Orzare

Orzare, having his first run for 287 days, ran a cracker in the Grade 2 Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday. It was a run full of promise, he was ridden patiently in a race not run at a frantic gallop, and he made his ground on the wide outside, he was about six wide around the home turn, just as the pace was lifting. The winner, Smad Place, was never far off the pace and the second, Shoreacres, was always in front rank, so Orzare was probably not favoured by racing where he did and having to make up his ground when he did, and so his effort in finishing third deserves marking up just on that basis alone.

On top of that, he moved up so well early in the straight that he looked a possible winner over the second last, and although Smad Place had taken a narrow lead at the final flight, Orzare would almost certainly have been second, and it is not certain that he wouldn't have beaten Smad Place, had he not made a desperate mistake at the last. He smashed into the hurdle and landed very awkwardly, losing a lot of his impetus. Even with that, he sill managed to pick up again though as he went into the unknown stamina-wise, it looked like he was going to be hard pressed for third, but in fact he was closing again on Shoreacres on the run-in.

He stayed this trip well, the longest distance over which he has raced, and he is a brother to the high-class French stayer Montare (winner of the Prix Royal-Oak), so there is every chance that he will be able to stay two and a half miles well over hurdles. He isn’t short of pace either though, he impressed with the way he smoothly got himself right into contention, and he should come on for this run, this was just his fifth run over hurdles, just his fifth run in the UK. Also, Gary Moore’s horses are not in the best of form, especially his jumpers. From the start of January to the end of racing on Tuesday, he had had just one winner over jumps from 33 runners, and that came back on 2nd January. Orzare should have more to come when the yard is in better form, and having been handed just a 2lb rise by the handicapper for this really promising run, he is really interesting now. He will be of big interest if he shows up in a big handicap hurdle.

21st January 2012

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