Backspin Racehorse Profile
The Grade 1 Supreme Novices Hurdle is the traditional curtain raiser for the Cheltenham Festival. It’s also the perfect platform for an outside bet to cause an immediate upset.
Backspin's Owner and Trainer
Backspin is a horse that is not seeing the attention warranted with Cue Card, Zaidpour and Hidden Universe all more heavily fancied. However, this Chestnut Gelding has a one hundred per cent win rate and at 14/1 is a very attractive bet to win or to place each way.
The horse is owned by Mr. John P McManus, trained by Jonjo O’Neill and regularly ridden by Tony McCoy. Backspin has raced just three times; twice over 17 furlongs and once over 21 furlongs in field of 8 to 25 runners.
Backspin's Track record
Backspin’s debut came over two miles at Punchestown last April when the horse was considered an unknown commodity and a rank outsider. On that occasion the field was huge at 25 and the horse’s weight was as high as it has ever been at a dead 12.
John McNamara was Backspin’s jockey for its first ever race and it quickly became clear the horse was best suited to being held up. Backspin was seventh in the field until the final few furlongs and only led the race in the final furlong.
Backspin’s second race came at Bangor last month when Tony McCoy took the saddle and change the running style slightly. The field remained big at 16 runners but McCoy pushed Backspin towards the front of the pack for the majority of the race.
Backspin led from two furlongs out after negotiating a path to the front and held well for a three length victory. The horse is still not suited to leading a race from start to finish but the result at Bangor showed McCoy is capable of getting Backspin to hold off late challenges.
The horse’s last race came at Newbury at the end of December. The field was the smallest Backspin has raced in at 8 runners. It was also over the longest distance the horse has raced at 21 furlongs.
On this occasions Backspin’s stamina was too strong for the rest of the field. The horse won by eight lengths after McCoy pushed for the front and the remaining runners just couldn’t keep up.
Backspin is scheduled to race at Cheltenham over two miles and four furlongs at the end of January. McCoy has been booked for the race and it will be the strongest indication of the shape the horse is in for the Supreme Novice’s Hurdle.
Backspin's Qualities
Backspin’s main strengths are a brilliant stamina and the ability to stay on after making a challenge. It doesn’t seem to matter if the horse is sitting near the front or in the middle of the pack because a strong late challenge is always guaranteed.
Backspin’s weakness is ironically the horse’s eagerness. However, McCoy has enough experience to make sure the pace isn’t too fast for Backspin. This Irish six-year-old has to be the perfect each way bet for the Cheltenham Festival opener.