L'Accordioniste

L’Accordioniste put up a fairly remarkable performance to win what was a really competitive two-mile-one-furlong handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday. She was held in mid-division by Paddy Brennan, and she was niggled along early in the back straight. She ended up losing her position just before they turned to come down the hill and it looked like she just got really badly outpaced from here, she traded at the maximum 1000 on Betfair, as she was passed at the second last flight and dropped to third last place on the turn for home. She did start to pick up on the run to the last, but even at that, it still looked like she had a mountain to climb with six horses still in front of her. But she took off again after the final flight, collared the leaders and actually won going away in the end.

L’Accordioniste has always been highly-regarded, she was making it four wins from four runs here on her handicap debut, and she looks to have huge scope for progression. Her jumping was a bit novicey, so she should get better with more experience and she should be even better over two and a half miles, given the way she stayed on at the end of her race here. She was winning this off a mark of 131, the handicapper raised her to 141 for this, and she wouldn't need to improve a lot to be a real contender for the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. She has winning form at the track, she appeared to relish the hill, she has huge scope for improvement, especially if she is stepped up in distance, and 12/1 about her for the Mares' Hurdle is more than fair.

Paddy Brennan said after the race that she will be a better horse on good ground. She is still only a five-year-old, she is a really exciting recruit to hurdles now and she should be worth following wherever she goes next. She could still be really well handicapped on a mark of 141, especially if she steps up in distance, if she goes for another handicap now.

10th December 2010

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