STRIKE WEST

STRIKE WEST 20 February 2012 Westerner-Fuel Queen Owner-The Multi Taskers

Strike West made his debut on the sixth March, 2016 in a four runner bumper at Sedgefield, finishing a well beaten second of four, running very green to say the least. He obviously needed a lot of time, and he took in two more bumpers, finishing down the field at Carlisle, and at Sedgefield again.

It was an uphill struggle when he first went hurdling in February 2017, he was eventually given a stiff looking handicap mark of 103 after his forth Novice hurdle run at Hexham, when finally showing a little more, being beaten fourteen lengths in to forth place.

He made his handicap debut at Wetherby on Boxing Day, when there was some confidence behind him, he went off at 10/1, but he never got any further than the 2nd hurdle, unseating Hugo Thompson Brown, who had just won the previous race on Only Orsenfoolies. He was back at Wetherby in January over two miles again, and he appeared to run his race, going down by eleven lengths, probably needing respite from the handicapper. There were two more runs over the minimum trip, before a step up to two miles and four furlongs at Carlisle, in the conditionals race where he finally got off the mark under Harry Reed, from a reduced mark of 94.

That was his last run until December, when finishing third, a race which put him spot on for Boxing Day at Sedgefield, where, when still in with a chance, he was badly hampered at the 2nd last, and was eased.He returned at Carlisle in March 2019, finishing second, and looking like a step up in trip was now what was needed. A fortnight later at Sedgefield over the stamina sapping three miles and three furlongs, he once again finished runner up. He was then off the track until October, and on returning struggled in his next three races.On December 30th he went to Haydock over the extended three miles, and looked all over the winner, until the David Pipe trained Buster Edwards, robbed him right on the line. He returned to Sedgefield over the three miles and three furlongs, going down by seven lengths, he may not have seen the trip out fully, but on his latest run at Catterick over the extended three miles and one furlong, he saw his race out well, winning by a head, in the hands of Becky Smith.

Strike West has spent the whole of his racing career at Oakwood Stables, and this late developer still has his best days in front of him.