I didn’t have a particular number in mind, but I’ve come up
with a round 20 horses trained in the North and which may be seen in Scotland
and the North in the coming months. There’s a spread of known names, up and coming
and few left field ones.
BAL DE RIO (Brian
Ellison)
Twice a winner on the flat this one has run into some decent
sorts in three hurdles runs, particularly when running into two potential
Graded level novices at Kelso. He did nothing wrong in keeping on for third on
that occasion and then ran into Slanelough, who had run into a number of decent
animals last season. Bal De Rio has earned a workable mark of 115 for handicaps,
but is well capable of winning a non-handicap novice hurdle or two. He coped
well in heavy ground in France so won’t have any problems in winter conditions.
BEYOND THE CLOUDS
(Kevin Ryan)
Impressed in bumpers and then looked distinctly decent when
beating a promising opponent at Kelso (Some Reign) with two others fair animals
over 20 lengths back. He looked a bit green when hitting the front up the Kelso
hill but galloped on very well in the style of a potential Graded class novice.
I suspect he will be kept to better ground so may have a light winter campaign
but is an exciting novice for a predominantly flat based stable.
BIGIRONONHISHIP
(Rose Dobbin)
Prospects look bright for the Dobbin stable and I expect this
nice chasing type to make up for lost time after failing to score in his first
season over fences. He had the look of a chaser when first appearing over
hurdles, and ran three decent second places plus losing the plot at Newcastle
when refusing to race. We can forgive him that aberration I believe.
He held on well in a fair looking Class 4 event and should show
himself better than that level in the coming months.
BIG RIVER
(Lucinda Russell)
I’ve had this one marked down for chasing for a while. He
performed well in staying handicap hurdles last term, completing his campaign
with an impressive 10 length win from a decent field at Kelso over the extended
3m 2f trip.
I understand he will go chasing this season and this likely
raced progressive type should make his mark in decent staying novice events.
CELTIC FLAMES
(Lucinda Russell)
A lightly raced animal that returned this autumn after an
extended period off the track. Beaten but not totally disgraced in novice and
handicap hurdle company, I believe he will go chasing before long which should
prove his forte. Expect a mark to be made in novice handicap chases assuming he
takes forward his hurdles mark of 108.
CLOUDY DREAM
(Malcolm Jefferson)
One that flew the flag for my Ten To Follow last season was
just a smidgen off the top level in two mile novice events, managing to get
Altior off the bridle at Cheltenham in a feat achieved by few animals to date. Recording
a well deserved win over 2m 4f at Ayr shows he can handle the longer trip and
he can make a mark at the very top level at middle distances.
COCKLE BAY
(Lucinda Russell)
Had a record of three pulled up and a brought down before
winning his Irish maiden point, but that doesn’t tell the whole story and the
third from his win dotted up at Fakenham recently. He got competitive in the
two races before his win and has now moved to Arlary.
He will be aimed at staying novice hurdles this season, with
a staying chasing career likely sooner rather than later.
FAGAN (Gordon
Elliott)
A very useful staying novice hurdler in 2o16, this one had a
spell off the track before being left clear by the fall of his one serious
rival at Perth on his second chasing outing. He then ran a decent second to top
class Ballyandy over 2m 4f on heavy ground, neither trip nor ground
particularly favouring him. He will be better when stepped back up in trip and
from previous evidence needs ground no worse than good to soft (or Musselburgh
soft!) to show his best.
FLY RORY FLY
(Nick Alexander)
His new trainer didn’t expect to secure this promising
animal and reading between the lines I believes Kinneston have high hopes going
forward. After winning his maiden hurdle last spring for Noel Meade, he showed promise
in a couple of chases without winning. It is possible he will prove best on
decent ground and I would expect Nick Alexander to get a chase win or two out
of this one in the coming months.
JONNIESOFA (Rose
Dobbin)
A decent novice hurdler two seasons ago, good enough to run
at Cheltenham, this one got a niggle and was off the track last season. He was
right come the spring but didn’t get the soft ground he needs so his trainer
didn’t hurry him. Rose Dobbin is currently waiting for the rain and expect this
one to prove a useful novice chase with cut in the ground.
JUST MINDED (Sue
Smith)
A fair novice hurdler last season in a fairly light campaign
and now expected to go chasing. He should be capable of picking up novice chase
wins in the North and will be interesting in handicaps off a hurdles earned
mark of 122.
LADY SAMBACK
(Maurice Barnes)
A mare from left field that might take advantage of the weakly
contested mares’ novice division in the North. She showed pace in a couple of
bumpers, particularly when leading for a fair way in a contest won by the
decent Scottsdale at Perth. Built to jump a fence I suspect she will come more
into her own once obstacles are placed in front of her. A speculative inclusion
in this list that might just pay dividends.
PLANET NINE (Rose
Dobbin)
Winner of a bumper at the Perth Festival in pleasing style,
I wouldn’t be surprised if this one turns out to be an above average novice
hurdler. The dam’s four other runners have all won and generally been suited by
a distance of ground, with two reaching ratings over 140.
SIMONE (Luicinda Russell)
This one didn’t pull up any trees on debut for Arlary, but
her bumper profile is sound enough and she should win in mares’ company this
winter and hopefully prove able enough to make a mark in mixed company. If you
want a strong pointer she’s a half-sister to Simonsig!
SOME REIGN (Rose
Dobbin)
Unfortunately ran into one in Beyond The Clouds at Kelso on
hurdles debut, but wasn’t disgraced in finishing a couple of lengths down and
his trainer has left something to work on. Considered worthy of contesting a
Grade 1 bumper at Aintree, there will be plenty of opportunities in the coming months
for what could prove to be a very useful novice hurdler.
TESTIFY (Donald
McCain)
A decent novice hurdler for the McCain stable last season,
there is an expectation from connections that this one will turn out to be an
above average staying novice chasing in the coming campaign. He’s run well on
soft and heavy ground to date, but found himself well outpaced at the
Cheltenham Festival on quicker ground.
THOMOND (Nick
Alexander)
A newcomer to the Alexander stable with a few miles on the clock.
He was a fair handicap chaser for Noel Meade, if not the most consistent, but
ran a stormer when sixth in the Topham Chase from 14lbs wrong in the handicap.
He was raced mostly on good ground, so presumably doesn’t handle cut, and may
be one for the decent ground at Musselburgh if raced in the winter. Might pop
up at a decent price.
TOTAL ASSETS
(Simon Waugh)
Effectively over fences and hurdles, this one kept improving
last season and a cracking first run of the autumn at Hexham suggests she may
continue on an upward curve. Stays 3m 2f well and is a four time winner at my regular
haunt of Kelso.
WAITING PATIENTLY
(Malcolm Jefferson)
The whisper I got regarding this previously unexposed animal
last autumn proved to be right on the mark. He turned into one of the best middle
distance novice chasers seen in 2016/17 and his win over Politologue at Haydock
was a cracking performance. Denied a chance to take a tilt at Cheltenham
following an injury he should be right up there in middle distance chases along
with his stablemate Cloudy Dream. All of a sudden the North has some decent
animals to take into battle.
WEMYSS POINT
(Philip Kirby)
I spotted this one rattling home for second in a
mid-season Musselburgh bumper behind Senatus. He bagged a couple more seconds
before an unsuccessful tilt at flat maidens. I presume the stable will now return
their sights to hurdles, probably over the minimum distance and kept to good ground.
Musselburgh meetings are likely to be highlighted in the Kirby stable diary.
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