Round of our week at the races

First of all , it would be re-miss of us not to pass on hearty congratulations to Nick Alexander (aka Kineston Nick) on his remarkable feat of saddling 5 winners at Ayr yesterday. Well done to all the team up there in Fife!!

Of course the day started with Eternally Yours given a fine ride by Craig Nichol, but finding one too good in the shape of Charm Offensive. The pair were clear of the the 3rd horse and were separated by just under 2 lengths at the line having battled hard from 3 out. Eternally Yours hasn't won a race since December 2018 but has run some fine races in that period, and we think this one was just a couple of pounds below her best.

And if that wasn't galling enough, Shoeshine Boy showed his best form to date and looked as though he had the race won approaching the last. But, possibly idling slightly, his old foe from Carlisle last time, Don Brocco, conjured up another effort and went clear on the run-in. Shoeshine Boy was done for and with the gelding responding bravely to all of Craig's urgings, he just failed to get back up and was beaten a short head on the post.
This was his first attempt at a Class 4 handicap and clearly his best run to date, so he's going the right way.

Four second places in a row now for him and the lads of Mousetrap Racing.

Earlier in the week we were at Carlisle and Newcastle with mainly younger horses gaining more experience with an eye on the future.
A couple of days earlier at Carlisle, Cowboy Cooper took part in a fair bumper but after 4 months off, did show signs of ring rustiness and wasn't really able to improve upon his encouraging debut in a similar event at Ayr.
Earlier on that card, and a horse that did show a bit of improvement from his last run, Nights In Venice ran well to finish 5th, beaten 9 lengths in a good novice hurdle over 3 miles. His jumping in particular was very pleasing and Craig didn't press him unduly when his winning chance was gone 2 out.
Nights In Venice should have done enough for a handicap mark on Tuesday - probably somewhere between 103 -106.......

And we started off the racing week for Dodlands at Newcastle on Tuesday, when even then the ground was showing distinct signs of drying out.
Undecided made his hurdling debut over 2m 4f but didn't jump well enough to remain in contention and was beaten a fair way at the finish.
Similarly Paper Tiger was unable to follow up her fine opening bumper run at Wetherby, still appearing to need the experience when making no further progress after being crowded out with 4 furlongs to go. She was another of our youngster well beaten on the day.

Our handicapper on Tuesday was Simon Gillie's Kinerton Hill. He had been a close second last time on heavy ground but faced faster conditions here. Rushed off his feet early on over this 2m 4f trip, he came back into contention approaching 3 out but was faced with a wall of weakening horses in front of him and couldn't make any inroads on the leading group.
The experience of jumping hurdles at a faster pace will not be lost on him, and he'll be suited by 3 miles in due course.

Not so many runners in the upcoming week - may one at Hexham on Thursday - so all that remains to say is beat wishes to Scottish trainers at The Cheltenham Festival - Lucinda, Scobie, Stuart, Keith, Harriet & Gary and we'll include Northumberland trained Ann Hamilton with Tommy's Oscar in the Champion Hurdle.