on nicely under just a hands-and-heels ride to win well.

It was a nice performance by Venetia Williams’ horse at a track that probably doesn’t play to his strengths. The fast pace helped him, brought his stamina into play, and it may well be that the pace just collapsed in front of him, but he still showed a really good attitude. He did run well over two and a half miles at Huntingdon on his last run last season, but a stiff two miles is probably optimal for him. Second in his first two runs this season, beaten a short head in the first and beaten by a talented horse in Sky Pirate in the second, this was just his sixth chase, so he should be able to improve again from this. He goes well on soft ground, and a good test at two miles suits him well.

Sandown, 2^nd January 2021