Ratings Update: Fine effort in defeat from Call Me Lord

It may have been the weekend before Cheltenham but there have still been some good horses in action over jumps elsewhere in recent days. Indeed, Call Me Lord’s performance under 11-12, giving upwards of 12 lb to his sixteen rivals in Sandown’s Imperial Cup (representing improvement from 149 to 154) might, in theory, have put him in the frame in a Champion Hurdle. However, it wasn’t enough to give him victory, as he went down by a neck to the much more lightly-weighted Mr Antolini (up from 130 to 132), though it took a lengthy stewards enquiry to maintain the placings after things got tight between the pair on the rails in the closing stages.  

Mr Antolini finishes strongly to win the Imperial Cup - Watch LIVE on @ITV4 pic.twitter.com/RJOXJC06PT

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 10, 2018

The winner won’t be going for the bonus on offer for a follow-up success at Cheltenham as he doesn’t hold any entries this week, but for a horse who had plenty of racing in Ireland, Mr Antolini has already shown plenty of improvement in just three starts for Nigel Twiston-Davies. Call Me Lord does have a County Hurdle entry, though that would come a bit soon after this effort in heavy ground, and longer term his future lies over fences. Another with bright prospects as a chaser in due course is Sam’s Gunner who showed plenty of improvement (134 from 122) for the switch to handicaps and a thorough test of stamina in the EBF National Hunt Final in which the testing conditions, coupled with a sound pace, resulted in almost half the field being pulled up.

It was also heavy over in Ireland at Gowran where the Leinster National, although run over short of three miles, was a stern test of stamina. It represented a step up in trip for the winner Pairofbrowneyes who showed improved form (146 from 141) on his first start for Willie Mullins, racing wider than most for much of the race to avoid the worst of the ground. He’s unexposed as a staying chaser, and could have a bigger National – either the Fairyhouse version or even the Grand National itself, on his agenda.

Second Thought comes from last to first to win the Lady Wulfruna Stakes in Wolverhampton - Watch LIVE on @ITV4 pic.twitter.com/SSnwIlBAj7

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 10, 2018

There were signs that the Flat turf season isn’t far away with some smart winning performances on Wolverhampton’s card. Second Thought (119 from 116) kept his unbeaten record on the all-weather, six from six now, with victory in the listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes, forging clear to land the odds in the end, though having to come from a poor position following a slow start. He’ll have strong claims again on All-Weather Championships Finals day at Lingfield on Good Friday where he was successful last year. In the handicaps, last year’s Stewards’ Cup winner Lancelot du Lac defied top weight to win the six-furlong contest with something in hand (119 from 115), while Big Country (115 from 113) made it three out of three on the all-weather when landing the Lincoln Trial. His previous wins had all come at further, but he looks one for the shortlist for the Lincoln itself, even with a penalty.

With the Dubai World Cup only three weeks away, it was ‘Super Saturday’ this weekend when Meydan staged its series of trials for the big meeting at the end of the month. North America (124 from 122) hasn’t had too much racing for a six-year-old and he booked his ticket for the World Cup when winning Round 3 of the Al Maktoum Challenge by over five lengths from Thunder Snow (dropped from 125 to 123), the pair reversing places from their encounter in the previous round in the series.

The turf highlight on the card, the Jebel Hatta, might have been a substandard race by Group 1 standards, and tactical too, but it still took an improved effort from winner Blair House (119 from 112) to follow up his course-and-distance win in a handicap last month. The Dubai Turf on World Cup night will demand more, though. The biggest improver on the card was Jordan Sport (123 from 109), he too stepping out of handicap company, and running out the winner of the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal by over seven lengths. A winner on turf earlier at the Carnival, that was his first run on dirt and puts him in line for the Golden Shaheen at the end of the month.