Makhfar at Kempton
The Yard was slightly disappointed with Pension Madness in one of Exeter’s modest hurdles yesterday; claimed by Johnny Farrelly post yesterday's race it was a difficult balance to be struck with him because he is capable of winning some small races jumping over the summer, witness the Claim, but against that was that he had not made the most of his opportunities hitherto.
At Lingfield we are still getting used to Mezmaar, who always takes a keen hold, and we probably slightly overdid the waiting tactics; he was not beaten overly far off a mark of 77 in a competitive handicap, going on at the finish; his turn will come this Summer, probably back over seven furlongs.
Marshall Aid again ran well but it would be true to say does find it rather hard to win;it has always been the plan that he will go jumping, in which sphere he should be a competitive and an effective person, but we might try him on the turf on the flat this Spring.
This evening we take Makhfar to Kempton with the aim of building on what he achieved at Chelsmford last month; a little like Mezmaar we are still learning about him and he has something of a history of jumping the gates slowly but if he can get away he has a fair each way shout at around 16/1.