TimeformBlog

David Cleary identifies the horses to note over timber in the past week with Paul Nicholls among those to have sent out a winner...


It was a quiet week on the jumping front, with just two cards staged, Newton Abbot and Worcester the venues.

There was much more of interest at Worcester, with the main talking point the decision of the stewards to reverse the placings in the novice chase. Vertige Dore passed the post a short head in front of Mad Moose but had seriously hampered his rival before the final fence.

It might look an open-and-shut case, but Mad Moose had been back on terms jumping the last with all of the run-in unimpeded to get in front but wasn't able to do so. The interference certainly cost Mad Moose more ground than he was beaten by, but that isn't the measure by which the matter is judged. The stewards need to be sure the horse hampered would definitely have won without the interference and it is surprising that they felt they were in this case. In terms of performance, this was one of the better novice chases of the summer and both Vertige Dore and Mad Moose should be placed to advantage before the better novices start appearing in the autumn.

The strongest piece of form on the Worcester card looks likely to be the three-mile handicap hurdle won by Red Not Blue, who has been performing solidly all summer, standing a lot more racing than in the past. He was another to frank the form of Westlin' Wind's race at Market Rasen in July, and other horses that did well in that should be kept on side in the coming weeks.

Of those against Red Not Blue at Worcester, Benmadigan looked an interesting runner, stepped up to three miles, but he failed to see the race out fully, while shaping as if in decent form in taking third. There will be lesser races for him to contest and a win over slightly shorter should be possible.

Fourth home Ely Brown ran a much better race than of late, getting back to the form he showed when winning here in May. He clearly goes well on this track and would be more than good enough to win a novice under a penalty on this showing.

American Art finally gained the win his third at Bangor back in the spring had promised, though it was in only a claiming hurdle, albeit not fully extended. Whether he fully reproduced his earlier form depends on the view taken of runner-up Monroe Park, who clearly benefited from a drop back to two and a half miles. The problem for Monroe Park's connections, and those looking to support him, is that the BHA handicapper will almost certainly take the high view of the form, suggesting that a claimer or weak novice will offer his best chance of a second win of the summer.

The staying handicap chase saw victory for Rowdy Rampage on his first start for Paul Nicholls. This was a fluent display from the front and though only five got round in a grim race, Rowdy Rampage won in a style to suggest he has more to offer and can win again. Runner-up Grovemere is progressing well over the summer and should find a race over fences before much longer; headgear seems important to his effectiveness, running more sweetly with either cheekpieces or a visor fitted than without.


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