Sweet Wake needs a proper race
But you would have to wonder if the lofty position owes as much to the manner of his victories, and a fair bit of over-hyping, as to anything the form book tells us.
Of course Sweet Wake may well be a champion in the making and there’s no doubt is very highly regarded by Noel Meade and Paul Carberry.
Meade has long known the time of day and was positively beaming when the horse made a winning debut over jumps at Leopardstown at Christmas.
My point, however, is that while Sweet Wake’s two wins have been most pleasing to the eye, there is little substance to either success.
Take that first Leopardstown win. He was brilliant on the day in beating Royaldou by an effortless four lengths.
Royaldou hasn’t been seen since, so the merit of the race is unclear. But the third, Barati, and the fifth, Trefflich, have both run in the meantime.
Barati contested the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown and was 22nd of 25 behind Studmaster, beaten the proverbial mile.
Trefflich was 20 lengths adrift of Sweet Wake at Leopardstown and then ran next in another maiden at Naas.
He finished eighth behind a horse of Willie Mullins called Quatre Heures, beaten almost 42 lengths. I don’t hear too many putting Quatre Heures forward as a possible Cheltenham winner.
And one other thing. I know we shouldn’t read too much into times, but it is, nevertheless, worth recording that Sweet Wake at Leopardstown that afternoon took almost six seconds longer to complete the two miles than did stable companion, Mr Nosie, two races later.
You have to take into account Mr Nosie was carrying 8lbs less, but it is still food for thought.
At Naas on Saturday, Sweet Wake scored in a canter, but this was a total farce of a contest and only confirmed what we already knew, that he is a horse with class and real pace.
They walked for most of the journey and his only real rival, Albert Mooney, performed way below par.
Why anyone would be getting excited about such a performance beats me. Even I’d appear quick sprinting past a tree!
Anyway, here’s one who hopes Meade will give Sweet Wake another run before Cheltenham. Going to that cauldron without coming off the bridle is far from ideal.
Remember Youlneverwalkalone in 2000? He started hot favourite for the Supreme Novices, having gone there as a bridle horse. But he just didn’t find anything when the pressure came on, taking third behind Sausalito Bay and Best Mate.
Mind you it was no fault of connections he went to Cheltenham that way. They previously ran him in the Deloitte Hurdle, always a cracking race, at Leopardstown and Conor O’Dwyer never had to move a muscle as he beat high-class Sackville by five lengths.
Sweet Wake may well be the business, we all hope he is, and Meade is far too talented a trainer to continue for much longer having only one Festival winner to his name. But you just ache to see him in a proper race, prior to heading across.
* AT THE RACES and Matt Chapman, in particular, do a fine job for Irish racing and were quite superb during the Blueberry Boy affair.
Chapman is a showman and for everyone who likes him you will find another who doesn’t. I’m a fan and love his enthusiasm for a game he clearly adores.
He enjoys cranking it up and, as a result, is often compulsive viewing. Chapman was in full flow for that Solerina-Florida Coast “battle” at Naas on Saturday.
It was, however, no more than a little storm in a tiny teacup. Pilot Noel McParlan didn’t look the best on Florida Coast and you could hardly describe him as neat and tidy on Earth Magic at Fairyhouse the following day either.
McParlan is what he is, a 7lbs claiming amateur. If he had put his stick where the sun don’t shine it wouldn't have made any difference, Florida Coast still wouldn’t have beaten Solerina.
The stewards were dead right not to hold an inquiry. Oh, and when was the last time a horse trained by the Bowe family attracted the attentions of the stewards?
If you can think of one give us a shout, because I’m damned if I can come up with a name.
* BALLOTING, one imagines, is about to rear its head again. The first maiden hurdle at Navan on Saturday has 97 entries and the second 66. There are 52 in a handicap hurdle and 49 in a beginners chase.
The message the trainers are sending to HRI is there just isn’t enough racing in January. No racing from Sunday to Thursday continues to be crazy.
