"THE KING GEORGE VI STEEPLE-CH´."

Analysis & Selections by

Ò rØøk

Whether it be "the race of the day" or a small prize round the gaffs, we will attempt to use our knowledge of the formbook to highlight the fancied horses participating each day and their characteristics and requirements. Hopefully this 'second opinion' provides you with a winner or two each day, or even reinforces your own view on a particular may even convince you to back some of those horses which we feel are the "ones to fear", or have decent eachway claims. whichever is the case, we hope the information is of use to you.

 

SELECTIONS - For each race, we have given you who, in our view, are the likeliest winners; (1er _ THE WINNER?), as well as any runners who could run well at eachway odds; (E/W ALTERNATIVE). Any runner from our features are shown before each race's analysis.

Latest Horse racing News
 

Sports: horse racing news

KEMPTON PARK

Friday, December 26 
[¯¯¯¯FIRST¯RACE¯¯¯¯]¯¯¯»-- 12.40 Pertemps Supporting Sia Novices´ H´dle. [C] 9runners - to be run over 2Miles~ Penalty € 6162.49 4-Year-Olds plus 
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¦¨¨¨¨°NE¨TO¨JUMP¨¨¨¨¦ ¬: Are there any horses from "One To Jump" 2003/4 - Our feature which; each season, provides a list of horses to follow during the current national hunt season? ¦¨¨¨¨¨»-- Flame Phœnix,
¦¨¨FªNCIED¨RUNNERS?¨¨¦¨¨¨»--Dempsey, Contraband, Lord Lington, Lustral Du Seuil, Pawn Broker, Nawamees, Travelling Band, Flame Phœnix, Salinas. 
¦¨¨¨"ó¨rØøk"¨¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Difficult race to call as Dempsey hasn´t done anything wrong in his three starts this term, whilst Contraband's flat-race form entitles him to go close here, [even those he wasn´t impressive at Kempton last time out. I may well avoid them both and have a little eachway on Lustral Du Seuil, [a son of Sassanian], whose only run to date in the Prix Bango (Non-Thoroughbreds) at Saint Cloud in May resulted in him finishing a creditable second to Lord Lington, [who he reopposes here]. That was a fair effort and if the market were to speak favourably then I would be tempted to have a little bit on him. 
¦¨¨1ª¨PLACE?¨¬¨THE WINNER?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Lustral Du Seuil (FR), [e.W.] 
¦¨¨2ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Contraband, 
¦¨¨3ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Contraband, 

[¯¯¯¯SECOND¯RACE¯¯¯¯]¯¯¯»-- 1.10 Network Design Feltham Novices´ Steeple-CH´. [A] [Grade 1] 5runners - to be run over 3Miles~ Penalty € 32725 5-Year-Olds plus 
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¦¨¨FªNCIED¨RUNNERS?¨¨¦¨¨¨»--Strong Flow, Ballycassidy, Rule Supreme, 
¦¨¨¨"ó¨rØøk"¨¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Many punters will be expecting Strong Flow to oblige and I would be very surprised if that wasn´t the case, however it is possible to get carried away with the actual performance rather than simply credit the obvious potential of this horse. I struggle to believe that Strong Flow would have destroyed Sir Rembrandt, for example in that manner and whilst he will probably get his head in front, i wouldn´t be at all surprised if the ultra-consistent, but lazy Ballycassidy didn´t ruffled his feathers here. 
¦¨¨1ª¨PLACE?¨¬¨THE WINNER?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Strong Flow,
¦¨¨2ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Ballycassidy,
¦¨¨3ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Rule Supreme, 

[¯¯¯¯THIRD¯RACE¯¯¯¯]¯¯¯»-- 1.45 Jobs@Pertemps City Christmas H´dle. [A] [Grade 1] 7runners - to be run over 2Miles~ Penalty € 46400 4-Year-Olds plus 
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¦¨¨¨¨°NE¨TO¨JUMP¨¨¨¨¦ ¬: Are there any horses from "One To Jump" 2003/4 - Our feature which; each season, provides a list of horses to follow during the current national hunt season? ¦¨¨¨¨¨»-- Foreman (GER)
¦¨¨FªNCIED¨RUNNERS?¨¨¦¨¨¨»--Rooster Booster, Intersky Falcon, Sporazene, Rigmarole, Ulundi, and Foreman. 
¦¨¨¨"ó¨rØøk"¨¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- There should be a decent pace which should several of these. There is no hiding place for Rooster Booster today, who was I believe disappointing in the Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham on his reappearance and whilst he should come on for the run, I personally do believe that there is more strength-in-depth this season and he needs to show a bit more to retain his position at the head of the market. If Sporazene and Rigmarole put in clear rounds, it isn´t difficult to imagine them figuring at the business end and I marginally prefer the former who may well have won had he jumped with more fluency at Newbury on Hennessy Gold Cup day. The "Jokers" in this pack are Ulundi, and Foreman, who have solid hurdles form behind them and are more than capable of winning this everything goes right. Forman fell at the last in the Prix Leopold d´Orsetti Haies [gr.III] at Enghien-Soisy in November when still in with a chance of beating Northerntown, arguably the most improved hurdler/chaser in France this year]. That is decent form and his current odds of 20/1 look increasing more tempting ... I wont be surprised if he finished in the frame. 
¦¨¨1ª¨PLACE?¨¬¨THE WINNER?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Sporazene 
¦¨¨2ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Foreman {GER}
¦¨¨3ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Rooster Booster

[¯¯¯¯FOURTH¯RACE¯¯¯¯]¯¯¯»-- 2.20 King George Vi Steeple-CH´. [A] - Sponsored by Pertemps - [Grade 1] 12runners - to be run over 3Miles~ Penalty € 92800 5-Year-Olds plus 
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¦¨¨¨¨°NE¨TO¨JUMP¨¨¨¨¦ ¬: Are there any horses from "One To Jump" 2003/4 - Our feature which; each season, provides a list of horses to follow during the current national hunt season? ¦¨¨¨¨¨»-- Jaïr Du Cochet (FR) and Le Roi Miguel (FR)
¦¨¨FªNCIED¨RUNNERS?¨¨¦¨¨¨»--Jaïr Du Cochet, First Gold, Fondmort, Swansea Bay, La Landiere, Valley Henry, Tiutchev, Le Roi Miguel, Édredon Bleu, Marlborough, It Takes Time, Seebald. 
¦¨¨¨"ó¨rØøk"¨¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- An interesting renewal of the King George in which you can make a case for each of these either to win or to finishing in the frame. Two factored have swayed the decision for me; [1] - The
early pace - First Gold needs to get into a rhythm early one and he is likely to be stretched by Édredon Bleu, whose style of running is likely to not only stretch several of these, but agitate the Doumen runner, and [2] - Acceleration at the end of the race - Whilst several of these can cruise around here at a decent pave, [particularly those with form at shorter trips], I want to be with an animal likely to be accelerating at the end of the race, rather than simply staying on and/or decelerating as the stamina gives out.

On this ground First Gold could be hard to catch, particularly if for any reason he is given a soft lead, however Fondmort, La Landiere, Valley Henry and Jaïr Du Cochet could have too many gears for him if that final big effort is required. I don´t think Jaïr Du Cochet quite got the credit for his win in the Peterborough chase over a track which clearly didn´t suit him, [he wanted to go drift left at several of the obstacles], simply because of the disappointment that was manifested by Best Mate´s below-par effort. Unlike many of his generation, he has demonstrated that he had progressed since last term, and whilst he still has a little to find here, its difficult, [leaving his price aside] not to believe that a lot of punters don´t believe he has a "favourite´s chance". 

Now there are still pundits prepared to argue that Jacques Ricou is a hindrance to the horse... hopefully that manifests itself in his price, because these punters choose to ignore the horses efforts and how they eulogized this partnership when he first raced over hurdles and for all their jibes, Jacques Ricou isn´t that easy to dislodge, [his record over the last three or so years is actually very good]. I acknowledge that he is likely to be allowed to get into a rhythm on the outside from the outset and that he may give away some lengths by drifting right to put himself right at some obstacles. If, however, he is in contention with three to go, there are few horses who finish as strongly as he does in his races and all things considered, he has to be the selection today. 

¦¨¨1ª¨PLACE?¨¬¨THE WINNER?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Jaïr Du Cochet (FR)
¦¨¨2ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- First Gold (FR)
¦¨¨3ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Fondmort

[¯¯¯¯FIFTH¯RACE¯¯¯¯]¯¯¯»-- 2.55 Tote Supports Sia Novices´ Handicap Steeple-CH´. [C] 9runners - to be run over 2Miles~4f 110yds Penalty € 8984.20 5-Year-Olds plus 
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¦¨¨FªNCIED¨RUNNERS?¨¨¦¨¨¨»--Running Machine, Harry´s Dream, Alvino, Translucid, Wild Knight, Gielgud, Jardin De Beaulieu, Toulouse, Genuine Article. 
¦¨¨¨"ó¨rØøk"¨¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- I was very impressed with Translucid, who I thought ran a lot better than his finishing position suggests, when finishing fifth to Thisthatandtother in the Henry VIII Chase at Sandown last time out. A reproduction of that form here will see him go close, however I am a little bit worried about his stamina here and therefore Running Machine, who won nicely on his reappearance at Folkestone], gets my vote .. by default.
¦¨¨1ª¨PLACE?¨¬¨THE WINNER?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Running Machine 
¦¨¨2ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Translucid, 
¦¨¨3ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Wild Knight

[¯¯¯¯SIXTH¯RACE¯¯¯¯]¯¯¯»-- 3.25 J.p.a. Group Handicap H´dle. [C] 11runners - to be run over 2Miles~5f Penalty € 6162.49 4-Year-Olds plus 
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¦¨¨¨¨°NE¨TO¨JUMP¨¨¨¨¦ ¬: Are there any horses from "One To Jump" 2003/4 - Our feature which; each season, provides a list of horses to follow during the current national hunt season? ¦¨¨¨¨¨»-- Fils à Papa (FR), 
¦¨¨FªNCIED¨RUNNERS?¨¨¦¨¨¨»--The Dark Lord, Fils à Papa (FR), Tinoveritas, Bed Bug, Balladeer, Fortune Island, Turaath, Count Tony and Il Cavalière.
¦¨¨¨"ó¨rØøk"¨¨¨¦¨¨¨»--Another trappy handicap ends the card. Lightly-raced Tinoveritas impressed last time out at Chepstow and might prove to be well handicapped. I think he will be difficult to beat and he gets my vote, although Fils à Papa is very interesting here, especially as he is likely to appreciate the better ground here than that he been racing on in France recently.
¦¨¨1ª¨PLACE?¨¬¨THE WINNER?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Tinoveritas (FR),
¦¨¨2ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Fils à Papa (FR),
¦¨¨3ª¨Place?¨¨¦¨¨¨»-- Il Cavalière, [e.W.]

This page was last updated on Friday December 26, 2003 at 07:47:01 AM.

THE FEATURE MEETING

POSTING TIME
Selections for Monday - Friday should be available after 9:30pm the previous evening, however on Saturday and Sunday due to other commitments won't be posted until after 8:30am those respective mornings unless otherwise stated. Hopefully this helps

DEDICATION

FURLONG TO GO would like to convey our condolences to the rook, whose father, George Edward Robertson passed away on 16th April 2003. 

Mr. Robertson nurtured the rook's enthusiasm for this sport, and it was this inspiration, which is probably behind the creation of this website. As a permanent tribute to his memory, all the meetings covered under the "feature Meeting" banner will be dedicated to him... 

"BIG GEORGE"