Sam’s the man for Long Walk
SAM SPINNER can announce himself on the big stage by winning the JLT Reve De Sivola Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.
Jedd O’Keeffe’s five-year-old has never been out of the first two in his life and his last two runs have been huge career bests.
Whether he has it in him to improve even more, which he will need to do to beat some solid, if not spectacular performers, is the big question, but he is priced accordingly.
This time last year he failed to concede a penalty in a Kelso novice hurdle, but the winner was Mount Mews, subsequently second in a Grade One to Pingshou at the Grand National meeting, giving the form some gravitas.
His most recent performance at Haydock marked him out as potentially top class, as although he was only racing off a mark of 139, he was trying the best part of three miles for the first time and was strongest at the finish.
His improvement cannot be put down to the heavy ground, as pre-race O’Keeffe felt that would be against him, so it was the step up in trip which allowed him to get into a rhythm.
In a division with no real star at the moment, he could be the new kid on the block.
Nicky Henderson’s Verdana Blue can defy an 8lb rise in the Racing Welfare Handicap Hurdle.
Henderson has a fine record in the race and his Brain Power put up a fine weight-carrying performance 12 months ago.
Verdana Blue might not be in his class, but she has improved markedly this season in two runs over this course and distance.
First time out she travelled smoothly before being squeezed at the last and allowed to come home without being given a hard race and she meets the winner, Elgin, on 3lb better terms.
That race has worked out incredibly well, with the mare doing her bit for the form when beating the in-form Speredek by an easy three lengths, despite nearly coming down early on. There is more to come from her.
Eddie Harty will hope his Coney Island is a potential Gold Cup contender later in the season, so he has to be winning the Sodexo Graduation Chase to fulfil those dreams.
Winner of the Drinmore Novice Chase last December, his only other run before injury saw him go down narrowly to Irish National winner Our Duke. ................... ................................................................. Josephine Gordon 112 (35) J Osborne 7 9-3 (CD4) .................... D Costello 97 (84)MMeade49-3(D) .................... GWood — (24) H Morrison 5 9-3 (D2) ................. A Kirby 103 (17) Archie Watson 4 9-3 (BF, CD2) ......... L Morris 111 (17) D M Simcock 3 9-1 .............................. Fran Berry 109 (27) M Botti 3 9-1 ................................ D Muscutt — (24) J Gosden 3 9-1 ..................................... R Havlin 108 (35)CFellowes48-12(D) ................. SDonohoe 103 BETTING: 5-2 Master The World, 5 Intern, 6 Petite Jack, 7 Utmost, 8 Dolphin Vista, Battalion, 10 Red Label, Not So Sleepy, 16 Mia Tesoro. ................................... R Da Silva ..... .................................................................... Nicola Currie (7) (14) P Evans 3 9-3 (D2) ............. Fran Berry (11) J Bradley 9 9-3 (CD5) ............ T Marquand (11) P Crate 8 9-2 (CD2) ....... S W Kelly (11) J Best 7 8-13 (CD6) ................................ L Morris (45) S A Harris 5 8-13 (D6) ................ C Bennett (3) (11) S Dow 3 8-12 (CD3) ..... N Mackay (11) P Hedger 5 8-12 (CD) ...... C Bishop (66) M Attwater 7 8-7 (CD3) .................. K Fox BETTING: 4 Entertaining Ben, 9-2 Ask The Guru, 5 Temple Road, 6 Mr Pocket, 7 Roundabout Magic, 8 Shackled N Drawn, 10 Sandfrankskipsgo, 14 Awesome Allan, 16 Others. (141) D M Simcock 7 9-12 ................. George Bass (7) (24) D O’Meara 4 9-9 (D) .............................. A Kirby (24) M Johnston 4 9-8 (CD) ....................... F Norton (14) A Watson 5 9-8 (D2) ......... E Greatrex (104) M Botti 5 9-8 (D5)...Josephine Gordon (11) D C Griffiths 8 9-3 ................... T Marquand (45) Mrs A Perrett 6 8-12 (D5) ....... J Mitchell (52)CFellowes38-9(BF,D) .................... SDonohoe BETTING: 9-4 Hajaam, 4 Primero, 9-2 Brandon Castle, 7 Ming Dynasty, 8 Majeed, 10 Abareeq, 12 Storm King, 14 Elysian Fields.
5-4fav Led until ridden 2f out, chased leader until ridden over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 5th of 6, 7l behind Al Hamdany at Kempton 1m 4f 3yo hcp 0-90 (3) pol in Nov. 9-1 Mid-division, headway 2f out, ridden and kept on one pace final furlong, 5th of 13, 2 1/2l behind Pactolus at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp (2) in Nov.
5-1 Led, soon clear, reduced advantage over 2f out, ridden and headed inside final 2f, outpaced over 1f out, no chance with front pair inside final furlong, lost 3rd post, 4th of 5, 7l behind Velvet Revolution at Wolverhampton 1m 6f 3yo hcp 0-105 (2). 5th of 8, 13l behind Vazirabad at Chantilly(FR) 1m 7f Grp 3 gd in Sep. (80) S A Harris 9-10 ................. C Bennett (3) (36) Mrs L Pearce 9-7 (CD) ........... S Pearce (24)JBest9-6 ................................. SDrowne (24) H Morrison 9-4 (D) .......................... A Kirby (17) A Bailey 9-3 (BF) ................... Josephine Gordon (16) J Fanshawe 9-0 ........................ D Muscutt (131) P Phelan 8-13 .............. S W Kelly (18) Dr J Naylor 8-7 ............................. Hollie Doyle (10) J Gallagher 8-6 (D) .............................. J Haynes (16) D Ivory 8-5 ............................... J Osborn (7) (45) M Madgwick 8-2 ....... Nicola Currie (7) BETTING: 3 Iley Boy, 4 Malt Teaser, 9-2 Katabatika, 5 Wootyhoot, 7 Widnes, 14 Hi There Silver, Bartholomew J, 20 Presence Process, Nicky Baby, 25 Others.