Elysees
Elysees wasn't suited by the sedate pace that they went in the 2m 3f juvenile handicap hurdle. Alan King's horse made a mistake at the final flight in the back straight just when they were jockeying for position, and he made slight mistakes at the third last and second last too. More than that, though, he just got left a little flat-footed when they quickened from the top of the home straight. Only sixth after he stumbled a little on landing over the third last, he stayed on well from the second last flight to bridge the gap to the first three. He couldn't get close to The Knot Is Tied and Legal History, but he kept on well to take fourth place in the end, just a half a length behind third-placed Tazka.
The form of the race has been enhanced since through Legal History, who won a decent juveniles' handicap hurdle at Ascot on his next run, before going on to win another handicap hurdle at Exeter on Tuesday. He is now rated 124, 18lb higher than the mark off which he raced at Newbury.
This was just Elysees' fifth run over hurdles. He went down by just a neck to Quel Destin in the Grade 2 Summit Juvenile Hurdle at Doncaster in December on his previous run over hurdles, and Quel Destin went on and won the Grade 1 Finale Hurdle and the Victor Ludorum Hurdle on his next two runs. There should be more to come from Elysees ideally off a stronger pace, and perhaps even stepped up in trip. This was his first attempt over this intermediate trip, and he saw it out well.
Newbury, 23rd March 2019
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