Ubatuba
Ubatuba stayed on well to take second place behind Dalston Lad in the Grade 2 Prestige Novices' Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday. Held up towards the rear by Ben Sutton through the early stages of the race, he was still last of the nine runners as they turned for home. He made good progress from the top of the home straight, he moved into fourth place at the second last flight, where he wasn't helped when Reckless Spending made a mistake in front of him. Switched towards the far side, he stayed on well from there, he moved into second place on the run to the final flight and, while it never looked like he would get to Dalston Lad, he closed all the way to the line, and he finished well clear of Tashkan in third.
Olly Murphy's horse did well to get as close as he did, coming from the rear in a race in which the winner was prominent from early. He was fastest of all through the final four furlongs. It was just his third run over hurdles too, he won his maiden at Leicester before Christmas and he won a novices' hurdle back there in January, but this was probably a step up on that, stepped up to three miles for the first time. From the family of Denman, he obviously stays well, and he is progressive, and he could be a lively outsider for the Albert Bartlett Hurdle.
Haydock, 14th February 2026
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