Charlie Stout
Charlie Stout ran well to finish third in the two-mile novices' handicap hurdle at Leopardstown last Wednesday. Weak in the market beforehand, Shane Nolan's horse travelled well into the home straight, but he was short of room towards the far side as Patrick Corbett tried to engineer some racing room for himself. By the time he got out, Thirsty Work and Tudor City had flown, but he still kept on well to take third place, running all the way to the line and going down by just four lengths in the end.
This was probably another step forward for the Spadoun gelding. He continues to progress. The form of his three previous races is working out well. On his penultimate run before Wednesday, when he finished second behind Maighnealta at Fairyhouse's Hatton's Grace Hurdle meeting, he had Veinard a head behind him in third place, and Veinard ran a cracker to finish second behind That's A Wrap in a competitive handicap hurdle at Leopardstown on Tuesday. And on his run before that, Charlie Stout had finished third behind the same That's A Wrap at Navan. It's all solid form.
Charlie Stout has just turned six, and this run was probably a career-best, so he should be able to continue to progress now. He is good over this two-mile trip, but he does stay two and a half. He is versatile in terms of ground too, he goes on soft ground, but he is probably even better under these yielding conditions, and he will be of interest in another similar contest now.
28th December 2016
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