Ben Linfoot Saturday analysis | Five stars on a super Saturday
Ben Linfoot reflects on a superb day's racing from Haydock, Ascot and Gowran as Bob Olinger, Bravemansgame, Lostintranslation, Buzz and A Plus Tard showcased their talents.
12.00 - Bob Olinger shoots down Gowran rivals
The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham, March 17, 2021. Ireland’s BOB OLINGER drops in a wow performance as he saunters to a contemptuous seven-and-a-half length success. Britain’s best novice hurdler, Bravemansgame, can manage only third. The race was symbolic of the Festival as a whole.
Fast forward 248 days and both Bob and Brave were in action again.
First up was Bob Olinger, for his chasing debut, in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Gowran. Carrying a bit of condition according to Sporting Life colleague Fran Berry, on duty at the track for Racing TV, he reported that Bob should come on for this fitness-wise, not that the engine looked in any way rusty.
Henry De Bromhead’s horse is very good, we know that already, so this was just a case of gaining experience over fences. With horses of the calibre of Bacardys, a horse rated 157 not too long ago, in opposition, this was a good first test and he won easily, by six-and-a-half lengths, after going through the race with real zest.
Ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe with regular pilot Rachael Blackmore in action at Haydock, Bob Olinger left room for improvement in the jumping department. As the tempo increased three from home he pecked on landing and then he got in a bit close when skewing out to his left over the last.
But for a chasing debut this was more than adequate and this will have done him good with tougher assignments in mind.
Whether he deserves to be as short as 6/4 for the Marsh Novices’ Chase with four months to go until that contest I’m not sure, but you can see why the bookies are taking no chances with this horse. This was a very good chasing debut, even if those slight jumping errors mark him down to eight out of 10.
1.50 – Bravemansgame looks the real deal
Just under two hours later BRAVEMANSGAME put forward his own claims for top novice chase honours with a silky performance in the Double Daily Rewards With Betfair Graduation Chase at Haydock.
Paul Nicholls has tested this horse early in his steeplechasing career by running him against established chasers in his first two goes over fences, but you can see why he’s had no qualms about that given his fluent technique.
He’s cat-like over a fence and he purred to a quality victory under Harry Cobden, laughing off the pressure applied by the 155-rated Itchy Feet who failed to get the winner out of his comfort zone. Olly Murphy’s horse is a solid yardstick with nine chasing starts under his belt, but he was thoroughly dismissed by Bravemansgame at Haydock.
There were 12 lengths between Bob Olinger and Bravemansgame in the Ballymore, but it would be interesting to see at some point if that gap can be bridged/obliterated over fences.
But while Bob Olinger looks Marsh-bound, a step up in trip awaits Bravemansgame and if he does make it to Cheltenham the three miles of the Festival Novices’ Chase looks a more likely port of call.
Kempton and the Kauto Star is a more immediate target, though. Given how well he jumped here, he looks a Grade 1 winner in waiting.
2.05 – Lostintranslation bounces back
On an afternoon of fine performances it was great to see LOSTINTRANSLATION regain the winning thread in the Grade 2 Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase at Ascot.
He wasn’t the only one on a retrieval mission in the race, as Defi Du Seuil and Master Tommytucker were also looking to rediscover the winning touch, but it was Colin Tizzard’s horse who came out on top after a pretty disastrous last campaign.
The 2020-21 season was a complete write-off for the nine-year-old, with a 47-length third in the Betfair Chase on his reappearance being his best result. A 26-length fifth at Newbury in the Denman Chase, he was pulled up in the King George and Gold Cup on his only two other runs.
Yet this was much more like it. On the back of a long break and wind surgery he looked like his old self, jumping well and travelling strongly before, and this was the impressive part, finding plenty for pressure when really asked by Brendan Powell.
There was a pungency to this performance that was lacking all last season. Yes, he was suited by the strong gallop set by Master Tommytucker - his stamina was certainly drawn out as Nicholls’ horse made this a test - but the Lostintranslation of last year would’ve curled up. The 2021-22 model is much improved.
It will be interesting to see if he can back this up now. The King George - for which he was cut to 16/1 - is the likely next step and he’ll have to improve on this performance again to get involved. But this performance, two years to the day since his last Grade 1 win, at least gives hope he can strike at the top level again.
2.40 – Buzz leaps into Stayers’ picture
The rise of BUZZ has been rapid and who knows how high he can fly following a flourishing win the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle at Ascot.
He’s generally 8/1 for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March after Saturday’s win and will test his stamina for three back at Ascot next month in the Porsche Long Walk Hurdle.
Rated 136 at the start of last season, he was beaten off that mark in the Welsh Champion Hurdle but has been on the improve ever since.
His Timeform ratings from last season show that – he recorded, in chronological order, 128+, 144+, 149+, 151 and 156 numbers on his five starts the last campaign, that 156 figure coming in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle where he was second to Abacadabras.
This was his first hurdling start since then, but he was fit from the Flat having landed the Cesarewitch at Newmarket and he could be called the winner a long way out as he cantered all over his rivals under Nico de Boinville.
The way he lengthened away from Song For Someone in the closing stages suggests three miles will be well within his compass, and in an open division he brings a fresh look and upward trajectory into the equation.
3.00 - A Plus Tard canters to Betfair glory
Bristol De Mai wasn’t himself and jumped poorly. Waiting Patiently hung throughout and was pulled up. Imperial Aura fell at the 13th. The two outsiders, Clondaw Castle and Chatham Street Lad, were out of their depth and finished third and fourth in a race where only four finished. Royale Pagaille ran well but probably wants much softer ground.
So to say the Betfair Chase fell apart would be an understatement. But there’s no denying the exciting ability of A PLUS TARD, a staying chaser with more than a touch of class, as he cantered to an uncontested win following a 22-length procession.
Henry De Bromhead’s seven-year-old – it’s frightening to think he’s still only seven – didn’t have to come out of third gear under Rachael Blackmore as he jumped with alacrity having settled beautifully just off the pace.
The only cause for alarm was at the 13th, when Imperial Aura fell to his right, but he was wide enough to avoid the trouble and it was plain sailing from then on in.
He looks versatile when it comes to the ground, but Saturday’s good conditions seemed to suit him very well. He glided through this contest and that could be important with the spring in mind as he’ll no doubt be aimed at going one better in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
This was jump racing by numbers and much more difficult puzzles await. He could be the one, though, and it’s very hard to quibble with the nibbled 4/1 quotes about him for the Blue Riband on today’s evidence. His rivals might’ve been disappointing, but he was simply a pleasure to watch.
Next Off
Most Followed
MOST READ RACING
