Planteur at Chapel Stud Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)

THE main headline to come out of the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase was the time comparison between the novice race and the Tingle Creek just over half an hour later, with the juvenile Allmankind (Dan/Harry Skelton) exactly a second faster than Politologue, which reflects great credit on the all-the-way winner, for all that credit must be tempered by the fact that this race was run at a faster pace over the first few fences. Allmankind was also carrying 11lb less than Politologue.

Nonetheless, the races were run in a very similar tempo when things settled down, and Allmankind is not particularly flattered by the adjusted figures.

Sent off 2/1 favourite in a field consisting of unbeaten chasers, Allmankind set a strong but sensible pace, which he was able to maintain throughout, and most of his rivals struggled to varying degrees to live with that, albeit Ga Law (Jamie Snowden/Gavin Sheehan) made sure the favourite did not have an easy time in front. He paid for his attempts to challenge the winner late in the day, allowing Ffos Las winner Hitman (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) to take second at the end of the back straight, but he couldn’t adequately close the gap, and was beaten two and a half lengths at the post, with a further eight to the gallant Ga Law.

This win suggests that Allmankind is good enough to go very close in an Arkle, and while his four-year-old allowance was of no significance in a race where the pair who chased him home were the same age, it is in the wider context.

He is a flat-bred gelding who was very precocious in juvenile hurdles, and his trainer admits that he has already reached the peak of his physical development. The concept of weight for age is that it factors in future progress in inexperienced horses, and it certainly wasn’t developed with horses like him in mind.

That’s not to say he cannot go on to further Grade 1 success, but his prospects depend more on those who have yet to peak can improve past him.