LOUGHDERG ROCCO was returning from an 81-day break, dropping in class and trip. He found this test a tad too sharp but still had enough in hand to defeat his main form rival in ready enough fashion. The 6yo is an Irish point winner who should have even more to offer over regulation fences at some stage.
Clear The Runway completed an amazing day for Laura Morgan and Adam Wedge when comfortably winning on his chasing debut at Mussleburgh.
CLEAR THE RUNWAY, placed twice in points, was a ready winner switched to fences in a change of headgear, completing a good day for trainer/jockey. He wasn't hard pressed to come clear after the last and is capable of defying a rise in the weights.
Seemingly So became the second leg of the yard treble at Mussleburgh under a confident ride from Adam Wedge, 7lbs out of the handicap should turn out soon under a penalty.
SEEMINGLY SO underlined the current rude health of his stable by bouncing back to form. He was 7lb out of the handicap so would effectively run off the same mark if turned out in a lower band before reassessed (C&D 0-105 on Wednesday week one obvious option)
Even though he was 11lbs out of the Handicap, Champ Is Real made a winning start to his chasing career at Mussleburgh under a fine ride from Adam Wedge. The first leg of a superb treble for trainer and jockey.
CHAMP IS REAL had achieved nothing in maiden/novice hurdles but had been placed in points last winter and proved a different proposition switched to a chase/handicap over a longer trip, as very much forewarned by the betting. He was actually 11lb out of the weights here so it's possible that connections will be able to get him out under a penalty off effectively a similar mark in the next 12 days. Whether they manage that or not he's starting out from a low base and is sure to remain of interest once reassessed. He also wore a tongue-tie for the first time.
Given a very patient ride by David Noonan, Radetzky March came out the comfortable winner on his chasing and handicap debut. Great result for long standing oner Marian Pepperdine.
RADETZKY MARCH took off when asked to mow down the leaders turning in and hosed up on this chasing/handicap debut. The step up in trip was a big help and, although he fell in three Irish points, the 7yo has obviously been waiting to switch to this discipline. Connections will presumably now be looking for something under a penalty.
Given a beautifully patient ride by dam Wedge, Socialist Agenda was the impressive winner of the Scottish County Hurdle at Mussleburgh on his handicap debut.
A competitive handicap but an improved performance from the winner, who's the type to win more races. SOCIALIST AGENDA is a progressive sort who travelled strongly and turned in his best effort on handicap debut returned to a sound surface. This took his record to five wins from seven starts under rules and he looks the type to remain ahead of the handicapper in the short term
Bold Endeavour looks to be an exciting prospect after this comfortable Wetherby win, though we cannot see a lot thanks to the fog !
Add 192yds. There was restricted visibility due to fog for this novice hurdle which featured three previous winners. The pace was fair and the form should work out. BOLD ENDEAVOUR made it 4-4 with a career-best performance. Already the winner of a point, a bumper and a maiden hurdle he was facing his stiffest test but passed it with flying colours. Although he wears a hood he raced a bit lazily but powered clear up the straight and looks a useful prospect with a step up to 3m likely to suit him well
Just two weeks after winning easily at Fontwell, Hasankey made the long trip to Ayr worthwhile with another easy victory under a fine ride from Lewis Dobb.
HASANKEY is a real mud lover and he followed up Boxing Day's Fontwell romp with the minimum off fuss off this 7lb higher mark. The only horse still able to raise a gallop at the finish when scoring by 48l in bottomless ground last time, he's clearly thriving at present and came right out of his rider's hands jumping the last. It'll take a good one to beat him in his current mood
Rafferty bounced back to form at Southwell under a patient ride from Adam Wedge and in a first time tongue tie, for a comfortable success.
RAFFERTY, who had a first-time tongue-tie added to a hood, had been given a bit of time after Huntingdon and was back on the up to make it 2-3 for his new yard, ridden with a touch more restraint on this occasion and not hard pressed to come clear. He's sure to remain of interest.
Socialist Agenda winning for the first time over hurdles at Catterick in fairly comfortable fashion under Sean Quinlan. A good start to 2022 for the yard !
SOCIALIST AGENDA, who was three from three in good ground bumpers, got off the mark on his third start over hurdles. He'd shaped well on his two previous runs, didn't need to improve to take and would have done it more convincingly if he hadn't got in too tight at the last. This was pretty uncompetitive but he's still relatively unexposed and open to further improvement.
