The Brimming Water

The Brimming Water did well to win the three-mile handicap hurdle at Newbury on Saturday. Always travelling well for Sam Twiston-Davies just behind the leaders, he made a mistake at the final flight in the back straight, but he was quickly back on the bridle and travelling well across the top of the track. He travelled best of all at the top of the home straight, and he jumped the third last flight well. He had to engineer racing room for himself on the run to the second last flight, which wasn’t ideal, but he jumped that flight well, and he moved on with Coeur De Lion. Coeur De Lion went about a half a length in front at the final flight, but Sam Twiston-Davies didn’t really go for his horse until half way up the run-in and, when he did, The Brimming Water responded well, and he stayed on all the way to the line to get home by three parts of a length from Coeur De Lion, with Risk And Roll and The Big Breakaway closing them both down close home.

Winner of his maiden hurdle for Eric McNamara at Fairyhouse last March, when he sprang an 80/1 shock, the Yeats gelding has continued his progression since he joined Samuel Drinkwater at the start of this season. He beat a talented horse in Unexpected Party in a handicap hurdle over Christmas – Unexpected Party won at Ascot next time and is now rated 18lb higher than he was then – and he put up a good performance in finishing third behind Small Present and Tokyo Getaway on his first attempt at three miles next time at Haydock. It appeared that he was caught for stamina that day, but that was on soft ground at Haydock, and he saw out the three-mile trip well here on better ground at Newbury in his first-time tongue-tie. A 3lb hike is not harsh, and will be of interest in another three-mile handicap hurdle now as we move into the spring. He has raced just eight times over hurdles and he is still progressive.
Newbury, 12^th February 2022