The Wincanton bumper looked a strongly contested affair with several of the big stables represented but whilst recent promising Cheltenham 3rd Vazaro Delafayette and Nicky Henderson’s Irish point winner Now Ben disputed the betting, it was the eventual winner of the race, Zulu Oscar, who landed a gamble for connections. Harry Fry’s four year old son of Oscar, who had previous experience last season, quickened away in the home straight along with Irish point winner, Inner Drive, trained by Don Cantillon, with Zulu Oscar getting the upper hand in the final furlong, they pulled well clear of the remainder, and look nice prospects.
Meanwhile at Sandown, three horses deserve a good mention for their efforts. Hello George coming out on top in a cracking three way run to the line. Second placed Flying Eagle having shown the benefit of his debut run when second to On Tour. The market spoke in favour of Rebecca Curtis, Tara Road, the subject of a a late jockey change with Barry Geraghty getting the leg up. He looked the likely winner at the final furlong but weakened out of things close home.
The month started with a comprehensive victory for Alan King’s Wilde Blue Yonder at Uttoxeter The four year old son of Oscar had some decent bumper form in the book and had run in the Championship bumper at Aintree back in the spring. He looks a good prospect for hurdles.
At Ascot’s meeting, David Pipe introduced another promising bumper type in Pleasant Company who stormed home to win by 8 lengths, the former Irish pointer is a son of Presenting. It looks as if his owner, Malcolm Denmark, could have another nice horse on his hands as the race had seemed quite a competitive event on paper with some previous winners in the race and some good stables represented.
At Huntingdon, the highly regarded Urban Hymn made his rules debut, trained by Malcolm Jefferson. He powered home to win in the style of a very good horse. A former point-to-point winner, he looks a horse to look forward to when sent over hurdles and also for the longer term.
The mares bumper at Warwick proved a really interesting race, with Henry Daly’s Kayfleur, a 4 year old daughter of Kayf Tara, showing the benefit of experience, having contested the mares listed bumper at Aintree, to win by a head from the previously un-raced Makadamia. The latter being a homebred from the Waley-Cohen’s Upton Viva stud. Both look to be mares with good futures ahead of them.
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