One For The Team

One For The Team ran better than the bare form of his run in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Tuesday suggests. He had a nice position early on, just behind the pace, but he made a slight mistake at the water jump on the final circuit, and he was slow at the ditch two fences later, with the result that he dropped back to ninth or 10th as they raced to the top of the hill. He was slow at the last ditch too, the fourth last fence, and he came under a ride from there. Still only ninth as they raced down the hill, he jumped the third last fence like a tired horse, but he stayed on well from there. He was about 10 or 12 lengths behind the leaders jumping the second last fence, but he stayed on from there to get up for fifth, past Discordantly and Alnadam, running on all the way to the line.

It was a game performance by Nick Williams’ horse. He hasn’t won yet over fences, but he was a progressive staying hurdler last season, and he ran a big race to get to within two lengths of Next Destination in a Grade 2 novices’ chase at Newbury’s Ladbrokes Trophy meeting last November. A rating of 140 could still under-rate him and, a seven-year-old who has raced just five times over fences, he still has potential to progress. Out of a half-sister to Grand National winner Rule The World, he could be better-suited by an even greater test of stamina. He goes well at Newbury, and he could be a horse for the Ladbrokes Trophy next November.
Cheltenham, 16^th March 2021