Saturday Evening Done Right at Towcester
Well now, if you were looking for a proper Saturday evening's entertainment, Towcester delivered the goods in spades. Seven races of genuine quality National Hunt action, and not a duffer among them. The good ground was riding a treat, and with soil moisture at 61, conditions were bang on for some serious jumping performances.
What struck me most about this Towcester racecard was the depth of talent on show. From the conditional jockeys getting their chance in the opener to the feature Class 2 handicap hurdle that had more twists than a country lane, this was an evening that reminded you why Saturday night racing can be every bit as compelling as the weekend's main events.
Super Survivor Shows His Class in Feature
The £18,600 Eaton Hall Shooting Ground Handicap Hurdle was the evening's centrepiece, and rightly so. Super Survivor, carrying top weight off his 138 rating with Gavin Sheehan aboard, was the one they all had to beat. And fair play to the connections - this horse has been knocking on the door of some serious prize money.
What I love about Super Survivor is his honest, workmanlike attitude. He's not the flashiest horse you'll see, but he gets the job done with minimum fuss. Sheehan knows him inside out, and on this good ground over two miles and seven furlongs, he had all the tools for the job. The way he's been campaigned this season suggests connections have a big pot in mind - possibly something at the summer festivals.
Minella Rescue looked the obvious danger on paper, carrying the 'C' and 'D' markings that tell you James Davies' mount was fresh and fancied. But at this level, class usually tells, and Super Survivor had bags of it. Skyjack Hijack was another with solid claims, but I had my doubts about whether he'd truly stay the trip on this sharper track.
Novice Chasers Catching the Eye
The Chemique Bonded For Victory Cup threw up some fascinating performances from the novice chasers. Queensbury Boy with Brendan Powell looked the part on paper - a 127-rated sort who's clearly learning his trade over the bigger obstacles. But it's the way these novices jump and travel that tells you everything about their future prospects.
Black Hawk Eagle is one I've had my eye on for a while now. Conor O'Farrell does nothing fancy aboard this one - just lets him settle, jump, and pick up when it matters. That's the sign of a horse with a proper engine. His 123 rating might look modest compared to the winner, but there's improvement in him yet.
That's Nice - what a name for a horse! - came here with Nico de Boinville doing the steering, and you don't get the champion jockey turning up for evening racing unless there's something worth riding. This one's been placed in some decent company lately, and the step up to this trip looked sure to suit.
Ones for the Notebook
Right, let's talk about the horses that caught my eye for future reference, because that's where the real money gets made in this game. In the novices' hurdle, any of those unrated types could be anything. Final Surprise, Chicker, and Double Tiger all come from yards that know how to place a horse, and with Sean Bowen, Fern O'Brien, and Paul O'Brien respectively, they're not short of pilot expertise.
But it's Executive Producer that really has me intrigued. Conor O'Farrell wouldn't be wasting his time unless there was serious ability lurking. Keep this one on your side for when he pops up in a handicap - could be anything from a 0-105 to a proper graded race if he's got the engine I suspect.
Down in the handicap hurdles, Barry Fife looks well-treated off his current mark. Jack Hogan's been riding with real confidence lately, and this horse has the sort of progressive profile that suggests he's nowhere near his ceiling. Country Mouse is another - Ciaran Gethings knows his way around Towcester, and this one's been running some tidy races without getting his head in front.
In the final race, Spartan Times caught my attention. William Shanahan's booking tells you plenty, and those 'C' and 'D' markings suggest connections were confident. At just under two miles, this trip might be on the sharp side for him long-term, but he's the type who could develop into a staying handicapper with a bit more time.
Looking Ahead - Where Next?
The beauty of an evening like this is watching these horses develop and plotting where they might turn up next. Super Survivor looks ready for a crack at something like the Summer Cup series - his rating and form suggest he's ready to mix it with the big boys when the real prize money's on offer.
For the novice chasers, I'd expect to see the pick of them turning up at the likes of Cheltenham's November meeting or maybe having a crack at some of the better prizes at Haydock and Newbury through the autumn. These are the sort of horses that can make rapid improvement once they get the hang of the bigger obstacles.
The unrated novice hurdlers are the real wildcards. Give them a summer break, bring them back in the autumn with a bit more experience, and some of them could be running in decent handicaps before Christmas. That's the beauty of National Hunt racing - you never know when you're watching a future star taking their first steps.
Final Thoughts from the Paddock
What a cracking evening's racing that was. Towcester might not have the glamour of Cheltenham or the history of Aintree, but on nights like this, it serves up exactly what National Hunt racing is all about - honest horses, trying their best, ridden by jockeys who know their trade.
The going was spot on, the fields were competitive, and there were enough talking horses to keep us busy for weeks. Super Survivor showed why he's rated where he is, the novices gave us plenty to think about for the future, and the handicappers served up their usual mix of promise and frustration.
If you missed this evening's action, you missed a treat. But more importantly, you missed some clues about horses who'll be winning races through the summer and beyond. That's the real beauty of following the jumps game - every meeting tells a story, and every horse has a tale to tell. Tonight, Towcester told some crackers.
