rebelfm

DONCASTER 4TH FEBRUARY 2013

GOOD
VERY WINDY
2MILES MARES NOVICE HURDLE CLASS 4 4YO+

CALL ME A STAR (long term positive)

This was not a bad novice with the expensive French import Utopie Des Bordes made a short priced favourite. She won in fairly good style and looks a resolute sort but is very diminutive and I wasn’t that taken by her really. Of the remainder Terr Du Vent ran really well until a mistake at the last and was eased down a bit from there hopefully her ongoing OR will reflect on proximity to the 127 rated runner up and not the winner 146. I would say she looks a handicapper and off 115 would be fair. September Blaze also ran with much credit and she can win. However the most striking for me was second home  Call Me A Star. I think there are more hurdles for her to win as a novice especially if there is more of a gallop as it was a bit muddling today which I do not think suited her at all. But she is made to chase in my book and I think she is one for the future in that respect.

2 AND A HALF MILE CLASS 5 MAIDEN HURDLE

AAIM TO PROSPER (strong pos)

A very hot maiden for staying sorts which had several with good credentials but in the end revolved around three very good novices locked together coming to the last. The winner was the most NH of the lot Minella Forfitness who had picked up a bumper last year and ran well at Ascot earlier in the sason. Clearly a decent recruit and this may prove to be highly influential in the way the big staying novices are dolled out at the various festivals.  The second home was the progressively raced November Handicap winner here in the autumn Zuider Zee who also looks decent. However I was very impressed with the third home and multiple Cesarewitch winner Aaim To Prosper. Hurdled well in the main but still open to more improvement as you would expect and was going best of the lot on the run to the last but was squeezed right out of it when making his run by Minella Forfitness edging across. This hampering I think was the difference between winning and losing and in any case if raced over further such as three miles will take all teh beating. A very nice horse and looks the part for hurdling in the long term towards the top og the staying hurdling tree.

THREE AND A QUARTER MILE NOVICE CHASE CLASS 4

RUBEN COTTER (pos)
Yet another excellent event staged by Doncaster as a replacement fixture for the loss of racing we experienced in January. The  winner looks a very decent staying chaser of the future. Although had a weight pull with the game runner up Vintage Star I felt the winner was a fair bit off top fitness and therefore sure to come on for this effort. He jumped very nicely throughout and showed stamina and resolution when lasting home to my eye a shade cosily. I am sure he can defy a penalty in similar company and would not be at all surprised to see him take a decent order in this years staying novice chasers. He would be rated on my estimation around 133.

TWO MILES LISTED HURDLE

Nothing to be noted other than Darlan looked classy until his distressing fatal fall. On a day when Mujamead met a similar fate in a class 5 handicap it showed that no Mr Henderson it is not always the good ones who die on the track. It will be interesting to see how Ms Balding tackles the big issues such as this one as she said she would one short week ago on Saturday’s Morning Line. I have been involved in racing animals long enough to know what happens but it is a bit of a bodyblow when you witness it yet again.

THREE MILES HANDICAP HURDLE CLASS 5

MR ROBINSON (pos)

The stand out here was Mr Robinson who I thought ran a very promising race after a 82 day absence. Stayed the three miles and looks on a fair mark off 87 going forward.

TWO MILES THREE FURLONG HANDICAP CHASE CLASS 5

IT IS WHAT IT IS (slight pos)

A tricky race this one to dissect as a lot seemed to run in snatches including the slight positive and well backed runner up It Is What It Is. He is a very under-exposed 6 year old in any case and came here off 76. I thought in general he jumped OK if open to obvious improvement. If he retains this mark he must have a good chance particularly if in a novice handicap. Seemed suited by this trip but may stay a bit further based on this run.

TWO MILES THREE FURLONG HANDICAP HURDLE CLASS 5

TANNERMAN (slight pos)

Another big field and another difficult race to examine. However I thought Tannerman could do better if raced in the future a bit closer to the pace. He was out with the washing for much and made plenty of late progress. He has done well in sellers at tight tracks so perhaps a return to those conditions in handicap company off this 95 or in the right conditions off levels might be the may forward .