Haydock Debrief

25 January 2010

I am beginning to understand why horses at the top level have such a difficult time.

Last month, having ruled out running in the wbx.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle because Nicky Henderson was unhappy at Punjabi’s preparedness, it seemed a case of “pick where you like” for the Champion Hurdler.

He’d already gone to Ireland on May 1 and we thought the heavy ground and a last-flight blunder were all that stopped him beating Solwhit, rather than finish a close second.

Solwhit, himself, lost some caste with what seemed a lifeless enough third behind Go Native and Sublimity in the Fighting Fifth, with Binocular also appearing pretty sluggish in fourth, but he’s put that to rights twice since.

Newcastle provided the big initial change in the market which until then had Binocular at the head in the belief he would probably go past his stable-mate Punjabi this term and confirm the status expected before last year’s title race.

In the event, the big shift came at Cheltenham, not in the expected race, the Boylesports in which last season’s Champion runner-up Celestial Halo was beaten fair and square by the always talented Khyber Kim, with Medermit running on for third and Punjabi a ring-rusty and fading fourth.

The eye-opener, not just that day in the longer Cleeve Hurdle, but earlier at Ascot was the unbeaten Zaynar who gave two authoritative displays, outstaying admittedly-inferior rivals.

Since then he has been market leader and you get the feeling that because Victor Chandler is one of the partners in the brilliant grey five-year-old, he will not be allowed to edge out of favouritism, whatever happens.

After Saturday and Sunday, I would have expected Medermit to shorten far more than he has. The one-time Arkle candidate looked speedy and assured to me as he repeated his Cheltenham superiority over Punjabi, although by four lengths less and on 4lb better terms.

But what I liked was the economy of Medermit, a French importation, who has improved greatly on the form he showed in his native country since joining Alan King.

By the miler Medaaly, he is out of a hard-working French mare who raced more than 30 times and won over a mile. Medaaly was most unlucky to be beaten by Go Native last year at the Festival and as such looks tremendous value at around 16-1 compared with the Irish horse’s much shorter odds.

Punjabi is out to those odds, too. Barry Geraghty thinks races like Saturday’s no longer suit him as at age seven he is more a “grinder”, in Barry’s words than a speed merchant. “Give him the hill at Cheltenham after a good gallop and you’ll see the real Punjabi”.

Well thanks, fine, and we still have Wincanton and the Kingwell Hurdle for another “unsuitable” but necessary final warm-up before Cheltenham. With a run last weekend (even after yet another hold-up) behind him, I expect Ray Tooth’s battling star will go to Wincanton fitter this time, and if he did beat the speed merchants there, the auguries would be good for his defence.

By then Khyber Kim would have tackled the totesport under top weight; Binocular would have run at Sandown and Zaynar will step up against some of the best in the two and a quarter mile Morebattle at Kelso.

Unbeaten and clearly with seemingly limitless potential, Zaynar must be going through Barry’s mind as the more likely mount come Champion Hurdle day. But in a year when the established stars have been kicked aside regularly – as in Binocular at Kempton – he, too, is just one run short of possible disappointment.

I began this piece by talking of the difficulties for the top horses. Races below Grade 1 make for large penalties for previous Class 1 winners, with novices getting in with half penalties. So Medermit was the favoured one and made the most of it with his victory on Saturday.

Looking ahead to Cheltenham, you would imagine that single race would be a focal point for Punjabi’s career. Win, again against the odds and you go on once more to Punchestown and stay hurdling next term.

Finish placed or worse and behind Zaynar or Binocular or both, then the “let’s go for the Arkle” route as so many of last year’s beaten Champion Hurdle runners, like Crack Away Jack, Snap Tie, Jered, Osana, Ashkazar and River Liane, would seem attractive.

Remember, too, that Mick Fitzgerald has always regarded Punjabi as a top candidate for chasing honours down the road. Let’s hope his next two performances show his trainer that he’s worth persevering over the smaller obstacles.

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