An intriguing contest which focusses around the well-being of Mark Johnston's Hawaass. If fully tuned up from a break, he could well prove a class above these but any flaws will be fully exposed by the likes of Jaser, Albaqaa and Jabil Tariq who have the form to win a race of this nature.
Hawaass has only had three career starts, even though he is a four-year-old. Of those three starts, he has won two, the latter very impressively over this distance at Newmarket against a host of experienced handicappers. Fast ground poses no problems for this colt, with both successes coming on a quicker surface. The Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum-owned runner looks a type very similar to the horses that Johnston excels with in handicaps and it says a great deal that he has placed him in a Class 2 for his seasonal reappearance. He has obviously had his problems but he looks a classy stayer in the making and if he improves on his previous runs he could win this on the way to bigger and better things.
As stated earlier, if Hawaass fails to perform on his first start for nine months, Jaser could exploit any failings to win the prize. He was very progressive last season and went up the handicap as a result, even though he performed admirably. Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam had a mediocre campaign compared to his high standards but Jaser was one of his horses to give a good account on each of his six starts throughout the year. All three of his wins have come over the distance of a mile, and twice on soft ground which is a worry with fast ground forecast. His one piece of form which looks excellent was on his last start at Nottingham over today's trip. He was six lengths back in third behind John Gosden's Expresso Star, who has since gone on to win the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster in emphatic style and could well be a Group horse come the end of the season. In second was Suits Me, who, since that result, has racked up five wins on the all-weather surface this winter, one of those coming in Listed company. Both horses now have handicap marks of 109 and 107 respectively, so if Jaser can improve on his current mark of 90, he could well make up into a fair middle-distance handicapper this season.
Albaqaa, trained by the in-form Richard Fahey, is an exposed four-year-old who will appreciate the faster ground. He is a consistent sort who will always run his race and could well run into a place if he has come on for his first run of the season at Kempton in March, where he ran on into fifth, just two lengths behind the winner. His current mark of 91 gives him little room for maneouvre but he looks sure to give a good account under Paul Hanagan.
Jabil Tariq is another four-year-old who stays well and could feature if ready to go after a winter off. His last three runs of last season all came at Ripon over 1m 4f, where he won one but finished well down the field after being seemingly well fancied on the other two runs. He has a mark of 85 but could struggle to match the scope and quality of the first two mentioned and will do well to win this contest.
Of the remaining four, neither make any great appeal.
Selections: 1st - Jaser, 2nd - Hawaass, 3rd - Albaqaa.
Result : 1st - Ladies Best, 16/1, 2nd - Hawaass, 6/4 fav, 3rd - Albaqaa, 9/2.
After Jaser was withdrawn on account on the ground (too quick), this looked a chance for Hawaass to resume his winning ways after a while off the track. However, seemingly unfancied at 6/4, he attempted to make all the running under Joe Fanning but tired in the closing stages and outsider Ladies Best stormed up the inside rail to win nicely by just under a length. Lance Betts gave the horse a superb ride for Brian Ellison and could win again. Hawaass ran a blinder in second after his problems and it shouldn't be long before he makes amends. Albaqaa ran well back in third but was never getting there in time, staying on too late in the day. Jabil Tariq ran poorly and finished well down the field.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment