The facilities are not that brilliant in comparison to other tracks in fact it is a bit basic. There is plenty of parking and this can be close to the action. This was the route we took in 2002.
The previous visit was due to the proximity of the contract I was working on at the time. This was the resurfacing of the American forces bases nearby known as RAF Alconbury. This was interesting from the point of view of how a scruffy Manchester mob of asphalters can be assimilated into a peaceful Cambrigeshire hamlet. It was also interesting to see how the American servicemen ‘fit’ into the local area.
Let us first deal with the principle visit discussed. This was the 2002 meeting featuring Best Mate. He had won the Cheltenham gold cup the previous march for the first time and his trainer Henrietta knight had chosen the Peterborough chase as the ideal prep to attempt at the king George / Cheltenham gold cup double. The Peterborough Chase is a grade 2 chase over two and a half miles. Given its position in the calendar of late November / early December and the calibre of horse it has attracted over the years it is difficult to see why it has not been given grade 1 status. In the past this race was often a midweek feature and it is to revert to this position in the calendar in 2009. However from 1998 to 2008 including the 2002 running it was a Saturday feature race for the channel 4 television coverage.
The course stated;
“It became clear that owners and trainers were very keen to have specific ‘horse-jockey’ combinations available for races of the calibre of the Peterborough and that the staging of competing Saturday cards at Haydock Park and Ascot compromised the chances of the race attracting a larger and more competitive field.
The full list of winners since 1988 is
1988 Townley Stone
9 George Mernagh
John Webber
1989 Clever Folly
9 Neale Doughty
Gordon W. Richards
1990 Pegwell Bay
9 Jamie Railton
Tim Forster
1991 Sabin du Loir
12 Peter Scudamore
Martin Pipe
1992 Remittance Man
8 Richard Dunwoody
Nicky Henderson
1993 Travado
7 Jamie Osborne
Nicky Henderson
1994 Martha's Son
7 Rodney Farrant
Tim Forster
1995 Travado
9 Richard Dunwoody
Nicky Henderson
1996 Dublin Flyer
10 Brendan Powell
Tim Forster
1997 One Man
9 Richard Dunwoody
Gordon W. Richards
1998 Edredon Bleu
6 Jim Culloty
Henrietta Knight
1999 Edredon Bleu
7 Jim Culloty
Henrietta Knight
2000 Edredon Bleu
8 Jim Culloty
Henrietta Knight
2001 Edredon Bleu
9 Norman Williamson
Henrietta Knight
2002 Best Mate
7 Jim Culloty
Henrietta Knight
2003 Jair du Cochet
6 Jacques Ricou
Guillaume Macaire
2004 Le Roi Miguel
6 Ruby Walsh
Paul Nicholls
2005 Impek
9 Tony McCoy
Henrietta Knight
2006 Racing Demon
6 Graham Lee
Henrietta Knight
2007 Racing Demon
7 Tony McCoy
Henrietta Knight
2008 Monet's Garden
10 Davy Condon
Nicky Richards
“From 2009, the intention is to revert to a midweek fixture in its traditional mid to late November slot. The effect of this will be that the Totesport Peterborough Chase once again becomes the central feature of the afternoon’s racing, hopefully with a high class field of quality horses and leading riders.
The Racing
The opening race was the 22f Huntingdon Audi A1 Mares' Novices' Hurdle which was won in good style by a progressive mare Naughty Naughty. Restrained in mid division and produced from 4 out to smoothly lead approaching the last and go on to win easily. Clearly capable of better, is a good fluent hurdler and gave the impression of being able to stay further. The joint favourite was Line Freedom who has ability but is still far from a polished hurdler often throwing good opportunities with scruffy jumping. Was again prone to errors once the pace quickened. However this was not at the cost of winning the race as she was clearly second best. Will win when hurdling skills honed but appears on a slow leaning curve. Third home was Yvonne Evelyn who looks very one paced and may benefit from a stiffer course. There were a couple of promising performances from outsiders Tsarinova ( nicely bred and probably needs 3 miles, would have been closer bar an error in the straight) and Lady Karabyer (staying on in note-worthy style although only as a remote fifth). The other joint favourite Dream Function pulled far too hard and although in a prominent position when a blunder at halfway killed her chance was unlikely to have taken a hand in the finish.
Jockeys up for the opener
The second race was the class 4 Racing UK Novices' Handicap Hurdle ove2 just under 17f. This was won with a very enterprising ride from young Rhys Flint. He stole a clear lead early on, Gave Laterly a breather at halfway, kicked on again to win comfortably. Laterly hurdled well and kept concentration to avenge a similar winning position when unseating Tom Scudamore on his hurdle debut at Fakenham. Is highly unlikely to have things his own way again, may well be heavily penalised by the handicapped for this facile win and as such a combination of these factors are likely to limit opportunities especially if reassessment leads to a rating at or above the 7lbs norm (ie at or above 110). The logic behind the plunge on Thuderstorm is very hard to understand on his form and his 101 mark other than McCoy had just won, it was a JP McManus runner and hence cannot lose. But lose he did through a combination of poor technique and probably not that high a level of ability. I think Thurdestorm will find winning hard unless colossal reduction in rating. Easton Clump finished second somehow or another and is sure to be over-rated in the market for follow ups as I am sure the handicapper will not raise him at all on the basis of this run so a 95 will suck in the odds making him a good lay next time out. The mare Maralyn has a 10lbs hike for her Leicester win and although ran ok today was anchored. The white flag had come up a long way from home for the rest who were waiting in the wings should the frontrunner fold. There did appear to be a limit to the potential evident in the field behind the winner.
Great ride from Rhys Flint nicks the race for Laterly
Weatherby’s Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Novice Chase over 16f attracted the debut of the highest class hurdler to the sphere this season. Starluck had been very nearly top of the tree and is a consistent performer at the championship level. Therefore there was plenty of interest in how he would transfer over to chasing. He had been well backed in the Arkle before this debut so clearly there is plenty of confidence in his jumping ability. Today he was a little novice at the first couple but as the pace increased and he got into his stride the jumping became pretty smooth. Had a tendency to jump to the left but when asked to quicken three out was very impressive leaving these for dead without having to be pushed. I would say he is the highest class entry in the Arkle this year, he has now shown that his jumping is more than fair and as a consequence I think he has every chance of winning. I am not convinced it is a premier group of novices over the 2 miles this year and the Irish group looks no more than useful. The grey Pascha Bere looked the most likely to push Starluck. Although in general jumped fine was outclassed and there is little to gauge as to his potential. The same goes for the other two
Starluck and AP a winning combination in major novice chases this season I would say
Feature race of the day was the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle over 20f. A race worth £15,000 added attracted a good field and provided a stiff review of the Cheltenham credentials of one of the fancied middle distance novice hurdlers in the Nicky Henderson trained Minella Class. He was made a strong odds on favourite today and although travelling strongly his hurdling was not that great. He still held every chance over the final two he was out battled on the run home. It is possible that the tacky ground held him but he needs to battle up the hill if he is to win at Cheltenham and on the evidence today that looks unlikely. As such I am quite negative about his ability to win championship level hurdles. The winner was Aikman who although not entirely fluent was very game and having outgunned the favourite proceeded to pull clear for a comfortable win. Clearly very useful and saw our 2m4 fully. Both Pride of Battle (probably better going left handed) and Captain Kirkton (bit one paced ) ran with great credit being close up throughout and just giving best close home.
Big reputation of Minella Class about to get dumped despite holding every chance as leaaders come down to the second last
The John Bigg Oxx handicap chase was a class 4 event over 24f was won in by Honourable Arthur despite idling on the run in. In truth he had jumped this lot into the ground and had been ahead for some time until being joined by Backfromthecongo on the run in. This seemed to galvanise him again and he manage to put his best foot forward and assert by a couple of lengths. This gave a nice hat-trick of wins and you would have to say that another 7lbs or so should put an end to this progressive soft ground performers run for a while. The runner up Backfromthecongo had been prominent for much of the race and after being outpaced a bit from 3 out suddenly found himself with a chance as the leader ambled around the track a bit. However Backfromthecongo didn’t jump the last well and also looked very awkward giving in a bit on the run in. Is best suited by right handed courses and the 106 mark looks fair but ability to last out 3 miles in the mud is open to question. King Jack ran ok but finished a bit legless and is probably better over 20f than three miles, whilst Ginolad ran in snatches staying on well late to suggest may well win soon over a trip in excess of 3 miles (has run with credit over 3m2)
Honourable Arthur jumped well and saw off the renewed challenge of Backfromthecongo
There was an exciting finish to the Racing UK Handicap hurdle which was a class 4 over 20f. They went a good gallop with Crackajack Boy (how is he rated 98?) setting off but missing out a few hurdles and was pulled up before the straight, this left Torran Sound (probably better over 2 miles and mark of 98 a bit high) to lead from the second until 2 out who had every chance but ran out of steam going into the last to be 5 length fourth. At the last 6/4 favourite Decent Lord (would be worth a look over 2 miles again in the mud where he had just run up a hat-trick) looked to be going well coming into the second last which he decided to clobber that hurdle, still trying hard from the last but could not quicken up. The winner was Rossbrin (unlikely to follow this up as had race run to suit and anything above 83 will shackle him) who was well ridden by Andrew Tinkler who bought him from off the pace with a well timed run. He came stands side where the ground had not cut up and challenged approaching last where he slowly ground down Just The Job (on a reasonable mark of 100 tentative vote to recover losses) close home for a neck victory. Just The Job had a similar passage through the race and had first run on Rossbrin but hit the last which knocked some momentum out of him.
The two on the stands side are about to pounce late on the better ground to take the spoils in the final hurdle
We finished off with a hunter chase over 3 miles which I enjoy. This one was a very good battle with three in with a shout at the last and only a neck in it at the end. The odds on favourite Noakarad De Verzee (jumping not up to much and best opposing) was always up there, was a bit sketchy at a couple but in general ran well only giving best in final 100 yards. The winner was Mount Benger (cannot see much further progress) who was weak in the market and never seemed to be going that well on the first circuit. In fact he had to be kicked and coaxed along by his rider S Keating who did brilliantly well to get him home. The whip waving celebration told it all and for £635 for first place prize money you can see that this amateur level of the sport is exactly that a sport. The runner up was second favourite Templer (could pick up another hunter as is very consistent) who is in the ante post lists for the Foxhunters. He clobbered a couple and appeared to have lost his chance at the second last. Rallied again and joined issue on the run in where he was just outlasted. The others are of little note.
Great entertainmnet in the hunter chase finale
Notebook
Naughty Naughty
Looked capable of continuing to race well in novice events but switched to handicapping with only limited appea but did have a 9lbs jack up in the weghts. Is now down to 121 which is effectively where she was before this win and thus appears reasonably handicapped. However I baulked at backing her once the reassessmnet was clear.
Easton Clump (Negative) up £10
P
thrashd next run and not seen out since giving impression that it is likley he is finished so on that basis I Haved finished with him
Starluck down £20
34
I misread the signals of a small horse over fences as clearly he struggled in subsequent efforts and the rumour is he is likely to return to hurdling but I have given up backing him
Decent Lord down £20
20
Ran reasonably well both efforts but have given up on him now
Just The Job down £22.50
2 P 0 4 1 (9/4)
Nice win last time out but sure to be deassesssed so we will bin him. Before that was abit hit and miss.
Templar up £20
0 1 (EVENS) 3 2 1 (5/1) 3
Proved to be a decent hunter and backed the last six runs with plenty of enthusiasm.