I Like To Move It

The majority of the field were well grouped for much of the race in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last Saturday, and yet it was the hold-up horses who came to the fore. The winner Glory And Fortune was eighth as they left the back straight, the third home First Street was 12th, the fourth home Lord Baddesley was 14th and the fifth home Soaring Glory was 13th of the 14 runners. I Like To Move it was fourth, and he did well to finish second in the race, beaten just a short head by Glory And Fortune.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse travelled well through his race, he travelled well into the home straight, and he moved up nicely on the far side on the run to the third last flight. He travelled well down to the second last, and he battled on well from there on the far side, just failing to reel the winner back in, with the pair of them finishing almost three lengths clear of their rivals. It was a nice step forward by the Trans Island gelding, after he finished last of five behind Jonbon in the Kennel Gate Hurdle at Ascot before Christmas. He had won his previous three races, including the Grade 2 Sharp Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham’s November meeting, and this was a resumption of the progress that he showed then. He holds an entry in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, but he would be of greater interest if he lined up in the County Hurdle instead. A 4lb hike for his Betfair Hurdle run up to a mark of 142 was not harsh, he is progressive and he is obviously proven in big-field handicaps now, and he is two for two over hurdles at Cheltenham.
Newbury, 12^th February 2022