His Grade 1 wins came in the Arkle at Punchestown – far from amazing form against no British rivals – and the Ryanair Novice Chase at the same track. He faced just two rivals and again the form doesn’t amount to much.
Most people are judging Energumene on his comeback success at Cork this term, in which he slammed Daly Tiger nearly ten lengths.
That tells only half the story, though, as he had gone hammer and tongs with the useful Notebook before that rival dropped away. Energumene just kept going.
Energumene might be a freak. And some of his sectional timings suggest that. But he’s got a lot to prove in my opinion.
First Flow is too good a horse for handler Kim Bailey and jockey David Bass not to get a mention.
The defending Clarence House title holder went from strength to strength last season scoring at Ascot and Wetherby before blowing out at Cheltenham and Punchestown.
First Flow returned for this campaign with a battling success at Huntingdon when upped in trip to nearly two and a half miles and scoring in the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase. The form has some substance but it still leaves him with about 10lb to find.
The Clarence House has a history of quality.
Desert Orchid scored back in 1989, but just take a look at the other winners of the Ascot showpiece.
They number David Nicholson’s Waterloo Boy and Viking Flagship from the same stable. Also Martha’s Son for Tim Forster and Martin Pipe’s Well Chief. Master Minded for Paul Nicholls, plus Sprinter Sacre and Altior as well as Sire De Grugy for Gary Moore and Un De Sceaux for Mullins have taken the prize.
Today I’m so sure it will be Shishkin. But I might be wrong!
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