Nurburgring

Nurburgring did well to finish fourth in the Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday. Wide and prominent early on from the standing start, he had drifted back into mid-division by the time they got around to the winning post with a circuit to go. He struggled a little bit to keep up with the pace as they raced down the back straight, so that he was only 11th or 12th jumping the ditch at the top of the hill. Widest of all on the run down the hill, he moved into sixth place as they raced around the home turn, and he kept on well over the last two fences for JJ Slevin to take fourth place. The winner Caldwell Potter won well, but Nurburgring was only two lengths behind the runner-up Anyway, and in another two strides he would have caught O'Moore Park for third.

This was a race in which it was an advantage to race handily and in which the pace was not overly strong, as evidenced by the winner's finishing speed of over 107% of overall speed. Caldwell Potter made all, while five of the first six home occupied five of the first six places jumping the ditch at the top of the hill, at which Nurburgring was 11th or 12th. Joseph O'Brien's horse did best by far of the horses who were back in the field.  

Last year's Galway Hurdle winner, the Bronsan Racing gelding hasn't won yet over fences, but he has been keeping good company, and his jumping is getting more and more fluent as he gains experience over the larger obstacles. He raced off a British rating of 143 on Thursday, and his Irish rating has been raised too by 3lb to that mark, but he has a hurdles mark of 150, and that still gives him a little bit of leeway over fences. He will be of interest now in a handicap chase in the spring or in the summer. He would be of interest if he was aimed at the Galway Plate, over a distance that could be close to ideal. He is still only five and there could be a fair bit more to come.

Cheltenham, 13^th March 2025