One Jump Ahead

I conducted my first interview for the forthcoming edition of One Jump Ahead on Tuesday. Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle winning trainer Kim Bailey has enjoyed something of a resurgence during recent seasons and Thorndale Farm near Cheltenham houses a number of highly promising youngsters, along with some established inmates. Kim Bailey kindly went through his string, including a select team of unraced bumper horses who could have exciting futures. Despite the fact it is the middle of the summer, I am very much looking forward to the Autumn when the jumping season really kicks into gear. I will be carrying out more interviews later this week.

Sticking with a National Hunt theme, ValueRacingClub.co.uk have been responsible for a couple of winners during the last twenty four hours. Black Anthem was having only his second start for Tom Lacey when winning in convincing fashion over fences at Market Rasen on Monday. Placed over hurdles on his previous start, he stayed on strongly and appreciated the longer trips under Johnny Burke. 

Leoncavallo finished a narrow second on the Flat at Sandown last month on his first run for David Pipe. Like Black Anthem, he switched to the larger obstacles at Stratford on Tuesday and the eight year old made no mistake. Given a no nonsense ride by Tom Scudamore, he hasn't looked a natural over fences but he ran out a clear cut winner of the two miles five novice chase by thirteen lengths breaking the course record in the process. Rated 141, the fast ground played to his strengths too and hopefully there are more races to be won with him before the better novices emerge. Both horses were previously handled by Dr Richard Newland and have made good starts to life with their new trainers.