Nube Negra to Gain Compensation for Unlucky Fall Last Time

When in contention to win his last race, Nube Negra was brought down by a horse falling in front of him. Today he looks to have a great chance of gaining compensation for that fall, as he continues to look incredibly well handicapped.

Going into the Cheltenham Festival of 2018, trainer Dan Skelton labelled this horse as one of his best handicapped horses and one that was one of his best chances of a winner at that festival. I was at Doncaster when he won the time before, and the manner of his victory was effortless, so it was no surprise to see Skelton making those comments before the festival.

He went to the Fred Winter, and ran a great race to finish third in what looked a typically hot renewal of the contest. He rounded his season off with a fifth in a Grade One at Aintree, stretching him a little too much as he is not quite at that level. He came back this season and finished midfield in the Greatwood Handicap, a race that happened a bit too quickly for him. He is still only young, and that was probably a little too much for him to take in at this stage in his career.

Then he went to Taunton, where he was brought down with every chance of winning the race. That brings us to today, with him on a handicap mark of 134, which is one pound lower than the 135 in which he ran off at the festival last year, when Skelton labelled him as one of the best handicapped horses in the yard.

Things have not gone straight forward for him since then it is fair to say, but it is hard to find anything that the horse has done wrong himself. He was put into two very good races after Cheltenham and then in his last race it was interference from other horses that brought him down. If you are happy to forgive all of that, then there is no doubt that this horse is incredibly well handicapped here, and he looks to have a great chance of finally picking up a win that he has been waiting for.

This horse still has the chance to go to the top and is only a five year old. He could do with a confidence boosting win though, and that is exactly what I think he is going to get here.