Brian Hughes’ blog 09/06/2023: Racing this weekend
We were all very pleased to see Presentandcounting back in the winners’ enclosure at Ffos Las on Thursday and we were a bit surprised not to see him as the favourite. He did what we expected him to do and there are plenty more good days to have with him going forward this summer.
Market Rasen, Friday
My first ride at Market Rasen is Misty Mani (2:20pm). I’ve not ridden her over hurdles yet, though I did ride her in a bumper at Wetherby in 2020. If you go back two runs to that mares’ final at Musselburgh, that wasn’t a bad race and I’d like to think that if she can return to that form she would go close. The third that day [Latino Fling] has won twice since so that form is quite strong.
I then ride Copper Fox (4:20pm). He’s quite consistent and doesn’t know how to run a bad race. He jumped away well at Stratford first time out and he did nothing wrong. He’ll probably improve for the race and there was quite a bit of money for the winner so hopefully he goes there with a decent chance.
My last leg up of the day will be on Belle Na Bann (4:50pm). You have to forgive her for a couple of ordinary runs but if you go back to her two seconds earlier this year, then she would have a chance. I’ve ridden her once on her final start for Neil Mulholland last October, but she has been busy since and she could run well.
Bangor, Saturday
I kick-off Saturday with Dragon Rock (1:40pm) and it’s not a horse I know a great deal about. He’s come from Willie Mullins having won a maiden hurdle for him last July at Tramore and before that he was second and third in two point-to-points. It’s only a three-runner race, he’s got to give weight away to the other two, and the bottom-rated horse [Pottlerath] would look the obvious one coming into the race off the back of two wins, but I’m sure he’s not coming over for the Bangor for the air!
After that, I’m riding Trick Of The Tail (2:15pm) who is a half-brother to Dodging Bullets so he is a horse we loved as a younger horse. He ran nicely in a few bumpers and I genuinely thought he would take all the beating on his first start over hurdles at Bangor, but he got knocked over at the first. It says he was brought down but a horse literally hit him mid-air and turned him upside down. He had a small injury as a result of that and it took him a while to get over it, but if you look at the form of his bumpers, I’d quite like this horse and I think he can leave his last run a long way behind him.
I’m then riding another one for ‘The Shark’ [John Hanlon] in Camilla’s Choice (2:50pm) who has finished third and fourth on her last two runs at Down Royal and Downpatrick respectively. You would like to think she is coming over here with an each-way chance at least.
In the fourth race I’m on Hidalgo De L’Isle (3:25pm) who was quite impressive last time out. He’s gone up a bit in the handicap for that win, but we seem to think he is on the improve. If our lad turns up in the same form as he was in last month then he would surely have every chance.
The same goes for Heartbreak Kid (4:00pm) in the race after as he is a horse with plenty of ability. He has won off higher marks than his current rating in the past and we were trying quicker ground with him for the first time the last day. He’s obviously not wearing blinkers to keep his head warm, but he has the ability and if he turns up in similar form, he has every chance.
In the penultimate race, I partner Armattiekan (4:35pm) who is a grand little fella. He’s won a few chases and an all-weather bumper at Newcastle, and although he’s never managed to win over hurdles, it was a very good run from him last time out to finish second off a long break. His form did tail off towards the back end of last season, but he was in need of a break. I think he can get much closer to Balranald, who reopposes after getting the better of us at Bangor, this time around as he has improved plenty from the last day.
Rose In The Park (5:10pm) is my final ride of the day and based on her point-to-point win, she has got all the right credentials. We are up against a few unknowns, obviously Nicky Henderson has a runner, but I know that John [Hanlon] likes her and he is confident of a big run.
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