Whatsnotoknow

Whatsnotoknow did well to finish third in the Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown on Sunday, given that he raced prominently from early in a race in which the hold-up horses came to the fore. Quickly settled into a nice racing rhythm by Shane O’Callaghan, Mouse Morris’ horse jumped well and he travelled well just behind the leaders. He moved to the front on the inside as they left the back straight after jumping the fourth last flight, and he travelled easily in front over the second last, before coming under a ride as they rounded the home turn. He couldn’t hold off Sassy Yet Classy’s challenge, and he weakened on the run-in, he was caught by Dallas Des Pictons for the runner-up spot.

It was still a really good run in a race in which the prominent racers probably weren’t favoured. He was one of a leading group of six that had a small break on the rest of the field from early. Of those six horses, Commander Of Fleet fell at the second last flight when he was admittedly still travelling well, but First Touch weakened and finished 13th, and Edison Kent was starting to weaken when he made a bad mistake at the fourth last and was ultimately pulled up. They were both well fancied in the market. Lord Gillygooley was starting to weaken when he was hampered by Edison Kent, and Foxy Jacks weakened to finish ninth. So none of the other five horses who, with Whatsnotoknow, raced in the group of six that raced to the fore early on, finished better than ninth. Mouse Morris’ horse is only six, and this was his first attempt at three miles. He did weaken close home, but he is worth another attempt at the trip now, perhaps ridden a little more conservatively. The form of his previous run at Punchestown is working out well too through the winner Aldo The Apache, who is now rated 20lb higher than he was then, and Whatsnotoknow will be interesting in another handicap now off his mark in the mid-120s. He is unexposed over fences too, and he will be of interest if and when he goes back over the larger obstacles.
Punchestown, 14^th November 2021