Corrigeen Rock

Corrigeen Rock was impressive in winning the two-mile handicap chase at Sandown last Friday.  It wasn’t ideal that he made a mistake at the first fence, nor that he was taken on for the early lead by Rose Sea Has.  He had to settle in second place behind his grey rival for the early part of the race, but he moved on into the lead at the entrance to the back straight, and he wasn’t headed thereafter.  His jumping down Sandown’s back straight was very good, he stretched his field out, and he travelled well to the Pond Fence.  He was joined at that obstacle by Darebin, but Derek Fox was still motionless on his back at that point and, when his rider asked him to pick up after they jumped the second last fence, his response was impressive. He went clear on the run to the last, where he was clever, and he kept on well up the run-in to win by seven lengths.

It was an authoritative performance by Lucinda Russell’s horse.  Winner of his only point-to-point for Denis Murphy, he won his maiden hurdle on his first run for his current trainer but, from the family of Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Tourist Attraction, he shapes as if he will be a fair bit better as a chaser than as a hurdler.  A faller in his first chase, he has now won his last two, and he shapes as if he will continue to climb.  The handicapper raised him by 9lb for Friday’s win, but he won well, and he should be progressive enough to take that type of hike in his stride.  He goes well on good to soft ground, and this two-mile trip is a good trip for him, given his really likeable enthusiastic style of racing and jumping.

Sandown, 2nd December 2022