Hello Friend,
I hope you had a decent weekend.
I have a new 'Notes from The North' post for you from Adam Norman, covering his recent trip to Hexham.
It's an informative read and you can flick through it HERE >>>
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It was a quiet enough weekend on the punting front from myself. Watching Some Chaos storm to victory wasn't much fun and I suppose he made the morning 10/3 (subsequent 25p R4) look decent enough but as always it's easy to say after the sodding race! I both didn't want to be with him and wanted to oppose him, the double whammy! Doh. But, that's the game, and you have to deal with being wrong far more than being right.
Broken Quest ran ok for a time but faded rather tamely. He was weak enough in the market so maybe he did badly need it, or he just doesn't enjoy going left-handed, for all his jumping was straight enough to my eyes, but he is now 0/7,1p that way round, 0/6 over fences. A chance his mark is too high, 0/5,1p now 131+. It could be he travelled out of his comfort zone also. However, given the form he was in earlier in the year, I remain convinced he has a Vets chase in him. A chance he was outclassed also. I was happy to take a chance at 8s, wrong this time, but with any luck only money loaned, to be paid back with interest at some point.
I sat out the Native River handicap chase on Saturday, not really wanting to oppose Tea Clipper or Kitty's Light, but not wanting to be with them at the odds either.
You can only applaud Peregrine Run and his connections. I got him right at Worcester but not so this time. Aged 12, winning his 20th race (20/64, 37p) across all codes, quite remarkable. You wouldn't mind a barn or syndicate full of those types! To stay sound for that long also is quite an achievement. I thought the 9lb rise for Worcester would be enough to stop him, the form was only so-so summer form, and he wouldn't live with the younger legs in opposition, but he was in fine form and race fit, which counted for plenty. Credit to him and some fine placement also.
Tea Clipper has run his race but I'm not 100% sure what to make of it. He must have a 3m chase in him somewhere, but he does need proper good ground, and does go well fresh. Still, he travelled well, jumped well, and stayed on. Just outgunned late, but the fact he couldn't get the job done here maybe poses a question moving forwards, especially as more 'winter horses' start appearing. Clearly there are handicap chases to be won with him.
I want to keep Gats And Co onside, as he's a likeable staying chaser in the making who still looked progressive before his Uttoxeter flop. He likes to get on with it and jumps well, possibly needing the run, probably outclassed, and maybe he'd like a bit further, especially on faster ground. He's won over 26.5f, on all types of going, with all wins coming within 60 days of last start. He's 3/4 over fences at Chepstow, 1/3 at Ffos Las and it could be they find something else for him at those venues soon enough, possibly dropped back into a Class 3. I suspect he'll demolish a chase field from the front at some point this season, especially if no pace pressure, and it could be he develops into a proper stayer in time, 3m4f+.
El Presente looked to hate going LH, his first try this way round over fences. It remains to be seen what ability/form he's in after some time off, but I doubt they'll go this way round again. It could be he still needs his next run, with his 3rd start telling us more, but his mark is workable and he's got enough ability on decent ground, being a former Badger Beers winner. Maybe that's the early season target again, for all they'd have wanted to see more.
The two Christian Williams horses didn't do much, but if they badly needed it, that's often the case with his chasers - they can run shockers on their return, come on bundles and take massive strides forward on their next two starts. Cap Du Nord usually needs it, however Kitty's Light nearly won this same race last year, so I don't know what to make of that. Maybe they've decided to run him into form this season, we shall see. He did have a very hard campaign last season, running some monster races, and it could be it's taken a toll on him. He's still only 6. Still, I suspect Christian has a plan for them both.
Jacamar ran well for a while but has yet to win beyond 2m4.5f over fences, so this was no doubt a prep run. He has always needed his return also. He's now 0/5,0p going LH, 2/5,4p RH and there could be something in that, the jury is out. It looks like he may prefer less galloping tracks also. However, he's only 7, 2/10 chasing, and I suspect has more wins in him this season. One to watch when dropped in trip, and maybe if dropped in class also. He travelled/jumped like a horse on good terms with himself.
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That's all for today's email, don't forget to read Adam's notes HERE >>>
There are horses to note, his thoughts on some of the rides, how horses looked (fit, unfit, lacking scope, ones to avoid etc) and 'trainer watch'. It's worth a couple minutes of your time.
Have a great start to the week,
Josh
