The Trackside team have a little bit of everything this week as they flag up half a dozen horses well worth monitoring in the weeks and months to come.
Matty’s Getaway (Kim Bailey/Mat Nicholls)
October 10, Chepstow - Wasdell Group Novices Hurdle (Div I)
In truth, there’s any number of horses you could take forward from this; runner-up Louis Veron, who I thought needed a bit more time, ran a cracker and it was probably only a bit of greenness that cost him the win; the scopey Tread Carefully, on his toes beforehand and a future chaser over further, he probably found this too sharp a test in the end and will do better, but it’s Matty’s Getaway that is the one I’ll be following most closely.
Solidly built, I thought he might come on a little for the run too, but he can be considered slightly unlucky after being quite badly hampered by the loose Jaja Jimmy three out. He made his ground up steadily after that but could never quite get back to the leaders. Looks a winner in waiting.
Kop Land (Sam Thomas)
October 10, Chepstow - Wasdell Group Novices Hurdle (Div II)
Again, pick your poison; Doctor’s Hill was just about the paddock pick, a rangy, strong type that came to throw down a challenge two out, but he got it wrong and all-the-way winner Masked Man got away from him again, the latter looking a much leaner, racier type.
He’ll improve plenty for this and will win races, but further down the field Kop Land appeals as the sort being readied for handicaps later in the year. As will Grand Conqueror, who I liked pre-race and was spotted hitting the line hard once the race was over; pencil him in for a 2m4f-3m handicap this winter.
But it is Kop Land that’s the one that interests me most. He rocked up in the pre-parade ring looking badly in need of the run and it was hardly a surprise to see him so weak in the betting after paddock inspection. He looked one of the better types though, and should progress; this was nothing more than a pipe-opener for him; held up out the back he merely passed a few beaten ones late on, a run he’ll come on a bundle for.
Related to a stack of jumps winners, including the very useful Good Risk At All, he’s one to stick on the tracker and revisit once he has a mark.
Royal Infantry (Dan Skelton)
October 11, Chepstow - Tote Silver Trophy Handicap
It’s been fascinating to see which trainers have theirs more forward than the others over the weekend, and we’ve had a few paddock clues. Perhaps, unsurprisingly, many of Dan Skelton’s looked well enough to do themselves justice, but despite the money that came for him I thought Royal Infantry would definitely sharpen up a touch for the run, unlike his market rival Josh The Boss who looks spot on here, but ultimately disappointed.
Perhaps he just found the ground a bit quick here too, and we won’t see the best of him until he goes back up in trip and on softer ground, but I think he might be capable of more than just handicaps in time; he’s always been a quality-looking individual, ever since we saw him in a Doncaster bumper, and he looked it again here. This should just get him spot on for next time, and when the rain does come, he’s one to bear in mind.
WATCH: Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow
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Pure Carbon (Harry Derham)
October 11, Chepstow - Good Intents Marquee Hire Handicap Steeplechase
A few of Harry Derham’s looked in need of the run over the two days but I really liked Pure Carbon on his chase debut; he caught the eye in the parade ring as he has the size for fences, but is really nicely put together.
He put in a good round of jumping on his chase debut here, Chepstow not always the easiest for a novice, but he seemed to really enjoy his job and only found the match-fit Lightning Flash too good for him. Compensation surely awaits.
Pierre Bonnard (Aidan O’Brien)
September 11, Newmarket – Zetland Stakes
Beast, monster, giant – just three of the hyperboles thrown around before we settled for the sometimes-used, always meant ‘impressive individual’.
Impressive individual barely touches the sides when describing Pierre Bonnard, who is one of the biggest juveniles sighted on the track this year with a quiet demeanour to match. He even dwarfs stablemate Brussels, which is no mean feat, and it was difficult to believe that a colt of that size and scope would handle the Dip in a neat fashion.
He answered all those questions in ready style, travelling smoothly through the Rowley Mile’s undulations and accelerating away for a comfortable one-and-a-half length victory. This is a colt that falls into the ‘whatever he does as a juvenile is a bonus’ category: Pierre Bonnard is only going to improve as he fills into his frame and learns the best way of using his extraordinary body.
On a day of exciting winners, Pierre Bonnard isn’t going to fly under the radar but the general 10/1 available for next year’s Derby looks worth a pound or two.
Wadooda (Owen Burrows)
September 10, Newmarket - Godolphin Under Starters Orders Maiden Fillies' Stakes
The transformation of Wadooda from fire-breathing filly to respectable racehorse during the preliminaries of the seven-furlong maiden was truly remarkable, and all credit should be given to the Owen Burrows team for persisting, calming and managing a clearly talented individual.
Fractious in the pre-parade ring, Wadooda began to settle to her new role as exciting juvenile in the paddock – by the time Callumn Rodriguez had mounted, she was starting to get the hang of things and hacked quietly to post. It felt like she may have blown her chance by then, but the daughter of Dubawi rallied in the closing stages from her prominent position to finish one-and-a-quarter lengths second behind Act Of Kindness.
Out of a half-sister to Guineas heroine Elmalka and the well-travelled Benbatl, Wadooda is bred in the purple and it is easy to see why she’d be able to reverse the form with the Godolphin filly should they meet again. She is only going to learn from the whirlwind experience of Newmarket and we should see a polished individual in future.
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