Timeform Race to Watch: Wednesday 24th February, Doncaster 3:10

Features / Timeform / 03 March 2010 / Leave a comment

Alan King looks set to aim Gilded Age at the Fred Winter Handicap at Cheltenham

The sportingbet.com Juvenile Novices' Hurdle run over two miles at Doncaster on Wednesday looks to contain plenty of potential with the second horse giving a good guide to what was achieved. The pace was steady until the final turn, and this resulted in a bunched finish for minor honours, but the front two came clear and the form has a solid look.

"Gilded Age continued his progress in the juvenile sphere and looks capable of further improvement based on this display."

Gilded Age continued his progress in the juvenile sphere and looks capable of further improvement based on this display. He cruised to the front two out and showed a good turn of foot to seal matters with the minimum of fuss. He was merely being kept up to his work as the second horse closed and Gilded Age is capable of defying a penalty in a similar event, though his connections have indicated he may be aimed at the Fred Winter Handicap at Cheltenham.

Orsippus also looks capable of defying a penalty in the near future. After winning a weak looking handicap at Musselburgh comfortably on his previous start, he was beaten only by a progressive one in Gilded Age, pulling clear of the rest. He made a mess of the penultimate flight which didn't aid his cause, but he may appreciate a greater test of stamina in time. He boasts very solid form having finished second and third to Carlito Brigante at Musselburgh, the latter in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle, and he should get a chance to win again soon.

Group Leader, a fair maiden on the Flat, finished in similar proximity to the winner as on their last running, but he also raised hopes for better. Last turning into the straight, he finished best of all and did well to grab third. If his jumping improves (blundered the fourth) then he should find races to win.

Al Qeddaaf is another in the field whose jumping needs to get slicker. Timeform rated 90 on the Flat, he ran into a subsequent dual winner at Bangor when finishing second on his only other completed start over hurdles and his Flat form gives hope of him progressing. He hit the first two flights in the straight, with the second mistake ending his chance.

Solis, a winner of a handicap at Warwick on the Flat, showed promise on his hurdling debut. His best form on the level came at seven furlongs, so stamina must have been a doubt beforehand, but he seemed to see the trip out and jumped well enough. He wasn't knocked about once his chance had gone.

Call It On had the best Flat form in the field, a fairly useful handicapper up to a mile and a quarter, but he looked to need his first run over hurdles and wasn't given a hard race once held.

Further down the field, Shalambar, a fairly useful winner on the Flat for Mick Halford, was still close up with the principals two out and wasn't knocked about as he began to weaken, suggesting he'll come on for the race and achieve much more next time.