We didn’t get to see the star attraction at Newbury on Saturday as Sir Gino was ruled out with a small wound on his hind leg. However, we did get some star quality from the Henderson yard as Joyeuse ran out an easy winner of the William Hill Hurdle and I’ll begin this week’s review of the data from TPD at the Berkshire track before looking at some of the flat racing highlights from the Middle East.
Newbury
William Hill Bet10 Get10 on Racing Denman Chase
I’m not afraid to put my hands up when I make a mistake and I think it’s only right to recognize that I had this race wrong in our preview piece last week.
I spent too much time looking for an angle against the head of the market in the data when in fact the answer was obvious, Djelo had the best form in the book this season and went on to win accordingly. At a peak of 21.49 ft, he had the shortest stride in the field, but that didn’t stop him from producing a top class display of jumping, losing an average of just 8% of his speed over his obstacles and pulling clear in the home straight with closing sectionals of 13.90, 14.31, 14.31 and 14.62s.
The race was run at an even gallop, but a finishing speed of 107.82% would suggest that this wasn’t the greatest test of stamina and that probably allowed the winner time to get into his race on his first start at this distance.
The data from TPD would also point to the fact that we probably need to treat this form with the proverbial “pinch of salt” too. The runner-up, Hitman, has now finished 2nd on each of his 3 starts this season and given that his average stride frequency remained between 6.63 and 6.69m in the home straight, despite a drop in his stride frequency in the final furlong, we can suggest that he isn’t putting everything into the closing stages of his races.
Bravemansgame, who finished 3rd, had the run of the race in front at a course where he was previously unbeaten, but was no match for Djelo in the home straight, coming home 1.26s slower than the winner over the last 4-furlongs. Sam Brown, Eldorado Allen and Fugitif (who appeared not to stay) have perhaps run as their official ratings might have anticipated, but we should spare some small praise for Ga Law. Jamie Snowden’s charge has made several mistakes over his fences, but he has rallied nicely in the closing stages, finishing in 15.08 and 14.18s (the fastest final furlong in the field) and on better ground, he may yet be competitive in a similar contest.
William Hill Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
Whilst a mark of 123 was clearly a blot on the handicappers notepad, it shouldn’t detract from a superb performance from Joyeuse, on just her 4th start over hurdles. She jumped very efficiently in the soft ground, losing an average of just 5% of her speed over her hurdles, the best figure in the field. Once in front, she has pulled readily clear of Lump Sum, who is a Welsh Champion hurdle winner and who finished 2nd in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth earlier in the season, which brings a solid look to this form. Clocking a top speed of 35.88 mph, she was 8-lengths clear at the line and with a run-out speed of 29.12 mph, she was travelling fastest of all 2-seconds after the winning line too.
The latest qualification rules mean that she can’t run in a handicap at the Cheltenham festival (unless running once more beforehand), but she would appear to have the speed to be competitive at this trip in the Spring, even allowing for an inevitable rise from the handicapper and perhaps a race like the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr might suit her perfectly.
It was a shame to see Secret Squirrel come down at the 2nd last and it is good to hear that he was up and OK after the race. He did appear to be coming with a sustained challenge and although it is too early to be sure, his stride frequency had reached a race peak of 2.26 strides per second in the furlong leading up to his fall. However, Joyeuse had been faster than him over the preceding 3-furlongs and her top speed of 35.88 mph was ahead of his (35.53mph) at that stage of the race.
The likelihood would appear to be that he would have finished 2nd to her, especially given the 8lbs he was conceding. Either way, his proximity and that of Lump Sum can only add to the impression given by the unexposed winner. Joyeuse has maintained her stride frequency over each of the final 4-furlongs, averaging 2.14, 2.11, 2.16 and 2.14 strides per second over the final half-a-mile. This is a filly that isn’t tiring and with such a relentless gallop, it’s hard to make a case for anything having gotten to her on Saturday.
Bahrain
The Bahrain Mile (Local G1)
Goemon completed his hat-trick to win this local Group 1 and the data from TPD would suggest that his rider, Alberto Sanna, deserves enormous credit for this success. This race was run at a very strong pace, with the early leader, Pure Dreamer, running the opening half a mile in 45.97s, which included 3 consecutive furlongs under 11-seconds. He paid for those exertions in the closing stages, as did several of the horses that attempted to close him down around the home turn into the straight.
By contrast, Goemon was allowed to take his time after a slow start. He took 47.76s to reach the halfway point, but from there he began to make consistent progress, quickening well in the straight and reaching a peak frequency of 2.44 strides per second in the penultimate furlong at a time when each of his 7 rivals were decreasing theirs. His top speed figure of 41.29 mph was the slowest recorded amongst the 8-runner field, but the energy saved by Sanna in the early stages proved to be the key and allowed his mount to finish strongly in a race with a rapid early pace.
Lingfield
BetMGM Tandridge Stakes (Listed)
At the weights, Maljoom had 13lbs in hand on his nearest rival, Tyrrhenian Sea, but a combination of race fitness, track position and early speed was enough to erode that difference and in the end, Roger Varian’s charge ran out a comfortable winner. Taking 6.8s to reach 30 mph, Tyrrhenian Sea was able to sit in the ideal position on the leaders quarters.
By contrast, Maljoom, who was slightly keen in Tom Marquands hands in the early stages, took 7.2s to reach the same speed and as a result found himself at the back of the 4-runner field. Turning into the straight, the winner was able to quicken and lengthen away off the home turn whilst his nearest rival struggled with the tight turn. At a peak of 27.62 ft, Tyrrhenian Sea had the longest stride length in the field, and 2.49 ft longer than the peak of 25.13 ft recorded by Maljoom.
With such an advantage, once hitting the front he was always going to be hard to peg back and it was no surprise to see him establish a comfortable lead in the penultimate furlong. This was a first run over a mile since October 2022 for the winner, but he showed plenty of speed, recording a top speed figure of 40.98 mph and suggesting that he should be able to be competitive over this trip in the future too. The runner-up will improve for the run and it’s probably fair to say that Lingfield didn’t appear to suit, but the winner has won this with some authority and it is far from guaranteed that this form would be reversed if they met again.
Meydan
Dubai Trophy sponsored by Azizi Development Stakes
This 3-year-old contest was run at a strong gallop, with the entire field running sub-11s furlongs for the opening half a mile and at that pace, having the longest stride in the field can be an enormous advantage. Symbol of Hope, who recorded a peak stride length of 26.64 ft, had that advantage and used it well to land this contest. He recorded the longest average stride length in each of the 6-furlongs of this race and stayed on best to get the better of the very game Dark Saffron in the closing stages, upholding their earlier form from the Al Wasl Stakes over this course and distance last month.
He clocked a better top speed this time, recording a peak of 44.67 mph compared to the 43.96 mph that he recorded 4-weeks ago and having increased both his average stride length and stride frequency, it is not impossible to think that he will improve again. He was only 5th over the opening furlong, but I’d put that down to the fact that he spent the longest time waiting in the gate (41-seconds) rather than any concern about his ability to break on terms and in his current form, he looks hard to beat over this course and distance.
The winner is likely to dominate the 6-furlong division this season, but the 3rd placed Rebel Diamond is also worth noting with an eye to the future. This was his first start for Alban de Mieulle, but he landed a hat-trick when winning the Blenheim Stakes at Fairyhouse in September for Natalie Lupini and on his first start since, he has run exceptionally well here.
He was the slowest horse over the opening furlong (14.06s), but he has recovered well from that start to chase the leader through the field and whilst Symbol of Honour was comfortably on top at all stages of the race, Rebel Diamond did record a higher top speed (44.78 mph) and a better run-out speed (34.20 mph). The winner is improving rapidly, but Rebel Diamond should take a step forward too and may get closer next time with the benefit of this experience.
You can find sectional times, stride data, speed statistics and jumping performance metrics on the At The Races RESULTS page.
The global database of sectional times, stride data and performance metrics is available through Total Performance Data.