Hunter Chase - 5.00 Carlisle

[Darran]

I have watched the Cheltenham race twice, but do want to give it another viewing before giving my final thoughts, but needless to say Bob And Co's departure was frustrating given how well he was going at the time. At least Latenightpass landed the e/w money at a big price. Fakenham doesn't need another viewing and although I wasn't sure about Ennistown in the early stages given his strange head carriage he obviously had a very easy task in the end. I think they would be better off making the running with him myself. It's hard to know what he achieved here given the race took no winning due to The Dellercheckout bombing out. It was very much an off day for him and he has big questions to answer now.

The Carlisle race looks like being a match between The Galloping Bear and Duhallow Tornado. Wonderoftheworld was useful in Ireland when last seen in 2019, but the trainer's two hunter chase runners haven't done much so I suspect he will need the run. Senor Lombardy has put in two creditable performances in hunter chases so far especially last time at Kelso when going down a couple of lengths to Kilkishen. I'm not sure he's the strongest of stayers though certainly when compared to the two at the head of the market. He ought to come 3rd though.

I thought The Galloping Bear was very impressive at Fontwell on his hunter chase debut. Granted the 2nd probably hasn't stayed, but then Sametegal had beaten Porlock Bay at Wincanton and despite me having concerns about the worth of that form prior to Friday clearly that needs a rethink. I'm clearly not saying The Galloping Bear is better than Porlock Bay, but he is clearly very progressive, loves testing ground and looks an out and out stayer. It is also very interesting that connections are sending him from Somerset for this.

The first time blinkers worked a treat at Wetherby for Duhallow Tornado. He travelled nicely and jumped well which was the complete opposite from the week before a Catterick where he was hardly on the bridle at any stage. With Road To Rome running poorly he had very little to beat there though, but then that is hardly his fault and he couldn't have done it any easier. Like The Galloping Bear he is an out and out stayer who loves testing ground. What needs to happen though is that the blinkers work for a 2nd time as that isn't always the case.

Pass The Hat has been backed at big prices this morning which is a strange one. I know he caused a shock here a couple of years ago over shorter, but he's shown little since then and I can't see him even hitting the frame here let alone winning.

I don't think the prices are quite right as I would have them a bit closer together, but I also think that The Galloping Bear will win so the forecast makes the most appeal as all things being equal they will be finishing 1st and 2nd.

The Galloping Bear to beat Duhallow Tornado 1pt f/c

[Darran]

The Galloping Bear was a cosy winner in the end and although not as visually impressive as he was at Fontwell it was another very good performance. I suspect where he goes next will depend on where the mud if flying. I really hope that Senor Lombardy finds a hunter chase before the season ends. This for me was a personal best although at the very least it matched his Kelso effort and he's been a bit unlucky to bump into 2 good horses from further south. Duhallow Tornado went well enough for a while, but then threw in the towel pretty easily. His jockey said the ground wasn't as testing as he wanted it as it had dried out too much by the end of the day, but you have to consider the fact the blinkers might not have worked a 2nd time. I think though that unless we see testing ground he could be one to oppose from now on.