Friday Review

Cheltenham hosted the first of their two days December fixture on Friday and, with a lopsided look of five of the seven races being handicaps, it wasn't a meeting which set the pulse racing - Navan on Sunday is even worse with six of the seven races being handicaps. The most interesting race was the opening two miles one novice hurdle which was won in emphatic fashion by Old Park Star who followed up his win at Kempton last month. Purchased for €120,000 as a store and placed in three bumpers for Paul Nicholls last term, the five year old has improved since sent hurdling and looked a useful prospect as he bounded clear in the home straight. There were eight previous winner in behind and Nicky Henderson's new recruit won by a dozen lengths. As short as 10/1 in places for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, there is no doubt he is a talented youngster but was there an element of the performance which was too good to be true? The Seven Barrows team can't have improved him that much. Perhaps those in behind underperformed or only won modest maiden / novice hurdles on their previous starts.

Having discussed earlier in the week that the Greenall / Guerriero axis have continued to splutter into form, it was encouraging to see Gamesters Guy beat Moon Rocket in the staying handicap chase at Doncaster and stablemate Melon filling third position at large odds in a competitive handicap hurdle at Cheltenham. Hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel for their Cheshire based outfit.

Overall, it wasn't a bad afternoon for followers of the Talking Trainers section in One Jump Ahead with Fortune De Mer (16/5), Gamesters Guy (85/40) and Dissident (9/2) getting their heads in front at Cheltenham and Doncaster respectively.