yesterday.

​Yesterday the National Hunt season finally kicked-off in earnest. As it always threatened to be, we waited for months for the weather gods to deliver rain and when it arrived, we all as one wished it would stop. Although every horse in the Betfair wanted softish going, apparently, the underfoot conditions did ruin the spectacle – the spectacle of tired horses being unable to gallop past the winning post is always hard on the eye. 
Haydock maybe Richi Rich’s favourite racecourse but it is not mine, either over jumps or on the flat. Maybe I have never forgiven the course’s masters for taking away the drop fences that made it ideal as a tester for Aintree aspirants, but ground conditions seem to play a greater part in proceedings at Haydock than at any other racecourse. Not their fault, of course.
That said, Royale Pagaille was a noble and deserving winner of the BetFred Chase, outbattling Grey Dawning after seemingly booked for second. Pundits mentioned how Royale Pagaille slowed into several of the fences, no doubt giving away ground, but to me it looked as if he was learning from past mistakes and was perfectly acceptable if you remember he cracked a bone in his shoulder when falling at Cheltenham last season. Venetia is a whizz at winning with horses that have not seen a racecourse in years or nine-months as it was Royale Pagaille yesterday.
It does not need proving as she has proved her training capabilities a hundred-times or more during her career, but give Venetia Williams a good horse and she will take it to the top echelon as would the likes of Mullins, Henderson and Nicholls and her record should be rewarded by owners sending her the type of horses the aforementioned receive on a seasonal basis.
That said, I would hope Venetia avoids the Gold Cup with Royale Pagaille this time around and gives thought to Aintree and the Little National. Where once Royale Pagaille would have had scant chance of jumping round in the long-distance handicap, now it would be a breeze for him. But who am I to offer the divine Venetia advice. She has done pretty darn well using her own noggin, hasn’t she?
The other horse who should be heading for Aintree and the long-distance handicap is Bravemansgame. Some seem to think him badly named, suggesting he is not brave enough to reach the heights when he won a King George. To me, he is now a dour stayer and no one could criticise the manner in which he finished Saturday’s race.
Without wishing to knock Grey Dawning as he is splendid individual, unless Dan Skelton can find a small race for him, I cannot imagine him winning a race this season. With all the will in the world I cannot see him winning the Gold Cup and he might just lack the class to bring down one of Mullin’s battalions at Aintree. I hope to be proved wrong but I think Ireland will dominate all the Grade 1, 3-mile chases this season.
Ballyburn was good at Punchestown. And that is all that needs to be said.
Betterdaysahead was also good in defeating the Champion Hurdler State Man. More needs to be said, though. She was receiving the mares’ allowance and had the benefit of a previous run this season, which State Man did not. What was immediately disappointing, though, especially by someone who hates ducking a challenge, is that Gordon Elliott did not add to the anticipation for what lies ahead by indicating the Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival ‘is made for her’. Well, it should not be. Cheltenham need to put the Champion Hurdle on a pedestal and do everything in their power to get the best 2-hurdlers in Britain and Ireland to line-up in it and the way to do that is to limit the rating for mares to run in the Mares race.
Another thing, will someone go to Closutton with a rake, shovel and a bucket to collect up all these stones that Willie’s best horses have a proclivity for stepping on.
Also, I notice that Polly Gundry has a horse entered-up next week called Lossiemouth and it has a fair few 1’s next to its name. Should not be, should not be!