Review of the day

Well, that was a tough one to take, wasn’t it ?!?!

It’s not often you see a horse jump the last 5 lengths clear - on a flat course like Doncaster – and not win…

The in-running boys agreed with that assessment.

£44K was matched on Jack the Gent at 1.01 – which makes him the biggest 1.01 loser of the year – apparently !

Quite an achievement for a TVB tip !

Ofcourse some of our ‘unlucky’ defeats are more painful than others.

And whilst Jack’s defeat might not have felt quite as bad as that of Monastrell – it still took a bit of swallowing…

However, these things are sent to test us – and ofcourse it will not have made a jot of difference for those of you smart enough to lay off IR at 2…

But for the rest of us… L

I did think that he was going to run a really big race…

He was extremely well backed all day  - and I don’t believe it was tipster inspired money.

I was a little perturbed to see him initially held up off the pace, but he was soon going so well, that jockey Barry Keniry had little choice other than to let him dispute the lead.

He saw off Qoubilai with 3 fences to go, which was probably a shame as he seemed to idle a little when racing on his own.

Ultimately that proved his undoing – and Memorabilia cut him down in the shadows of the post… Gutted !

Earlier in the day, Rouge et Blanc had given a boost to the chances of Jack, by hacking up at Huntingdon…

I’ve said it before, but why does it always seems that TVB tips win by a street and lose by a nostril ?!

I think it is now fair to say that the Leicester race was as strong as I suspected – it’s just a shame that the form line has been pretty much exhausted…

Neither of the speculative tips in the chase at Huntingdon: Five Rivers and Uno D’Estruval, ran with much credit…

There could be other days for them – but probably back over a shorter trip.

The race was won in terrifically game style by another old TVB tip – Arbeo…

Handtheprizeover ran with a certain amount of credit at Doncaster (despite ultimately being pulled up !). But neither he nor any of the others in the field were any sort of a match for Relax, who won pulling the proverbial cart !
I’ve no idea how Venetia Williams does it, but so many of her horses seem to have stones in hand of the handicapper…

Relax was the second part of a double for her – the first leg being Hada Men, who I had nominated for the handicap hurdle on the card (along with Greenlaw).

He looked beaten early in the straight – but the horse stays very well and wore down Powerful Ambition close home.

African Gold comfortably took the scalp of Close Touch in the novice hurdle and definitely looks like he could make an impact at the festival.

Apparently he is being targeted at one of the 3 mile events…

Triangular ran with a little more promise in the 2m4f chase – and could be worth following on better ground in the spring.

The race was won by The Chazer – the first of a treble for jockey Denis O Regan L

Back at Huntingdon, Virginia Ash couldn’t cope with the rise in the weights (or more likely the quicker ground) and was only able to finish sixth in the opener; whilst Zamdy Man found Chris Pea Green to good in the juvenile hurdle…

However Art Professor managed to cling on and give Aidan Coleman a winner on the day (and make it an across the card treble for Venetia). I still bet he wished he’d gone to Doncaster though !

Finally, Midnight Belle didn’t quite get home over the 3 mile trip and Taunton and faded into third.

She will be worth another chance back over 2m4f…

TVB.