The new football season doesn't get underway until next weekend and so for the last Saturday in quite some considerable time, I do not have a Gillingham game to distract me. As a result, I have some spare time on my hands and having sat and watched the mornings National Hunt races on the card at Senonnes-Pouance, I have been able to do some live analysis of both hurdle races as they happened. Part of the reason for taking a look at these relatively low key races in such depth was because the winners appeared to be very impressive as they crossed the line and I felt it would be worth spending a few more minutes to see if the data would back up that opinion. I have displayed the notes for both races below, including a basic time comparison for the winners, but I am reminded of a phrase one of my mentors shared with me that still rings true. "You wear glasses because your eyes don't work". Visually both winners looked to be a class apart from their rivals, but whilst Mister Pats has produced a top class performance here and is now surely bound for much better races than this in the coming weeks, the 3-year-old race needs to be treated with a lot of caution.
3,3 penetrometer reading
Horse | Overall Time | Final Circuit | Réduction Km |
Mister Pats | 265.20 | 112.44 | 69.78 |
Molly de Burge | 279.43 | 116.87 | 73.53 |
Prix Claude Rouget - 5YO+ C2 Hurdle - 3,800m
Mister Pats (D. SOURDEAU DE BEAUREGARD) won by 5-lengths. His career record now stands at 3-1-6, including both starts this summer. He was given a target to chase by the runaway leader Paint Prince, who eventually faded into 5th, but having reeled him in between the last 2 flights, he was easily on top in the closing stages as he extended. Gentleman Valley (2nd) raced alongside the winner, but was no match when the pace lifted. This was a first start since leaving Ben Pauling, he should win races in France, though is perhaps not in the same class as the winner. He was always holding Ras Kassar (3rd) and Nelson du Mathan (4th) who kept on at one pace without closing.
Mister Pats was the most likely improver, but he is likely to need to head to Compiegne or Autueil in the autumn now.
Prix Absi-Equitop - 3YO C3 Hurdle - 3,800m
Very slow pace.
Molly De Berge (J. BOISNARD) sat in mid-division in the early stages, but moved forwards after jumping the 3rd last, coming wider. Once in front, she idled and made a mistake at the last, but was always in command. She is a half-sister to David Maxwell’s Mombasa, which would suggest that she would have been suited by the quicker ground here.
Zaochen Enki (Chaille-Chaille) tracked the winner through, but after a making a bad mistake at the 2nd last, his chance was gone. Kept on.
Love des Beaux (Nicolle) was well placed, but couldn’t match the winner from the 2nd last.
Despite the lack of early pace, the first 3 were able to come clear after the last, though the overall strength of this form is open to question given the ground and lack of a true gallop.
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