Our man at the track picks out six beaten horses from the November Meeting at Cheltenham to add to your My Stable trackers for the weeks and months ahead.
SUNDAY
OSCAR ELITE – Fell, 1.10 Cheltenham, 3m novices’ chase, Sunday
Only two finishers in the usually-informative mallardjewellers.com Novices’ Chase but the horse to take from the race is the one that fell at the third last, OSCAR ELITE.
What a shame he crashed out just when the screw was being turned – perhaps that was part of the problem – with Brendan Powell asking the Colin Tizzard-trained six-year-old for a big one as Adrian Heskin injected a bit of pace into the race on eventual winner Threeunderthrufive.
But look at the positives. He had jumped with precision before the error, the only semblance of a mistake coming when he was a bit fiddly over the water jump second time around, and he was travelling strongly before the fence where he came down.
It’s not always a bad thing to have such a setback when they are learning their trade and Oscar Elite looked to be just fine as he got up and walked away, so hopefully he’ll learn from this and win his novice next time out, on the way to bigger things.
Earlier in the day Vanillier had advertised the Albert Bartlett form when winning over fences in Ireland and Oscar Elite, who was second to that horse at the Festival, still looks a novice chaser of real promise.
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ADAGIO – 2nd, 2.55 Cheltenham, 2m handicap hurdle, Sunday
Four-year-olds have had some success in the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle over the years but it’s generally a tough playground for horses coming out of juvenile company – 56 of the vintage have run in this race now since 2003 and they’ve won four of those renewals.
But the signs are last year’s four-year-olds were pretty good and the two representatives from the age group in this year’s Greatwood ran well – Tritonic in fifth and especially ADAGIO in second.
David Pipe’s horse had a particularly tough assignment for his seasonal reappearance off top weight from a mark of 147, but he battled on really gamely up the hill to push West Cork all the way.
He improved throughout last season and this was his first go since wind surgery, so this was really encouraging with the next few months in mind – particularly as we know he handles winter ground well.
Two-mile hurdles in open company can be tough for four-year-olds turning five, but on this performance Adagio could be in for a very good season indeed.
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DOSTAL PHIL – 4th, 2.15 Cheltenham, 2m4f handicap chase, Saturday
It paid to race handily in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and there’s no doubt that moving forward Protektorat will be the class horse coming out of the race when he tackles Grade One company again.
He came from far enough back himself to finish second, but DOSTAL PHIL was even further behind and did all of his best work late in proceedings as he ran on up the hill for fourth.
With Midnight Shadow set for a rise in the weights and Protektorat pencilled in for Grade One company, the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at this track next month could be ideal for Dostal Phil.
He’s clearly well equipped for the demands of Cheltenham and the slightly stiffer New Course that hosts the Caspian Caviar will be of a benefit to him.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsPUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL – 4th, 3.25 Cheltenham, 2m5f handicap hurdle, Saturday
It was difficult to come from off the pace in the Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Handicap Hurdle as well, with Gowel Road quickening clear off the front end.
It could be that those in behind bumped into a seriously progressive horse and I thought PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL did well in fourth on his handicap debut on ground that was probably a bit lively for him.
He came from the rear of mid division and raced wide for a good portion of the contest, while he knuckled down and battled when pressed by a couple of horses on the run-in – where he was just edged out by Mackelduff for third.
His pedigree screams soft ground and he won his Sedgefield maiden on soft, so he’s a good one to keep onside heading into the winter. Hopefully Brian Ellison will find a race for him on February 2 again.
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FINISK RIVER – 3rd, 1.10 Cheltenham, 2m5f handicap hurdle, Friday
Donald McCain’s horses remain in red-hot form and there was a lot to like about FINISK RIVER’s third in the Markel Insurance Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday.
The grey hurdled nicely on his return to timber and appreciated more patient tactics in a race that admittedly panned out well for him – perhaps he’ll be ridden this way again.
He did race a bit keenly early on and travelled into things very nicely, while he might’ve finished even closer to the winner if he’d followed Art Approval up the stands’ rail.
This was better than a few recent runs over fences and a slight drop in trip in handicap hurdle company could see him get another win on the board sometime soon.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsCITY DERBY – 4th, 4.00 Cheltenham, 2m handicap hurdle, Friday
CITY DERBY ran a nice race in fourth in the closing Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle and is one to look forward to when the weather turns.
Fergal O’Brien’s horse was a market drifter and went off 10/1 in the end, but this was a highly promising handicap debut as he stayed on from the rear for a never-nearer two-and-three-quarter length fourth.
He’s got loads of stamina in his pedigree and his maiden win came on soft ground, so he’s going to be on the radar off this sort of mark when he’s faced with more testing conditions and/or a step up in trip.
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