A look ahead to what could be Ryedale's magnificent seven (From Gazette & Herald)

A look ahead to what could be Ryedale's magnificent seven

The time for looking back is passed. The start of 2006 sees a whole new year stretched out ahead of us and, with the prospect of a bumper period for Ryedale racing, a whole host of winners are waiting to happen.

With the jumps season roughly half-way through, there is plenty still to look forward to, making it timely to try and pinpoint a handful of Ryedale horses set to pay their way from now until the clocks change and the Flat campaign begins to shift back to centre stage.

I've picked seven local performers to follow. A magnificent seven? Perhaps not, but a bunch of horses who, nonetheless, should add their names to Ryedale's roll of honour in 2006.

Blue Buster (Mick Easterby)

There is no doubt that Blue Buster is a promising sort. Having proved himself to be pretty smart last season in bumpers - Flat races for National Hunt horses - the Sheriff Hutton gelding has run twice over hurdles this term and has acquitted himself well on both occasions.

A good third on his reappearance at Kelso early last month, running over a distance marginally more than two miles, the six-year-old then turned out over a longer trip at Market Rasen on Boxing Day and was widely considered by punters to hold the sort of claims that helps to pay the Christmas expenses.

Sent off the 11-4 favourite, he duly beat his main market rivals, but came up short against a 20-1 winner and had to be content with second place.

While that defeat was a tad disappointing, Blue Buster remains one to keep on the right side.

He will jump fences one day, but there are races to be won with him over hurdles in the meantime and it will come as a surprise if he fails to make his mark this season.

Classic Capers (Malcolm Jefferson)

Although Clasic Capers was a winner over hurdles last season, Malcolm Jefferson always felt he was a horse who wouldn't really come into his own until he was faced with the major obstacles. His opinion has already been justified.

At Doncaster last month, Classic Capers got off the mark over fences in a beginners' chase at Doncaster, winning in the sort of gritty style which will surely stand him in excellent stead throughout his career.

Off the bridle a fair way from home, he gradually warmed to his task and, jumping soundly, worked his way into the race before sticking to his guns in determined fashion in the home straight to get the better of New Alco - the pair finishing clear of the remainder.

That form has already worked out well with New Alco, held in high regard by his trainer, Ferdy Murphy, franking the form with a win at Sedgefield's Boxing Day fixture.

Classic Capers has since been stepped up to three miles at Fakenham, where he ran a sound race to finish third. He is a horse going the right way, who should continue to pay to follow.

Cloudless Dawn (Peter Beaumont)

Peter Beaumont tends to specialise in slow-maturing horses, who get better with age and Cloudless Dawn is currently fitting very much into that tried-and-trusted pigeon-hole.

Having shown ability last season in bumpers, Cloudless Dawn came good in style over hurdles at Doncaster in late November, winning by 10 lengths under Russ Garritty.

Cloudless Dawn returned to Town Moor last month to bid for a double and although she came unstuck, she ran a fine race in defeat, going down by a length to the impressively-bred Napolean after the pair had the race to themselves from the final flight.

A grand mare, who has clearly come into her own this season, Cloudless Dawn looks the type to excel over fences in due course, but she should continue to pay her way over hurdles and looks a nice prospect for Foulrice Farm.

Crow Wood (John Quinn)

An admirable performer on the Flat, Crow Wood provided John Quinn with the thrill of winning a handicap at Epsom on Derby Day in 2005 before going on to acquit himself wonderfully well with placed efforts at Royal Ascot at York and in the John Smith's Cup on the same course.

It is not every above-average Flat horse who makes a successful transition to hurdling, but Crow Wood has crossed that great divide this winter, winning easily at Uttoxter on his jumping debut and being a desperately unlucky loser of his next race at Haydock.

Subsequently, he was stepped up in class and ran a cracking race to finish fourth in a hot novices' hurdle at Cheltenham.

Crow Wood has since had a well-deserved break, but he is now back in full training and is due to run in handicap company at Musselburgh in about a month's time.

His main target, however, is the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, which could then be followed by a trip to Aintree for a valuable novices' assignment at the Grand National meeting. Exciting times lay ahead for this high-class, and thoroughly versatile horse.

Pay Attention (Tim Easterby)

Having proved herself no more than an average performer on the Flat, Pay Attention proved a revelation over hurdles last season, winning no fewer than four races for her owners, Ryedale Partners.

That impressive rate of success obviously comes at a price; a handicap mark which is hardly conducive to making for an easy life, at least in the short term.

Consequently, Pay Attention has found things tougher this season, but there has been plenty to like about her two efforts to date, a fourth-placed comeback outing at Wetherby, and a rock-solid runner-up performance at Carlisle.

Only a five-year-old, Pay Attention has the ability to resume winning ways in the not-too-distant future and add to her consistent record as a hurdler.

Saif Sareea (Richard Fahey)

When a group of racing enthusiasts, attached to the Timeform organisation in Halifax, claimed Saif Sareea out of a selling hurdle last May, and asked Richard Fahey to be the new trainer of their cheaply-acquired new recruit, few can have thought that the story was set to run and run. But it surely has.

Saif Sareea has thrived in Ryedale and won two races on the Flat for Fahey and his Ipso Facto syndicate of owners.

He has since carried on the excellent work over hurdles, with a brace of successes at Musselburgh, the latest coming in an £11,00 race.

The runner-up on that occasion, Motive, trained by Howard Johnson, franked the value of the form with a victory at Catterick on New Year's Day.

Saif Sareea was, unfortunately, denied the chance of a bid at a bumper prize back at Musselburgh, just before Christmas when a scheduled meeting, featuring his £20,000 handicap target, was lost to the weather.

No matter.

The idea is to return to the East Lothian course in a couple of weeks time in an attempt to add another notch to the this rags-to-riches tale.

A shrewd purchase at just £6,000, Saif Sareea is not finished repaying his owners yet, by any means.

Simply Mystic (Peter Niven)

Although she has yet to make the frame in two outings so far this term, Simply Mystic is expected to reward followers in the weeks and months ahead.

Peter Niven's home-bred mare broke her duck over hurdles at Huntingdon last season in a deserved win after a series of consistent efforts over timber and, previously, in bumpers.

She has yet to get her head in front this term, but there is surely better to come. Entitled to need her comeback outing at Leicester at the end of November, she has since finished sixth at Doncaster and although beaten by a fair way, was far from disgraced.

It would be unwise to dismiss Simply Mystic just yet, and, now approaching a reasonable handicap mark, she could well pop up one of these days at a nice price.

Yorkshire's 2006 campaign landed on New Year's Day with a little piece of history being made at Catterick.

It was the course's first-ever Sunday meeting.

Graham Lee, who has strong connections with Ryedale, was the jockey to follow.

He rode three winners on Zeitgeist, Turnstile and Motive, all trained in County Durham by Howard Johnson for owners, Graham and Andrea Wylie.

At Southwell on the same afternoon, Mick Easterby began the New Year in style with a 7-1 success, courtesy of Gentleman's Deal, who romped home with three lengths to spare in the hands of Dale Gibson.

Formerly trained in Newmarket by Ed Dunlop, Gentleman's Deal is an impeccably-bred five-year-old.

He was making his first appearance for Easterby since the Sheriff Hutton trainer purchased him at Newmarket Sales last October.

Norton trainer Robert Gray was also on the mark at Southwell with the Hayley Turner-ridden Owed.

York-based Robert Winston made his presence firmly felt on the card by completing a double on Spitting Image and Blue Empire.

Updated: 10:42 Wednesday, January 04, 2006