The turf
Winter winners
Robin Oakley
Abitterly cold Friday at Ascot had its compensations, and its lessons for the future. I doubt if I will find another to fancy more this season for the Champion Hurdle than Large Action after his display in the Coopers and Lybrand Hurdle. And after his victory on Kibreet, on whom he had been at work a long way out, in the Manicou Handicap Chase I can see why Tony McCoy is so strongly fancied to take the National Hunt jockeys' championship this year.
Large Action is one of those gutsy horses who really add lustre to the winter game. Only once has he been out of the frame in 19 races. Two years ago, he was second in the Champion Hurdle, this year he was runner-up to the speedy Alderbrook, and I for one am rather pleased that his first effort over bigger obstacles (although he won) has convinced Oliver Sherwood that he is best kept to hurdling and that he will have at least one more tilt at the crown.
With Alderbrook sidelined, although apparently back in a little light work, it is difficult to see what else might run Large Action out of it up the Cheltenham hill. He did it the hard way at Ascot, leading all the way, and he is the sort of horse who relish- es a truly run race, as the Champion Hur- dle always is. The only hope must be that there is not some other fancy flat per- former being kept wrapped up in the warm somewhere to emerge in March and to snatch the prize away from the gritty professionals who will have been slogging their way round the NH tracks through November fog and January slush.
I don't blame Alderbrook's connections for taking their chance this year. It's a free world and you still have to be best on the day. But I do like to see National Hunt prizes going to full-time National Hunt horses.
Incidentally, if we are going to have to watch out for some good class flat horses popping into the winter game to scoop up rich purse or two, then maybe it is signifi- cant that Richard Hannon's Right Win has been schooled by Graham McCourt. And it is a comment of some kind that Lady Her- ries's River North, back soon after injury, is among the market leaders for next year's Champion Hurdle without ever yet having jumped an obstacle. Determination counts in riders as well as horses, and Tony McCoy is showing the kind of ride anywhere, ride anything reso- lution of which champions are made. What his effort on Kibreet showed was that he can win with horses on which others might have accepted defeat several fences from home.
I watched some of the Ascot races with Mrs Caro Balding, wife of trainer Toby, and she reminded me that it was their Andover stable which launched Adrian Maguire's career this side of the water as well as that of Tony McCoy. Toby Balding is clearly becoming the Frenchie Nicholson de nos fours, and it is worth keeping an eye on any conditionals signed up for a yard that is having yet another good sea- son.
Other notes from that Ascot card? Josh Gifford has been patient with Lively Knight, a big six-year-old who missed all last season but came out to win the novices hurdle on his first outing. He'll make a fine chaser in time. And Mick Haynes's Kings- fold Pet ran well for a long way in the Lad- broke Trial Hurdle on ground which did not suit him. He'll be better for the race and could pop up at a nice price later in the season.
Three weeks ago, I offered Jibber the Kibber, Nathen Lad, Chief' s Song, Stoney Burke and Unguided Missile as prospects to follow. The first four have all won since while we have yet to see the other two (unless I missed them while away in New Zealand). Let me add to the notebook Reg Akehurst's class hurdler Admiral's Well, a very useful stayer on the flat who missed out the last jumping season, and Seeking Cash, a brilliant novice hurdler two seasons ago with Charlie Egerton who also missed 1994-95. He'll be campaigning this time round for Kim Bailey.
There's one more too I must mention. On my only foray into ownership, I was part of the 'Sunday for Monday' syndicate managed by the Times's canny racing corre- spondent, Richard Evans. We sold him off after much fun and a few seconds and thirds, first in the hands of Simon Christian (in his Lambourn days) and then with Ron Hodges.
When the syndicate went for a new jumper, Northern Saddler, I faced the choice between sending two students bare- foot to university and continuing to stuff fivers into the chosen manger, and I opted out. Richard got 100-1 from Ladbroke's over the horse winning three races in the next season. He won four of his first five and, shrewdly placed by Ron Hodges, has continued to win consistently since, costing connections next to nothing except celebra- tory drinks over three seasons. He won't win a National. But with 11 victories under his belt worth some £50,000, he hasn't fin- !shed yet. Over two miles, on a sharp track, in a small field, and with soft ground he'll win again.
Robin Oakley is political editor of the BBC.
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