Warwick Saturday

THE Classic Chase was not helped by a false start, and a few were compromised by the standing start which followed, notably Le Breuil, but it still produced an impressive winner in Tom Lacey’s Kimberlite Candy (Richie McLernon).

The J.P. McManus-owned gelding mowed down the front-running Captain Chaos (Dan/Harry Skelton) to win by 10 lengths at 9/2, with Petite Power just over seven lengths back in third.

The winner caught the eye when second in the Becher Chase, and it appears that Tom Lacey is keen on guiding Kimberlite Candy back to Aintree, provided the ground is not quick.

The two who caught the eye were The Conditional (David Bridgwater/Brendan Powell) in fourth, and Le Breuil a place behind. Neither had the run of things, with the former denied a run on the home turn when going well, and the latter flat-footed at the start and messed around multiple times in the race itself. They have both been dropped by the handicapper, to 140 and 145 respectively, and can win good races from those marks, the former having the Ultima or Kim Muir as targets at Cheltenham, and the latter looking an ideal sort for the Aintree marathon.

THE Grade 2 Leamington Novices’ Hurdle went to 7/2 shot Mossy Fen for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies, denying Decor Irlandais (Noel Kelly/Noel McParland) by three-parts of a length after the runner-up had made his move first. While the winner looks a really exciting prospect, he’s still something of a baby, and appeals as the sort to finish out of the money in the Albert Bartlett only to go on to much better things a year later.

Several Grade 1 Festival winners have been lapped in the three-mile event at Cheltenham as novice hurdlers, most notably Native River and Paisley Park, so it’s clearly no negative to blood top prospects in that race, but neither the bare form of this race, nor his relative inexperience mark Mossy Fen out as an ideal type for imminent glory. He is, however, the sort who will develop physically and mentally for another summer break, and is one to be positive about long term.

Decor Irlandais might have won in different circumstances, looking professional and sent off in pursuit of the aggressively ridden Shan Blue only for that move to play into the hands of thorough stayer Mossy Fen, and the winning rider’s experience was vital in the finish against the amateur rider on the runner-up.

It would seem that a step up to three miles would suit Mossy Fen in a rematch, but the runner-up has a wealth of experience for a novice hurdler, and has already proven that he stays, and can be ridden cold.

That can be a big advantage in the Albert Bartlett where the tempo can be unforgiving, and the son of Hello Sunday is an interesting outsider in a race where experience often trumps raw talent. He wouldn’t need to improve much to finish in the money, and a more patient ride in March will help him pick up the pieces.

Two too good in Hampton

THE Grade 2 Hampton Novices’ Chase turned into a battle between the stout stayer Two For Gold (Kim Bailey/David Bass) and the strong-travelling Hold The Note (Mick Channon/Jonny Burke), with the stamina of the former, the 3/1 second favourite, telling over one who was stepping up markedly in trip. Two For Gold jumps soundly and stays, but he looks short of gears in terms of his prospects of Grade 1 novices this season, and it’s not a huge surprise to hear Kim Bailey talk of him as a Grand National horse of the future.

Hold The Note was unlucky when brought to a standstill by the fall of Roll Again at Kempton, but that was in a handicap, and he was badly in at the weights with most of his rivals in this Grade 2. That he travelled like the best horse shows that the decision to run him was justified, but whether it was wise is another matter, as a 12lb rise for getting beaten sees him on a mark of 145. That still allows him to run in the Close Brothers Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March, a race connections won with Mister Whitaker two years ago, but the feeling is that other runners in that race have tried harder to hide their hands from the handicapper.