2:40 Ballymore Properties Challow Novices' Hurdle Grade 1 (Class 1) (4yo+) 10 hdles 2m5f

[off 2:43] £22,808.00, £8,556.00, £4,284.00, £2,136.00, £1,072.00, £536.00

1 Wichita Lineman (IRE) Jonjo O´Neill 5 11-7 A P McCoy 11/4 150 154+

2 8 Sir Jimmy Shand (IRE) N J Henderson 5 11-7 Mick Fitzgerald 2/1F 142 147+

3 18 Roll Along (IRE) Carl Llewellyn 6 11-7 Paul Moloney 4/1 125 127

4 10 Mossville (FR) R H Buckler 5 11-0 t W T Kennedy 66/1 110 110 110

5 9 Massini´s Maguire (IRE) P J Hobbs 5 11-7 Richard Johnson 15/2 136 107 108

6 5 Kanpai (IRE) J G M O´Shea 4 11-7 v P C O´Neill 7/1 145 102 108+

PU Battle Cry N A Twiston-Davies 5 11-7 Tony Evans 20/1 — —

PU Rothbury J I A Charlton 6 11-7 Jan Faltejsek 28/1 119 — —

8 ran TIME 5m 10.60s (slow by 10.60s) TOTAL SP 113%

1st OWNER: John P McManus BRED: Pat Tobin TRAINER: Jonjo O'Neill

2nd OWNER: W H Ponsonby

3rd OWNER: Bryan & Philippa Burrough

TOTE WIN £3.60 PL £1.10, £1.30, £2.10; Ex £9.60; CSF £8.77

A strong suspicion that this was not Grade 1 form, both visually and with the placed horses coming into this with progressive but minor novice wins.

The way they struggled home on ground now officially changed to soft suggests it will leave its mark as well.

It also marked more muddying of the murky formlines that the useful performers have weaved, with WICHITA LINEMAN making it three from three at the track after two bumper successes.

Rhinestone Cowboy's half-brother has been found wanting at this level, and slightly below, before but he comprehensively reversed previous Cheltenham form with Massini's Maguire.

This looked to be as much to do with his stamina coming into play, as he did not look the obvious winner turning into the straight before grinding out a success that appeared better the further he went, suggesting 3m will suit.

Connections hinted that this may be the case, with a Black Jack Ketchum campaign to the Brit Novice Hurdle rather than the Ballymore Properties (formerly SunAlliance) for which 8-1 (VcBet) and 10-1 (Hills) looks plenty short enough.

Certainly, he makes less appeal for what should be the classier race over this trip, while the 3m novice event should suit him on this evidence.

Sir Jimmy Shand lost nothing in defeat, even if it did not look pretty as he weaved around under pressure when his stamina looked to be on empty as he was headed by the winner.

This was a second tough race in testing conditions, but he showed he is a gutsy sort and connections view him as a chaser in the making.

Roll Along, ridden more conservatively, picked up the pieces after the more aggressively ridden runners fell apart in the last 3f. He hugged the inside line, jumping big a few times and never threatening to trouble the big two.

There is plenty of stamina in his pedigree and he looks an exciting staying chaser in the making.

The rest had cried enough from 2 out as they were left behind, with the winner's recent conqueror Massini's Maguire most notably folding badly.

He had turned for home looking a likely winner but was legless from the second-last, clambering over the last a very tired horse.

Kanpai ran a strange race as he dropped away off the home turn and his rider allowed him to coasthome. He was losing no more ground and, with those in front folding, untimately was not beaten that far for fifth.

He has clearly not shown his Grade 2 form when beating Massini's Maguire and the visor may be losing its effect, but he deserves another chance.

Good To Soft

3:20 Gideon Kasler Novices' Hurdle (Class 2) (4yo+) 10 hdles 2m5f

[off 3:20] £12,526.00, £3,700.00, £1,850.00, £926.00, £462.00, £232.00

1 Massini´s Maguire (IRE) P J Hobbs 5 11-5 Richard Johnson 6/1 130 119 141+

2 ½ Wichita Lineman (IRE) Jonjo O´Neill 5 11-8 A P McCoy 11/10F 122 144+

3 6 Juveigneur (FR) N J Henderson 9 11-0 Mick Fitzgerald 20/1 108 129

4 2 Imperial Commander (IRE) N A Twiston-Davies 5 11-0 Tony Evans 11/4 106 127

5 24 Paulo Dancer (FR) P F Nicholls 5 11-8 R Walsh 11/2 135 91 115+

6 dist Miss Mitch (IRE) R H Alner 5 10-12 Timmy Murphy 25/1 40 61

7 4 Ackhurst (IRE) G F Edwards 7 11-0 Mr D Edwards 200/1 38 59

8 6 Blazing Batman Dr P Pritchard 13 11-0 Dr P Pritchard 150/1 77 31 53

8 ran TIME 5m 20.10s (slow by 20.10s) TOTAL SP 113%

1st OWNER: Alan Peterson BRED: G Quirk TRAINER: P J Hobbs

2nd OWNER: John P McManus

3rd OWNER: Trevor Hemmings

TOTE WIN £7.80 PL £1.60, £1.10, £3.00; Ex £18.90; CSF £13.33Pool £1,172.06 - 7.50 winning units. TRIFECTA £110.90 Pool £1,172.06 - 7.50 winning units.

Plenty to take out of this very decent novice hurdle. MASSINI'S MAGUIRE was allowed to bowl along with the pace on this occasion rather than being more patiently ridden as he had been previously this season. The tactic clearly suited as did this galloping circuit and, judged on this performance, he will not have any problems getting a bit further as he had to overcome a sloppy jump two out but it did not stop him.

Connections were considering sending him over fences but after this win he will stayhurdling and the SunAlliance Hurdle or the Brit Insurance Hurdle over three miles will be his aim.

Wichita Lineman did not go down without a fight and he will be winning more races as he showed a gritty attitude on the run to the line as if three miles would not go amiss even at this stage. There must be a chance he will bump into the winner again at some stage this season as they seem sure to be aimed at the same races this winter and spring.

The real eyecatcher was chaser Juveigneur, having his first ever outing over hurdles, who had a very nice pipe-opener for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in a couple of weeks. He was not knocked about once he had no chance and he can only come on for this blow-out. He is bound to get into the weightsproper for the Newbury race as he is presently on 9st 11lb and the weights look set to rise.

Imperial Commander, so impressive in a bumper here last month, was not disgraced on his hurdles bow but he will be better over fences in time.

AINTREE

22 October 2006

Good

2:15 Bonusprint.com Liverpool Echo European Breeders Fund "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle (Class 3) (4-6yo) 11 hdles 2m4f

[off 2:15] £6,506.00, £1,910.00, £955.00, £477.00

1 Wichita Lineman (IRE) Jonjo O´Neill 5 10-12 A P McCoy 11/10F 81 132+

2 7 Silverburn (IRE) P F Nicholls 5 10-12 R Walsh 5/1 74 121+

3 9 Our Jasper D McCain Jnr 6 10-12 Jason Maguire 40/1 65 110

4 8 Pangbourne (FR) A King 5 10-12 eb Robert Thornton 5/2 57 104+

5 2 Mocho (IRE) Ian Williams 5 10-12 David Dennis 33/1 55 100

6 11 Sword Of Damascus (IRE) D McCain Jnr 4 10-12 G Lee 9/1 43 95+

7 54 Persian Prince (IRE) J Wade 6 10-12 Paddy Aspell 150/1 — 35

8 49 Ravens Flight (IRE) S A Brookshaw 5 10-12 t S E Durack 250/1 — —

8 ran TIME 5m 7.50s (slow by 23.50s) TOTAL SP 109%

1st OWNER: John P McManus BRED: Pat Tobin TRAINER: Jonjo O'Neill

2nd OWNER: Paul Green

3rd OWNER: K Benson

TOTE WIN £2.30 PL £1.10, £1.90, £3.30; Ex £7.80; CSF £6.51

The ground was good with officially no good to soft places. This was a decent novices' hurdle featuring several promising bumper performers from last season who were having their first runs over hurdles and, though the pace was ordinary, it should throw up winners.

WICHITA LINEMAN had won his first two races last season, but was behind a couple of these in the bumper here in April. However, he turned that form over on his hurdles debut, scoring in good style despite being held up off an ordinary gallop. Coming through to lead after three out, he was soon clear and came right away from the second last to win a shade comfortably. A half-brother to Rhinestone Cowboy, he shapes as though he'll stay 3m and is an interesting prospect.

Silverburn,who won the second of his two bumpers last term, was a bit too keen on his hurdles debut, and though he was going better than the winner three out, flattened out in a matter of strides. He'll do better when he learns to settle, but this was a solid enough effort in what should turn out be a decent race and he'll soon be winning.

The form is slightly let down by Our Jasper, who is rated just 100 and was beaten 16l. However, on his first run for his new stable, he perhaps improved a bit and, if thisform proves reliable, he'll find a race.

Pangbourne, with his usual eye shield and blinkers, was a shade disappointing, fading in the straight after making the running. He won the Grade 2 bumper here in April when Sword Of Damascus and Wichita Lineman were behind him, but he didn't jump particularly fluently this time, and will need to improve on that to justify the promise he showed in bumpers.

Good To Firm

4:55 Vodafone Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race (class 6) (4-6yo)

[off 4:55] £2,192.64, £639.04, £319.68 (2m110y) 2m½f

Comments In Running OR TS RPR

1 Wichita Lineman (IRE) Jonjo O´Neill 5 11-4 Mr J P Magnier(5) 9/4 — —

2 1¼ Kimi (IRE) Noel T Chance 5 11-2 T Doyle 14/1 — —

3 ¾ Pepporoni Pete (IRE) P F Nicholls 5 11-9 R Walsh 8/11F — —

4 4 Mount Sandel (IRE) O Sherwood 5 11-2 L Aspell 12/1 — —

5 2½ It Happened Out (IRE) J W Mullins 5 10-13 R Young(3) 50/1 — —

6 ½ Sexy Rexy (IRE) N A Twiston-Davies 5 10-11 S Crawford(5) 33/1 — —

7 2½ Master Eddy S Lycett 6 11-2 J M Maguire 66/1 — —

8 1½ Navy Lark M C Pipe 4 10-8 P J Brennan 25/1 — —

9 7 One More Step R A Farrant 5 11-2 Mr T J O´Brien(7) 20/1 — —

10 12 Grey Tornado C G Cox 5 11-2 M Bradburne 66/1 — —

11 hd Sky By Night B J M Ryall 5 10-9 J Tizzard 100/1 — —

11 ran TIME 4m 3.40s (slow by 17.40s) TOTAL SP 120%

NON RUNNERS: Barbers Shop ,Go Johnny (IRE) ,Lappeenranta (IRE) ,Marcus ,Niver Bai (FR) ,Ringo Cody (IRE) ,Wantage Road (IRE)

1st OWNER: Mrs John Magnier BRED: Pat Tobin TRAINER: Jonjo O'Neill

2nd OWNER: Mrs M C Sweeney

3rd OWNER: C G Roach

TOTE WIN £3.40 PL £1.50, £2.40, £1.10; Ex £35.80; CSF £31.64Place 6 £43.32, Place 5 £34.75.

JACKPOT £1,186.50 to a £1 stake. Pool: £13,369.50. 8.00 winning tickets.

PLACEPOT £24.90 to a £1 stake. Pool: £151,072.20. 4,414.95 winning tickets.

QUADPOT £21.60 to a £1 stake. Pool: £7,856.30. 268.00 winning tickets.

ANALYSIS: The ten seconds that elapsed before they jumped off here was a major factor in the poor time, but even then they didn't go that quick, so there were plenty still in contention turning for home. However, while some of those close-up were probably flattered in what developed into a sprint, some smart horses dominated the finish.

Rhinestone Cowboy's half-brother WICHITA LINEMAN confirmed the promise of his winning debut here back in November, held up towards the outside and making his effort against the stands' rail in the straight. He was probably in front a fair way out, but his amateur rider didn't inspire confidence against the two professionals, and it was only well inside the final furlong that the prize was safe. There may have been a fair bitleft. While there was talk of Cheltenham, he wouldn't be a betting proposition there with his rider unable to claim, and he would probably be better off waiting for Aintree.

Kimi was third to an outstanding prospect in Kicks For Free at Wincanton and again ran into a good one. He was carried left around 3f out when leader Sexy Rexy came off his line, but he stuck on bravely under pressure all the way to the finish. He deserves better luck.

Odds-on Pepporoni Pete, a stablemate of Kicks For Free, moved up strongly entering the straight but finished only third in a driving finish. Ruby Walsh reported that he was unsuited by the way the race was run, and Aintree is the plan.