THEY say nobody remembers who came second, and they certainly don’t remember who came second last, so here are a few horses who were well beaten at Cheltenham and therefore may not have made the headlines, but who look well worth following in the longer term. I wasn’t able to view the runners in the flesh this year, so my thanks go to my colleagues David Massey and Vicki Gibbins for allowing me to borrow their paddock analysis where that was of benefit to my thoughts.

Tuesday

In the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Workahead ran a stinker, racing too keenly and on his nerves and dropping away quickly after an error at the fifth hurdle. He faced a much stiffer task than his odds suggested having won “just” a maiden hurdle on his previous outing in December. That is not a satisfactory preparation for the cauldron of Cheltenham, and he failed to repeat the form, but the horse he beat that day, William Munny, showed the benefit of a subsequent run by chasing home Kopek Des Bordes, who himself had won the preceding race to Workahead at Christmas before improving again at the Dublin Racing Festival. Workahead looked as promising as that pair when last seen and remains an exciting prospect despite this reverse.

Sequestered failed to make any impact in the Ultima but perhaps isn’t a great traveller. He failed to take the eye in the paddock in the way he had at DRF, and while being held up on the chase course was largely a negative through the week, his below-par effort was his third in as many runs at Cheltenham. He goes well at Leopardstown, but has wins at Sligo and Galway, so a return to racing right-handed is not a negative and his IHRB mark is still very fair.

Queens Gamble had little chance in the Mares’ Hurdle where the trip was as much of a negative as the company, and she faded tamely having moved fairly stylishly into contention down the hill. The ground went against her on her previous start at Leopardstown and while she’s beginning to look disappointing, she is likely to be seen in a much better light back in a handicap over two miles. I’d say the Swinton at Haydock would be ideal given the likelihood of good ground in May, but I know that Harry Derham will place her well given the opportunity.

Wednesday

American Mike was unlikely to see the Grand Annual playing to his strengths and duly made limited impact at a fast-run two miles, but he had been shaping up well over similar trips on his previous starts on home soil and is the type to pop up at a price when returned to further having memorably lowered the colours of Fact To File over two and a half miles at Navan last season.

He’s won at three miles, but the intermediate trip is probably ideal for him and I’m hoping that a series of runs at shorter will sharpen up his jumping when he’s able to go a stride slower.

I Started A Joke looks a stayer and took my eye at the Dublin Racing Festival, but neither the race there nor the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham was run in a way to bring stamina into play and he failed to improve on the useful form he’d shown on debut at Limerick over two and a quarter miles.

My view is that he will make into a useful staying novice when put to hurdles, so he’s more one for next season, and he was reportedly still showing signs of mental immaturity in the Cheltenham paddock. Soft ground and trips in excess of two and a half miles will see him in his element, I hope.

Thursday

Just A Rose didn’t look out of place in the preliminaries for the Dawn Run but she didn’t have to come off the bridle to beat inferior rivals at Taunton on her only previous racecourse outing, and she found the race itself a total culture-shock, making an early error and on the back foot immediately.

She won her only start in points and her debut win came over an extended two miles and three furlongs, so this drop to two miles was never likely to help her cause.

It would be no surprise to see her put to fences sooner rather than later and she will stay three miles, so should soon put this bad experience behind her.

Pic Roc was the subject of positive reports from Ben Pauling prior to this meeting, but when your first in-running comment in a handicap chase at this fixture reads “in rear,” you can pretty much guess the rest.

Having been behind early in a Jack Richards Novice Handicap that was dominated by those who were prominent from the off, Pic Roc was clearly at a big disadvantage and is better judged on earlier efforts and indeed on the improved form he showed last spring over hurdles.

He shaped well over a trip that might have stretched him when runner-up over two miles and seven furlongs at Newbury on his penultimate start and is well up to winning at slightly shorter from his revised mark of 136. He was a good second at Sandown on the final day of last season and the Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase at that meeting looks tailor-made for him.

Friday

Larzac was beaten 56 lengths making his debut for Willie Mullins in the Triumph Hurdle and certainly didn’t go into many notebooks based on his running there, but this son of No Risk At All was likely to have needed the run on just his second public appearance and his first since last October.

He is likely to have his maiden status kept intact for next season and has the pedigree and looks of a high-class novice. He was headed close home on his debut by Live Conti, who won easily on his debut for Dan Skelton last month and looks the sort to blossom with another summer on his back.