Sizing Codelco
Sizing Codelco ran another fine race to finish second to Shaneshill in the two-mile novices' chase at Naas on Sunday.
Sent to the front from flagfall by Jonathan Burke, Henry de Bromhead's horse's jumping was superb throughout. He led and disputed on the inside of Shaneshill from the second fence, he jumped the final fence in the back straight upsides the winner and came under pressure on the run to the second last. A mistake there by the favourite gave him a chance, and he led briefly again as they moved away from the obstacle, but Shaneshill picked up again, led at the last and ran on strongly up the run-in. That said, Sizing Codelco also ran all the way to the line, and it was only in the last 100 yards that Willie Mullins' horse asserted.
This was probably a career-best from the Flemensfirth gelding, and he continues to improve. He started off over fences last season, he fell in Valseur Lido's beginners' chase at Punchestown in November 2014, but he didn't win over fences last season, so he is still a novice this term. An impressive winner of his beginners' chase at Listowel in September on his debut this season, he unseated his rider at the first fence in the Henry VIII Chase at Sandown that Ar Mad won on his second, which was a real pity. It would have been interesting to have seen how he would have fared against Gary Moore's horse, who has since followed up in the Wayward Lad Chase at Kempton over Christmas. But Sizing Codelco proved here that that was just a blip, and time may show that he put up a huge performance to run Shaneshill as close as he did, with the pair of them coming clear of Kitten Rock, who is rated 160 over hurdles. He should to even better on better ground.
3rd January 2016
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