Lord of Thunder (left) won at Newbury on Saturday

Paddock Notebook: Horses to follow from Newbury

By David Cleary

Horse Racing

Wed February 12, 2025 · 10M ago

David Cleary pores through his notes from recent high-profile meetings at Newbury, Sandown and Kempton, nominating several horses of interest.

ACT OF INNOCENCE (Newbury 08/02/25, 2m Listed bumper)

There was plenty to like on looks about the field for Newbury's listed bumper and there are definite grounds for thinking that Act of Innocence could prove the best of the bunch, even though he could finish only fourth behind the well-backed Sober Glory.

The winner was completing a hat-trick in bumpers, ahead of Realco, who was also on a three-timer, and Baron Noir (perhaps the overall pick on looks), who had won at the third attempt on his most recent start. By contrast, Act of Innocence was having just his second run and his first since finishing third in a large-field sales bumper at the Punchestown Festival (the first three had all run this winter).

Act of Innocence travelled well behind the leaders and went on early in the straight, but he could do no more after the winner took over under two furlongs out and lost two places in the last 100 yards. He's not got the greatest pedigree, but he's an athletic-looking sort and in a top stable, so a bumper and, longer term, novice hurdles ought to be within his compass.

ANDASHAN (Kempton 07/02/25, 2m maiden hurdle)

There was a field of 14 for the maiden hurdle on Kempton's card, but very few of them were competitive, the vast majority dropped out, and only four held much of a chance from before halfway. That number was down to one by the turn into the straight, as the front-running Andashan drew right away, needing shaking up only briefly and scoring with plenty in hand.

As such the race was something of a time trial, but one that reflects well on Andashan, the clock backing up a view on form that his performance was a near-useful one. That represents a big step forward on the form of his previous completed start over hurdles, but that isn't surprising on his efforts in bumpers.

Andashan had won a division of the bumper on this card the previous season, and evidently goes well at the track. Perhaps a return here for the Dovecote at the end of the month might be in order. He's a strong gelding and has the physique to suggest a switch to fences will be on the cards next season.

CRACKERJAQUE (Sandown 01/02/25, 2m bumper)

The bumper that was added to Sandown's card in place of the Contenders Hurdle was won in its first two seasons by a subsequently useful performer, with Inthewatersside and Sixmilebridge successful in 2023 and 2024 respectively. So, this season's victor Crackerjaque has a bit to live up to, but there are grounds for thinking that he will be able to reach that sort of level.

Crackerjaque was the pick of a decent field on looks, looking really well in himself too. He had come up a bit short of expectations on debut two months previously, but proved a different proposition here. He made the running, with the field closely grouped out of the back straight, and found plenty when shaken up in the straight to score ridden out.

Stamina is likely to be Crackerjaque's strong suit, his dam being a half-sister to the very smart staying chaser Sam Brown. Both his runs have been on testing ground, conditions at Sandown particularly so,. Therefore there might be a question about his effectiveness under less testing conditions were he to turn up in the Aintree bumper, for example. Perhaps keeping him for novice hurdles next winter is the best option.

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GRAHAM (Kempton 07/02/25, 2m maiden hurdle)

Graham was one of those that never figured in Andashan's race at Kempton. Held up well off the pace initially, he made some progress down the back straight but the effort flattened out turning for home. He wasn't knocked about once his chance had gone, understandably so, given ground that was a fair bit more testing than is typical at Kempton.

Graham is compact, a Flat type on looks, as might be expected from his profile – bred for the Flat and fairly useful up to 1¾m at that discipline for Richard Hannon, although two of his siblings have won over hurdles.

Graham had made his hurdling debut at Leicester last month, finishing sixth of eight on even more testing ground than at Kempton. He's so far shown just a modest level of form as a hurdler, but there's a good chance he doesn't want winter ground and he may well be a different proposition in handicaps in the spring (he needs another run for a mark).

KADASTRAL/ETNA BIANCO (Kempton 07/02/25, 2m maiden bumper)

When a race is so slowly-run that it returns a negative timefigure, there are obvious reasons for doubting the value of the form. Such is the case with the first division of the maiden bumper at Kempton last Friday. However, they were a better bunch on looks than those in the second division and there are a couple that weren't seen to best advantage that might well be up to winning a similar event.

Kadastral made plenty of appeal on paper, on physique too, and was sent off joint-favourite, even though he looked as if the race would bring him on. Unlike a couple of the others making their first start in a bumper, Kadastral hadn't run in a point, so was a true debutant. There were signs of that lack of experience in his effort and he was not in an ideal position when the tempo finally lifted in the straight, all in all doing well to finish second.

The other joint-favourite was Etna Bianco, a six-figure purchase in the late-autumn after winning his only start in an Irish point. Etna Bianco has stamina in his pedigree and looked unsuited by the way the race was run, done for foot in a two-furlong sprint. He has plenty of substance to him, and while he can win a bumper with more emphasis on stamina, he's an interesting prospect for hurdles and even fences in due course.

LORD OF THUNDER (Newbury 08/02/25, 2m7f novice handicap chase)

Lord of Thunder, who had created a very good impression prior to falling at Cheltenham on his chasing debut back in the autumn, got off the mark over fences at the fourth attempt. Although this wasn't a race with much depth, there are grounds for being positive about the first two home (Pic Roc was runner-up), both very much the type on looks to make better chasers than hurdlers and both of whom were trying the trip for the first time.

Lord of Thunder travelled smoothly again, produced to challenge the runner-up after three out and taking advantage of that one's jumping left at the last to go to the front, scoring ridden out. Although he's quite a keen sort, Lord of Thunder has plenty of stamina in his pedigree and he looked suited by the extra three furlongs here.

Lord of Thunder had been placed at graded level the time before, the only other finisher behind Handstands in the Towton at Ffos Las, and might have earnt another tilt at that level, though his style of racing suggests he'll be well at home in a good handicap, perhaps worth an entry in the Ultima.

TUTTI QUANTI (Newbury 08/02/25, 2m novice hurdle)

The novice hurdle which opened the Newbury card was effectively a three-runner affair, with the one of the trio going least well early in the straight – Rubber Ball – coming out on top. As ever with so few involved, the form isn't that easy to weigh up, though there are grounds for taking a positive view.

The three all came into the race with positive profiles and the race was run in a good time. Tutti Quanti, a winner from a subsequent dual winner at Ffos Las back in November, set the pace, the other pair tracking, and was able to see off the challenge of the favourite Kientzheim after the last, but not the late thrust of Rubber Ball who went on inside the final furlong,

Tutti Quanti has plenty about him physically, likely to make a better chaser next winter, though he's another race or two over hurdles in him first. He's not the stoutest bred and his style of racing suggests he might be best kept to around two miles for the time being.

Update

Brave Kingdom, on his second run back from a lengthy absence, was pulled up at Uttoxeter last weekend, reported to have made a respiratory noise. His stable have had quite a few run poorly of late, and though the noise may be a signal for another breathing operation, he probably shouldn't be written off just yet.

Two of the notebook horses are entered this coming weekend. Country Park is the more eye-catching of them, with a valuable class 2 handicap hurdle at Ascot a possibility. His opening mark looks on the high side, but he has yet to show all he has and this type of race could well see him step forward a fair bit.

Hansard missed Newbury last weekend, after being left in an the five-day stage; he's in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday, where he will have a bit to find against the likes of Nemean Lion and Burdett Road, though with only six entered, the prospect of some place money may be tempting.

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