Tetlami

Tetlami ran out an impressive winner of the juvenile bumper at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. Settled just behind the leaders off a really slow pace, there was a lot to like about the ease with which he moved into the home straight, joined long-time leader My Brother Sylvest just outside the furlong pole, and then quickened away, ears pricked, to win by four lengths.

Tetlami did have an experience advantage over most of his rivals, having run in two bumpers previously, and the early pace was not strong, and this race was run over a mile and six, two furlongs shorter than the minimum trip over obstacles, so it is legitimate to have a little bit of a question mark over this performance, but such was the visual impression of this performance that it would be foolish to think that Nicky Henderson's gelding cannot progress from this. He had just failed to give 7lb to Jaques Vert on his previous start, but he had that rival well behind him here. He is progressive and, given the manner in which he bounded up the hill, he could easily prove to be the best of the British in the Champion Bumper. Interestingly, this race was won last year by Hughie Morrison's mare Cill Rialaig when it was run over a mile and a half, and she went on to win three times on the flat last season, earning a rating of 93 in the process.

1st January 2010

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