Justazippy

Justazippy would have put up a career-best effort in the two-and-a-half-mile mares’ handicap hurdle at Sandown on Saturday had she not fallen at the last.

Renee Robeson’s mare cruised into fourth place turning out of the back straight and she was travelling nicely right on the heels of the leaders into the home straight. There was no room between the front two, Denis O’Regan had to wait for a run, he decided to bring her to the near side of the two in front approaching the second last before he had to switch back as the leader just edged to her left off a true line. Justazippy quickly made good ground when in the clear out wide having jumped the second last, laying it down to the strong-travelling Kentford Grey Lady. She may not have been travelling quite as well as the eventual winner on the run to the final flight, but she was getting right back at her when she was just a little long at it and she came down. Kentford Grey Lady found plenty on the run-in to put the race to bed, but it is difficult to argue that Justazippy wouldn't have at least given her a race and, in receipt of 17lb, she may even have been able to win.

The daughter of Where Or When was the clear second best mare in the race on the day at worst, and the winner is really classy, she is one of the best mares in Britain, she was second to Quevega in the David Nicholson race at Cheltenham last season. Justazippy, therefore, deserves a lot of credit. She is only five, this was just her sixth run over hurdles and she has progressed with each of them so far. She won two handicaps last season over two miles but she looks capable of better at two and a half miles now, she proved here that she can handle soft ground okay, and she has the scope to carry on improving. She has been raised 3lb for this, but had she not fallen then it is likely she would have been raised by more than that - the winner, who is older and more experienced, was raised by 4lb - and she will be interesting next time as long as she has recovered from this fall.

8th December 2012

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