Good winners – but overlook the beaten horses at your peril

Goffs UK Spring Sales Bumper | (Class 2) | 4-5yo | 2m½f | RUK

Over the last ten years the list of horses to win Newbury's £50,000 Goffs UK Spring Sales Bumper makes impressive reading, but not as impressive as the list of those who were beaten in it.

While Diamond Harry, twice, Lidar, Montbazon and Gaitway have all been admirable winners, Riverside Theatre, Cucumber Run, My Tent Or Yours, Valdez, Splash Of Ginge, Glingerburn and Tea For Two have shown defeat in this is not a barrier to getting on in life.

It is a race Nicky Henderson may have only won once in that time but, given the good horses he's frustratingly unsaddled after it, his Ligny – who runs in the Jenkins colours – is worthy of special attention.

'He's a nice horse'

"I think he's a nice horse, but I'd have liked to have got a run into him as experience counts for a fair bit, although with wins you get penalties, so he has neither," said Henderson.

"We like him, but this is just the beginning of his racing life, so we'll see what happens."

Gary Moore saddles Larry, the choice of Jamie, and Right Old Touch, ridden by Josh, and he said: "Larry did nothing wrong when he won, although I don't know what he beat – it probably wasn't a great race.

"The other is a very nice horse. It's a big ask for him going there without a run, but he's done plenty at home and it's a good track to be running around for the first time."