Newcomer Talent On View Today

Hi there!

There does not appear to be much rain over the next seven days or so, exacerbating the current concerns about small fields.

Watering is due to take place at Cheltenham for the three-day meeting starting on Friday, while the word ‘firm’ appears in the going description for Thursday’s meeting at Taunton, where there are just 38 runners, including a match in the 2m 7f handicap chase.

You can’t blame trainers and connections for hanging fire with their horses, especially with so much of the season to come. Things will change and given the vagaries of the British weather we will probably be knee deep in sodden ground by Christmas.

We did see a couple of promising recruits in action today.

Saint Segal, a son of Saint Des Saint trained by Jane Williams, overcame some hesitant jumps to make a winning debut in the juvenile maiden hurdle at Bangor. He travelled comfortably for much of the way but then inexperience began to tell and he needed plenty of cajoling to overcome fellow debutant Book Of Secrets, rated 73 on the Flat, from the last.

Saint Segal is sure to improve for this run and will probably prove more effective on easy ground.

Colin Tizzard’s team are in their best form for a couple of years and newcomer Jpr One did well to beat the highly-regarded Luttrell Lad, who had finished runner-up in a Grade 2 at Chepstow, and Nicky Henderson’s bumper winner I Am Maximus.

Tizzard also trains the fourth and sixth here, reflecting the fine form of the yard.

This race will probably hold up well to future scrutiny.

Bye for now

Marten