So then, troops, who do we think wins the above award??? Who’s performance made you think ‘that’s one to follow’ as you promptly jotted his, or indeed her, name in your old notebook??? Who caught your eye was it Hidden Cyclone, Hargam, Silsol, Garde Le Victiore, Brick Red, Le Reve, Mr Henderson as he strolled into the paddock or something else?!? My answer was a horse with seasonal form figures prior to yesterday of -6PU and who then added an 8 to that scoreboard up at Musselburgh. I am talking about, pilgrims, TRUSTAN TIMES. In finishing 8th in a ‘Pertemps Qualifier’ yesterday he qualified for the Final and that I would guess would be where the animal goes next. Racing 24 hours ago off 145 I would imagine that figure would be reduced 2-3 pounds after yesterday’s defeat. Now I’m not suggesting yesterday was a ‘nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more’ effort (actually I am but for legal reasons we will say I’m not) but you can guarantee that Trustan Times will come on a bundle for that run and I would be fairly confident in suggesting that like last term the only events that he is being seriously trained for are the ‘Pertemps Final’ and then the following months ‘Scottish National’ back over the big ‘uns. In ’14 Trustan Times was beaten just half a length in the former event (and will probably run off a figure lower than last years mark of 144 and potentially not come up against horses as decent as Fingal Bay and Southfield Theatre) and just a length and a quarter in the latter heat (despite a terrible blunder at the first and not being foot perfect at loads of other fences). His chase perch, incidentally, is only 1 pound higher now than it was then. I can’t see the old boy quoted anywhere for the ‘Pertemps Final’ but to my eye he is the most likely winner of that heat and with a modicum of improvement in his jumping would say he would also be hard to beat in Ayr’s biggest NH event.
From the same race Sir Barney - Tony Martin's Edeymi who was tenderly ridden out the back before making good late ground to finish a "never nearer" 4th off a mark of 135. I can see him scraping into the bottom of the Pertemps Final off that mark (or one a couple of pounds higher if the old handicapper was watching closely) which ought to make him competitive. He was sent over for the old "Martin Pipe" conditionals race in 2013 but was bought down at the 3rd last. Does glorious compensation await this March?
Barney, take a look at the handicap earlier in the card and a certain effort on a Brian Ellison horse. Cough. Cough.
Who Zaynar’s half-brother??? The old boy seemingly ran half his stable in that heat! Oddy, them seem desperate to get that Edeymi into the ‘Pertemps Final’ as yesterday was the 2nd qualifier he’s run in this term (failed to qaulify on his first go). 16/1 available.
That Trustan Times has an entry in a GN trial at Haydock in a few weeks time. My eye catcher was in the same race, Call Me Bubbles. First run for over a year, was very nimble over the obstacles and ran very well until blowing up a few furlongs from home. Definitely in the notebook. Would also give an honourable mention to Junction Fourteen in the handicap hurdle at Sandown on Saturday. Ran a blinder conceding weight to all those that finished in front of him on ground that was far from ideal. Will definitely follow this one on better ground.
