Saturday Review

Newbury's card on Saturday was run on bottomless ground with Tutti Quanti producing a tremendous weight carrying performance to blitz the field in the William Hill Hurdle. Racing off a mark of 138, eight pounds higher than when winning the Gerry Feilden Hurdle over C&D in late November, the ex-French gelding became the first winner to shoulder twelve stone. Making all the running, Paul Nicholls' charge set a decent tempo early on before powering clear after the third last. A fifteen lengths scorer, the six year old was providing Team Ditcheat with their third victory in the two miles contest. Disappointing on much quicker ground in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Chepstow during the Autumn, he is very much at home on a slow surface and, if conditions are set to be testing at the Festival in March, his connections may be tempted to supplemented the former Francois Nicolle inmate for the Champion Hurdle. 

February Update subscribers will be aware I was keen on the prospects of Let It Rain (didn't pick up in the ground having travelled well until baulked approaching the home turn) and Lanesborough (not good enough). Tutti Quanti fitted the right profile - lightly raced second season hurdler with an attractive rating. However, the prospect of shouldering 12st in heavy ground put me off. Never ruled out a Paul Nicholls runner. 

Earlier in the day, Sober Glory booked his ticket for the Cheltenham Festival ploughing through the mud beating Kadastral by nearly thirty lengths. A relentless galloper, Philip Hobbs & Johnson White's winner is likely to contest the Sky Bet Supreme NH next month and he will ensure a strong early pace. Haiti Couleurs proved too good for L'Homme Presse making all in the Grade 2 Denman Chase. The Welsh National winner had skipped the Irish Gold Cup last week and gained ample compensation here with a ready success. The Cheltenham Gold Cup awaits. Lulamba maintained his unbeaten record with a six and a half lengths victory in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase - Nicky Henderson's sixth success in the two mile contest - warming to his task jumping wise before staying on strongly in the homestraight. All three were smart performances but the trio must have endured hard races and it remains to be seen whether it will have left its mark with the Festival in mind. In addition, according to the stewards' reports both Sober Glory and Lulamba struck into their right and left fore legs respectively afterwards.

I am heading south next week interviewing for Ahead On The Flat - I will therefore update the Diary on my return. Over the years, I have gleaned plenty of information for the early part of the Flat season - which will be included in the Cheltenham Festival Update.