There were eight Grade 1 races over the two days, but the horse that dominated my thoughts, after quiet reflection last night, came second.
The race in question was Monday’s Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle, won impressively by Narciso Has, who now tops at 7/4… just 11/10 with Paddy Power… for the Triumph Hurdle.
In my opinion, Selma De Vary’s performance was striking, both for the way she finished second after showing such clear signs of inexperience.
She was held up last and was on the sharp side throughout, but jumped efficiently even if she spent a little longer in the air than ideal.
She was tricky in the third-to-last place, but as she left the straight and approached the next flight she made a striking foot movement to move effortlessly into third place, within a few lengths of the two market leaders.
Turning for home she looked a possible threat but she then started to look around and she lost momentum with a tricky jump in last place, only to stay strong again to beat the very useful Mange Tout for second place, four and a half lengths behind the winner.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a young hurdler display the acceleration this daughter of Zarak produced as she approached the penultimate, especially considering how enthusiastic she had been for most of the race.
In France she had finished in the middle of two AW girls, at two and three, on the Flat at Deauville, before finishing second behind another Grade 2 winner on her hurdles debut last March and then fifth behind a double Grade 3 winner in May, before winning a hurdle on tough ground at Auteuil in November.
After Monday’s race, Willie Mullins said the filly had “missed a lot of time” and would improve a good deal for the run, adding that she had “a big future”.
This exciting prospect has an entry in the Triumph Hurdle and we know from last year that the trainer has no qualms about running an inexperienced horse into the race.
At a top price of 8/1 the bookmakers are taking no chances, but I will be both disappointed and surprised if this filly doesn’t become a top performer. That foot movement, if done at the right time, could have been fatal.
Saturday is a big day in Newbury with the Denman Chase, Game Spirit Chase and the competitive William Hill Hurdle.
Goodbye for now
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