Frero Banbou

Frero Banbou took a nice step forward in winning the two-mile handicap chase at Lingfield last Friday. Held up early on by Charlie Deutsch, he went wide down the far side, and he made good ground around the outside as they raced to the end of the back straight. He and the early leader Eclair D’Ainay had it between them from the top of the home straight, and it was a good battle between the pair of them over the last three fences, but you always felt that Frero Banbou was travelling the better, and he duly prevailed, forging clear on the run-in to win by a length in a good time, with the first two miles clear of their rivals.

Winner of a handicap chase at Sandown last March off a mark of 124, Venetia Williams’ horse had run well in two competitive two-mile handicap chases this season, at Newbury and at Cheltenham. He seemed to enjoy the heavy ground last Friday, and he seemed to enjoy being held up in behind horses and making his ground. The handicapper raised him by 6lb to a mark of 140, but he has just turned seven and there could still be more to come from him off that mark, ideally held up off a fast pace over two miles on soft ground.
Lingfield, 21^st January 2022