L'Homme Presse (left) overtakes Stage Star in the Cotswold Chase

Paddock Notes from Ascot and Cheltenham Trials Day


David Cleary goes through his paddock notes following the major meetings at Ascot, Windsor and Cheltenham - he's got plenty of interesting horses to follow.


COUNTRY PARK (Ascot, 18/01/25, 2¾ m novice hurdle)

Country Park took second placing for the third time over hurdles, though he was a long way behind front-running Jax Junior at the line. However, there was clearly an element of boosting his confidence after his fall at the previous Ascot meeting in the way that he was ridden and he remains one to be positive about.

Country Park was dropped out and took a good hold, still going well when he blundered three out. He moved into second early in the straight, but the winner had long since flown and Country Park's rider did just what was required to hold second.

It's perhaps significant that the novice Country Park contested is an EBF qualifier, and the Final of the series at Sandown in March could well offer a race that would play to his strengths. Country Park will come fully into his own only over fences, but he needs to be borne in mind if he does go for that race.

CRAMBO/STRONG LEADER (Cheltenham, 25/01/25, 3m Grade 2 hurdle)

Crambo and Strong Leader are probably the two best staying hurdlers trained in Britain, but they have yet to both run well when facing one another. In the Betfair Cleeve Hurdle, neither of them gave their running, Crambo's blow-out more readily excused than Strong Leader's lacklustre effort.

Crambo looked the one to beat after his win in the Long Walk before Christmas, but he was easy to back, perhaps due to his fractious state beforehand. That though wasn't in evidence as he cruised along behind the leaders early on the final circuit. However, a bad mistake at the eighth, which nearly unseated his rider, effectively ended his chance.

At that stage, the well-backed Strong Leader was going okay, but a mistake at the next saw him soon in trouble. Although he made some headway after two out, he was no threat to the principals. This wasn't so bad as his run at Ascot, but there are still questions to be answered. Of the pair, Crambo seems the more easy to forgive when it comes to considering their Stayers' Hurdle claims.

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LAUGHING JOHN (Newbury, 15/01/25, 2m junior 'national hunt' hurdle)

Junior 'national hunt' hurdles, a recent innovation, have unsurprisingly proved to be a pretty weak category of race. Confined to those that have run only in junior bumpers or in races of this type, lack of experience is often very evident. It was certainly the case with Laughing John, who was making his debut against rivals who at least had the benefit of one or two previous outings.

Laughing John was the pick of the field on looks – a good-topped gelding – and looked a keen type beforehand, quite geed up and fitted with a crossed noseband. He was keen in the race as well, tugging his way to the front by the third. His inexperience showed in the straight, as he ran green when shaken up and then faded on the run-in.

Laughing John will know more, perhaps significantly more, with this run under his belt. He has a relatively speedy pedigree, a mix of Flat and hurdling in his background, and he's likely to prove best around two miles for the time being.

LULAMBA (Ascot, 18/01/25, 2m juvenile hurdle)

The juvenile hurdle that opened Ascot's card on Clarence House Chase day offered a fascinating clash between two ex-French performers with very different backgrounds making their British debut. The smart Flat performer Mondo Man was the stronger in the market, but it was Lulmaba, successful in a newcomers hurdle at Auteuil in the autumn on his only previous outing, who came out the clear-cut winner.

Lulamba is a well-made sort, quite imposing for a juvenile – a touch of the Sir Ginos about him – and he looked a keen type beforehand. Having tracked the pace, he led on the bridle between the last two and quickened away when just pushed along in the final 200 yards. He won with plenty in hand.

Lulamba plainly has a lot more to offer, this winter and beyond. So far as the Triumph is concerned, though, there is a question as to whether he deserves to be favourite. East India Dock sets a very high standard. Lulamba may reach a similar level and pretty soon, though there is a sense in which he is much less of a here-and-now horse than East India Dock.

MYRETOWN (Windsor, 17/01/25, 3m novice handicap chaser)

Myretown's bid for a second win in three starts over fences ended at the third-last fence. He still looked to have plenty of running in him when he went and overall his jumping isn't of significant concern – until that error he had largely jumped well in front.

Myretown had started his season with a run over two miles, an inadequate trip. He then went to Wetherby and won over an extended nineteen furlongs, beating the only other finisher 19 lengths. He was raised just 2 lb for that run and the way he travelled at Windsor prior to his fall suggests he's still on a very workable mark.

Myretown is a strong gelding, very much a chaser, and it's likely that he will be suited by three miles in due course. Both his winning siblings were successful at the trip. It's possible he'll need some give in the ground, worth noting that he's been withdrawn on good ground twice, unsuitable conditions cited.

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SHAN'T WAIT (Newbury, 15/01/25, 2m novice hurdle)

In one sense, Shan't Wait has been very consistent in his three runs over hurdles so far. He was beaten 21 lengths on his debut at Southwell in December and just a length further back at Southwell and then Newbury for his next two. However, the Newbury race was a better contest and his fourth-placing behind Jurancon represented his best performance to date.

So far, Shan't Wait has been raced at two miles, but he's a son of Shantou, a sire who is generally a good influence for stamina, and leaves the distinct impression that he will have more to come once he steps up in trip. At Newbury he couldn't go with the principals from early in the straight but he kept on and was spared a hard race.

It's worth mentioning that Shan't Wait went straight into hurdles, rather than contest points or bumpers, which perhaps promises more to come, given such limited experience. He comes from essentially a Flat family, and he looks more a Flat type than a jumper. He's been given a workable initial mark, so a novice handicap hurdle over an extra few furlongs looks the most suitable option.

STAGE STAR/DELTA WORK (Cheltenham, 25/01/25, 3m1f Grade 2 chase)

The Betfair Cotswold Chase was pretty ordinary fare, so far as Gold Cup trials go, the winner L'Homme Presse holding places claims at best for the blue riband in March. However, there are two performances in the race worth highlighting, from the runner-up Stage Star and the fourth Delta Work.

Stage Star hadn't been at his best on his first two starts this season, but a step up to 3m+ and tackling a conditions race rather than a handicap seemed to make all the difference. It's not a surprise on pedigree that Stage Star would stay the extra distance, but he's a keen sort (he was on his toes beforehand) and there was a doubt, one he answered comprehensively. Stage Star isn't in the Gold Cup and, despite his good Cheltenham record, the Bowl at Aintree looks the ideal spring target for him.

Delta Work may also have Aintree as his goal. He's been working towards peak fitness so far this winter, but was back in a race where his chance on the balance of recent form was a stiff one. Delta Work fiddled his way round and was never competitive, but he was spared a hard race and was keeping on at the finish.

With the proximity of Cheltenham and Aintree this season and the switch back to being a handicap for the cross-country, Delta Work may well be headed next for the Grand National, in which he was runner-up last spring.


Update

Apart from Country Park, several others mentioned in the last Notebook have run again since. LEADER IN THE PARK is the one winner from the list: he followed up his Kempton victory at Warwick, value for more than his narrow margin of victory after getting into a battle for the lead a long way from home. His jumping and the way he travelled again looked assets and he'll continue to be of interest.

HANSARD failed to improve on his Kempton run when finishing mid-field behind Secret Squirrel in a valuable handicap hurdle at Windsor (replay below); however, things didn't really go his way – he was short of room just as the tempo was lifting and he's worth another chance. NAP HAND again showed enough to think he'll win races when runner-up to an odds-on chance at Huntingdon.

CHATTY GIRL went backwards from her debut win when finishing well beaten in the Alan Swinbank at Market Rasen. RUKAANA, on the face of it, didn't offer much when finishing last at Wetherby on his third start. In his defence, the ground was again soft and his rider was easy on him once he got outpaced early in the straight after he'd drifted back to a poor position. He shouldn't be written off, particularly with a handicap on less testing ground in mind.

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