(Updated: 18.December.07)

KALCA MOME (FR)
9yo b g (P J Hobbs)

Found the ground too quick when a 22-1 third at Cheltenham on 15 December and interesting on soft or hevay going next time.

Race type
Hdl: 218151100 (4-9)
Chs: 12141319552718427F623106412820613 (8-33)
Conclusion: he is effective over hurdles and fences.

Going
Good or faster: 211439571F30663 (3-15)
Good to soft: 211580706228 (2-12)
Soft: 81512424101 (4-11)
Heavy: 1112 (3-4)
Conclusion: his best recent efforts have come on soft or heavy going.

Class
1: 950300 (0-6)
2: 45841F1641282613 (4-16)
3: 2185113127127062 (5-16)
4: 1121 (3-4)
Conclusion: he has yet to win in Class 1 company.

Summary of ideal conditions
Combine chase starts with racing on soft or heavy going, below Class 1 company, and his record becomes: 124214121 (4-9), improving to: 112 (2-3) on heavy going only. All his wins have come over trips short of 2m4f.

(Updated: 08.November.07)

L'ANTARTIQUE (FR)
7yo b g (Ferdy Murphy)

Made a winning return to action at Carlisle and this improving sort is high on my shortlist for the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Race type
NHF: 114 (2-3)
Hdl: 2201214 (2-7)
Chs: 4231F21U1 (3-9)
Conclusion: he is effective over hurdles and fences.

Distance
2m-2m2f: 1142212 (3-7)
2m3f-2m6f110y: 014221F1U1 (4-10)
3m+: 42 (0-2)
Conclusion: he seems best at trips short of 3m.

Going
Good to firm or faster: no runs
Good: 14U1 (2-4)
Good to soft: 021 (1-3)
Soft: 4142F2 (1-6)
Heavy: 112221 (3-6)
Conclusion: he is versatile with regard to ground conditions but has an especially good record on heavy going.

Class
Grade 1: no runs
Grade 2: 424 (0-3)
Grade 3: 0 (0-1)
Others: 1121214221F21U1 (7-15)
Conclusion: all his wins have come below Grade 3 company.

Summary of ideal conditions
When racing at trips short of 3m his record is: 1142201214221F1U1 (7-17), improving to: 1121214221F1U1 (7-14) below Grade 3 company.

(Updated 29.October.07)

MALJIMAR (IRE)
7yo b g (Nick Williams)

He was hampered by a faller at a crucial stage when reappearing in a 19-runner handicap chase at Cheltenham last week and was only beaten by a neck after being matched at 1.07 in running (a gutter as I had backed him in an each-way double at 12-1 with Newmarket winner Miss Lucifer at 33s). His connections believe he’ll stay further than this extended 2m4f trip (he was going well over 3m at Chepstow on last year’s reappearance before falling four out) and he’s likely to be given five or six weeks off before his next assignment.

Race type
NHF: 2 (0-1)
Hdl: 6P14 (1-4)
Chs: F23132 (1-6)
Conclusion: he has yet to finish out of the first three when completing the course over fences.

Distance
2m-2m1f: 26 (0-2)
2m2f-2m5f: P1423132 (2-8)
3m+: F (0-1)
Conclusion: his latest win came at 2m3f but he does stay further.

Going
Good to firm or faster: 14 (1-2)
Good: 6P2 (0-3)
Good to soft: 2F23 (0-4)
Soft: 31 (1-2)
Heavy: no runs
Conclusion: he is versatile with regard to underfoot conditions.

Track
Flat: 2P141 (2-5)
Significant undulations: 6F2332 (0-6)
Conclusion: both his wins came on flat tracks (Fontwell and Newbury) but he does handle undulating courses.

Fresh (absence since last race)
42 days or longer: 26P1F1 (2-6)
28-41 days: 3 (0-1)
27 days or less: 423 (0-3)
Conclusion: he runs especially well when fresh.

Summary of ideal conditions
When running fresh (after a break of six weeks or longer) his record becomes: 26P1F12 (2-7), improving to: F12 (1-3) for current trainer Nick Williams. From left to right: F - tipped up four out at Chepstow when still travelling well (3m, good to soft), 1st - landed a soft-ground 2m3f handicap chase at Newbury and 2nd - beaten by a neck in a valuable 19-runner handicap chase at Cheltenham.

(Updated 17.October.07)

KEENAN'S FUTURE (IRE)

The officially ‘good’ going at Bangor, where he had his latest outing on 13 October, was closer to firm by my reckoning, and he can be backed with confidence on slow going next time, but only if racing on a left-handed track.
6yo ch g (Ian Williams)
Race type
NHF: 3 (0-1)
Hdl: 11U (2-3)
Chs: B3R151 (2-6)
Conclusion: he won both his completed starts over hurdles and has already scored twice over fences.

Going
Good to firm or faster: no runs
Good: 3154 (1-4)
Good to soft: 1R1 (2-3)
Soft: 3B (0-2)
Heavy: 1U (1-2)
Conclusion: he is likely to prove best on good to soft or softer going.

Track
Left-handed: 31U1514 (3-7)
Right-handed: 1B3R (1-4)
Conclusion: one of his hurdle wins came on a right-handed track but he has been campaigned exclusively on left-handed courses since hanging left and running out in a novice chase at Exeter in March 2007. His latest win came over 3m2f110y.

Summary of ideal conditions
When racing over hurdles or on left-handed chase tracks his record becomes: 11U1514 (4-7), with the fifth and fourth places coming on unsuitably fast going.