A LOT has been written about the 11 Grade 1 winners at Aintree last week, that arguably rivalled the quality of the Cheltenham Festival.
For that reason, I will be picking out a horse that went very close in one of the handicap hurdles, writes Page Fuller.
Jango Baie was very unlucky in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (14:20) when Springwell Bay unseated in front of him. As Springwell Bay landed, he stumbled and unseated Jonjo O’Neill Jr. which then caused him to bump straight into Jango Baie, interfering with his run. This interference cost Jango Baie 4.27 lengths compared with the winner, Kateira, mostly because of the -5.7 mph speed he lost from the bump, in comparison to the winner who only lost -2.33mph.
It is amazing he even managed to get within two lengths of the winner.
The handicapper hasn’t been kind, raising him 7lb for the trouble, but that was his first go in a handicap hurdle and on the back of that run, he still looks fairly unexposed in this division.