Chasingouttheblues
Chasingouttheblues did really well to stay on to finish third in the Pertemps qualifier at Haydock on Saturday. Held up along the inside early on by Jamie Hamilton behind a moderate pace - the winner's finishing speed was over 109% of his overall speed - he got a little out-paced when they quickened at the top of the home straight, and he was badly hampered at the third last flight when Minella Sixo fell in front of him. He did well to remain on his feet at that point, but he lost ground and significant momentum. His chance of winning was gone at that point, and he was beaten by almost nine lengths in the end by the winner One Big Bang, but he did well to recover his equilibrium and to stay on to get the better of favourite Jipcot for third place.
Mark Walford's horse has won his previous two races and, while he didn't complete the hat-trick, this was another step forward. He obviously stays well, he won over an extended three miles on soft ground at Ayr on his previous run and, while he probably won't be rated highly enough in order to get into the Pertemps Final, he will be of interest in another staying handicap hurdle now. He is only six and he has raced just six times over hurdles, so he has plenty of potential for further progression as a staying hurdler in the short term. The premier handicap hurdle at Aintree would be a legitimate target, he obviously goes well at Haydock, and he has won at Ayr and Wetherby, all three tracks are left-handed relatively flat tracks, like Aintree. The bottom weight in last year's renewal of the Aintree race was rated 120, so there is every chance that he will get into the race. Longer term, out of a half-sister to The Storyteller and Stellar Story, he is a staying chaser in the making.
Haydock, 15th February 2025
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