Ringaroses

Ringaroses ran out a very impressive winner of the Grade 3, three mile handicap hurdle at Aintree last week. Held up just worse than mid division by Tony McCoy in the early stages Ringaroses settled in well and jumped fluently. The pace was steady enough throughout and the Jonjo O’Neill trained nine-year-old gradually made headway down the back straight the second time to race more prominently. As the field turned to approach the straight, Buena Vista had pushed on from the front, but Ringaroses was going very strongly under the champion jockey. He took it up at the second last, went two lengths clear coming to the last and extended again on the run in to run out a clear-cut winner.

This was an impressive display from Ringaroses, he travelled sweetly throughout and he stamped his authority on the race up the straight to win impressively. Although the pace was steady, the form looks solid and he was six lengths clear of his field. This race is always a decent event, it was won in 2008 by the subsequent Ryanair and Melling Chase winner Alberta’s Run, while last year Time For Rupert won it and went on to be second in this year’s World Hurdle. Ringaroses has been said to have a few quirks, but is beautifully bred and clearly has huge ability when he is right. He had a dismal season last year but looks a different animal this season, having won two novice chases earlier on and having being moved from Henrietta Knight to Jonjo O’Neill. Although he is nine, he is still quite lightly raced and could be still progressing. He has won two novice chases and he may well mix it between the two next year. He is probably at his best on a decent surface and on a flat track. There was talk of going for the Queen Alexandra at Ascot during the summer, and that would be very interesting.

9th April 2010

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