Carlisle (Monday) review

No winner on Monday but a close runner up and a fine 4th place by one of our promising novice hurdlers. The yard remain in good form (and good health) and it was an enjoyable day's racing for both owners and stable staff alike.

The closest we came was in the last, a 3m 1f Class 5 handicap hurdle, where Shoeshine Boy was tacking 3 miles for the first time and stayed on well inside the final furlong to get within a length of Don Brocco, who was the first winner for the new training partnership of Gary Rutherford & Harriet Graham.
12 runners and the pace was fairly steady which meant coming to 2 out there was any number of the field still in with a chance. Craig had kept Shoeshine Boy to the outer most of the way but still found himself a little crowded on the push for the line. Every chance jumping the last, founding the route down the stands side rail taken up by the eventual third, Shoeshine Boy was switched 2 horses wide to the inner and given clear air stayed on well but Ryan Mania always seemed to have the race won by that point.

So, another 2nd place for our gelding - now 3-in-row - but he is improving in terms of travelling and jumping. Surely an opportunity can be found over the next couple of months for his loyal owners Mousetrap Racing.

Shoeshine Boy

It's not often that we admit to being disappointed with a horse but that was most certainly the case after the debut hurdling run of Nights In Venice at Newcastle last month. Didn't jump with any fluency nor pick up the pace of the race, and was a beaten horse a long way from home.

However, time travel one month to Carlisle on a wet Monday and Nights In Venice put in an entirely different performance. Just 5 runners in the 2m 3f novice hurdle and the odds of 100-1 reflected his chances but he put in a most pleasing run to finish 4th just 14 lengths off the winner. And the first 3 were all previous winners having shown quite useful form in novice hurdles.

The pace was a good one, and it was Rebecca Menzies' High Moon who made it from McCain's Silver Flyer with Jonjo's odds-on shot Monbeg Genius tracking in third. Racing about 5 lengths away Nights In Venice was jumping quite well, if a bit safely. And the order remained constant all the way to the line, with Monbeg Genius outpaced from 3 out and Craig urging along Nights In Venice to keep in touch. Our lad started to stay on from 2 out but a less than fluent leap at the last interrupted progress to a certain extent but he kept on to be just 3 parts of a length off 3rd place at the line.

He's a lovely gelding who works well at home and we're so pleased that this run is starting to match our hopes for him in the jumping game. He'll be suited by 3 miles for sure, so look out for him to take in a staying hurdle next time.

Nights In Venice