The winter jumping season is once again approaching, and we will have many familiar old faces returning, as well as several new ones making their debuts. Over the coming days and weeks I will be providing detailed essays on some of our horses that will hopefully be in the winners enclosure very shortly.
WHO'S THE GUV'NOR. 30 April 2014. Gold Well-Clamit Brook. Owner-Mr & Mrs I P Earnshaw.
Both the sire and the dam of Who's The Guv'Nor were both unraced. He is by Gold Well, who is a full brother to Montjeu, from the family of Sadlers Wells, a good source of national hunt horses, while his dam is by Alderbrook. The dam has had one other racecourse representative, the very promising Brooklyn Glory who is currently in training with Willie Mullins, and won her first two bumpers in September, and November of last year, before finishing a seven lengths fourth at Leopardstown in Grade 2 company in February 2021.
Who's The Guv'Nor made his racecourse debut in May 2018 in a bumper at Market Rasen, under Finn O'Toole, finishing an encouraging sixth of the 10 runners beaten by 10 lengths.It was 10 months until we saw him again in March 2019, in a Sedgefield bumper, but he failed to build on his debut when trailing in last of the six runners, and it was decided he needed wind surgery.After a further nine months off the track he had his final run in a bumper at Haydock, but once came home in last place.
Fast forward a further 10 months to October 2020, and Who's The Guv'Nor made his hurdles debut, in a first time tongue tie at Wetherby, pulling up before three out. Three weeks later at Catterick, he came home in his own time, beaten by 54 lengths. At Newcastle in December, and stepping up to two miles and six furlongs for the first time, brought around no improvement, as once again he pulled up.
Who's The Guv'Nor had to have a fourth start in novice hurdle company as he hadn't shown enough to receive a handicap mark.Coming back down in trip to two miles and one furlong at Carlisle in March 2021, he finally showed some of the ability he had first shown on his bumper debut. The winner was the very useful Royal Arcade who won with any amount in hand, but Who's The Guv'Nor, who admittedly beat very little, in finishing second, looked like there was plenty more to come. After a two months break he returned at Market Rasen, this time stepping up to two and a half miles, where once again he filled the runners up spot, but this time only a head behind the winner, this was a much improved effort, forcing the handicapper to raise his mark from 94 to 111. He was back at Market Rasen a month later for a similar looking maiden hurdle, but for whatever reason he failed to perform, trailing in a disappointing seventh of the eight runners.
After a near 11 weeks break Who's The Guv'Nor returned at Hexham over two miles, a trip which is probably on the sharp side. He was doing his best work late on, and although it didn't match his Market Rasen second it was a pleasing run, that saw him finish in third place. TO BE CONTINUED.
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