Tweed is not my chosen fabric but now that the jumps season is gathering pace, I'm starting to miss all the winter paraphernalia associated with National Hunt racing, most of all the lack of spectators. I fail to see how the creators of this hardiest of woollen garments can make a living, as it literally lasts a lifetime; in my case three lifetimes as I inherited a very serviceable, unassuming herringbone jacket from my late father, and he I believe had plucked it from the wardrobe of another departed sole (with permission). I only wear mine on rare occasions, maybe a village quiz or an Extinction Rebellion rally.
Nevertheless, imagine my glee when behind the locked gates of Uttoxeter, I spied an immaculately dressed gentleman festooned from head to toe in tweed. I rattled elbows, as is the custom nowadays, with Pip Harney who was there to watch his Sam Allwood trained mare Altumanina run in the maiden hurdle. Find odds on meets at Uttoxeter and further afar with these online horse betting markets.
More to the point, Harney is a proud member of the Sam Allwood Racing Club who enjoyed great success last winter when SHENEEDEDTHERUN won four times on the bounce before finishing fourth in the Midlands Grand National. It was a great start to Allwood's first season with a full National Hunt licence, and he's now doubled his string to 20 horses. SHENEEDEDTHERUN was bought out of Ben Pauling's yard for what's turned out a bargain £6500 – her total earnings last winter were around five times her purchase price. “She was rated 103 when I bought her, and I hoped she could win a couple of races,” reflects Allwood. She'll now race off 128 with the long-term plan being the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February. The often gruelling four-miler should hold no fears for the 10 year-old mare and she's due to reappear in mid-November at Uttoxeter.
This is the time of year when lists of Horses to Follow are compiled, indeed Paul Ferguson did just that in last month's Racing Ahead, so to avoid conflict, confusion and disappointment I'll spare you mine – apart from one, or possibly two!
BOURBON BEAUTY is a 5-year-old mare trained by Alex Hales and runs in the colours of the Old Stoic Racing Club – and guess what, I am a proud member of that club. Its mastermind is Henry Kimbell who has collated some of the finest brains who ever attended Stowe School in Buckinghamshire and coerced them into racehorse ownership – a pastime that I swore I would never indulge.
Stowe's racing alumni reads like a (mightily condensed) who's who of racing – for starters, our trainers Alex Hales and Jonathan Portman, also the club's possible future trainers Roger Charlton, Michael Bell, James Fanshawe and Ed Crisford – but they'll have to prove themselves first. Another is BOURBON BEAUTY's regular jockey Harry Bannister, and of course all our members. Last year on the Flat our filly MILD ILLUSION rounded off a phenomenal season by winning the listed Bosra Sham Stakes at Newmarket. All credit to her trainer Jonny Portman, who had performed similar miracles a while back with Mrs Danvers.
We've had a blank 2020 on the Flat but the thrill of MILD ILLUSION's exploits are still be viewed regularly on my TV planner. BOURBON BEAUTY flies the flag this winter when she tackles hurdles for the first time. Her bumper form was promising, ending her first season finishing third in a listed Kempton bumper. Her hurdling debut is imminent. Watch out also for her talented half-brother MILLERS BANK who is due to make his mark in novice chases this season. Both horses, and others I mention, may have had a run by the time you read this, but we're on a ‘long term journey' as my meditation guru frequently informs me.
Paul Nicholls made a spectacular start to the ‘proper' National Hunt season at Chepstow last month – it has to kick off somewhere so why not Chepstow in October? Of his eight winners over the two days, the horse I predict will be hitting the headlines is McFABULOUS who was a most impressive winner of the Grade 2 Persian War Novices' Hurdle.
For the past dozen seasons I've made a point of collaring the former champion trainer's father Brian Nicholls for a horse to follow, he's a pretty fair judge. Last year's nomination was McFABULOUS but in his first couple of runs over hurdles he was a dismal disappointment, soundly beaten when odds on at Chepstow and not much better next time at Ascot. But since being stepped up in trip he looks a totally different horse and it is now likely he'll step up in class and trip in Newbury's Long Distance Hurdle. I've taken my first Cheltenham Festival 2021 ante post plunge – if a fiver each way constitutes such incredible rashness – as the Stayers' Hurdle looks a logical target and I reckon 16/1 represents a fair price. Sadly, bumping into Nicholls Senior for one to follow this winter looks unlikely unless I stalk him on Twitter.
Rather than make my own predictions for the season – I might give it a try next month – I have quizzed a few trainers asking them for an under-the- radar type horse for the tracker. Kerry Lee has made a bright start and she will be most disappointed if her
8-year-old gelding DESTINED TO SHINE doesn't win a few races. He underwent wind surgery in September and bolted in at Uttoxeter in early October. His stable name, according to Kerry's father Richard Lee, was Doug The Thug, ‘although he behaves much better nowadays, he's a lovely horse'. I also asked Richard for another one to keep an eye on. “We've got a lovely bumper horse by Presenting.” When I requested his or her name, he revealed “Not Sure”. Either Not Sure has yet to be registered, or quite possibly the ex-trainer is uncertain of its name.
Chris Gordon enjoyed his joint-best season last winter with 30 winners and goes to battle with his biggest string of 50 horses this time around. He nominated the totally unexposed
5-year-old gelding SANDY BROOK. He told me, “he's only had one run in an Irish point to point when he was big as a bull, I bought him from John Costello who trained him and we'll start off in a bumper or a novice hurdle. He could be exciting.”
My request for one to follow from Olly Murphy was short and sharp as he was heading to the Uttoxeter saddling boxes at the time, but CHAMPAGNESUPER OVER was his immediate reply. The 5-year-old gelding was an impressive winner of a bumper at Ayr in January prior to finishing third in a listed bumper at Newbury. The winner of the Newbury race was Roger Teal's OCEAN WIND who subsequently finished sixth in the Cheltenham Champion Bumper and has also won twice on the flat. Both horses look worth noting when tackling hurdles.
Fergal O'Brien's recent move to Ravenswell Farm, Withington, just off the A40 on the road to Cheltenham, has proved a massive success with a regular flow of winners. He suggested following his 5-year-old gelding BUTTE MONTANA who will soon be sent hurdling. First time out he was runner-up in a Cheltenham bumper prior to not really firing in a listed event at Ascot.
Tom Lacey is another trainer whose horses have been in great form – one such is TEA CLIPPER winner of the valuable Silver Trophy Hurdle at Chepstow last month and he looks destined for further success but the recommendation to Racing Ahead readers is another 5-year-old gelding, GLORY AND FORTUNE who has already tasted success over hurdles, winning at Huntingdon last October, and last month had his first spin over fences at Carlisle. He's definitely one for the tracker.
Lacey used to be my neighbour before heading for Herefordshire – there's only room for one big shot in my village – and he's excelled since the occasions I used to pass his best horses on my morning bike ride, uphill too. These days I doubt I'd be able to keep tabs with the JP McManus-owned KIMBERLITE CANDY who looks a stayer to follow. He was all set to run in the Grand National before racing ground to a halt, and he'd previously won the Classic Chase at Warwick. He looks a likely starter for the Becher Chase at Aintree in December – he finished second over those big fences last year.
By far my most bizarre selection hails from Dr Richard Newland's yard. I asked his assistant Rod Trow for a winter money-spinner and he suggested a recent recruit from France, a 9-year-old called AL ROC. Trow revealed, “we buy plenty of horses from France, but not usually a 9 year-old who has so many miles on the clock – he's run 47 times, but we think he could be an interesting Grand National type horse.” He won a listed handicap chase at Auteuil in June prior to finishing second in a Grade 2 Chase in July. The ‘doc' knows what it takes to win the Grand National.
Despite the absence of the Tweed Brigade and thousands of dedicated jumps fans on our racecourses, we're indisputably in for some fabulous racing to cheer us through these gloomy times.
I'll be relying on some warmth from my brand new Sky Sports Racing winter coat – no tweed for me, and be sure to avoid the underwear – very itchy.
