26th December - Race reviews

It doesn’t look like the Christmas break made much difference – it was another one of those days !!

It started with Gandalfe jumping really poorly and eventually being pulled up, in the novices handicap chase.
Maybe he didn’t like being taken on for the lead – maybe the issue was with the big filed (his best performances in the past have been in smaller fields).
Whatever, it was a disappointing run and he’s not one I would be looking to get involved with next time out on the back of today’s run…

It was a similar tale with Storymaker. He jumped poorly and was also pulled up a good way form home.
I guess I need to be careful with this horse. I’ve little doubt that he is capable of winning a race of today’s nature – but he is likely to do so when connections want him to.
I could lose a fair bit of money trying to guess when that will be – so again, maybe he is one to be wary of next time…

Sophonie at least managed to complete the course – but it was very much in her own time.
She took quite a pull for the first half of the race and ultimately that cost her any chance she may have had.
I did think that the money would say whether she was going to perform today – and it suggested probably not.
I think it’s too early to write her off – but I would probably like to see her back over fences next time…

And so onto the piece de resistance !
I think it is now fair to assume that it was a breathing issue that caused Frontier Dancer to perform so poorly at Newbury last time !
He cruised through today’s race – despite being available to back on Betfair at 90, moments before the off (I actually backed him at 240 in-running !).
Ultimately, he was beaten by one of the unexposed horses, whom I always thought might have his beating – but boy did he run a race.
He might have got even closer to the winner if he had not twice been denied a clear passage on the run to the last (once by the winner).
As so many of the tips this month, I don’t think he can be considered unlucky as such – just unlucky to find one too good.

Elsewhere, Kauto put up an unbelievable performance, to claim his fifth King George. That is a feat unlikely to be matched in any of our lifetimes and we should all consider ourselves privileged to have witnessed it.
Long Run lost no caste in defeat and confirmed himself as a very god horse.
Master Minded made a shocking blunder down the back straight – but to my eye, he wasn’t travelling at the time, regardless. It was also before any stamina limitation would have come into play, so I suspect he wasn’t quite right.

In the Feltham, Grands Crus looked immaculate again. I’ve not heard any post race interview, but I’m sure connections will be considering the big one for him.
If he had been beaten today, it would have been because non of his rivals could go quick enough to give him a lead. He wouldn’t have that issue in the Gold Cup – and let’s be honest, whilst defeat didn’t greatly diminish Long Run’s reputation, it didn’t enhance it either.
I don’t normally advocate novices taking on experienced chasers – but I would be prepared to make an exception in this instance.
It will be fascinating to see which way connections choose to go…