Monday 7th October

rossom

4.40 Pontefract

Hurry Home Poppa 6/1

The very well bred Hurry Home Poppa ran an eye catching 3rd on stable debut for John Mackie on the back of a 9 month absence and I think he looks to be on favourable opening mark of 69 on his first foray into a handicap today. Picked up for €35,000 as a foal, this 3 year old is a full brother to Jim Bolger's excellent mare Banimpire who was a 5 times Group winner as a 3 year old and beaten a short head in the Irish Oaks and Hurry Home Poppa is certainly bred to be better than his initial rating. Hurry Home Poppa started off his career with Tom Dascombe last December with an ok debut run over 7f at Lingfield on the AW and his 2nd career start came at the same venue upped to a mile in a Novice event and although that was a very decent contest (front 3 rated 95+) he was still a little disappointing as he finished tailed off in last place. For one reason or another, owner David Ward decided a change of scenery was needed and he moved Hurry Home Poppa to Jamie Mackie's yard. Hurry Home Poppa made his 3 year old debut for Mackie about a month ago and it was undoubtedly his best start to date as he finished a very decent 3rd at Beverley upped to 10f. Under todays jockey Dale Swift, Hurry Home Poppa sat in mid division on the fence throughout the contest and about the 4f pole he got slightly outpaced and was about 7-8L off the eventual first 2 home who were prominent throughout. Under a drive from Swift, Hurry Home Poppa was given two stern smacks of the whip between the 3 and 2 poles before really starting and there was certainly a response forthcoming from this gelding as he seemed to really get the hang of things as he stayed on strongly under a hands ride to finish a never nearer 2.75L beaten 3rd. Dale Swift certainly didn't give him an excessively hard time and I think he'll have learnt a lot for the run and come on fitness wise as it was his first run for 262 days.

The winner My History looks a useful prospect and was very well backed (8/13) to score at the 2nd time of asking whilst the runner up Response is the model of consistency having finished in the money all 6 starts with an official rating of 75 and given he is a very solid yardstick it certainly makes Hurry Home Poppa's mark of 69 look workable judged on that run and I definitely feel he'll have come on both mentally and physically for the run. For this handicap debut, Hurry Home Poppa is upped to 12f for the first time which looks certain to suit both on breeding and his last run and he's well berthed in stall 4 which is important at Pontefract's sharp and testing track. In addition to being bred for this sort of trip, Hurry Home Poppa's pedigree certainly suggests he'll get better with age and his full sister Banimpire and half brother Dream On Buddy would certainly confirm that and I think he could have a good handicap career ahead of him. Although John Mackie is winnerless on the flat since May which is a bit of a concern, he's had a couple of winners over jumps in the past couple of weeks and I'm definitely he can translate that good form to the flat today. Dale Swift, who is 1-6 for the yard, retains his partnership with this gelding and this represents his only ride at a track he rides particularly well and where the trainer has had a couple of winners in the past. Looking at the make up of the race, there looks set to be a fair bit of pace which should definitely suit Hurry Home Poppa and hopefully he can grab a nice mid division sit on the rail from his good low draw. Clearly looking to have come on quite a bit now a 3 year old, I thought there was an awful lot to like about his first run for John Mackie and if stripping fitter for the run and improving for the step up in trip I think he's got an excellent chance of making a winning handicap debut off a mark of 69 on what will hopefully be the start of a successful handicapping career.

pudzy

terrible run