Higher Power Off The Mark

We have been waiting for nearly a season and a half but long-term Top 40 Prospects entry Higher Power finally got off the mark in the eleven furlongs handicap at Kempton. James Fanshawe’s four year old had run well behind subsequent Hardwicke Stakes third Almodovar over the same C&D on his previous start, but there was nothing of the same calibre amongst this evening’s opposition and Tom Queally’s mount took advantage. Settled in mid division, he would have appreciated a stronger early gallop but he still proved a length and a quarter too good. Rated 83, he will hopefully build on this and capture a decent middle distance handicap this summer but he doesn’t want the ground too quick. I hope clients took the generous looking 9/4 and 5/2 which was on offer this morning. It has been a long time coming but thankfully it proved well worth the wait.

I attended Alan Swinbank’s Media day at his impressive Western House Stables near Melsonby on Monday morning. The North Yorkshire trainer told me he is looking forward to running his unbeaten bumper horse Happy Hollow on the Flat shortly. The Beat Hollow gelding has won bumpers at Southwell, Wetherby and Market Rasen and Alan intends introducing him in a twelve furlongs maiden early next month. Viewed as an exciting prospect, his trainer even mentioned the American St Leger in the Autumn as a possible long-term target. He is therefore very much one to look out for on his debut on the level.