Trackside: Horses to follow including Pepe Le Moko and Fresh Kicks

Glancing Jack (Tom Symonds)

January 12, Hereford - Blackmore Building Contractors Novice Hurdle

Two stood out in the paddock, for differing reasons. Winner Loaded And Locked was one in respect of him being really fit and well, ready for the day, but going forward it’s runner-up Glancing Jack that’s the one I liked.

Tom Symonds’ angular five-year-old looks a chaser in the making, really filled the eye and despite some clear signs of greenness beforehand, made more appeal the more he walked round (which he did well, too).

He travelled very nicely into the race and it was clear he was going to get a place some way out, and whilst a couple of mistakes didn’t stop him winning this, he was a clear second best. Can only improve on this, and a step up in trip will suit. A winner in waiting in similar company, and one to follow long-term.

Pepe Le Moko (Jane Williams)

January 12, Hereford - CB Protection And Security Handicap Chase

After a week of freezing conditions, you wondered whether one or two you saw on the day might just be a gallop short of full fitness, and I thought Pepe Le Moko could just fit the bill as one I want next time out.

He’s finished a 20-length third here, well held at the finish, but that doesn’t even begin to tell the story. From the off a furious pace was set by Just Forty (looked really well) and a few others, but unsurprisingly every one of them dropped away and were either tailed off or pulled up.

Pepe Le Moko was the exception; never that far away, he faded from three out but this was not a bad effort in a race where the winner, second and fourth all received the comment “held up”.

He’s eligible for 0-110s after this and I think he’s more than capable of winning one of those if he gets his conditions again.

Fresh Kicks (Nicky Henderson)

January 18, Windsor - Royal Windsor Horse Show Cup Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

It was a good-looking group of novice hurdlers in the paddock: all shapes and sizes with varying likely future careers. For the job on the day, Fresh Kicks fitted the bill - a slim, athletic gelding who was presenting leaner than the norm from the Nicky Henderson yard. He had a presence, that bit of class you can’t quite put your fingers on, and ran well from a mark of a 119.

Having disappointed at Ascot over three miles, connections clearly felt the smart gelding was going to be seen to better effect over sharper distances and he travelled well for a long way. Fresh Kicks was involved in the Skelton-Bowen argy-bargy, receiving a bump at the second out and hitting the hurdle as a result, fading out of contention.

That performance suggests he has the capability to win a Class 3 handicap hurdle before the end of the season, especially if the gelding continues to flourish into the spring.

Hornica (Ben Pauling)

January 18, Windsor - TDJ Williams Waste Limited Mares' Novices' Hurdle

We had to check the records to see if Hornica had been covered before, because she has been on the Trackside radar since making her debut at Cheltenham in April.

She hadn’t quite reached the heights that her paddock appearance would have suggested, finishing down the field behind Jackie Hobbs in a Class 2 novices hurdle at Newbury before being well-beaten in a Listed contest over the same course and distance. The fact connections are continuing to persist at a high level suggests Hornica is showing potential at home; she’s a good looking, neat mare with a fair level of quality.

The Windsor run indicated the penny is starting to drop - she took a keen hold before making headway in the closing stages to finish a staying-on third behind Getawhiskey, who has also featured in this column. It looks like further improvement is likely now Hornica is starting to put it all together, and she’s one to keep an eye on.

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