Ratings Update: Kempton, Warwick and Fairyhouse

With the news breaking last week of the Jockey Club’s plans to close Kempton by 2021, how fitting—or perverse, some might say—that the track staged the feature meeting on Saturday. The biggest race on the card was the listed Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle, which was first run in 1978 (named after the 1974 Champion Hurdle winner) and an event which will presumably be in the mixing pot of races to be allotted to Sandown when Kempton is no more. One or two of those that looked open to improvement failed to deliver in the Lanzarote—including Bennys King (who perhaps needs the ground softer)—but the race can't be anything but really solid handicap form. It was run at a sound pace thanks to the eventual eighth Local Show and there were few excuses for the beaten runners. Victorious was Modus (h150 from h144) who was stepped up to 21 furlongs for the first time and also had the hood quickly reapplied. J. P. McManus’ gelding proved better than ever as he rewarded those punters that had kept the faith—plenty will have cried enough after defeats in the Betfair, County, Greatwood and Ladbroke Hurdle—and showed again how well well-run, big-field handicaps suit him perfectly. He will presumably now have the Coral Cup as a target in the spring. Templeross (h129 from h126) wasted no time getting back to form in second, proving much more competitive on his second try in handicaps, while the third Lord of The Island (h128) ran creditably again. Running one of his best races for a while in fourth was Old Guard (h154), whose presence meant that the field was compressed, with only one other runner, the winner, carrying more than 11-0. The only horse to come out of the race with his Timeform small ‘p’ still attached to his rating (h128p) was the eventual seventh Fountains Windfall who shaped as if needing the run after eight months off.

The other listed race on the card, a two-and-a-half-mile chase, featured just four runners, and with Activial unseating and Quite By Chance falling (when beaten) it developed into a match between Vaniteux (c155) and Vibrato Valtat (c154 from c150). Racing beyond 17 furlongs for the first time over fences, Vaniteux made the most of a good opportunity, in theory running up to his best, though his recent handicap runs might be a more solid guide to his current form. He holds entries in the Champion Chase and Ryanair, but the Ascot Chase might be a better option if he is to go back to Grade 1 level.

Our Kaempfer (c147+ from c138+) was put in our jumps Fifty To Follow with handicap chases in mind, so it was good to see him deliver in such a race over three miles. He has the option of going back into novice company, though something like the Betbright Chase or the valuable listed handicap at Ascot next month might well be more appealing options. The Alan King-trained Fidux (h135p from h120p) laid down his claims for the Triumph Hurdle in the opening race for juveniles, while the same trainer’s winner of the closing handicap hurdle, River Frost (h131p from h126p), also looks a young horse going places, though he was handed the race when Meet The Legend (h148) fell fatally at the last when still in front.

The Grade 3 Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick changed complexion a few times before One For Arthur (c144p from c138) ran out a convincing winner from Goodtoknow (c138). Three of the previous four winners—plus numerous other runners with optimum conditions—helped make up the biggest ever field for Warwick's premier jumps prize, and a strong gallop ensured a thorough examination of stamina and jumping. The fact there were several still in with a chance for most of the final five furlongs put an even better spin on the clear-cut winner, who came from the rear in a race free of tactical/positional bias. One For Arthur was trying an extreme distance for the first time and clearly relished it, while the experience gained in the Becher Chase six weeks earlier is bound to stand him in good stead if, as expected, he has the rest of his campaign geared around Aintree. Admittedly, patient tactics are rarely the order of the day in the National, but the same could be said of Warwick and One For Arthur was still able to slice through the field after ending up well off pace through no fault of his own (hampered by a faller at the second)

The Grade 2 Leamington Novices’ Hurdle saw a dominant display by Willoughby Court (h142p from h123p), who was backed off the boards on course (from 6/1 into 11/4). Cutting a similar figure to his currently-injured stablemate Barters Hill when that gelding won similar races last season, Willoughby Court was soon in front and showed battling qualities to pull away again in the home straight, eventually winning by eight lengths from Gayebury (h128p). Willoughby Court has already done plenty in little time, yet it's worth reiterating just how much stepping up to three miles could do for him, and all in all he’s one to keep on side when the mud is flying and stamina is tested.

The listed novice chase was won by American (c145p from c140p) who followed up his Exeter chase debut success in destructive fashion from the favourite Champers On Ice (downgraded slightly from c142p to c138p). American put himself in the RSA picture with this display, getting other good novices out of their comfort zone courtesy of an injection of pace after halfway and producing a superbly accurate round of jumping. However, anyone looking to back him ante-post should bear in mind that his trainer Harry Fry has described him as “fragile”. 

Elsewhere on Saturday there was the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle at Punchestown, which saw Any Second Now (h143p from h129p) overturn the odds-on Crack Mome (h142p from h130p), and a good-quality mile handicap at Lingfield won by My Target (F105 from F102).

The big race at Fairyhouse on Sunday, the Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase, went to Timeform top-rated Ball d’Arc who advanced his rating from c139 to c147 in the process. Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old confirmed the promise of his previous start (when third to the five-year-old Lake Takapuna in a similar race at Leopardstown) to justify strong market support by nine lengths from Pairofbrowneyes (c141). The fact that Ball d’Arc is as good over two and a half miles as he is over two miles gives him plenty of options going forward. Also, the victory—worth €59,000 to the winner—helped Gordon Elliott go more than €300,000 clear of Willie Mullins in the Irish trainers’ championship and was another feather in the cap of jockey Jack Kennedy, who is amazingly still only 17 years old.