Neil Morrice highlights four dark horses to keep an eye on in the UK in the coming weeks. This week Neil shines the light on Henry Daly's LIME DROP, SUPER SIX from the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard, VADREAM who could score on the all-weather and MMA Ramostwe who could improve on her second run.
VADREAM Lingfield Park, February 4th
VADREAM attracted support down to 7/2 for this Listed sprint in which Ryan Moore was on her back for the first time. Most of her races last year were in Pattern company, and this was the first time she’d run on an all-weather surface since her debut at Newcastle in November 2020. Her supporters knew their fate after she not only missed the start but took a bump and was then very free. Moore had no alternative but to try to get in amongst horses in the short home straight, but was greeted by a brick wall and had to ease his mount and let her come home in her own time towards the finish. Beaten a total of five lengths, it might be worth giving Vadream another chance should her trainer elect to go for a big AW prize back at Lingfield before a return to turf.
LIME DROP Exeter, February 1st
A prolific winner in handicap hurdles last season, LIME DROP was very easy to back on her first outing of the year but raced with enthusiasm under her customary hold-up tactics. She needed a good deal of luck granted the course she trod with a wall of horses in front of her in the straight. Her pilot’s attempt to switch her left at the final flight proved too little too late, and she was more than 11 lengths adrift of the winner Gingerbred at the finish. A drop in the ratings will do this mare no harm, and it would come as no surprise to see her back in the winner’s circle before long. This run was not as bad as it looks on paper.
SUPER SIX Hereford, January 30th
Connections of SUPER SIX might easily look upon the grey as one that got away in this novices’ limited handicap chase. Certainly not unwanted in the betting market, he showed the benefit of a recent wind operation by travelling and jumping well until trying to go back to the stables and surrendering the lead passing the stands. His pilot soon had him back to the head of affairs after the fall of Bill Baxter, but although in control at the second-last Super Six hung left approaching the final fence, ballooned the obstacle and weakened into third. Hindsight is a funny thing, but without those incidents combining to hamper his cause, Super Six would surely have won.
MMA RAMOTSWE Southwell, January 21st
If seeing is believing it would seem nonsensical for MMA RAMOTSWE to figure as a possible future winner granted the fact she was beaten a distance on debut, in spite of starting a 3/1 second favourite for this fillies’ maiden. She proved as cool as a cucumber in the preliminaries, but when asked to take closer order early in the straight went up and down on the spot. Over the years I’ve seen newcomers from the Channon stable look clueless on debut but then leave their running way behind next time. It wouldn’t surprise me if the same rings true with MMA Ramotswe.
