Impulsive One

Impulsive One was impressive in winning the Scottish Triumph Hurdle at Musselburgh on Sunday. They went fast early on, as Inca Prince and Sonning took each other on in front. Impulsive One didn’t ignore the pace, he sat just behind it in third under James Bowen, the front three clear. Inca Prince and Sonning both came under a ride at the top of the home straight, as the rest of the field closed up behind the first three, with the fillies Innatendue and Calvados both looking dangerous. But James Bowen never looked worried, he actually had a quick look behind him on the run to the final flight, but when he asked his horse to pick up, the response from Impulsive One was impressive. He came away from his rivals readily and won impressively.

It was significant that the other two horses who raced in the leading group of three with him, including the joint favourite Inca Prince, faded to finish fifth and sixth of the six runners and, while Impulsive One wasn’t up in the teeth of the pace, he wasn’t far off it. An 81-rated horse on the flat for William Haggas, he won his first two races over hurdles for Nicky Henderson last autumn, and he was only just beaten in a Grade 2 contest at Doncaster in December. He was only a neck behind Porticello, who won the Grade 1 Finale Hurdle at Chepstow next time. He was Nicky Henderson’s only runner at Musselburgh over the course of the two-day meeting, which is interesting, it may have been that he went there for the better ground or the flatter track or both. He may be below the very best juvenile hurdlers this season, but he will still be of interest if he goes for the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton, another flat track, and Aintree could be his target instead of Cheltenham.
Musselburgh, 6^th February 2022