Hibou may have made a low-key seasonal debut over a mile at Ayr on Monday, but he is still one to keep an eye on. He only finished sixth, but Iain Jardine rates him as his horse to follow on the Flat this season and a step-up in trip will suit.
Connections will be hoping the £22,000 they forked out for the former Godolphin inmate in May 2016 will be money well spent.
His new trainer is steadily finding the key to him, and he showed what he is capable of when romping home at Redcar over 1m 2f last October. Now on a mark of 90, there is more improvement to come so hopefully a big handicap will have his name on it this season.
The opening two days of Ayr’s Flat campaign saw several impressive winners, notably Havana Grey, Dalton and Euchren Glen.
Karl Burke-trained Havana Grey could be Royal Ascot-bound after his romp in the two-year-old contest under P J McDonald; his Middleham handler thinks he is pretty smart.
Dalton fairly scorched home as well and he has clearly come on bundles after his debut over course and distance last summer. Irvine-born Danny Tudhope said he is a lovely laidback type who will improve for the run and stay further.
Jim Goldie’s Euchen Glen would have been an unlucky loser on Tuesday had a gap not appeared. But from being behind a wall of horses it was like the parting of the Red Sea inside the final furlong as he quickened up in the style of the progressive horse he is.
After a superb first-day family card crowd of more than 5000, Hamilton Park stages its Braveheart Night meeting on Friday.
The feature race is a 76-90 handicap over 1m 4f and has been won by some decent horses over the years, notably globetrotting money-spinners Red Cadeaux and Collier Hill in 2011 and 2004 respectively. “Red’s Wine Bar” near the winners’ enclosure is named after the former and the pair scooped worldwide earnings of £7.2million between them.
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