Earlier today, on hearing of the death of Ian Balding, I dug out my copy of Brough Scott's 'Of Horses and Heroes', to read the section dedicated to Mill Reef. It begins:
"Mill Reef was so small you could put your arm over his withers. He may have measured 15.2 hands, but he was so neatly put together that he seemed even less than that - until he moved. Then there was absolute assurance at every step: at the walk, the trot, the the canter and on into the gallop. He was mesmerising."
I've struggled to get my ducks in a row for tomorrow's card at Sandown - and Hurricane Bay, my pick for the 1.50, has just been declared a non-runner.
Not the best of starts to the new year; what follows is only for those who enjoy reading about form...
At present the course is completely covered but temperatures are forecast to fall to -3C overnight. An 8.00am inspection has been called, with clerk of the course Andrew Cooper saying the covers give the meeting 'a fighting chance'.
Small fields and good ground wouldn't constitute typical mid-winter fare at Sandown. The 2025 Veterans' Chase Final, due off at 3.05, is the feature but I've taken a passing interest in the other chase for veterans on the card, the Unibet Middle Distance Veterans' Chase Qualifier, due off at 1.50.
At the time of writing Jet Plane heads the market.
In March 2024 Dan Skelton's charge, in receipt of two pounds, beat Can You Call two and a quarter lengths over course and distance off a mark of 124.
He didn't jump particularly well then but stayed on to collar the eventual runner-up in the final 110 yards (as entries in the form book habitually say). The gelding went off the 22/1 outsider of eight that day; the trainer could offer no explanation for the apparent improvement in form (as entries in the form book regularly say).
Jet Plane's form rather took off after that.
Raised two pounds, he beat William Cody 12 lengths next time out (eased inside final 110 yards) and then in October finished third behind Jagwar at Wetherby off 135.
His second behind Gracchus De Balme in the 2025 Aintree Foxhunters reads well; after that run connections clearly decided to target the Grand Sefton (along with the Duty Free) and he was backed in to 4/1 favourite on the day.
Pilot Harry Skelton looked to have a full tank of fuel two from home - a place looked a formality - but he stalled on the runway, finding nothing and finishing seventh, over ten lengths behind winner Colonel Harry.
Last time out he beat Moonshine Man comfortably at Leicester and the handicapper reacted by raising him seven pounds to a career-high mark of 137. The Topham in the spring is a likely target.
Can You Call's profile suggests he would prefer more cut underfoot.
Evan Williams' charge finished third behind Eldorado Allen (Numitor pulled up) in a series qualifier on the Old Course at Cheltenham in November and returned four weeks later to beat Torn And Frayed and Eldorado Allen on the New Course from a mark three pounds out of the handicap. Now rated 128, he certainly looks weighted to reverse placings with Jet Plane on their meeting in 2024.
Triple Trade appeared to have a hard enough time behind David's Well and JPR One over two miles at Cheltenham three weeks ago. The first two established a clear lead; Joe Tizzard's charge made up some ground from the rear but finished ten lengths adrift in a race that was run in a time below standard.
Minella Trump was last seen winning a hunter chase at Carlisle in May so could lack a race fitness edge while the grey Numitor has failed to complete on his last three starts and has since undergone wind surgery.
Hurricane Bay won the Prince Of Wales Cup at Fakenham in June where he wore a first-time tongue tie after it was reported he had made a noise when pulled up behind Coco Mademoiselle in the Staffordshire Plate at Uttoxeter.
Lucy Wadham's inmate underwent wind surgery in October and ran well behind the well-regarded Moon Rocket at Doncaster at the end of November. Fifteen days later he returned to the South Yorkshire track where he ran well but only to a point, weakening badly up the home straight when fifth behind Docpickedme.
He doesn't have too many miles on the clock - in a recent Straight from the Stable article [RP Weekender 10-14.12.25] his handler described him as 'a good ground horse'. I was hoping, racing off a mark two pounds higher than when winning at Fakenham, he could be competitive on the better ground at around 11/1 - but the gelding has just been declared a non-runner.
Sigh.
Wishing all readers a happy new year.
