Shearer showed fairly useful form in bumpers last season, and was all the rage in the betting ahead of his hurdling debut, but he was only able to finish runner-up to one who had previous experience to call upon.
He was only beaten a neck, and looked the classier horse throughout the race, but some sloppy jumping at five and three out didn't do him any favours.
Indeed, Shearer did have every chance to win in the closing stages, but was just unable to match the application of the winner on the run-in. That can be put down to inexperience for now, and he is also entitled to strip fitter for his first run for seven months (and first since undergoing a wind operation).
There is plenty about him physically, and he is clearly held in high regard, so is well worth chancing to go one place better next time; he remains a good prospect.
With the exception of Mohaather, the Horris Hill hasn't got a great recent record of producing high-class types, but Light Infantry very much has the potential to develop into a top-level performer.
He made a deep impression when making a winning debut at Yarmouth last month, overcoming considerable inexperience to beat a next-time-out winner by six and a half lengths, and made another jolt of improvement up in class.
Light Infantry was given a patient ride and came into the race in good style in what were testing conditions, produced to lead inside the final furlong but always leaving the impression he was going to win with a bit up his sleeve. He will stay at least a mile next year and rates the type that could have much more to offer.
The two who pulled clear of the remainder in this maiden showed fairly useful form and are a couple to be positive about, but One Evening arguably showed the most promise over a trip which will likely prove short of her optimum.
There is plenty of stamina on the dam's side of her pedigree, but she showed plenty of encouragement amongst greenness, showing inexperience and outpaced from three furlongs out but began to keep on well once the penny dropped inside the final furlong.
One Evening wasn't given a hard time on debut and she appears to have plenty about her physically, sure to improve for this initial experience, and perhaps significantly so when tackling middle distances next year.
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It will be interesting to see if LAATANSA takes up his entry in next week's Tattersalls Horses In Training Sales after another encouraging effort.
The son of New Bay was an expensive purchase for Shadwell Estates as a yearling and really impressed with how he travelled through the Home Of Racing Maiden Stakes.
He was bordering on keen throughout under Jim Crowley but was last off the bridle and looked the likely winner approaching the final furlong.
In the end he couldn't cope with the late thrust of newcomer New London or the rail run of the trailblazing Soul Stopper, but rates a surefire future winner for whatever connections he represents next.
He should make up into a nice three-year-old middle-distance handicapper.
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John & Thady Gosden had three of the fillies in this 16-runner novice and it was the stable’s pair of newcomers who fought out the finish, both making very promising debuts. Winner Shaara was the outsider of her stable’s trio and did well to overcome a slow start, but there was a lot to like too about the performance of runner-up A CAPPELLA, Robert Havlin’s mount, who was the more fancied at 6/1.
Towards the rear for much of the way, A Cappella was still going well over two furlongs out when asked to make her move, bursting through to challenge the leaders entering the final furlong at about the same time as her stablemate came on the scene up the stand rail. The pair of them took over well inside the final furlong, Shaara having a neck to spare at the line, though A Cappella wasn’t subjected to the whip in running her close.
A 350,000 guinea foal by Frankel out of a useful French 2-y-o 5f/6f winner, A Cappella looks sure to improve and will be well up to winning a similar event.
Timeform Horses To Follow: 2021/22 National Hunt Season Preview
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Stuart Kittow’s sprinter Gherkin had been raised only 2 lb for his win at Kempton earlier in the month and, with the blinkers on again, he looked unlucky not to follow up after meeting trouble in this big field. Buried away in the pack, Kieran Shoemark switched Gherkin wide to begin his run but a gap closed on him as he did so, forcing him to snatch up approaching the final furlong. But once in the clear again, Gherkin closed all the way to the line, finishing strongly down the outer to be beaten just a neck behind the winner Glamorous Force in a bunched finish.
Successful at Brighton in the spring, Gherkin has clearly found his form again now and he’s one to be interested in next time.
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