Four Standout Performers - 18/10/2018

It’s been a relatively quiet day across Britain and Ireland action-wise, with some jumps action at Carlisle and Uttoxeter plus from flat action too. Here’s the four standout performers form today’s action.

Nigel Twiston-Davies sent a strong battalion up to the Cumbria venue, and was duly rewarded courtesy of a victory from the smart Al Dancer.

The five-year-old finished fourth in the Grade Two bumper at Aintree, and made the perfect start to his hurdling career with a promising victory in division two of the Smarkets Novices’ Hurdle.

He wasn’t fluent at some of the hurdles, but his class told in the end. His trainer has been known to be a dab hand with novice hurdler’s, and he could be a good prospect to follow throughout the season.

It may be early to have seen some of the very best juvenile hurdlers, but French import Idilico looks to be a shrewd buy on the basis of his victory in the Moorland Racing Juvenile Hurdle.

Trained by Ian Williams, he didn’t make any drastic errors until the final flight, which he belted out of the ground, yet he still managed to win by a handy six lengths.

His jumping can hopefully get better, and if it does, he could sweep up some handy juvenile prizes early on this season.

Once one of the favourites for the Champion Bumper, it’s been a fall from grace for Aspen Colorado, but he showed some his previous sparkle when winning the Class Four Handicap Hurdle.

Switched across the Irish sea from Joseph O’Brien to Jonjo O'Neill, Aspen Colorado showed his lazy tendencies, but under a masterful ride from Aidan Coleman he stayed on well to register a 33/1 shock.

It’s almost a near-certainty that he won’t scale the heights he promised, but Aspen Colorado has to be classed as a standout performer here with his major shock.

It’s been a season of frustration for Owen Burrows, who has lacked a performer like Massaat this season, but his frustrations were put to one side here as Zaajer hung on gamely to finally break his maiden duck.

He has showed signs of promise since being gelded, but he has been a hard horse to place all season. Yet, the three-year-old showed grit and determination when denying Rampant Lion.

He won’t be a superstar, but it was a gutsy success, and hopefully he can improve from this.