Baron Noir ‘bumps into one’ on his reappearance at Warwick

November 20

It’s been a frustrating few days for Alan and Noel Fehily, with Baron Noir going the same way at Warwick yesterday as Helnwein (Cheltenham) and Ski Lodge (Lingfield) had done in Noel’s syndicated colours recently.

Baron Noir, who had won a bumper at Punchestown last May, started odds-on for his jumping debut in the maiden hurdle on the Midlands course, but, though he travelled and jumped well throughout, he could never quite get to grips with the front-running Cristal d’Estruval, being beaten three lengths.

However, Harry Derham thinks the world of Cristal d’Estruval, who, having won his only point-to-point in Ireland in February, changed hands for £400,00 at the Cheltenham sale the following month.

Consequently, we might have “bumped into one”, and Baron Noir was always going to improve for his seasonal debut, so, not having done anything wrong here, our fellow remains very much a horse to follow this winter.

It is a relatively quiet Saturday for us this weekend, but we are looking forward to Baby Sage making her debut over fences in the mares handicap chase at Huntingdon.

Alan said;”Baby Sage did well to win over hurdles at Exeter last December, but she fractured a fetlock after running at Ludlow in February, and that is why she did not run again last season. She has the right sort of make up to be good over a fence.”

Harbour Lake is our only other Saturday runner, his target being the Stayers Premier Handicap Hurdle at Haydock. Alan said:”He produced a good tough performance to defy a big weight over the course in May, and the plan is to stay over hurdles this season.

“Harbour Lake did not take to fences last time so it makes sense to stick to hurdles. He is a horse who doesn’t want a lot of racing, but he does run well fresh, and, though he has gone up another 5lb to a mark of 145, we hope he’ll again be in the mix.”