Buck The Legend

Buck The Legend ran a strange sort of race in the two-mile-five-and-a-half-furlong chase at Ascot on Saturday. Well back early on behind a fairly frenetic pace and not jumping well - Paddy Brennan actually gave him a reminder going past the stands first time - he moved up into a position from which he could have been able to mount a challenge going down the side of the course, then wilted between the fifth last and the third last (he was about 20 lengths behind the leaders and a seemingly fading eighth jumping that obstacle) before staying on well again over the last two fences to finish fourth. albeit a long way behind the third horse.

Nigel Twiston-Davies's horse is dropping back down the handicap now. An impressive winner of a novices' handicap chase over two miles and three furlongs at Newbury in November last year off a mark of 124, he has now dropped back down to a mark of 127, which makes him interesting again. This wasn't a bad run at all, especially given that the Twiston-Davies horses are so badly out of form these days. He will have to jump better than he did here, but he can jump better, and he will be interesting if he is returned to Newbury next, a track that seems to suit him well. The big two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at the Bershire track on 6th March could be the race for him. The Twiston-Davies horses are usually running back into form at that time of the year, and it wouldn't be surprising if the trainer has had that race in mind for Buck The Legend for a little while.

23rd January 2010

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