After 449 days off the track, Taras Day was trained to perfection to make a winning return and first winner under rules for yard amateur Lewis Dobb
TARAS DAY hit top gear nearing the last and shrugged off a 449-day layoff to win readily. She was 3lb lower than when just missing out on her final outing early last year, but this was a fine effort and the 8yo is open to improvement as a stayer.
J’Ai Froid kept up the magnificent run of the Laura Morgan Stable by landing his four timer for the yard, at Warwick. Despite some hefty rises in the weights he continues to improve. A good positive ride from Max Kendrick.
J'AI FROID, who wasn't always fluent, has really found his form since headgear has been used and most probably grabbed another career-best here, taking this eased down. Some of his siblings were very classy at their best and this lightly raced 8yo is heading in the same direction.
Wheres Maud Gone continues the fine run of form for the yard by putting in a gutsy performance to win at Ayr under a powerful ride from Adam Wedge….
WHERES MAUD GONE, purchased for £75,000 after winning easily on her debut for Sam Curling at Thurles in Ireland in November, was made to work much harder than initially looked likely, but she knuckled down well in the final furlong and never really looked like getting beaten. The only ride of the afternoon for Adam Wedge, she was ridden with lots of confidence and appeared simply to be toying with the runner-up when challenging on the bridle 3f out. It was encouraging to see her fight for this like she did and she's clearly a smart prospect for her in-form trainer.
J’Ai Froid continued the magnificent form of the yard becoming the fourth winner in three days and landing his own hatrick under a fine ride from Max Kendrick.
Add 66yds. A strong handicap for the level, featuring plenty of in-form hurdlers. The first four - three of whom were last-time-out winners - pulled a long way clear. and are still progressive J'AI FROID signed off on a winning note for his old stable and has returned from a break to make it three successive wins from four starts for his new one. This was his first run over further than 2m4f and he was up 11lb since his last win, but he confirmed he is a strong stayer and a progressive one with a gutsy performance.
Dom Perry was the impressive debut winner of the Bumper at Fakenham giving Adam Wedge a treble and Laura Morgan a double on the day
DOM PERRY travelled best and readily asserted in the final furlong to provide a quick double for his yard and his rider with a treble on the card. Closely related to 2m3f-3m4f hurdle/chase winner Seaston Spirit and a half-brother to three other winners including Solitairy Girl (2m2f hurdle), he's bred to get a lot further, so it was a bit of surprise to see him so effective over this trip on this track. He could be useful.
QUOTES: FIRE AWAY had some very good form in Ireland and when he won there the second horse is now rated nearly 140. He’s a nice horse, so we’ll have a sit down and see how he is before making a plan but he was fairly pulling Adam’s arms out there today. It’s a track that really wouldn’t suit him but we had to come here and it’s really good prize-money as well. I’m absolutely delighted with him winning this and I think what’s happened today just shows he’s a good horse and a nice horse for us to look forward to. He’s still a novice over hurdles too, so that’s another route we can look to go down.
FIRE AWAY was getting plenty of weight all round and that proved crucial as he followed up his recent Musselburgh romp when he returned an impressive RPR of 127. Taken wide throughout here, he travelled superbly but was put under severe pressure by the runner-up from after two out and needed every yard to put the race to bed. Both he and the second made mistakes the last, but he was just that bit quicker away, which ultimately made the difference. Now 2-2 for this yard, he's clearly well ahead of his current mark and should go in again. He's still a over hurdles and it's possible connections will explore that route too.
The much improved Overworkdunderpaid made it three wins from his last four starts with a comfortable Leicester win under Callum Bewley.
OVERWORKDUNDERPAID has been in cracking form since joining current connections and made it 3 wins from 4 starts. He took this step up in grade off an 8lbs higher mark with the minimum of fuss and is beginning to look a good deal better than his ?11,000 price tag. Although creeping up the weights, he still has scope for more so it will be of no surprise to see him handle a realistic rise and add to his tally.
A bumper winner in Ireland early in his career, Fire Away returned to form for his new stable, winning in emphatic style by 19 lengths.
FIRE AWAY was backed as if defeat was out of the question and didn't disappoint, clearly transformed from the horse who'd offered little in three outings, including a chase, for a different yard at the end of the summer. He did win a bumper and was second in a maiden hurdle in Ireland at the start of his career and evidently retains all that ability and more. In this form he'd obviously be extremely hard to beat if turned out before being reassessed.
QUOTES: OVERWORKDUNDERPAID got there too soon last time, but needed something to aim at today. Callum gave him a peach and he’s in at Musselburgh on Sunday and Market Rasen next week and the plan would be to get him out again provided he’s okay – Laura Morgan, trainer.
OVERWORKDUNDERPAID was given a patient hold-up ride. Although a mistake down the back straight halted momentum briefly, he managed to gather stride well and kept on strongly inside the final furlong. Transformed by a new stable and being fitted with a visor, he's gone from strength to strength so would have every chance of winning again on a more galloping track.
J’Ai Froid recorded his second win this month when going in comfortably this afternoon at Doncaster under a 7lb penalty for his easy Ayr victory.
J'AI FROID, carrying a 7lb penalty but 5lb well in, has improved for the fitting of a visor and he staying hurdler on the up. He recorded an RPR of 120 last time so he can be competitive in his hat-trick bid whenever that comes.
