Just wanted to say a few words about the above who so far has had just the one run over hurdles. The 5YO is also, currently, available at a best priced 8/1 for the Ballymore at next month's Cheltenham Festival.
The racing career of Walking On Air one, to date, is so comparable to Shishkin you might well say it is 'spookily' so. Walking on Air was 2nd (2021) in the same bumper that Shishkin won (2019) at Kempton Park. And then the similarities extend to the fact that Walking on Air (2022) and Shishkin (2020) both won the same Newbury novice hurdle.
Concentrating solely on Walking On Air he looked very, very good at Newbury on 19 January coming clear after the last to win, in a canter, by 13 lengths. And the form of this race was boosted, big time, when the 2nd home, that day, won next time by a dozen lengths.
Another plus is the wonderful breeding of Walking on Air. By Walk in the Park out of Refinement. The latter being one of the best mares to race this century - winning 13 times, including at Grade 1 level, and being placed in such events as the Champion Bumper, Ballymore and Mares Hurdle (beaten just a short head).
Digesting all the above it sounds wonderful doesn't it. And the conclusion must be that old boy Lieutenant Henderson looks to have yet another star on his hands. Hand out the trophy, order a celebratory GnT and all that...
However, and I do mean however, lets sober things up as we consider how the 3 progency of Refinement, to race, in the NH sphere, prior to Walking on Air, have fared.
(i) West Coast Time (born 2012, sire Westerner) - 14 runs (won 2). Won on his Bumper debut before finishing 2nd and 13th in these races. Switched to hurdles finished 3rd first time up before winning a Maiden Hurdle. Was then beaten in 8 hurdles races and his sole attempt at fences. Highest ever hurdles perch 123.
(ii) Meticulous (born 2014, sire Fame And Glory) - 11 runs (won 2). Won on his Bumper bow before finishing 4th, 2nd and 8th in these races. Over hurdles won a maiden hurdle at his 7th attempt. Has had one more run over hurdles since then finishing 4th. Highest ever hurdles perch 131.
(iii) Risk Factor (born 2015, sire Duke of Marmalade) - 10 runs (won 1). Had a formline in Bumpers of -2212. Over hurdles though has never finished better than 3rd. 0/6 over hurdles.
In total over hurdles these 3 animals are 2/23 (these wins in Maiden Hurdles) and to date (including Walking on Air) Refinement has produced no offspring that has won, over timber, above maiden / ordinary novice grade. In fact if you look at the formline of Refinement's offspring following them winning for the first time, over hurdles, at maiden / novice grade, it reads (I've listed it in terms of WCT, M, then RF, rather than strict date order, but you get the drift) -5024284864U36F33.
Now at this point I'm sure several on the forum are shouting, 'What that daft Chuckles boy doesn't realise is that those 3 beasts weren't trained by our beloved, Lieutenant Henderson. But Walking On Air is'. And. of course, they are correct. But let me just point out those '3 beasts' were all handled by young Joseph. Who, in my opinion, is a top 5 trainer and destined for greatness. So in this instance I don't think the Lieutenant Henderson comparison is strong in the slightest.
Walking On Air would go to Cheltenham with just one hurdles run under the old belt but it should be noted that Lieutenant Henderson has previously won Grade 1s, at the meet, with animals having just their 2nd run over hurdles and Nico de Boinville is on record as saying the horse is 'so professional' that a lack of runs is not a worry.
I realise I've waffled on a fair bit but look, I guess, the question must be is Walking on Air Shishkin Mark 2 or Refinement Mark 4???
The racing career of Walking On Air one, to date, is so comparable to Shishkin you might well say it is 'spookily' so. Walking on Air was 2nd (2021) in the same bumper that Shishkin won (2019) at Kempton Park. And then the similarities extend to the fact that Walking on Air (2022) and Shishkin (2020) both won the same Newbury novice hurdle.
Concentrating solely on Walking On Air he looked very, very good at Newbury on 19 January coming clear after the last to win, in a canter, by 13 lengths. And the form of this race was boosted, big time, when the 2nd home, that day, won next time by a dozen lengths.
Another plus is the wonderful breeding of Walking on Air. By Walk in the Park out of Refinement. The latter being one of the best mares to race this century - winning 13 times, including at Grade 1 level, and being placed in such events as the Champion Bumper, Ballymore and Mares Hurdle (beaten just a short head).
Digesting all the above it sounds wonderful doesn't it. And the conclusion must be that old boy Lieutenant Henderson looks to have yet another star on his hands. Hand out the trophy, order a celebratory GnT and all that...
However, and I do mean however, lets sober things up as we consider how the 3 progency of Refinement, to race, in the NH sphere, prior to Walking on Air, have fared.
(i) West Coast Time (born 2012, sire Westerner) - 14 runs (won 2). Won on his Bumper debut before finishing 2nd and 13th in these races. Switched to hurdles finished 3rd first time up before winning a Maiden Hurdle. Was then beaten in 8 hurdles races and his sole attempt at fences. Highest ever hurdles perch 123.
(ii) Meticulous (born 2014, sire Fame And Glory) - 11 runs (won 2). Won on his Bumper bow before finishing 4th, 2nd and 8th in these races. Over hurdles won a maiden hurdle at his 7th attempt. Has had one more run over hurdles since then finishing 4th. Highest ever hurdles perch 131.
(iii) Risk Factor (born 2015, sire Duke of Marmalade) - 10 runs (won 1). Had a formline in Bumpers of -2212. Over hurdles though has never finished better than 3rd. 0/6 over hurdles.
In total over hurdles these 3 animals are 2/23 (these wins in Maiden Hurdles) and to date (including Walking on Air) Refinement has produced no offspring that has won, over timber, above maiden / ordinary novice grade. In fact if you look at the formline of Refinement's offspring following them winning for the first time, over hurdles, at maiden / novice grade, it reads (I've listed it in terms of WCT, M, then RF, rather than strict date order, but you get the drift) -5024284864U36F33.
Now at this point I'm sure several on the forum are shouting, 'What that daft Chuckles boy doesn't realise is that those 3 beasts weren't trained by our beloved, Lieutenant Henderson. But Walking On Air is'. And. of course, they are correct. But let me just point out those '3 beasts' were all handled by young Joseph. Who, in my opinion, is a top 5 trainer and destined for greatness. So in this instance I don't think the Lieutenant Henderson comparison is strong in the slightest.
Walking On Air would go to Cheltenham with just one hurdles run under the old belt but it should be noted that Lieutenant Henderson has previously won Grade 1s, at the meet, with animals having just their 2nd run over hurdles and Nico de Boinville is on record as saying the horse is 'so professional' that a lack of runs is not a worry.
I realise I've waffled on a fair bit but look, I guess, the question must be is Walking on Air Shishkin Mark 2 or Refinement Mark 4???
