Following a spate of recent winners already this year, the Trackside team are back with some horses to keep tabs on from Wetherby, Southwell and Newbury.
Recent winners for the column include - Kool Kid 11/8, Betgoodwin 7/2, Burano Murano 16/5, Wellington Arch 10/3, Glancing Jack 6/5 and Golden Falls 11/2.
Girl Friday (Michael and David Easterby)
March 17, Wetherby - Mares NH Novice Hurdle
A classic case of the paddock steering you wrong here, and there are two ways of looking at this as a result. Girl Friday was nice enough on looks - but it didn’t take too long (or so we thought) to deduce she was badly in need of this first run, with plenty to work on. (Not just my opinion either - a well known bookmaker on the socials who also does his own paddock work remarked to me later “how the hell did that win?”). Front rank throughout, you were always waiting for that lack of fitness to kick in and for her to weaken, but all she did was keep going and was well away after the last.
I think she has to be given a lot of credit for this, and she could be very useful indeed in time. She’s bred to stay well and will get three miles no problem. Lots more to come and has to be kept onside.
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Alembic (Sir Mark Prescott)
March 21, Southwell - Restricted Novice Stakes
David was at Southwell on Saturday, as he’s already had enough of the jumps season (not really, it’s just what was nearest to his home on the day) and Alembic is one that you’ll need on your trackers with the summer (and beyond) in mind.
Physically the best of these, strong, sturdy, he (unsurprisingly) looks a galloper and was always likely to find this mile on the sharp side. Throw in the fact he was very nervy beforehand, whinnying, and green in the race itself all adds to the fact it’s going to be a few runs before we see anything like the best of him, which isn’t a surprise given who trains him and his pedigree (a full brother to Almeric); he’ll get his mark, and then you’ll want to be on once he’s racing over more of a trip at Yarmouth in July. Then Hamilton two days later, Nottingham three days after that...
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsFresh As A Daisy (Nicky Henderson)
March 21, Newbury - BetVictor British EBF "National Hunt" Mares' Novices' Hurdle
Pulled up in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle doesn’t scream horse to follow but Fresh As A Daisy has been on our radar for a while, and it’s taking time for the penny to drop.
Physically, she’s lengthy and flat rumped - not your ideal conformation, but winners come in all shapes and sizes - and the seven-year-old had shown enough promise to be considered a 15/2 shot for the competitive mares’ hurdle. It had been striking how green this mare is at Warwick; she walked into the paddock and had a good look around, as if she was new to the races. It was a similar story, but improved, at Newbury and a line was immediately put through her from a paddock perspective.
She’s already won and placed numerous times - this is a mare with some talent - but there’s still more improvement to come and next season, she could be an improved force in mares company.
Diamond Street (Dan Skelton)
March 21, Newbury - Goffs Hundred Grand Bumper
There’s always been a Skelton ‘type’ - their runners tend to look to be athletic, rather than a typical ‘leg in each corner’ National Hunt type, but it appears that the buying team have upped their game recently. Anyone who follows this column knows how impressive Maestro Conti has been in the paddock and Diamond Street is of similar type, well-built with more of a chest and hindquarter than maybe typical of the stable.
He wowed in the paddock but there are always going to be hard luck stories in these big-field bumpers and Harry Skelton ran into traffic problems with three-furlongs to run. A credible fifth behind the fast-finishing Lady Hope was still a good effort and it appears the Skelton team have another exciting novice hurdler to go to war with next season. This gelding looks good; let’s hope he can justify early potential.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsMore from Trackside
- Handicappers to follow from Cheltenham
- Novices to follow from Cheltenham
- Horses to Follow from Kelso, Newbury and Plumpton
- Horses to Follow from Huntingdon, Southwell, Kempton & Fontwell
- Horses to Follow from Ascot and Haydock
- Horses to follow from Newbury and Warwick
- Horses to Follow from Trials Day at Cheltenham
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