rebelfm

DONCASTER
10TH JANUARY 2013
Good to Soft

2 MILE CLASS 4 JUVENILLE HURDLE

HANDAZAN (neg)

Was a fairly strong 9/4 favourite in a competitive looking 11 runner event won by debutante Calculated Risk. Handazan is the first foal of Be My Guest  mare Handaza. Raced on the flat when trained by John Oxx in Ireland where he showed an aptitude for handling soft and heavy ground where he appeared well suited by a mile and a half. Won his maiden by wide margin cantering clear from an Aiden O’Brien trained evens favourite. Not disgraced when tried in listed company and beaten only 2 lengths into fifth place. Took pretty well to hurdles when bought over by Alan King this season. His first three runs have been in fair company and was second twice at Chepstow and Cheltenham including a decent Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle trial runner up but has twice been held by Far West. His win came in between at Aintree ahead of a fair sort in For Two. However he has never been too fluent often hitting plenty of timber during all his races. In today’s race he was close up throughout and was under fairly heavy driving from about five out. He was held when putting in a clumsy jump two out and although jumped the last better was eased from what looked to be a reasonable third place seeming sure to hold fourth but was picked up for fifth. His rating of 133 makes him one to avoid on a handicapping basis and seemed to  lack pace when challenged today He had been in the van for a long term and the fact is that first and second today came from off the pace so it could be that the leaders had just gone a bit too fast. Either way Handazan does not look a Triumph horse, his jumping is still too sketchy to be reliable and this race today did not look a particularly high quality renewal. As such I would avoid taking an interest in Handazan in future races until we see a bit more consistency in his hurdling.

2 MILE CLASS 5 MARES MAIDEN HURDLE 4YO+

USSEE (strong positive)

Although this was won in a great battle between long odds on Eleven Fifty Nine and Henderson improver Definite Ruby it is the third home and 6/1 second favourite Ussee who caught the eye as a future winner.  Second foal she is the half sister of Montbazon who was second in the Aintree champion bumper and was fourth beaten two lengths in last season’s Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham. Ussee is a striking mare and has won best turned out in her two outings this season. She hurdles well and was not best suited by today’s muddling pace. She was challenging throughout and led on the run to the third last. She was headed approaching the last and stayed on at the one pace. She looks like she will be suited by tight tracks but she will probably need a longer trip than this. I think a handicap mark of around 110 is probable and a step up to 2m4 and further will I think see her in the winning circle in handicaps if the mark is as envisaged or lower. She looks to have ability and a sound attitude. Her breeding points to her achieving much better than this third place in the future. Definitely one to keep an eye out for.

3 MILE TWO FURLONG CLASS 4 NOVICES HANDICAP CHASE 5YO+

SOUDAIN (pos)

This was not a very good novice event with two fallers and all scruffy at their fences from time to time. The seven year old  Soudain comes out in my view as the better of the six as a longer term prospect. Won his maiden in the mud at Hexham over three miles winning easily but lost concentration at the last and made mistake. 117 mark was too high over hurdles and has now run three times over fences. Ran with promise over too short a trip on debut and then followed up when winning the Lincolnshire national over 3 mile five jumping well in pieces for the first time. Ran a bit too freely as well and was restrained today and seemed to lack concentration leading to several mistakes. However when allowed to stride out his jumping was decent for a novice. Difficult to assess on the 111 mark as I think if you could bank on his jumping was better he would be worth serious consideration. Looking at that Market Rasen win I thought the fact that he was allowed to stride out in general it meant that his jumping was on the whole pretty good. The pair were well clear and although he idled a bit entering the straight, he buckled down well after the last to reassert and win well. Clearly stays 3m4 plus and if off 111 is worth backing in soft ground.

2 MILE 3 FURLOND CLASS 4 NOVICES CHASE 5YO+

CONQUISTO (pos)

The main thoughts on the  result will likely be based on the impressive victory by Overturn en rouote to a shot at the Arkle which he looks very likely to go close in and I think would be good fancy. However it was the runner up Conquisto that I liked today. Never gave up and jumped economically and was often as good as his illustrious opponent. He was beaten 25 lrngths but was eased down from a fair way out and was not given much more than a school. The pair were about a fence clear of the rest. Conquisto is a half brother to Peterborough Chase and Charlie Hall winner Deep Purple. Fair on the flat winning a class 4 handicap here at Doncaster. Highly rated over hurdles at 135 and has twice run well in the Swinton at Haydock without winning it. Duin’t seem to stay 2m4 over hurdles although only tried over the trip once and that was at the sharpish Perth. Looks even better over fences after a facile Doncaster debut victory and today’s excellent run against one of the very best two mile novice chasers of this season. His mark of 142 would look good in  a top two mile handicap on a flat track such as Haydock or Aintree as his jumping is unliklely to be exposed by more experienced opponents.

2 MILE 3 FURLONG CLASS 4 HANDICAP HURDLE

HATTERS RIVER (strong pos)

Big field and the race run at a good pace. The one to be on in the future is the well backed (6/1 third favourite from 9/1) Hatters River who was held up in midfiled for the first mile and a half and his hurdling was occasionally a bit less than fluent. Produced and made smooth headway to hold every chance approaching two out. Gap on stands rails closed and he was switched to the far side. However it looks like he needs the running rail to hold concentration and he was bought back. Lost plenty of ground as  a consequence of the two switches, staying on without being knocked about to be 6th beaten three and half lengths. Tongue strap seems to have helped and looks one to back in handicap company next run. A novice and on a fair 97 mark. Didn’t look like he stayed 3 miles when tried over the trip at the sharp Taunton circuit in November. I thought 2 and a half mile held up looked optimal for him.

2 MILE 3 FURLONG CLASS 4 HANDICAP CHASE 5YO+

GORES ISLAND (pos)

Quietly fancied 5/2 second favourite seven year old Gores Island was the one I kept an eye on today as his 115 mark looked very fair based on his win at the corresponding fixture last year in the novices event. Plus a promising chase debut at Newbury. Not always fluent today but considering level of inexperience jumped well today and definitely better than on his debut. The winner Back Bob Back was a very good winner jumping extremely well. Gores Island was the only danger to the winner approaching two out but was not as tidy as others over these fences and the momentum was temporarily knocked out of him. He still stayed on to be beaten just over four lengths was no bad effort from by far the most inexperienced chaser in the field. He won one of his two hurdles over a stiff two miles at Towcester and although has been campaigned around this two and a half mile mark, I would be keen to back him off this 115 mark in decent ground over a stiff two miles.

2 MILE OPEN NH FLAT RACE Class 6

GRAND GIGOLO (wait)

Out of the same family as Voy Por Ustedes and has apparently shown promise at home. Acted up in the preliminaries a lot and his race was run before he got ontl the racecourse. He did show some potential as having been held up to settle forced his was into the race but he was spent half a mile out and come home in his own time. He looks a smart sort, neat in build and looks the type to prefer good or faster ground. He needs to mature but I think he has the ability to pick up a bumper in time.
DONCASTER 9/1
USSEE                    2    0