Dart upsets cart
December 24th, 2009 by Don
3/1 second favourite, Dart sent us into the pre-Cristmas hiatus with a more glum look than a six year old without a DS in his stocking this Christmas. It was a decent performance to put two and a half lenghts between himself and the favourite Merrion Tiger, but genuinely this was awful stuff at Southwell and we probably shouldn’t dwell.
So the next race is not for another two days, but what treats lay in store on that wonderful day. The King George and Christmas Hurdle will of course take centre stage, but the two mile novice chase at Leopardstown will be something to behold.
The race brings together, Osana, Captain Cee Bee and Sizing Europe, all Grade 1 performers over hurdles, in a clash that has racing journalists reaching for the hyperbole. All three remain unbeaten over the larger obstacles and two of those horses will be losing that tag on Saturday. Sizing Europe was the highest rated of these over hurdles, two pounds higher at 168 than Osana and a further seven back to Captain Cee Bee.
I really like the way that Sizing Europe has been campaigned as a novice, he was given a sighter at the back end of last season and has then come out to win a Grade 2 and Grade 3 this season with the minimum of fuss. He really looks the real deal and I, among many, thought he was a certainty going to the second last in Katchit’s Champion Hurdle, maybe he can make up for that in the Arkle.
Osana was a high class hurdler, but lacks the experience of Sizing Europe and when the taps are really turned on, that could really come home to roost. This will be only his second outing (like Captain Cee Bee), over the larger obstacles and that won’t be good enough, unless he is exceptional or there is a jumping mishap from the favourite,
Osana from me at about 3.7.
Happy Christmas Donkeyites, we will speak tomorrow though.
Don
