Bye Bye Britannia
The reasons for my decision are that i) This is a family friendly course and has great facilities for kids, when they run a family day there is stacks of stuff for the youngsters, ii) the facilities are great with big in door areas for food and drink plus decent viewing stands, iii) the racing is generally very competitive and they have a good number of high class handicaps including some of the best summer jumping, iii) there are some reasonably priced hospitality features including some great little function rooms adjacent to the paddock which really provide a great setting for a special event, iv) the course enclosure is very good value having good facilities no hassle about how close you want to park to a fence plus great viewing of the whole track v) well maintained facilities vi) adjacent to the railway and easy access to the M1 M6 linkroad. This is a diamond track. Sad though to hear that The Brittania are pulling out of sponsorship. They have been a great force supporting Staffordshire sports in the past and it would be good to see them back again some day but may be its a sign of the time for the financial institutions.
Racing
Race 1 was a 2 mile class 5 maiden hurdle sponsored by a local pub The Dapple Grey which is a fine drinking hole engineered around a family ethos. It was run at a good pace with Scales pulling hard and trying to make all. He has previously been successful in a Stratford bumper when held up and you would think that those tactics would be better employed than trying to make all as seen today. Looks a right handful and must learn to settle better. Of the condition of the horses beforehand I particularly liked the look of the grey filly Double Silver by that great sire Silver Patriarch. Breeding suggests she should stay further than this two miles and there is some decent sorts in the family such as Into The Shadows. She is improving and after being held up in mid division made some headway to get into a bit of contention coming out of the back straight but it was short lived and she finished in her own time for a promising sixth. I would like her to have another shot at around the 2m4 and I have her as one of two positives coming out of this race. The other positive was one which also caught the eye of the stewards and quite rightly so. Off The Ground made eyecatching ground from miles and miles away when he came into the home straight, from my vantage position in the centre of the course he was going noticeably quicker than any other horse until eased approaching the last. He had no chance of winning and the fourth position was probably as close as he would have got even if Timmy Murphy had ridden out rigorously so I cannot see any justification if there is any verdict under the non triers rules. However he looks a talented sort, appeared to hurdle much better than on his debut, should be better suited by 2m4 plus and comes out of the same family as the great Imperial Call. There was money for him today suggesting that there was a measure of confidence and I would say this one will win very soon. However the winner on merit today was Poole Master who was the one with the best form in the book and the only negative beforehand was that you needed to take on trust that he had got over a well publicised injury. Always close up was produced with a good run entering the home straight, pulled clear from two out for a good victory against a strong field for this sort of event which is likely to produce winners in time. He had ended up last season with an injury after a fine effort in a very good Newbury maiden won by Minella Class. Second home Jackson Cage stayed on OK and had the stuffing knocked out of him at the last on the backstraight. Has done well on tight tracks so maybe a trip back to Bangor, his bumper winning venue. As Bangor is well liked by his trainer it might very well be a return is going to be on the agenda. However either way he does not merit backing if his hurdling does not improve as he has made errors on both of this outings to date. Third home Achimota went down impressively looking a decent sort. A bit one paced today a trait he has shown before so maybe he might need a bit further. Not badly bred being from the same family as smart jumper Fredcoteri however cost bobbins as a foal. Of the rest Gumball pulled far too much for his own good, Dirty Bertie was up with the pace but failed to quicken so might need a stiff testing track to be seen to best advantage although this was an improved run and Sonofagun lacked fluency today. It would be remiss not to mention a runner today from The Queen. I cannot remember one of hers turning up at Uttoxeter in the past and have to say she wasn’t anywhere to be seen in the tearoom before the first. I suspect she was on the picket line with the other public sector employees, fair play m’lady The Workers United Will Never Be Defeated. However her Open Hearted ridden by AP certainly was beaten, and well before clattering two out and landing in a heap. Took a walk in the market so the much vaunted ‘said to have schooled well’ was probably a bit of a myth. I recon we ought to have a close inspection of Buck House’s Betfair account just to look at any irregular laying noted.
Double Silver takes a hurdle in the back straight
Race 2 was a two mile selling hurdle. Probably because there is no money around the quality of non handicap sellers is improving significantly. That is even though for three thousand sovs could get you a decent nag now who’s got the cash? As such a useful hurdler like Just Rob, a bit over rated at 120 having won class 3 handicaps as well as decent juvenile hurdles in the recent past. He had also run with some promise in the triumph. So little wonder he went off the 4/9 favourite today. It almost sounds like a prelim to him sauntering away with this and following up on a Market Rasen victory earlier in the month in a similar event. Not today, his hurdling was less than fluent and he could only finish second. The winner was another who is well rated, off 115 and with a three pound pull that put him two pounds shy at the weights. On that basis 13/2 was a very fair price for Goodwood Starlight. No slouch himself on the level winning fair races at Goodwood and a good quality class 3 at Ascot as well as fifth in the Cumberland Plate. Chucked right in the deep end over hurdles when comfortably beaten in a listed event but has now won three hurdles this season being a Fakenham maiden, a Sedgefield novice and now today’s victory. He hurdled well today and looks to have a more progress in him. Of the rest poor Sally’s Idea unfortunately fell and died at the first and Budva was completely disinterested in everything. Group Leader looked like he would greatly benefit from the run and made some late progress to be third and he is a little bit of an eyecatcher. He has been off the track for thick end of a year but best hrdle form was back in Feb 2010 when he ran well in two Doncaster novice events and was rated 115 off the back of that. Never got to that stage again and now down to 102 and on the face of it ran up to that earlier rating today so off this base can go close in a small selling handicap especially if at a flat gallop like Donny. There was no bid for the winner and no claims for teh other participants.
Just Rob - Behind bars after this
Race 3 was a class 5 chase over two and a half mile. It was run at a sedate pace. It produced a really exciting three way finish all the way to the run in. The winner by half a length was Dont Tell Sailor. He wasn’t entirely fluent but stayed on well having been prominent for much of the race. Both of his wins to date have been her although the previous win was over three miles. 11/10 favourite North Stack looked the winner when taking it up on the run in but was caught close home. Had shown promise despite mistakes on his debut and probably improved today as well. Third and only a head behind North Stack was Royaume Bleu who made many mistakes and in the circumstances did very well to finish as close as he did. This is as close as she has got and the forward mark of 73 chasing looks tasty if only she could jump with consistency. Still in an Exeter novice handicap on Saturday which could be interesting as will still be on this mark. Kirkhammerton is an old hand at this and finished fourth but was very very one paced and at nine his chances going forward have got to be seen as bleak. Of the rest Airdrie jumped slow and gave no hope in the immediate future, Backstreet Billy looked promising but then blundered away any hope at a couple of fences and early leader Grenoli weakened before they had come out of the backstraight.
Milling around before the third
Race 4 was a two mile mares handicap hurdle race set at class 4. The two pacemakers pretty well cut their own throats. In the circumstances third home Belle De Fontenay ran a very good race today indicating promise despite being a six year old. Has only the one Worcester maiden hurdle victory to her name after eleven attempts. Generally attempts to make all and gets reeled in over the last. Today she had Fakenham winner White Diamond (suits sharp tracks better) and saw that one off two out. The winner was the gambled on Illysantachristina who was bought with a well timed run by seven pound claimer R J Williams who according to the stats was recording only his third win under rules from 43 races. Williams looks one for the future. Second was Edgefour also riden by a 7lb claimer. This one had plenty of hard luck, probably produced a touch late, got plenty of traffic problems but was making up ground only going down by a couple of lengths. You would have thought all the credentials for an eyecatcher and thus a positive. But she’s seven and has two wins out of 37 in her career. Forget it.
The front runners probably didn't do each other any favours today and their running not an indicator of their ability
Race 5 was a class 5 handicap hurdle over two and a half miles. The winner and 15/8 favourite was Trafalgar was prone to errors made most and stayed on strongly. All in all not bad for his third race over hurdles. The second home was the very consistent Be My Light who runs well here and acts as a good benchmark. Off 111 and beaten three and a bit will give a sound idea as to how well the assessor views the winner next time out. Ebony River stood out as one to watch for. Was a little sloppy but once chance had gone was eased down. Had previously run a decent second at Hexham. I think he is capable of much better than this, is under exposed and comes form a good staying background with useful jumpers in the family ie Will Be Done. Is in the entries for a novices handicap at Aintree on Sunday and that is the sort of track that I think will suit; tight. Of the rest third home Night Alliance was plodding on through beaten horses, Molko Jack hurdled slowly, Alcalde was prominent or led until weakened quickly before the straight, Bardolf was soon outpaced, Sumak / Speedy Directa were hopelessly tailed off quickly, Runaway Harry was beaten before halfway and Not So Sure D!ck failed to stay.
Ebony River rna with plenty of promise today
Race 6 was a class 5 handicap chase over two miles and was won with a super show of jumping from Qualitee who won this race from a long way out by her superior technique. This was only her second race over the larger obstacles and is thought to be better suited with time to two miles four by her trainer. Although I am only an amateur in comparison I thought she was the epitome of a two miler, fast jumping, front running. Anyway suffice to say most here today were mightily impressed and it would be good to see her go on from this.Phoenix Des Mottes tried to go with Qualitee but was beaten into submission when then came into the straight, Bankstair was made 5/2 favourite but made errors and was tailed off when pulled up at the last fence, Salybia Bay jumped slow and Shelomoh was one paced.
Qualitee was a class act today
Final race of the day was a class 5 handicap hurdle over three miles. It was a driving finish between market rivals Derwen Pride and the 7/4 favourite Another Miracle with the former getting up by a head on the line and then surviving a justifiable review by the stewards into possible interference. It was a good race between the pair and they only had competition from third home Acosta who clobbered the seventh which did her chances no good but six lengths adrift was no disgrace and she was plenty clear of the rest to indicate the 79 mark is interesting going forward. She is unsuited by fastish ground and has done well on right handed courses. I think three mile plus in the right circumstances she could very well go in soon. A speculative and controlled positive from me. Forget the rest on this evidence.
Notebook
Double Silver (P)
Off The Ground (P)
Group Leader (P)
Ebony River (P)
Qualitee (P) up £30
1 3/1
Easy winner over 20f. Although up 10lbs on Uttoxeter effort still a positive as hasn't stopped improving
Acosta (P)
Well placed in 3m2 at Hereford on a good mark and will be suited by track, distance and going