- Monday, 19 October 2020 15:43
- Written by David Pipe
The horses continue to run well overall, although last week we endured a frustrating run of near misses. Panic Attack, Lady Reset, Stubborn Logic, Elan de Balme, Martinhal and Nobel Joshua all reached the frame without quite managing to get their heads in front. Meanwhile, over in France Ramses de Teillee (pictured above) also ran with credit in the French Champion Hurdle on Saturday at Auteuil.
Panic Attack kicked off our runners last week when runner-up at Huntingdon on Tuesday. It isn’t very often that you see two Listed winning mares’ taking each other on in an ordinary maiden hurdle at this time of year but that is what happened in the 2m3½f contest. Panic Attack performed with credit, tracking market rival Vegas Blue into the straight before tiring in the closing stages on her seasonal debut. Time may well show that she probably bumped into a very useful rival here. She jumped very well for a first effort over timber and will certainly benefit for the experience. She remains a very exciting prospect.
Nobel Joshua ran with credit later on the same card, filling fourth place on his debut for the stable in the 3m1f handicap hurdle. He never gave up, but looked as though he would benefit from a more thorough test of stamina next time.
Martinhal was fourth on his seasonal debut at Wetherby on Wednesday in the 2m3½f novices’ hurdle. He had every chance in the closing stages but just lacked the gears to go with the principals. He will certainly get further in time and there are plenty of races to be won with him. With the delayed start to the season owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, many of these races are considerably more competitive than they would have been otherwise and I think this race will produce plenty of winners.
Stubborn Logic looked all over the winner as he led halfway up the run-in at Wincanton in the 2m5½f handicap hurdle, only to be collared in the dying strides. It was a similar story at Stratford on Saturday when Lady Reset was grabbed on the line in the lady riders’ handicap hurdle – a mistake at the last possibly the difference between winning and losing. She should be winning something similar judged on this evidence.
Elan de Balme was our final runner of the week, contesting the boys’ handicap chase at Ffos Las on Sunday. He performed much better than on his two starts last season, only weakening after the penultimate fence, eventually finishing third. This was a big step in the right direction and hopefully he can now build upon it.
I had hoped to run Main Fact earlier on the Ffos Las card in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. The ground dried up too much for his liking however - he is a real mudlark for whom the ground cannot be soft enough. There aren’t an awful lot of options for a 147 rated hurdler at this time, so we may try to run him on the flat next.
Ramses de Teillee ran a creditable fifth in the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil on Saturday. He was flat out for most of the way but stuck to his task grittily and picked-up over £10,000 in prize money so it was a worthwhile trip. As always, the horse and staff were looked after very well and we are grateful to everyone that assisted.
The Week Ahead
Looking to this week and we have a pair of runners at Exeter tomorrow. Airton and To Fly Free contest separate divisions of the 2m2½f amateur riders’ handicap hurdle for owners The David Pipe Racing Club. Airton was a good, if somewhat fortunate winner at Uttoxeter last time and he should go well once again under stable amateur Martin McIntyre. He will also be aboard To Fly Free who has finished placed in her three starts to date. She deserves to win a race of this nature.
Nordic Combined runs at Fontwell on Wednesday in the 2m3f handicap hurdle. A ready winner at Taunton on his final start last season, he has a higher mark to contend with, whilst his cause will be helped by any rain.
It is great to have racing back at Cheltenham this weekend and we have entries there on Friday and Saturday, although traditionally we have more runners at the November meeting. The entries are rounded off at Aintree and Wincanton on Sunday. A decision on who runs where will be made later in the week.
