In our first start of the year.
Sherminator bounced back from a fall at Cheltenham to score in a novice hurdle at Ludlow Racecourse Wednesday. Trained by Harry Fry and ridden by Bryan Carver, the German-bred 5-year-old settled well, jumped well, scythed through the inside, powered over the third-to-last, the second-to-last, popped the last and held off a determined rally from the runner-up.
What they’re saying now…
Racing Post: In touch with leaders, led 3 out, pushed along 2 out, faced challenge and not fluent last, ridden run-in, ran on (op 9/4 tched 11/5).
SHERMINATOR didn’t have any penalties to carry, and is still eligible as a novice, as his two wins last season came in junior National Hunt hurdles. A faller behind Old Park Star last time, he stuck his neck out well to hold off the runner-up and can win more races, perhaps on a faster surface.
RPR assessment: The front pair are probably on the upgrade plus the fourth and fifth, though the third performed below the level of recent runs over further.
Harry Fry: “That was great. Get some confidence in him and we can look forward to a spring campaign. He seemed to take the race well initially, didn’t blow too much. We’ll see how he pulls out in the morning. We were chatting, thinking Morebattle or Imperial Cup but that possibly is too big a step just yet. There’s a nice race, potentially, at Newbury, with a view to step him up gradually and maybe look at Aintree for the National meeting. There are some options. He showed a good attitude. All around, that was really good.”
Bryan Carver: “Very good. He was much happier today. It was probably much easier watching than Cheltenham. He wasn’t as keen on the way to the start, he jumped off and relaxed straightaway, which he never did at Cheltenham until we went down the backstraight, and I went that day from being keen to not traveling at all. Whereas today I was very, very happy everywhere.
“He’s traveled really, really well. What impressed me is we’ve turned in and we have quickened up. We haven’t gone an overly quick gallop, we turned in and he has sprinted over the last few. His speed is his biggest attribute. He was long three out and he’s actually done very, very well because we were in tight at the last. I didn’t want to go after him for anything stupid so I thought we would just pop the last. To be fair to him, he hasn’t landed with loads of momentum, but he showed a brilliant attitude because as soon as he landed he accelerated away again and to be fair once the horse got to me there, he was never letting it go by.
“A brilliant attitude, jumped much better but he was happier horse from the word go. Not many horses can show a turn of foot like that on that sort of ground, so I think that’s the most impressive part. Onwards and upwards from here.”
Sherminator improved his hurdle record to 3-for-4. We’ll look at options at the end of the month, possibly a handicap hurdle at Newbury. Plenty of time and plenty of potential.
Riverdee has now won 12 races in Great Britain.
