Sangfroid

Sangfroid is now a horse to note from his run behind Mobaasher and Alfie Spinner at Warwick, the three of them clear, given how well the form of the race is working out. The winner Mobaasher has gone on to finish fourth in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle behind World Hurdle second favourite Grand Crus, he would have finished even closer had the race been more of a stamina test, and he has been put up by his rider Aidan Coleman as a horse to follow for the rest of the season. Alfie Spinner, who finished second at Warwick, went on to finish a close second in a Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Sandown last week, just failed to reel back Kilcrea Kim over a distance that is just short of his optimum, while County Zen, who finished fifth in the Warwick contest, finished fourth in that race. Even the horse who finished seventh, Heathcliff, beaten over 40 lengths, nearly won next time out, narrowly failing to get back up to beat the talented Knockara Beau in a heavy ground Carlisle handicap hurdle.

Sangfroid stayed on nicely up the straight in the Warwick race, over three miles and a furlong on heavy ground, and he is well worth another try over three miles; he was travelling well when he fell at the second last in a Pertemps Qualifier at Cheltenham in October over the trip and, although he has run 21 times over hurdles and has won just once, he is unexposed at the longer trip. He is only seven, he is at his best on good ground and a 1lb hike is not harsh. He could be one for the Pertemps Final as he goes so well at Cheltenham.

15th January 2011

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