Tracker: Two for Tuesday (Plus 1)

Another weekend gone by, and another cracking weekend of racing. Newbury and Fairyhouse both held 2 day meetings, and there were plenty of good performances, and future clues at both tracks for the major festivals in the spring.

We added Crambo and Bold Endeavour to the opening issue of the tracker, and Tuesday has rolled around again so let's added a further two more plus a bonus added!

We start with a horse who didn't run at the weekend, infact you would of seen him running at Thurles on Thursday. The JP McManus owned HO MY LORD started his campaign in a beginners chase in a decent little contest which included Grade 1 winner Il Etait Temps, Grade 2 winner Aspire Tower and potential graded chaser Monbeg Park.

Ho My Lord caught the eye throughout the race, jumping well before finishing 2nd to his stablemate Il Etait Temps. It was his jumping that makes him a horse to follow, and he is no doubt a potential graded horse in the making having competed in the Ballymore in March finishing 9th after only one full start over hurdles (fell in his opening novice). Perhaps the Punchestown novice handicap chase at the end of the season, won by his stablemate Kilcruit last season will be his spring target but he will likely compete in novice chases through the grades until then.

Another JP McManus horse who caught the eye despite being well beaten over the weekend was CHAMPION GREEN. A one time favourite for the Fred Winter back in 2022 when trained by Joseph O'Brien, he's moved to Padraig Roche. Only seen once after that move before the weekend, that was at Naas back in February where he fell at the last hurdle.

His first outing of the season was in a 80-130 handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse over 2m4. Stone last throughout where he was detached throughout, he settled fairly well (well known free-goer who wears a hood) and came through late to finish 13th. I'd say it was a deliberate attempt to give the horse confidence going forwards and if his connections can keep a lid on him - he has the ability to pick up a handicap hurdle sometime this season for his shrewd trainer who's also one to follow this season - although I'm not telling you anything you don't know there.

One more to add to the tracker, and it's a horse who hasn't ran this week, or for a few weeks actually. Last seen well beaten down the field at Cheltenham in November for Peter Fahey in a handicap hurdle, SHOWMAN disappointed me that day as I expected a huge run from him off a mark of 112 (105 with the claim). Opening at 8/1 near the off, he drifted out badly to 14/1 and the drift told with him being well beaten in 12th.

His form has been further franked since that run in November however to add further flames to the fire, and I expect him to win a handicap in the near future if he's A1. His head behind Conyers Hill, unlucky not to win a listed handicap at Fairyhouse since, whilst he beat the Gordon Elliott trained Yeats Star - who has gone on to win a maiden hurdle by 13L and a novice handicap hurdle at Punchestown off 122 since. He looks capable of improving off a mark of 111 given that form, and is one to add to the tracker.

Tracker Horses

Crambo (Added 28/11/23)

Bold Endeavour (Added 28/11/23)

Ho My Lord (Added 05/11/23)

Champion Green (Added 05/11/23)

Showman (Added 05/11/23)