Insanity looks a promising stayer in the making
September 4
We could not have wished for a better start to September, and Max McNeill and Niall Farrell must have been delighted with the victory of Insanity, who got the ball rolling again for Barbury in taking fashion at Ffos Las on the first of the month.
Insanity, who cost only 26,000gns at Tattersalls October Sales two years ago, was unraced at two but showed plenty of promise in his first season, finishing second at Windsor and then being drawn in the cheap seats when forced wide all the way around at Chelmsford.
Alan then had Insanity gelded, and, stepping up to a mile and a half for the first time, he won his novice in really good style. Granted, it was a five-runner Class 4 race, but he certainly looked the type to make up into a useful middle-distance handicapper for his enthusiastic owners.
It might have been an even better start to September had last month’s Warwick winner Forget the Way not fluffed his lines at the second last hurdle at Fontwell, but we have Esmerellda going up in trip at Chepstow tonight, while we have four runners tomorrow and a couple on Wednesday, and, with the sun shining again, there is an upbeat mood around the yard.
Mount Olympus is 2-3 since joining Alan, and, having won so well over a mile and a half at Leicester, he ought to be a player again at Goodwood tomorrow, provided he is not inconvenienced in the slight drop in distance.
Also in action on the famous Sussex Downs is Midnight Rumble, who makes his debut in the mile maiden. This Oasis Dream two-year-old, bought for 55,000gns at the Newmarket Guineas sale, hails from the same family as Irish Derby and King George winner Alamshar.
We also have a couple of jumpers heading off to Bangor the same afternoon, veteran chaser Fidux attempting to erase his disappointing run at Uttoxeter at the end of July, while he’ll be accompanied on his journey to the north west by Theonlywayiswessex, who ran well for a long way at that same Uttoxeter meeting on what was his first run since undergoing wind surgery.
On Wednesday we have Mayfair Gold having only her second run on turf in the fillies handicap at Bath, She has been running well on the all-weather and was arguably unlucky not to repeat her May success at Chelmsford, being yet another who was hampered by an outside draw when returning to that tight track three weeks ago.
Like Mayfair Gold, Palio has also found one too good in his last two races, being unlucky at Catterick to bump into a horse who won again in a better-class race at Nottingham next time. Palio has his first run on the all-weather at Kempton’s evening meeting.
