Myretown
Myretown had it all to himself up front on the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Tuesday, but it is probable that he was the best horse in the race by a fair way, that he would have won however the race had been run.
Lucinda Russell's horse had the sharpness to get away quickly from the standing start, and he had the pace to settle smartly into his racing rhythm. Patrick Wadge was able to set relatively easy fractions on him, but his jumping was very good in the main. The Dylan Thomas gelding travelled well in front to the home turn and, when his rider asked him to pick up, he came right away from his rivals over the final two fences. According to the RaceIQ figures, he was fastest of all through the final four furlongs of the race, over two seconds faster than the next fastest, and he was fastest of all through each of the last two furlongs, over a second and a half faster than his fastest rival through the penultimate furlong.
The handicapper raised Myretown by 15lb for this win, but you were expecting a hike of that type of magnitude, and there is every chance that he can be better too than his new mark of 142. This was just his fifth run over fences and just his ninth run under Rules, so there could be much more to come. He does jump a bit to his left, so it may be that he will continue to be at his best on left-handed tracks, so more likely Aintree or Ayr than Sandown or Punchestown or Fairyhouse, if he does race again this season. Looking further ahead, his trainer mentioned the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury as a potential target now, and that makes lots of sense.
Cheltenham, 11th March 2025
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