Mr Goodenough

Mr Goodenough ran an eye-catching race to finish third in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at Navan on Sunday. Settled out the back in the early stages of the race - he was still last jumping the first fence in the back straight final time - John Robinson's horse made headway to get in behind the leaders at the end of the back straight. However, a slight mistake at the last fence in the back straight, just as the pace was increasing, was poorly-timed, and he had a mountain to climb when he turned for home in no better than 10th place, about 12 lengths behind the leaders. From there, he stayed on really well over the last three fences, and only just failed to catch Ballinahow Lady for the runner-up spot behind Sole Witness.

This was a race in which it paid to race handily. The other three horses who filled the first four places occupied more or less the first three places from early, so Mr Goodenough did really well to get as close as he did. He loves this soft ground, but he will benefit now from stepping up in trip to three miles or perhaps even further. This was just his seventh chase, and just his second outside of hunter chases. The handicapper has raised him just 1lb to a mark of 121, which is more than fair, and he will be of interest now when he steps up in trip again, especially on soft ground. He will be of particular interest if he lines up next in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park at the end of January. The three-mile trip and soft ground that usually prevails for that contest would be ideal for him, he appears to be at his best going right-handed, and he beat recent Cheltenham Cross-Country Chase winner Outlaw Pete in a hunters' chase over the Thyestes course and distance last March on his only run at the track.

16th December 2012

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