NH Notebook horses

A thread was put up for ones to watch out for on the Flat,so i thought id put a jumpers one up.The real racing season is getting closer by the day and some decent quality affairs have been staged over the past week,particularly at Market Rasen today.I know everyone and his dog will have put this fellas name down but how unlucky was NOBLE ALAN? Would surely have won but for pitching on landing over the second last.This longer trip seemed to suit as they went just that half stride slower and he travelled up like a dream.If he gets his favoured decent ground then i reckon he could win a nice pot at one of the early season big meetings.

Two that ive picked up over the Christmas period are
AMBION WOOD and VILLAGE VIC.The former sluiced home in a novice hurdle at Chepstow,he might not have beaten much but he didnt come off the bit.The latter turned the bumper at Chepstow into a procession,he could as they say be anything.

CAPTAIN SUNSHINE,ran a screamer on debut ,would have won if not missing the hird last.Shoe in for a novice hurdle and may go onto hold his own in much better company.Will make a belting novice chaser next season

CAPE TRIBULATION ran a very taking race in the 2m5 chase at Cheltenham today.For the first time in ages he put in a virtually blemish free round of fencing and consequently he came there looking really threatening three out.He got outpaced on the run to the straight but then stayed on stoutly to finish in a photo for fourth.A return to 3m will certainly suit and he is ,to my mind at least,one of the best handicapped horses in the country at the moment.

The obvious one is DARLAN on Monday. Barry struggled to hold it back. Never off the bridle & won in a canter by half a length. Surely one for the Supreme Novice @ Cheltenham

Whilst i agree that Darlan did it unextended,i was slightly concerned about his far from fluent hurdling.He "missed" quite a few but his superiority was such that he got away with it,in the white hot heat of the Festival i'm afraid such shoddy timber topping will be severely punished.The two novices like this season are Colour Squadron and Montbazon.If the ground was on the slow side at Cheltenham id side with the former,if its decent id go with the latter.Theres nothing between them on Newbury form.I think they are both very capable of going close in the Championship event.

Two more for the list ran at Warwick today.VOLADOR was making his first racecourse appearance for quite a while in the 3m hcap hurdle and he showed infinite promise.His bumper and novice form was fairly useful and as such i thought he was a horses to follow two seasons ago but he didnt really go on as i expected,it may have been a blessing in disguise because he looked like he'd really developed into his frame during his break.He travelled and jumped beautifully and three out only the eventual winner was going better,race fitness then began to tell and once he'd "blown" two out he was left to come home in his own time.He WILL win a race of this nature in the current season,he goes right to the top of my shortlist.
In the 3m5 chase i thought HELLO BUD still showed that hes got the stuff needed to cut it even at the age of 14.Jumped like a buck from the front as usual and had most of them in trouble with four to jump,think a combination of ageing bones and his exertions at the head of affairs just told on the run to the last and he couldnt find the extra to get really concerned.He finished an honourable fifth and it was only in the last 100 yds that the third and fourth past him.A race of this nature,when the emphasis is on stamina and the ability to jump quickly and cleanly is rewarded may still be within his compass.
The two runners from our notebook who ran today had varying fortunes.CAPTAIN SUNSHINE took a nasty fall at the last in the 2m5 hurdle at Kempton,you couldnt say for certain that he was going to win but he would have been mighty close.AMBION WOOD ran in the 2m5 graded hurdle at Warwick and produced a carrer best to finish a very close second to Cotton Mill.A similar race is a shoe in,as to whether hes up to Festival class then only time will tell.

Haydock staged a so called National trial in the shape of the Peter Marsh but i think we may have seen a real Aintree outsider running in the graduation chase in the shape of MAD MAX.This was his first run of the season and his first for Niall Mulholland,has to be said that he shaped with real promise,a very useful novice with good Festival form ,he didnt really cut it against the big boys over 2m4 but he still had solid grade 1 form to boot.The ability is still there on todays evidence,he travelled sweetly(if anything,over sweetly),jumped like a pussycat and looked the winner four out but first run back and awful ground took their toll.Dougie Costello looked after him and he came home under minimal pressure to finish an honourable if well beaten third.Better ground and a longer trip will suit as the slower pace they go over the extended distances allows him to jump better.Im watching for the national weights with interest and if this fella gets in with a figthing burden then im going for a little touch.Even if he doesnt go to Aintree i think a nice prize is his for the taking when he encounters his optimum conditions.

Good fayre at a couple of venues today but only one real eyecatcher for me and probably one to carry forward to next season because he looks a real chaser in the making.....ROCKY CREEK.He won the graded 3m hurdle today at Doncaster but he just looks like hes marking time as a hurdler,his stature and demeanure have chaser written all over them and he screams out as one to follow next term.
Cape Tribulation ran in the Skybet but fell back into his old routine of making numerous mistakes.His penchant for "hurdling" his fences are costing him dear,until he gets his jumping together then he will continue to be a frustrating individual to follow.

Four runners over the weekend from our current list and all bar one performed with credit.
VOLADOR finished second at Wincanton @ 6/1,never going to beat the fluent winner but a race of this nature is his for the taking.He remains on the list.
AMBION WOOD ran a lacklustre race at Haydock,never really got into it.I'll forgive him this run because of the desperate ground and the longer trip.The combination of both might have been his undoing.
CAPE TRIBULATION finished fourth @ 22/1 in the Hcap Hurdle at Haydock.Likeable effort under 11-12 and this hopefully signals a return to better form over fences as he still remains,to my mind, a very well handicapped performer.
CAPTAIN SUNSHINE finished second @2/1 in the Ascot novice.Strange effort as he seemed to lug out badly left most of the way,to the point of becoming unsteerable on the home turn,once levelled out he stayed on strongly under minimal pressure.Back over 2m4 and on a lefthanded track he remians a horse of infinite interest.

ROYAL GUARDSMAN won the concluding bumper at Ascot,he powered away in the last 150 yds and looked a real one for next year over hurdles.I'll put him on the list but it maybe that the race as whole wants keeping on the right side of,as many shaped with promise.

The list finally delivered the big priced winner its being threatening to do in the shape of AMBION WOOD .He put up a cracking weight carrying performance in the big novices handicap at Sandown today at the rewarding odds of 14/1.

Didnt back it

Heres alist of how our list has fared since the horses were spotlighted.

NOBLE ALAN fell;
AMBION WOOD 2nd@9/2;5th;1st @14/1;1st@11/8;
VILLAGE VIC 2nd@5/1;Un@20/1;
CAPTAIN SUNSHINE fell;2nd@9/4;1st@4/9;1st@13/2;
CAPE TRIBULATION pu;4th@22/1;1st@14/1;1st@14/1;
VOLADOR 2nd@6/1;1st@9/2;un@16/1;
MAD MAX
ROCKY CREEK Un@13/2;;
ROYAL GUARDSMAN Un@10/1;
HELLO BUD 4th@12/1;Un@50/1;
DAN BREEN 3rd@10/1;

VILLAGE VIC and ROYAL GUARDSMAN ran in the Champion Bumper,the former was just taken off his feet and was never going.He wants plenty of cut and a stamins test for sure.The latter ran creditably if some what in snatches.He was on and off the bridle throughout and flattered on the homebend,he weakened into mid field.These both remain nice prospects for next season.
CAPE TRIBULATION did the list a massive favour by taking the Pertemps Final at 14/1.Given a beautiful waiting ride by Denis o Regan,he travelled supremely well and won with little resort to strong arm tactics.He is adaptable as to trip,2m4 to 3m and he can vary between timber and fences so another victory before seasons end wouldnt be a suprise.

DAN BREEN wants writing in capitals and underlining in red.He absolutely cantered round in the Martin Pipe and was hard on the steel running down to the last but he just toally emptied 50yds before it and paddled up the Hill,a total and utter none stayer.Back over a slightly shorter trip and/or at a sharper track he is thrown in off his current mark.

Another red letter day for list with VOLADOR fulfilling the pomise of his two runs this term by winning the 2m4 hurdle at Uttoxeter @9/2.This was probably the bare minimum in terms of trip for him and so long as he doesnt get caned for it by the handicapper he can claim something of similar quality.Five minutes after our first winner along popped CAPTAIN SUNSHINE and he broke his duck over timber in the 2m5 maiden hurdle@4/9.His a long term prospect for fences next season but hopefully this win may give him the boost needed to progress further over the coming weeks.
Actually backed these today so clawed back the Festival loses with a bit of profit to boot.

CAPE TRIBULATION and Volador both ran in the 3m hcap at Aintree today.The latter was very disappointing,never really going at any stage and finishing a long way back.The former,however,built on his Cheltenham victory by defying a hefty rise in the handicap to take the spoils at a very rewarding 14/1 and complete a very commendable Spring Festival double.He is finally showing something of the improvement i thought he had over fences but over timber instead.This win will take handicaps out of view for a while and whilst hes no chaleenger to Big Bucks,he can win a nice graded conditions event or two along the way.

HELLO BUD ran in the National and what a spin he gave young Twiston Davies.Up in the van all the way he was bang there until two out when his old legs began to show the miles.He still plugged on to finish seventh or eighth.Think he showed enough to suggest that another win isnt out of the question.

CAPTAIN SUNSHINE kept the lists wonderful run going with a stylish win at Cheltenham today at a tasty 13/2.He shows little or no respect for timber,he jumps flat footed or bashes them out of his way but he has a real engine and he mowed them down after the last.He looks like a real nice chase prospect for next season and he would certainly warrant a place on any ten to follow list.

AMBION WOOD keeps the list rolling on,winning today at Perth.Okay,11/8 isnt everybodys sort of price but beggars cant be chosers.On ground with cut he is a vewry useful performer and he represents a nice chase prospect for next season.

The final day of the NH season,the final day of our list and the final runner,DAN BREEN.He aquitted himself with real credit in finishing third in the Celebration Chase @10/1.The winner,Sanctuaire,looks top class when the conditions are testing,so no disgrace for our highlighted horse in hitting the frame.
Will do another list for when the real NH returns in late September/early October.Hope you managed to back a couple of the juicier priced winners that my list threw up and whilst i'll try and keep a Flat one going,the fact that theres so much racing in the Summer months does mean that it can be nigh on impossible to keep up to speed.

racingnut wrote:Heres alist of how our list has fared since the horses were spotlighted.

NOBLE ALAN fell;
AMBION WOOD 2nd@9/2;5th;1st @14/1;1st@11/8;
VILLAGE VIC 2nd@5/1;Un@20/1;
CAPTAIN SUNSHINE fell;2nd@9/4;1st@4/9;1st@13/2;
CAPE TRIBULATION pu;4th@22/1;1st@14/1;1st@14/1;
VOLADOR 2nd@6/1;1st@9/2;un@16/1;
MAD MAX
ROCKY CREEK Un@13/2;;
ROYAL GUARDSMAN Un@10/1;
HELLO BUD 4th@12/1;Un@50/1;
DAN BREEN 3rd@10/1;

This is the final table of the spotlight horses and their efforts since they were highlighted.
Win level stake wagers would have yielded;
RUNS 23
POINTS STAKED 23 pts
RETURNS 55 pts
Level stake profit of 32 pts.

racingnut,

Not on the list, but i wondered whether you had any thoughts on the horse Art Dzeko? I've noticed it a few times and it's had a few wins of late and seems to be well backed?

He races in the lower graded stuff,real "bandit" country.A win in a class 6 at Catterick and an all out victory in a dreadful sand shufflers heat at Southwell wont be seeing him going on any of my shortlists.He was well beaten on his tries in slightly higher grades so it might be that hes found his niche.

Ah, one to avoid then!

What do you make of Mr Rooney's foray into the world of Horse Racing?

I wouldnt say that hes one to avoid totally because he has shown the ability to win a race,horses that race regularly in this lowly grade are more often then not in capable of winning.Just look in the paper of how many multi effort maidens contest these class 5/6 events at the so called gaff tracks,sorting out the horses that CAN win from those that CANT or WONT win is the most important thing.Ive been in horses that ran in poor grade handicaps,claimers and sellers,theres no shame in that,you have to run your charge in its most realistic grade but its very shadey arena,full of wideboys trying to pull of a coup or trying to get some unsuspecting vendor to buy or claim there "dodgepot".

Thought Rooney looked like a fish out of water in the parade ring,i was totally convinced that Michael Owen was going to sit him on his knee,stick his hand up his back and talk for him! Reckon hes only doing it because he can afford to,he doesnt know which end of horse bites and which end s***es!When the novelty wears off he'll bin it.

SetupDeterminesTheMotion wrote:The obvious one is DARLAN on Monday. Barry struggled to hold it back. Never off the bridle & won in a canter by half a length. Surely one for the Supreme Novice @ Cheltenham

Amazing; 9 months down the line & Darlan is FAV for the Champion.