Speedy Fox hard to catch
A blinding Side show
UNBEATEN On The Blind Side put in a blinder of a performance when cruising home in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown yesterday.
Always travelling effortlessly in the hands of Nico De Boinville, On The Blind Side, pictured, was allowed his head at the second-last hurdle and victory was sealed in a matter of strides.
“I like the way he changed gear as Nico felt they hadn’t gone that quick,” said Henderson. “Looking at that, I would not be in a rush to go three miles, as he was dropping in trip today.
“His jumping was quicker at the end of the race because they were not going faster enough.”
Yesterday’s race has thrown up a host of stars – Gold Cup hero See More Business, triple Stayers’ Hurdle scorer Inglis Drever and Grand National winner Neptune Collonges – and On The Blind Side is clearly destined for the very top. FOX NORTON (2.55) can motor home to his third Grade One success in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown today.
With neither the Willie Mullins dynamic duo of Douvan and last year’s winner Un De Sceaux declared for the race on Thursday morning, Fox Norton, trained by Colin Tizzard, has outstanding claims.
The seven-year-old beat Un De Sceaux with authority at Punchestown in April, and returned to action at Cheltenham last month with an eight-length rout to win the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham for a second time.
Paul Nicholls has won the Tingle Creek a record nine times, and this year sends last month’s Haldon Gold Cup one-two Politologue and San Benedeto.
Nicholls thinks highly of Politologue but he will need to improve to beat the favourite.
David Mullins continues his association with BRAIN POWER (1.45) in the randoxhealth. com Henry VIII Novices’ Chase.
Mullins makes the trip over from Ireland to team up again with the Nicky Henderson-trained gelding, after winning on the six-year-old at Kempton, beating War Sound by 28 lengths on his chasing debut.
Finian’s Oscar is unbeaten in two races over fences and will be thereabouts.
Old rivals North Hill Harvey and Sceau Royal, meet again after Dan Skelton’s North Hill Harvey beat Alan King’s runner by a neck at Cheltenham in October.
THE LAST SAMURAI (1.30, nap) Grand National runner-up in 2016, heads back to Aintree for the Randox Health Becher Handicap Chase. Third in the race last season he runs off the same mark.