Could Be More To Come?

 

There is nothing more frustrating than identifying one you feel is very nicely handicapped, and then seeing him beaten by one who it turns out was also on a very nice mark. However, this doesn’t always mean the chance has gone and an example of this was At Fishers Cross at Cheltenham last week. Having put up Salubrious (pictured above chasing the winner) on this blog the night before, also highlighting Ardlui as having more to come, I didn’t much enjoy seeing At Fishers Cross demolish the pair on Hennessy Gold Cup Day. The resultant feeling of this race is not that I got Paul Nicholls' horse wrong, but more that At Fishers Cross was extremely well handicapped as he followed up at Cheltenham to frank the form of the other pair. Rebecca Curtis’ son of Oscar has now proven he stays 3m (a stiff one at that when adding in the Cheltenham hill) but he certainly doesn’t look short of pace so would appear versatile in both ground and trip which bodes well for his future. Taking into account the above, one would have to conclude that Salubrious still looks to be worth following next time he runs having been raised just 4lb on the back of his Newbury 2^nd. Ardlui could also prove worth following as he is only 3lb higher, was 8 lengths clear of 4^th, and should up his game now taking in races over trips greater than 2m. He is entered over 2m6f at Ascot on Friday and although I noticed a few others in that race that I am following (which I will highlight in my preview of the meeting when declarations are out tomorrow morning), he is worth keeping in mind, particularly if he’s an each way price when the markets open.

 

Another race on Hennessy Gold Cup Day also looks fairly substantial from a form perspective and that is the Novices Handicap Chase won by Rolling Aces (pictured above fighting it out with the runner up Merry King). Put up on here the night before, Rolling Aces looked very favourably handicapped with the likelihood of further improvement when tried over a trip and handicapping and he justified this optimism when beating Merry King by half a length. That rival was also mentioned in our preview article as he was another who looked to be potentially underestimated by the handicapper with his breeding suggesting a trip and fences would bring about further improvement. Though unlucky to finish 2^nd, I think he’ll have more to come and could be up to defying his revised mark of 6lb, particularly given the 3^rd, Handy Andy, won today at Newbury off the same mark he ran off behind Rolling Aces and Merry King. The latter of that pair is entered for the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock on Sunday, and although heavy ground, he is by Old Vic so shouldn’t be too inconvenienced and could well makes amends for his narrow defeat last time. Rolling Aces is likely to have an engagement at Wincanton on Boxing Day and I’d like to think he’d be up to defying his 8lb higher mark as I’m certain the Newbury race will work out (in addition to Handy Andy, the 10^th and 12^th have both come out and won a race since).

 

 

Handy Andy (pictured above with Joe Tizzard aboard) was bought in January 2011 for £115,000 and his trainer Colin Tizzard supposedly thought a fair bit of him. Having beaten Our Father on his first run, he pulled up lame at Aintree and frightened himself a bit when returning in a Gr2 Novice Chase at Wincanton so he was sent back hurdling to grow up both physically and mentally, and having run 3 weeks in a row in early 2012 he gained victory again in a Newbury Handicap Hurdle off a lowly 115. He was then put away and returned in October, taking in another Handicap Hurdle and then a Beginners Chase, before performing more respectably in the Newbury race off his revised chase mark of 115. Taking into account his price tag and that he has taken time to mature, it could be that the penny has now dropped and having won today he may well go on and rack up another couple of races. He is by Beneficial so today’s 3m and soft ground would’ve been right up his street and granted those conditions again he could well have more to come. Following the same theme, it is feasible that Chartreux (pictured below in action), the horse beaten 2 lengths by Handy Andy today (18 lengths clear of 3^rd), may also have more to come as he has seemingly been beaten by one with a fair bit in hand. He may go up a couple of lbs for today but is only rated 125 over fences compared with a rating of 133 over hurdles so Tom George may have something to work with. It would appear the softer the better for this one and at worst he looks to need some cut in the ground but in his preferred conditions he could be up to going one better.

 

To summarise, the horses highlighted that could still be well handicapped:

 

At Fishers Cross (versatile regarding trip and ground, very impressive)

Salubrious (could be nicely handicapped, wants 2m4f-3m and cut in ground)

Ardlui (should improve for trips of 2m4f+ so could be on a nice mark)

Rolling Aces (3m will suit well, more to come, likes cut in the ground)

Merry King (wants soft ground or worse, should stay 3m+, more to come)

Handy Andy (could still be improving, 3m and cut in ground should suit)

Chartreux (lower over fences than hurdles, maybe more to come, needs soft)