THE CAMBRIDGESHIRE HARRIERS HUNT CLUB - COTTENHAM

Monday 28^th December 2009

Advanced Going: - Good

11.00 a.m The Cambridgeshire Harriers Hunt Club Members Conditions Race – 11 entries

Well here we go with an 11am start for the Hunt club Members and if the eleven entries hold their ground this could be a cracker!! Duke of Stradone won at Higham last year but is likely to find this too hot. Master Wolfe makes mistakes but is capable on his day. Ronan The Warrior won at Cottenham last year but that was a poor race. Sirius Storm was extremely impressive when winning a Hunt Club Members at Cottenham though ran poorly under Rules. Start Royal was superb in two runs last season winning a Maiden here and Restricted at Higham. Where’s My Baby was excellent last year including winning the Mens Open at Fakenham. Young Collier is another extremely capable horse who ran well in Hunter Chases a Leicester last year. Real Cracker may struggle in this company. Presenting Express has run well under Rules this year and is another danger. Mulaazem has been running on the flat and has run reasonably well but that form has begun to tail off. Mnason is another who has been running okay under Rules but may struggle in this.

Selection: Wheres my Baby (Young Collier)

11.35 a.m. Restricted – 17 entries

Two horses return to Cottenham after winning their respective maidens here earlier this month: Ex National Hunt eight year old Goscar Rock (Ire) and the promising four year old Inner Steel (Ire). Goscar Rock (Ire) took first place in the older horses’ Maiden, beating many other higher rated horses, including evens favourite Bynack Mhor by a distance. Meanwhile Inner Steel (Ire) won the first division of the younger horses’ (2½ mile) Maiden by four lengths, started as favourite in his first race over jumps after coming 6^th in a Bumper at Kempton in April. Another to have raced this season is General Bob (Ire) who achieved a 2^nd place in the second division of the Restricted race at Black Forest Lodge, finishing twelve lengths behind evens favourite Moncada Way, the second division being a good ten seconds slower then the first. Eric George trained High Toby who went off as 6-4 favourite in the Restricted at Delting in March 2009, finished three lengths behind the Philip York trained 8-1 winner Nessa could be one to keep an eye on. Supa Tramp was last placed between the flags at Fakenham in the race in which Mid Div And Creep graduated from the Restricted class in 2008; since then, the Peter Bull trained six year old has gained a reasonable degree of success under Rules, including a second place conditional handicap at Plumpton two further places at Market Rasen and Fakenham within the last year. Another to have performed well at Fakenham is ten year old Tuesday Club (Ire) where he won the five year and older Maiden at the course in April 2009. The Henry Hill trained gelding finished the season with a second place in the confined race at Northaw just half a length behind favourite Bunratty’s Sole and could be a contender, however past form under Rules show him to be quite error prone.

Selection: Supa Tramp(Inner Steel)

12.10 p.m. Mens Open – 23 entries

Many of the horses entered in this race are also entered in other races here or at Chaddesley Corbett. Five ran in the Men’s Open at the last meeting, headed by the winner Cedrus Libani who jumped well and won easily. He was followed home by Yann’s, with Moscow Court in 4^th. Keepthedreamalive ran out whilst One To Note pulled up. The form was boosted when Robin De Sherwood, who unseated the rider 2 out when in touch, came out the following week, winning the Ladies Open at Alnwick. Forget the Ref also won at the last meeting in the Club Members Conditions race, by 20 lengths from Sirius Storm, with Real Cracker back in 3^rd, the time was 7 seconds slower than the Men’s Open. Caveman was in the form of his life last year, winning 4 Men’s Opens. Where’s My Baby, a model of consistency is expected to run in the first race. Many of the remainder have previously been running under Rules, the classiest of them is Billyvoddan who was a high class winner for H. Daly and finished less than a length behind Taranis in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in 2007, he has not won for 3 years. Locksmith was a multiple winner, for both Martin and David Pipe, and for P. Monteith whilst owned by D. Johnson. Azetec Warrior and John Diamond both won chases for H. Knight back in 2007, whilst The Luder won for P. Nicholls but has not shown any form for 18 months. Former C. Mann inmate Nadover needs soft ground, whilst Super Lord was last seen in action in the Velka Pardubicka in October finishing 7^th.

Selection: Locksmith (Cedrus Libani)

12.45 p.m. The Countryside Alliance Club Members Race for Novice Riders – 12 entries

With twelve runners entered for this race it should be simple to pick out the winner – unfortunately this is not the case. Duke of Stradone, Presenting Express and Leaseback have all run this season so should strip fitter for their endeavours and no one can have failed to be impressed with Leaseback’s win at Cottenham in the First Division of The PPORA race. However, there are some interesting new recruits to pointing who have found glory under Rules but now appear to be on the slide. With the Novice Rider races it pays to check the jockey connections – last season we raved about Sam Twiston-Davies and sure enough he has gone on to great things. We also noted Jack Sherwood who impressed many with his win at Cottenham earlier this month. In horse terms perhaps the most interesting is The Railway Child who has good Irish Rules form as recently as April this year. Log on Intersky is the most experienced in the field with no less than 81 races under Rules but hasn’t bothered the judge for almost three years. The Luder has won an Irish point but his Rules form seems to be in decline and finally Aztec Warrior whose last win was in 2007 but he has never fallen and might be a perfect horse for a novice rider.

Selection: The Railway Child (Leaseback)

1.20 p.m. Ladies Open– 18 entries

A high quality entry topped by Cedrus Libani who raced at the last Cheltenham Festival and won the Men’s at the last meeting here, and Full House who won the Ascot Stakes in 2007 and also ran in the Cesarewitch and Peterborough Chase. Cedrus Libani is preferred, as Full House, although a better horse over fences, has something to prove after pulling up lame during his last run in Sept 2008. Other recent NH recruits include: Badger who won a 3m Novice Chase at Fakenham last season but rates well below the best here; Cathedral Rock was let down by poor jumping at the last meeting but should come on for the run; Inaro is the course record holder over 2m 6f at Towcester but fell here last time and really needs faster ground; Montevideo won 3 chases for Jonjo O’Neill but has a well-deserved Timeform squiggle; and Robin de Sherwood was picked up cheaply last summer after failing to thrive at Richard Guest’s yard and then won the Ladies’ at Alnwick first time out beating Lady Brig & a below-par Robbers Glen. Of the established pointers, Big Moment won fairly easily here last time though the pace was 5 seconds slower than the Men’s and this will be tougher; King Du Berlais is talented but the Turner’s horses usually run better later in the season; Petit Lord was favourite here last time but faded disappointingly after the last; Scotland Yard was the region’s leading Ladies’ horse last season winning all the points he completed but did look vulnerable when up against stronger competition later in season; whilst Sericina and Skyhawk both have very good ptp form.

Cedrus Libani is our selection but connections may well prefer the Harkaway Club meeting in which case our selections are:

Selection: Full House(Scotland Yard)

1.55. p.m. Open Maiden - 15 entries

A very modest lot entered here, typical of many senior Maiden races in the area. Crack at Dawn has had a run this season finishing 2^nd by ¾ length in an Open Maiden at Black Forest Lodge. Has been placed in Irish points but has shown little form till recent run. Double Past and Carriage Ruler both ran at the last meeting here finishing 5^th & 6^th respectively to Goscar Rock but both were beaten a long way and are both modest performers. Lee Gap Fair has had four runs under rules, missed last season but did finish a creditable 4^th at Godstone in 2008 and will probably need the run here. Moisyr Ashan had five runs in Irish points finishing twice in 4^th place on the soft. Monkerly Tunkerley was 2 lengths 2^nd here to Leader Blue at the last meeting herewith Mr Johnson a further 20 lengths back in 3^rd. Supreme Henry has been placed 3^rd twice in Larkhill Maidens but looks slow and clumsy but could just possibly good enough for this depending on what runs. It will depend in which race Monkerly Tunkerty runs in but looks the obvious selection in both races. However we feel connections may prefer him in the younger horse Maiden

Selection: Mr Johnson (Crack at Dawn)

2.30. p.m. Open Maiden 4, 5, 6 and 7yo- 2m 4f – 28 entries

This race has attracted an entry of 28 and with the safety factor being 16 there's every chance of a split on the day. Monkerty Tunkerty sets the yardstick here when a 2 length second to Leader Blue in a division of this race at the previous meeting here. The time of this race was 6 seconds faster than the division won by Inner Steel; a repeat of that form should see him go close. Mr Johnson was 3^rd in this race, 15 lengths adrift of the runner up. Just Judy was 3^rd in Inner Steel's race beaten 6 lengths; she could again run into a place. Horsham Lad was 2^nd at Hereford in a Bumper for Evan Williams in February 2008, beaten 3¼ lengths behind Vacario. Rockfield hails from Nibby Bloom's stable and was placed 2^nd on his final three runs last season; he must go close if fully wound up on his seasonal debut. Grand Silence was placed 2^nd in a beginner's Chase at Fontwell in May 2008, beaten 12 lengths behind Zilcash. Law Court was 3^rd on his debut in a Huntingdon Bumper when beaten 11 lengths behind Topsham Belle, but disappointed on his next outing at Stratford; he comes from a yard that can get them ready first time out. Deadly Dude was placed once from 2 starts in Irish points when 3^rd at Lismore beaten 7 lengths behind Stylos Ace. A trappy contest to assess and with a split almost certain it makes it even harder. Monkerty Tunkerty finished a good second here previously in a quick time and gets the nod and Rockfield if fully fit should go close.

Selection: Mr Johnson (Rockfield)

Enjoy some great racing