Donn McClean's Horses To Follow: November 30th to December 6th

Before we dive in, some basic rules for a horses to follow list is to keep them in a tracker and on your radar for the next three runs, bearing in mind ideal conditions across variables like venue, ground, opposition and price are satisfactory to you as a punter. This column should help you build up a list that proves profitable under those circumstances, provides timely reminders to reduce repeated form study and assist with your enjoyment of a season be it National Hunt or Flat racing in the UK and Ireland and sometimes beyond.

Corrigeen Rock - Sandown, 2nd December 2022

Corrigeen Rock was impressive in winning the two-mile handicap chase at Sandown last Friday. It wasn't ideal that he made a mistake at the first fence, nor that he was taken on for the early lead by Rose Sea Has.  He had to settle in second place behind his grey rival for the early part of the race, but he moved on into the lead at the entrance to the back straight, and he wasn't headed thereafter.  His jumping down Sandown's back straight was very good, he stretched his field out, and he travelled well to the Pond Fence.  He was joined at that obstacle by Darebin, but Derek Fox was still motionless on his back at that point and, when his rider asked him to pick up after they jumped the second last fence, his response was impressive.  He went clear on the run to the last, where he was clever, and he kept on well up the run-in to win by seven lengths.

It was an authoritative performance by Lucinda Russell's horse.  Winner of his only point-to-point for Denis Murphy, he won his maiden hurdle on his first run for his current trainer but, from the family of Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Tourist Attraction, he shapes as if he will be a fair bit better as a chaser than as a hurdler.  A faller in his first chase, he has now won his last two, and he shapes as if he will continue to climb.  The handicapper raised him by 9lb for Friday's win, but he won well, and he should be progressive enough to take that type of hike in his stride.  He goes well on good to soft ground, and this two-mile trip is a good trip for him, given his really likeable enthusiastic style of racing and jumping.

Brave Seasca - Aintree, 3rd December 2022

Brave Seasca ran out a seriously impressive winner of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at Aintree last Saturday under top weight of 12st 1lb.  Settled in mid-division early on by Gavin Sheehan, he made good ground along the inside to move into third place as they rounded the home turn.  He travelled best of all to the second last fence, jumped to the front over that obstacle and cleared away impressively on the run to the last.  He only won by less than two lengths in the end from the Philip Dempsey-trained Handsworth, who stayed on well to take second place, but he was eased significantly close home by his rider, he had way more in hand than that.

He was the beneficiary of a fine ground-saving ride from Gavin Sheehan, but he could hardly have been any more impressive than he was.  Venetia Williams' horse kept good company last season as a novice, he completed a hat-trick at Warwick in January before finishing third behind Edwardstone and Third Time Lucki in the Grade 2 Kingmaker Chase back at Warwick in February, and he fell at the fence in front of the stands with a circuit to go in the Arkle at Cheltenham in March.  This was his first run since, and there is every chance that he will come on for it. His record on his first run back after a break of 200 days or more before this read 9446, while his record on his second run back read 11.  The fact that he saw out this two-and-a-half-mile trip well opens up more options for him too.  A 9lb hike was not overly harsh, he will be of interest in a handicap off his new mark of 155, but he could go beyond handicaps now. He is only seven, he has now won four of his seven chases, and there could be more to come.

Secret Investor - Chepstow, 3rd December 2022

Secret Investor only finished sixth of the six finishers in the Coral Welsh Grand National Trial at Chepstow last Saturday, but he ran much better than that suggests.  Weak in the market beforehand on this, his first run in 650 days, he travelled really well through his race and his jumping was very good.  Third and apparently travelling well as they turned into the home straight, he got in a little tight to the fifth last fence, and he just tired from there.  He just kept on over the last four fences to finish sixth, over 20 lengths behind the impressive winner Farinet.

It was a most encouraging return to action by Paul Nicholls' horse.  We know that he is a high-class performer, he beat his stable companion Clan Des Obeaux in the Grade 2 Denman Chase in February 2021 on his last run before Saturday.  He is 10 now, but he retains a lot of ability on this evidence.  His weakness in the pre-race market suggests that he could come on appreciably for this run, and he will be of interest wherever he goes now. He holds an entry in the Coral Welsh National on 27th December back at Chepstow, a track at which he has won twice, and he will be of interest if he lines up in that, for all that his stamina for that extreme trip is not yet proven.

Gaillard Du Mesnil - Fairyhouse, 4th December 2022

Gaillard Du Mesnil is obviously not under the radar, he finished third in the Irish Grand National last season, and he is currently favourite for the National Hunt Chase at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, but he put up a really encouraging performance in the Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse last Sunday over two and a half miles, a distance that is surely short of his optimum.  As well as that, he was held up early on in a race that was not run at an overly strong pace.  Last of the 10 runners jumping the fence in front of the stands with a circuit to run, he travelled well down the back straight on the outside, and he moved up into a share of second place at the fourth last fence.  He made progress to join the leader Mighty Potter at the second last and, while he couldn't match the impressive winner for pace, he kept on well over the last and up the run-in to finish a clear second, 14 lengths in front of third-placed Banbridge.

Willie Mullins' horse hasn't won over fences yet but, a dual Grade 1 winner as a novice hurdler, he has put up some admirable performances in defeat, a close-up third behind L'Homme Presse in the Brown Advisory Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March to go with his third-place finish in the Irish Grand National in April. Of course, he has to be on your shortlist for the National Hunt Chase if that is his target, but he might be under-rated in the meantime, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next, including if he goes for the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival.

Maskada - Fairyhouse, 4th December 2022

Maskada probably would have won the mares' handicap chase that opened proceedings at Fairyhouse last Sunday had she not come down at the second last fence.  She had done everything right up to that point.  The strong pace suited her well, Darragh O'Keeffe had her nicely settled towards the rear of mid-division early on, her jumping had been very good and she had moved up nicely around the home turn.  it appeared that she was still travelling really well on the run to the second last fence as she made her ground up on the outside to close on the leaders.  She actually jumped the fence well too, she hardly touched it, but she just crumpled on landing.  Of course, you never know for sure how it would have panned out, but the race was won by Malina Girl, who was behind Maskada and didn't appear to be travelling as well as she was at the point of her departure.

Henry de Bromhead's mare should be able to gain compensation soon.  Winner of a listed mares' chase for Stuart Edmunds at Leicester last January, she didn't run badly on her first run for Henry de Bromhead in the Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novices' Chase at the Punchestown Festival last April.  This was her first run since.  She was a prominent racer for Stuart Edmunds, but she was running well here under more patient tactics.  She is only six, she goes well on good to soft ground, and she will be of interest wherever she goes next.