No Loose Change

No Loose Change was really well backed through the day, as well as just prior to the off, for the three mile novices’ handicap chase at Newbury on Friday, and he was really impressive in victory.

Setting off in front, he travelled enthusiastically in the hands of Ruby Walsh, jumping really well. He did reach for the third fence in the back straight on the final circuit, and he got in tight to the last fence in the back straight, but those slight blemishes aside, he was foot-perfect. His rivals dropped away one by one down the back straight and, by the time they had jumped the cross fence and began turning for home, the only two horses who were able to stay with him up to that point came under strong pressure and soon gave way, despite the fact that Walsh was seemingly sitting still on No Loose Change. He had the race won barring accidents at the third last fence, and he was just nudged out to record a 29-length win over Lexicon Lad and Romulus D’Artaix, useful performers in their own right.

Romulus D’Artaix did reportedly come home a little sore on account of the quick ground, and with him perhaps not running quite up to the form of his previous win at the track (a race in which No Loose Change was badly hampered and unseated at the fourth last fence when alongside the eventual winner), Paul Nicholls’s horse may not have had all that much to beat in the end.

That said, this big stamp of a horse was seriously impressive in coming clear, the way he opened up a gap on the pursuers turning into the home straight while seemingly still travelling well within himself was really taking, and he clocked a good time despite having no company up the home straight, the fastest comparative time on the card, some way quicker comparatively than the time that the much-lauded Triangular clocked in the slightly shorter handicap chase earlier on the card.

The handicapper has raised him 16lb to a mark of 132, but No Loose Change has probably improved significantly for the switch to chasing and the step up to three miles, which is no surprise as he is a full brother to Quiet Bob who won over three miles and five furlongs, admittedly at a low level. (Interestingly he is a half-brother to the useful novice hurdler Dylan Ross also.) It wouldn’t be a surprise to see No Loose Change in open handicap company now, and such was the authority of his performance here that he would have to warrant respect wherever he goes.

23rd March 2012

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