Ratings Update: Hang on a Min, this lad looks the real deal!

Let’s start at Chepstow, where Mountainous won the rearranged Welsh Grand National on Saturday in typically testing conditions from the ‘fast-finishing’ Firebird Flyer. Both horses raised their games from their recent efforts, Mountainous going from 133 to 139 and Firebird Flyer from 134x to 138x, though it should be said that both have been rated higher in the past, the former winning the same race in 2013 (off 5 lb lower) of course. While Mountainous jumped well and clearly stays thoroughly, he did have everything in his favour for his latest win and it's unlikely that all will be so perfectly in place for him next time he runs, with the Grand National (fell heavily on previous attempt in race) his main target for the rest of the season apparently.

Adrien du Pont won the Grade 1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle on the same card, and he now has a ‘p’ attached to his rating of 134. Sporting a tongue tie for the first time (at least in this country), Adrien du Pont didn't need to improve upon his previous efforts (including when second to Sceau Royal at Cheltenham) and would likely have won by further than the two-and-a-quarter length winning margin over outsider Chic Name (‘+’ added to his 115 rating) but for flattening the third last, doing well to run down the runner-up from that point. Adrien du Pont seems versatile regards ground (has already won on good and heavy), will stay beyond two miles judging by how he saw this out, and remains capable of better, though whether he’s good enough to figure prominently in the Triumph Hurdle remains to be seen (currently 33/1 for that race).

Also at the meeting, Otago Trail raised his game and his rating (144p to 149p) further as he took his record over fences to two from three in the 19-furlong handicap, sauntering home 36 lengths clear of his nearest pursuer (only three of his six rivals completed). Otago Trail is a real mudlark it seems (raced solely on soft/heavy going over jumps) and he may even have a graded novice in him on similarly bottomless ground. The same stable's (Venetia Williams) Yala Enki was heavily backed for the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton on the same afternoon and showed much improved form (from 126 to 135) as he justified favouritism by two lengths from Westren Warrior (remains on 131), with Ibis du Rheu (nudged up 2 lb to 137) not far behind and clear of the remainder. This wasn't by any means a handicap with the depth expected at this level, but the fact that unexposed runners filled the first three placings suggest it’s form that can be viewed positively, even if, to an extent, the race was won at the start when Yala Enki pinched five lengths under 5-lb claimer Charlie Deutsch.

Others to mention from racing in Britain last weekend are Triolo d’Alene, who has had his rating put back to 157 (from 146+) following his wide-margin defeat of Wishfull Thinking (159§ from 163§) in a race in which the only other runner, Ptit Zig, lost his jockey for the second start running, and Kruzhlinn who has been raised 5 lb to 147 (and also lost his ‘§) following his winning start for the Philip Hobbs yard having left Donal McCain’s.

Over in Ireland, the most taking performance of the week came from Min (improved 10 lb to 147P) who emulated the same connections’ Vautour and Douvan by taking the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle at Punchestown. Min looks the real deal, even at this early stage (rated higher than Vautour was after his Moscow Flyer win), and it’s going to take a special horse to lower his colours any time soon.

Willie Mullins also sent out Gigginstown-owned pair Measureofmydreams (133p) and Mckinley (132p) to win over fences, the former doing so at the first time of asking, while Marlbrook (134p) from the Colm Murphy stable is another young chaser to keep on side.

Diamond King (140+), another horse who has not been with his current trainer (Gordon Elliott) long having left Donald McCain, successfully returned to 20 furlongs (and refitted with a tongue strap) in a minor event at Punchestown and could prove capable of winning a nice prize this spring, though that might have to come in his new homeland given the British handicapper was quite harsh on him when he was entered for the Ladbroke Hurdle recently (didn’t run). Nearly Nama’d has improved since being returned to two miles and produced a career-best effort (now rated 141) when winning the Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse by four and a half lengths from Mozoltov (gone from ? to a career-high 150), following up his success in a similar race over the same C&D. Nearly Nama’d should continue to run well and, given he’s owned by J. P. McManus, a Cheltenham Festival handicap is presumably on his agenda, with the Grand Annual now looking the obvious target.