Horses In Focus: Pipo de Re, Kilvergen Boy, Bushveld

Horses In Focus / Timeform / 20 January 2009 / Leave a Comment

Timeform put the spotlight on three horses and report how they have fared of late...

Venetia Williams has enjoyed a good start to 2009, though drew a blank on the latest weekend. That may have been different however had Pipo de Re managed to stay upright in Wincanton's Connaught Compliance Handicap Chase, as he had been a close second to eventual winner Le Burf before coming to grief four from home.

Pipo de Re was making just his fourth British start- and his first over fences- on Saturday, pitched straight into handicap company from a mark 1lb higher than he had possessed when shaping well in a handicap hurdle at Ascot on his previous start. Again travelling fluently, the ex-French gelding had only Le Burf to worry about when he came down, that rival eventually winning by nine lengths, though he was value for much more. Built like one to make a better chaser in time, Pipo de Re is most certainly one with the ability to make a big impact in handicaps from his current mark and it would be wise to keep him on-side when next seen in such a contest.

On the opposite end of the scale in terms of trainer form, Nigel Twiston-Davies has struggled to find any winners of late, which only serves to make the victory of Kilvergan Boy at Towcester on Sunday all the more promising. A point-to-point winner in Ireland as recently as November, Kilvergan Boy was suited by the relative test of stamina the Dalepark Ltd Novices' Hurdle posed despite it being held over a bare two miles. Soon in front under Paddy Brennan, it looked as though a lack of speed was about to cost Kilvergan Boy as Postmaster cruised upsides between the final two flights, only for him to battle on the better up the testing Towcester run-in and score by half a length (the pair were eleven lengths clear of third-placed Charingworth).

It almost goes without saying that a step up in trip will suit Kilvergan Boy, and he should improve on the fair form shown on his debut to give a good account of himself in similar events under a penalty.

Mark Johnston has a commendable strike-rate in handicaps on the all-weather, and on Sunday Bushveld from his yard shaped as though he won't be too long in adding to that record. Given an official mark of 80 following an easy maiden win at Wolverhampton in November, Bushveld was stepped up in trip for his handicap debut at Kempton where he met Barwell Bridge, arguably unlucky when second over the same trip at Lingfield on his previous handicap start. Bushveld looked to have stolen the race entering the straight, skipping clear of the pace-setting Barwell Bridge and seemingly well in control approaching the last. However, once venturing into new territory regarding stamina Bushveld started to tie up and was eventually caught by the rallying Barwell Bridge, going down by a neck with two lengths back to the remainder. Given the speed he showed for the majority of the race, Bushveld will almost certainly look well-treated when dropped back in trip.