4:50 – Generation Gap 6/1
Generation Gap wasn’t unfancied (12/1) for a more competitive race at Warwick on Monday (won by our selection, Outinpatrol) He was withdrawn on account of the ground but in reality I suspect that connections realised that they had an easier race to go for once the declarations came out.
A good ground point-to-point winner back in May 2018, he ran in some competitive novice hurdles in the 18/19 season, shaping with promise in a couple of starts at big prices but he very much looked a work on progress. As such, it was no surprise to see him put away for the season after 3 runs in 53 days.
He made a hugely encouraging reappearance at Chepstow, finishing 3rd behind two high class prospects: Silver Hallmark (1st) and McFabulous (2nd), the latter of whom won the EBF final and is now rated 145. Generation Gap travelled nicely and while he was never on terms with the leading duo, he stayed on nicely over the 2-mile trip in what was a slowly run race. The 4th-6th are now rated 120, 124 and 114 respectively, so it was a fair race.
Following that run, he was sent off a 5/1 for his handicap debut off a mark of 117 over an extended 2m3f. He travelled superbly throughout, trading at a low of 2.5 in running. However, he failed to find anything once asked for an effort but that’s likely down to the soft/heavy ground; he was ridden wide throughout in search of quicker ground and his action indicates that he’ll be better on a sound surface. His sire, Olden Times, is more known as a flat sire but his progeny tend to prefer a sound surface. His two must notable jumps offspring, Amilliontimes and Rocket Lad both support that point. Still, he shaped better than the bare result and the winner (Thomas Macdonagh) won again NTO on heavy ground.
He was well beaten on his most recent outing but once again the heavy ground wouldn’t have suited and neither would the drop in trip. As such, I’m happy to put a line through that.
The step back up in trip and the return to a sound surface are both significant positives and based on his first 2 runs of last season, a mark of 117 does not look beyond him.
The yard had hit a bit of a rough patch but bounced back with a couple of winners at Warwick on the 22nd. It looks like the stable have targeted this two day meeting at Perth; they’ve only had 11 runners at the track in 5 days but they’re due to 7 runners in the next 2 days.
overandclear.com 