NTF 1 to follow from the weekend: Kian was a Delight on debut…

It’s safe to say the National Hunt action was overshadowed in no small measure by the Classic action taking place on the Epsom Downs. Unless of course you were on NTF Summer Stunner Pure Faith at Worcester (BFSP 27.95!), then it was at least on a par with Ruler Of The World landing the Epsom spoils!

Despite all this frivolity I still had time to plonk a few names in my notebook, 1 of whom I want to share with you today…

NTF 1 to follow from the weekend: KIAN’S DELIGHT…

KIAN’S DELIGHT(P Bowen) – 1st in the Class 4 2m 110yds Beginners chase at Fakenham (2.30) – Sunday 2nd June

It’s generally about this time that the Bowen-Bandwagon rolls into town and on Sunday he made the fairly hefty trip to Fakenham with one runner; the exciting Kian’s Delight. In fairness the race probably wasn’t up to much but for a chasing debut it did the job, as did Kian’s Delight. The 5yo was always up with the pace and jumped extremely well without any semblance of an error. Once jockey Tom O’Brien opened the pipes slightly he had the others strung out within a matter of strides and the race was quickly and efficiently put to bed. He traveled and jumped immaculately and the yawning 17L gap at the line in no way flattered him.

So where to now for KIAN’S DELIGHT?

On this evidence he looks like he could well be even better over the larger obstacles than he was over timber, and let’s be honest he wasn’t too shabby over them either (rated a high of 132 after his Perth Summer Champion Hurdle victory last August).

He is a speedy individual – backed up by his Dosage figures of 7-0-10-3-0 (20+) | 20 | 1.50 | 0.50 – and if we look at his form over different trips we can see a pattern starting to emerge…

Form at 2m – 2m 1/2f – 1127181 (4/7)

Form over 2m1f – 4220 (0/4)

Form over 2m2f+ – 56 (0/2)

He clearly is happiest over the minimum trips, that’s where all 4 of his wins have come, and although I wouldn’t be ignoring him over longer it is certainly something I want to be keeping a very close eye on. He may with time appreciate further although he certainly isn’t laden with stamina.

There is also a string of thought that suggests he is slightly happier in smaller fields…

Form in fields of 10 or less – 1141621

Form in fields of 11+ – 722580

So far all his wins have come in those 10 or less fields and although he has some decent form in larger fields I have an inkling he is better with less around him.

In the short term I would be looking to see him at tracks such as Perth or Market Rasen (where he has run well before) so they can build his confidence over fences, as far as a summer jumper goes he would be one of the better types still on the go and should find winning opportunities at those sort of tracks.

In the long term he could well be an interesting type for handicaps and you can be sure Bowen has some kind of long term plan in mind for him, as he is only a 5yo there must be plenty of scope and improvement yet to come.

Kian’s Delight ideal conditions – Fields of 10 or less | Potentially one for the minimum trip for now

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Others worth a mention…

There were a couple of others who, for 1 reason or another, I have been tracking and they are worthy of at least a passing mention.

Starting with a horse who really failed to fire at all last season…

AMBION WOOD (V Dartnall) – Winner at Worcester on Saturday (01-06-13)

Victor Dartnall’s 7yo was on my 2012/13 ‘to follow list’ but for various reason’s he failed to fire in 2 outings over fences, the illness that swept through the trainers yard probably had at least something to do with it. He returned on Saturday after being off the track since January and although he won cosy enough in the end it wasn’t a performance that totally impressed me. The word after the race was that he had a breathing operation between this run and his last ran in January and although that may have fixed any underlying issue he still didn’t run anywhere near the 150 mark he achieved in his hurdle career. Clearly that would have been hard to achieve in this company but there wasn’t even a hint he still has that level of ability and I would be wary of him following up on this run. It seems he will now be given a break until the autumn and for me I would have to see a real improvement next time out before he becomes a viable betting opportunity.

KAI BROON (L Russell) – 5th at Hexham on Saturday (01-06-13)

Despite this run being his 14th consecutive defeat I still think there are races in him. Hexham, however, really isn’t his track and he just doesn’t handle the stiff finish (form at track reads P45). Hopefully he will be dropped a couple lbs for this run as although I don’t think his current mark is necessarily beyond him (OR 114) he would benefit from a bit of leniency. The yard also has plenty of talented claimers that would help ease his burden and get him back to winning ways once he gets his ideal conditions.

What are those ideal conditions? Personally I would say…

Left-Handed tracks | Good to Soft or better ground | Running within 35 days of last start | On a flat or slightly undulating track

He wasn’t far off those conditions on Saturday but the stiff contours of Hexham really don’t suit him.

PROBLEMA TIC (D Pipe) – 5th at Worcester on Saturday (01-06-13)

Ahh… Problema Tic; an NTF 1 to follow runner from a couple of months back. I’m still convinced there is a plan for this lad. Saturday would not have been ideal conditions for him (better right-handed with a smaller field and probably over further) and he didn’t carry my money, although he did run well enough to keep me interested for the future. He seemed to be tracking to his right round the bends and ever so slightly jumping to his right at some of his fences and that again heightens my belief that we will see him to better effect going right-handed. He remains one to follow for me, it’s just a case of him getting his conditions…

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Summer Stunners…

The have been a few of the runners in the FREE NTF Summer Stunners guide taking to the track recently and boy have they done us proud! Since the guide was released the following have taken to the track…

BILLIE MAGERN – 1st at BFSP 5.96

CARLINGFORD LOUGH – 2nd at BFSP 5.52 (hit 1.03 in-running)

DRUMLISTER – 2nd at BFSP 5.5

IXORA – 9th at BFSP 12.21

TRACKMATE – 1st at BFSP 18.96

HI NOTE – 5th at BFSP 7.8

PURE FAITH – 1st at BFSP 27.95

QUINSMAN – 8th at BFSP 28.01

3 winners from 8 runners with a further 2 coming 2nd. A couple of the losing runners probably didn’t have ideal conditions as well, notably Quinsman.

A better start for a FREE guide I really could not have wished for!!

Of the ones that have run recently DRUMLISTER catches the eye. I’m sure there are bigger plans ahead for him and there was every suggestion that he needed his run at Tramore the other day to tune himself up; it was his first run since September after all. He traveled well before fading into 2nd at the business end but trainer Arthur Moore is a shrewdie and I reckon the horse has plenty up it’s sleeve…

If you still haven’t got the guide (and why not!?!) then simply pop your details in the box at the top right of the page.

Ben – (NTF).

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