Alex Hammond column: Newbury reflections and Jumps season highlights

Which of the Classic trial winners impressed you most at Newbury?

For me, the most impressive winners with the brightest futures weren’t necessarily those that came home in front in the Classic trials. The main protagonists in both the Fred Darling and Greenham Stakes failed to finish in front, and whilst there will be more to come from beaten leading contenders Touleen, Albert Einstein and Zavateri there were some potentially smart winners of the two previous day’s fillies’ maidens which I’ll come to later.

Karl Burke had a superb day at Newbury on Saturday saddling a double, and he won the Greenham Stakes with Alparslan, who beat Zavateri and Albert Eintstein. There is a question mark around which Guineas he’ll be aimed at with potential doubts around his ability to handle the tracks at both Newmarket for the 2000 Guineas and Longchamp for the French equivalent, so it sounded in the immediate aftermath that he could go to the Curragh, although nothing was ruled out.

The Fred Darling was won by Sukanya for trainer Jack Channon. She looked fully tuned up for this seasonal return and whilst she’s not the biggest, she has a decent engine.

She showed an impressive turn of speed when her rider David Probert manoeuvred her for her run (resulting in a 4 day ban for improper riding) and stayed on strongly to the line. Channon said afterwards that he isn’t certain she will handle the dip at Newmarket and she would also need to be supplemented into the 1000 Guineas. She does hold an entry in the Irish 1000, but he also didn’t rule out a trip to Newmarket.

What did you make of Convergent’s performance in the John Porter?

Now this is potentially the most exciting performance of the weekend at Newbury. He looked in a world of trouble a furlong from home but got out of jail to win impressively to give Karl Burke and Clifford Lee a big race double.

The problem that Convergent has is he makes life hard for himself by being too keen through his races. He gave weight to some solid Group Three rivals here and his trainer was understandably full of praise for the horse after the performance. He has the Coronation Cup as a possible target in June and I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t get a Group One on his CV before the year is out.

Plenty of good quality maiden winners over the two days too – which one are you taking forward with you?

I’ll have the two winning fillies from day one of Spring Trials Weekend and Saturday’s one mile three furlong maiden winner too please.

OK, so that’s not one pick but it’s hard to choose between Synchronicity and I’m The One from the first day and Water To Wine who won on Saturday. The last two named are in the care of John and Thady Gosden with Ed Walker the lucky trainer of the first.

Synchronicity had the weight of familial success on her shoulders as a full sister to the mighty Ombudsman for her racecourse debut in the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden.

She cost 900,000 guineas as a yearling and is now worth plenty herself with her second career as a broodmare in mind. She wasn’t the best looking in the field with some strengthening still to do, but she was certainly the best in the race and she will be stepped up in class now. She holds entries in Irish and French 1000 Guineas but a Listed race at York was mentioned for her next.

I’m The One came with a lofty reputation too and she was sent off even money favourite to win the mile and a quarter maiden. Win it she did, and in style and her Oaks price contracted dramatically in the immediate aftermath of her success. The Gosden stable have won this race with some very smart fillies in the past and she looks to be another to add to that list.

Team Gosden were also celebrating after Water to Wine won on his debut on Saturday. He has the Kind Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot as his first major target of the season.

If I had to pick one from that trio it would be I’m The One.

The curtain comes down on the jumps season at Sandown on Saturday. What have been your favourite moments of the campaign?

That’s a broad question and we could be here some time. I particularly enjoyed seeing a few of my picks win at Cheltenham, and the victory of Haiti Couleurs in the Coral Welsh National was a memorable day too.

It’s easy to admire I Am Maximus and Gaelic Warrior for their extraordinary achievements and that electrifying finish in the King George was also special. Il Etait Temps’ victory in the BetMGM Champion Chase was satisfying too. His heavy fall at Ascot could easily have jolted his confidence, so to see him win at Cheltenham less than two months later was magnificent.

Dan Skelton’s domination of the trainer’s championship was impressive and well deserved, and it’s conceivable that he could reach a record £5 million in win and place prize money if all goes well at Sandown.

There have been so many notable moments, and whilst the success of Protektorat in Windsor’s Fleur de Lys Chase won’t be at the top of many lists it was a real thrill to be there to see him do what he does so well and win the race for a second successive year.

It was also joyous to be at Ascot to see Jonbon win the Ascot Chase, and for him to retain his admirable record of not having finished out of the top two in his entire 28 race career when runner-up in the Ryanair was also wonderful.

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