Trackside: Horses to follow including West Hill Verde and Clondaw Park

Sonic Pioneer (Martin Keighley)

November 17, Kempton - Live Racing Streaming At CopyBet Juvenile Hurdle

The seven-hour round trip to Kempton Park was almost made worthwhile by seeing Sonic Pioneer romp to glory for a delighted Harry Redknapp.

It was a success that deserved to be marked up, given that two hours earlier, Martin Keighley’s charge was parked on the side of the motorway waiting for a replacement vehicle after the horsebox suffered a blow-out.

The three-year-old caught the eye in the paddock, especially given his interrupted morning. He has the size and scope to be a chaser in time, but for now, his professional attitude and relaxed demeanour will go a long way. With the scope to continue progressing physically, the gelding kept things straightforward in the race with the assistance of Sean Bowen, taking the lead with a circuit to go before drawing clear for a fourteen-length victory.

He instantly earnt quotes for the Triumph Hurdle but may have fallen under the radar on a cold Monday afternoon – come the Festival, his temperament and ability to manage the unexpected is going to be a major positive.

Mini Mildred (Neil Mulholland)

November 26, Market Rasen - Bud Booth Mares Chase

When you see a horse has won three times around the speedway that is Les Landes, Jersey’s finest offering since Bergerac (Nettles era, obviously, not the remake) you expect a horse that’s probably on the compact side, nimble and speedy. What you don’t expect is a big chasing type that does not look outclassed in the paddock in a Listed contest, but that’s what we got with Mini Mildred here.

She’s got plenty of size about her, and as stated, it was a surprise that she did not look out of place against a couple of 140+ rivals, and if you’d offered me a match bet on the two outsiders in this, I’d have snapped your hand off.

Ignore the fact Paggane has won this how she liked once Marsh Wren didn’t run her race and concentrate on the fact she was beaten 12 lengths by the improving Minniemum and she’s probably run a cracker. Let’s see what the handicapper makes of this tomorrow, but as long as he doesn’t go mad, she’ll be of interest going forward.

West Hill Verde (Seamus Mullins)

November 28, Newbury - Play Coral Racing Super Series National Hunt Maiden Hurdle

The rollcall of winners for this in recent times has included Jonbon, Regent’s Stroll, Jet Powered and My Drogo. It tends to throw up a good one and both winner Act Of Innocence (who will come forward for this) and second Sinnatra look smart. However, back in third, doing some good late work and getting considerably closer to Sinnatra than he did here last month, West Hill Verde might be one of the nicest Seamus Mullins has had through his hands in some time.

A really good-looking sort, athletic and easy on the eye, he made a lot of appeal pre-race and got nothing but positive mentions from us at Trackside, taking the preliminaries well. He had no problem laying up behind the front rank in the race and stayed on well from two out, looking like a bit further wouldn’t go amiss.

One to keep on the right side of, he’ll continue to improve.

Clondaw Park (Harry Derham)

November 29, Newbury - Listed Play Coral "Racing-Super-Series" Mares' Novices' Hurdle

It was nice to get Coral Gold Cup day off to a flyer and there was nothing to oppose La Conquiere in the Listed mares’ novices’ hurdle, who appealed as a ‘today’ horse.

Of the remainder, it was easy to be taken by Clondaw Park from the Harry Derham yard, a Walk In The Park filly who had easily won her point-to-point at Lisronagh and was making a Rules debut. Leggy and light framed, she was typical of the Derham horses who were making their reappearance over the meeting (fit enough, with room for a small amount of improvement) but she appealed as a filly who would improve physically throughout the year.

She has the frame to fill into and we never really saw what she could do, having taken keen hold early and was starting to get in touch when unseating jockey Paul O’Brien three out.

Tried in shallower waters on her next start, it’ll be interesting to see how her jumping holds out and she’s only going to get better, physically, as the season goes on.

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