Can’t Buy Time

Rarely have so many horses caught the eye in a running of the four mile National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham's Festival meeting, and of them all, arguably the most intriguing is Can't Buy Time. Racing in the familiar colours of J.P.McManus (everyone's familiar with them, but no-one's quite sure what they actually are; Green and Gold? Orange? Yellow? Does it really matter?), Can't Buy Time seemed to carry plenty of his owner's confidence as he was sent off 4/1 Favourite in a field of nineteen; that he was a deserving "jolly" couldn't be denied in light of his bloodless handicap win at Sandown on his previous start. In a field containing two Bet365 Gold Cup winners, a Racing Post Chase winner and various others of high merit, Can't Buy Time never left the bridle and won with almost embarrassing ease. In the race itself, he travelled well held up and again jumped with assurance before finding his stamina ebbing away between the last two fences, eventually finishing fourth behind Tricky Trickster. It was perhaps a little ambitious to aim for the Grand National with such an inexperienced horse (no novice has won the Aintree marathon since Mr What in 1958), and Can't Buy Time should be forgiven his failure to complete the course, although hopefully that experience won't be lost on him. A drop to a more conventional trip will not go astray and Can't Buy Time will surely land a decent prize before once again having his sights set on a Grand National bid. His best form so far is away from a soft surface and he may be best saved for a spring campaign.