There was plenty of interesting action in the novice chasing division this week, writes Stephen Hindle.
Star northern-trained six-year-old horse Knockara Beau maintained his good start over fences with what was more like an exercise than a race in the John Smith's Paris Pike Novices' Chase (2m6f110y) at Kelso on Sunday (6th December). Sent off at prohibitive odds of 1/8, he didn't have to come under any real pressure to coast clear for an 18-length victory ahead of the 115-rated Calin Royal, making his record over fences 3 wins from 4 starts.
Knockara Beau's one defeat over fences came at Cheltenham on his previous start, where he went down by only a neck to Weird Al (BHA rating 140), conceding him 8lb. The form was later franked at the same track, where Weird Al emerged from the fog with a 2-length victory over Pigeon Island in the Cheltenham Collection Noves' Chase (2m5f) on Friday.
In terms of the merit of their performances, I left Knockara Beau unchanged on 147, as he was entitled to win as smoothly he did. Weird Al, however, receives a small rise to 144 after a seemingly slightly improved effort under his penalty.
As good a type of performer as those two novice chases attracted, they didn't have graded status, unlike the December Novices' Chase (3m) at Lingfield on Saturday, where Burton Port made it two out of two over fences with a comfortable three-length success over Massasoit, with their sole rival Bench Warrent (BHA 132) a further 10 lengths back.
There has been talk in the press recently about a dwindling number of runners in novice chases, one of the main reasons being connections' apparent reluctance to have their handicap marks ruined by finishing close up behind a higher-rated rival. In this race, as with many others, that concern proved to be false: I elected not to change any of the three runners' official marks - not even the winner, Burton Port, who remains on 145.
You can read more about this issue in our Head of Handicapping Phil Smith's Blog.
In terms of more experienced chasers, Deep Purple put in a career best to land the totesport.com Peterborough Chase (2m4f110y) at Huntingdon on Thursday.
Out of the first two only twice in ten starts over the larger obstacles, Deep Purple earned the lofty rating of 166 in the Grade 2 event with a six-length victory over Tartak, who himself deserves credit for clawing his way up to second following a few jumping errors and whose official BHA rating goes from 149 to 150.
The big handicap chase was at Cheltenham, namely the boylesports.com Gold Cup (2m5f) on Saturday, won this year by Poquelin. A month on from his second in the Paddy Power, Poquelin had little trouble going one better, always lurking with intent and drawing away to beat Razor Royale by seven lengths - and earning himself a 10lb rise in the ratings from 151 to 161 in the process. The Ryanair Chase is reportedly his aim.
Star northern-trained six-year-old horse Knockara Beau maintained his good start over fences with what was more like an exercise than a race in the John Smith's Paris Pike Novices' Chase (2m6f110y) at Kelso on Sunday (6th December). Sent off at prohibitive odds of 1/8, he didn't have to come under any real pressure to coast clear for an 18-length victory ahead of the 115-rated Calin Royal, making his record over fences 3 wins from 4 starts.
Knockara Beau's one defeat over fences came at Cheltenham on his previous start, where he went down by only a neck to Weird Al (BHA rating 140), conceding him 8lb. The form was later franked at the same track, where Weird Al emerged from the fog with a 2-length victory over Pigeon Island in the Cheltenham Collection Noves' Chase (2m5f) on Friday.
In terms of the merit of their performances, I left Knockara Beau unchanged on 147, as he was entitled to win as smoothly he did. Weird Al, however, receives a small rise to 144 after a seemingly slightly improved effort under his penalty.
As good a type of performer as those two novice chases attracted, they didn't have graded status, unlike the December Novices' Chase (3m) at Lingfield on Saturday, where Burton Port made it two out of two over fences with a comfortable three-length success over Massasoit, with their sole rival Bench Warrent (BHA 132) a further 10 lengths back.
There has been talk in the press recently about a dwindling number of runners in novice chases, one of the main reasons being connections' apparent reluctance to have their handicap marks ruined by finishing close up behind a higher-rated rival. In this race, as with many others, that concern proved to be false: I elected not to change any of the three runners' official marks - not even the winner, Burton Port, who remains on 145.
You can read more about this issue in our Head of Handicapping Phil Smith's Blog.
In terms of more experienced chasers, Deep Purple put in a career best to land the totesport.com Peterborough Chase (2m4f110y) at Huntingdon on Thursday.
Out of the first two only twice in ten starts over the larger obstacles, Deep Purple earned the lofty rating of 166 in the Grade 2 event with a six-length victory over Tartak, who himself deserves credit for clawing his way up to second following a few jumping errors and whose official BHA rating goes from 149 to 150.
The big handicap chase was at Cheltenham, namely the boylesports.com Gold Cup (2m5f) on Saturday, won this year by Poquelin. A month on from his second in the Paddy Power, Poquelin had little trouble going one better, always lurking with intent and drawing away to beat Razor Royale by seven lengths - and earning himself a 10lb rise in the ratings from 151 to 161 in the process. The Ryanair Chase is reportedly his aim.
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