Horses In Focus: Four to follow

Horses In Focus / Timeform / 28 April 2009 / Leave a Comment

Timeform take a close look at four for the future, including one horse which could go on to win the Grand National...

Sangfroid produced an improved performance, when coming with a strong late run to win a competitive handicap hurdle at Sandown last Saturday (in a fast time). He had been knocking on the door over hurdles and had finished a creditable second behind Silk Affair when last completing over timber. The strong pace made this a real stamina test over the trip and he needed every yard of this stiff track to get up near the line. He appears the ideal sort to improve further and two-and-a-half miles on a stiff track should be considered his minimum trip. Versatile regarding ground, Nick Williams' unexposed five-year-old could make up into a Pertemps Hurdle challenger next season.

Hennessy may have won an uninspiring renewal of the Bet365 Gold Cup chase but he did so in the manner of a progressive staying chaser. He appeared in better shape than he was at Cheltenham but never really travelled or jumped with much fluency off the good early gallop. When he finally warmed to his task he stuck on resolutely all the way to the line. He clearly stays well and an even stiffer stamina test will be no problem to him. If brushing up his jumping, he could develop in to a live contender for next year's Grand National.

Tartan Bearer, although yet to win a Group 1, looks a top-class performer in the making. He was runner-up in the Derby last year and with only six career runs under his belt, he's open to even further improvement. He produced an eye-catching effort on his first run for ten months (since disappointing in the Irish Derby) at Sandown on Saturday. Held up off the slow early pace, his main rival, Pipedreamer, poached a three lengths lead going into the final furlong. However, displaying impressive speed and calling upon his stamina, he gradually wore Pipedreamer down to get up on the line. The manner of this success suggests he is ideally suited by a-mile-and-a-half (although jockey Ryan Moore is confident he is just as good at shorter), and he should be followed in Group 1 races this season.

Buccellati was unable to concede a penalty to two potentially top-class rivals in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes but he still ran a race full of promise on his seasonal reappearance. Held up plum last he definitely wouldn't have been suited by the steady pace, as he stays further, but he ran on well to finish third. He improved for almost each run last season and it doesn't appear he's reached the ceiling of his ability just yet. He clearly has his quirks (usually blinkered and carries his head awkwardly) but he's versatile regarding ground and he'll be interesting at Group 2 level over a mile-and-a-half this season.