Broomfields Jeremy
Broomfields Jeremy stayed on well to finish third in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle. Held up right out the back of the field early on by Luke Dempsey, he travelled well on the outside down the back straight final time. Last of the main group of 13 as they raced across the top of the track to the third last flight, he made good progress from there. He moved into fourth place as they straightened up for home and, while R'evelyn Pleasure and Sargent Lightfoot had it between them on the run to the last, he stayed on well down the outside to get to within three lengths of the winner R'evelyn Pleasure by the time they got to the winning line.
This was the first time that Philip Dempsey's horse completed over two and a half miles, and he saw the trip out well. Zero for four in bumpers, he ran out an easy winner of his maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan in September over two miles, and he stepped forward from that next time when he finished third behind Santana Plessis in a rated novices' hurdle back at Kilbeggan in October. Usually a prominent racer, he did well here, held up early over the longer trip, and that gives his connections options for the future. Still only five and, with just five races under his belt over hurdles, he has the potential to progress beyond his mark of 117 over the intermediate trip.
Punchestown, 11th December 2020
Good Boy Bobby
Good Boy Bobby ran better than the bare form of the run suggests in finishing fourth in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup. Slowly away, he made a mistake at the first fence, and he was second last of the 17 runners over the second, which left him on the back foot from very early in the race. It was the first time that he had faced more than six rivals over fences, so the big field might have been a bit of a shock to him early on, but he settled into a nice rhythm thereafter.
He was a little keen up over the two fences in front of the stands first time, but he got himself into a nice position down the back straight, and he travelled well. The leaders got away on the front end a little as they raced to the top of the hill, though, and he made a mistake at the sixth last and was hampered a little at the fifth last, with the result that he was no better than 12th as they started to run down the hill. He still travelled well down the hill though, and he stayed on well from the third last fence. Still only eighth rounding the home turn, about 12 lengths behind the leaders, he stayed on well up the hill for Daryl Jacob to get up for fourth place, just failing to catch Benetar for third.
It was a good run by Nigel Twiston-Davies' horse. The mistake at the first fence left him playing catch-up for most of the race. It may be that he is better in smaller fields at this trip, but he would be worth a try over further now. He stays two and a half miles on soft ground well and, out of a full-sister to top staying hurdler Voler La Vedette and a half-sister to Bet365 Gold Cup winner Hennessy, there is every chance that he will get three miles. He could even improve for the step up to that type of distance. The handicapper dropped him by 2lb for this run to a mark of 144, and that mark could under-estimate his ability. He is only seven and this was just his seventh chase, so he still has the potential to improve.
Cheltenham, 12th December 2020
Crossgalesfamegame
Crossgalesfamegame can be marked up at least a little on the bare form of the performance that she put up in finishing third in the mares' handicap hurdle. Starting off in third place, she gradually drifted back in the field, she was only sixth of the eight runners as they started off down the back straight. She was never too far off the leaders though, and she moved up into fourth place again, about four lengths off the leaders, as they raced to the top of the hill. She came under pressure as they landed over the second last flight, but she responded to that pressure. It appeared that she wasn't travelling as well as some of her rivals as they raced around the home turn, but she picked up, she was only about two and a half lengths behind the leader The White Mouse when they straightened up for home. It all got a bit tight for her from there, however. She didn't have the pace to move into the gap that presented itself on the run to the two-furlong marker and, when Schiaparannie moved across her, she had to switch inside on the run to the final flight. She wasn't great at the last either, she landed a little flat-footed, with the result that she was only fifth and about six lengths behind the leader as they passed the furlong marker. It never looked like she was going to bridge that gap, but she stayed on strongly up the hill to take third place behind The White Mouse and Eglantine Du Seuil, beaten a total of four and a half lengths.
It was a good run by Fergal O'Brien's mare, it was a step forward from her seasonal debut at Wincanton, when she finished 10 lengths behind The White Mouse, albeit on worse terms. She could to even better though on softer ground, or stepped up in distance. She was impressive in winning her maiden hurdle at Market Rasen in November last year on heavy ground. She is only six and this was just her sixth run over hurdles, so there should be more to come from her now. The handicapper left her on her mark of 125, and that is a mark on which she remains of interest, especially if and when she is faced with a greater test of stamina.
Cheltenham, 12th December 2020
Sizing Pottsie
Sizing Pottsie put up a really impressive performance to win the two-mile handicap chase. Jessica Harrington's horse was quickly into a nice rhythm just up on the outside of habitual front-runner Yaha Fizz. Still second on the run to the third last fence, he jumped that obstacle well and moved up on the outside of the leader and into the lead. Paddy Kennedy just allowed him stride on from there and, suddenly, he was six lengths clear as they raced around the home turn and had all his rivals struggling in behind. He was a little long at the second last fence, and he got in tight to the last, but he was safe over them, and it never looked like his rivals were going to get close to him.
This was a good race, it was a hot intermediate handicap chase, in which dual Ladbroke Hurdle winner Off You Go and progressive novice hurdler from last season Entoucas were sent off as joint favourites. Sizing Pottsie beat them well, with good horses like Daly Tiger and Capuccimix further behind, in a good time, almost seven seconds faster than the time that Front View clocked in winning the beginners' chase a half an hour later, proving that his handicap rating of 149 probably under-rated him by a fair way. The handicapper raised him by 8lb for this to a mark of 157, which was a reasonable hike, and that puts him within range of graded chases. He is only six and this was just his seventh run over fences, so he could improve again from this. He appears to be at his best on soft or heavy ground over two miles, and he is now two for two over fences at Fairyhouse, so he will be of particular interest if and when he returns to the Co Meath track. His trainer mentioned the Dan Moore Chase as a possible next target and, while he would probably have top weight in that, he would be of interest if he did take his chance in it, back over two miles at Fairyhouse next month.
Fairyhouse, 12th December 2020
Delvino
The mares' maiden hurdle was a cracking contest, and Delvino ran out an impressive winner or it. Prominent from early, the Dylan Thomas mare travelled well through her race for Adam Shot, up on the outside, and her jumping was good for a hurdling debutante, for all that she didn't have to do a lot of it, because of the low sun. She moved nicely in third place behind Castra Vetera and Missy Eliot as they rounded the home turn, and tracked Castra Vetera into the home straight, but it quickly became apparent that Delvino was travelling better. Roseys Hollow travelled well in behind too, and Royal Illusion made good ground from the rear, but Delvino joined the leader as they raced past the by-passed second last flight, and she hit the front as they raced past the final flight, before staying on strongly to win by four lengths.
This was a very strong mares' maiden hurdle. Hurdling debutante Royal Illusion, last year's Irish Cesarewitch winner, is rated 94 on the flat, while Castra Vetera won a listed mares' bumper on her debut this season, so had race fitness on her side as well, and Roseys Hollow had run well in a good maiden hurdle at Leopardstown in March. It wasn't ideal that the low sun meant that they could only jump four of the scheduled eight flights of hurdles, but Delvino jumped the four hurdles nicely, and she travelled like the most likely winner from the top of the home straight. Dermot McLoughlin's filly is nicely bred, a half-sister to the trainer's Avellino, who handled heavy ground well, and this was just her third run and her debut over hurdles, so she has bags of potential to improve as she gains more experience.
Naas, 14th December 2020
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