Oumeyade

New connections (part owner Jim Lewis caused a stir by moving him from Hen Knight to champion trainer Paul Nicholls) made hay early with the talented Oumeyade, exploiting a lowly chase mark of 100 after the obligatory Ditcheat breathing op and improving the horse by an official fifty-two pounds by the time he lined up for the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton's King George meeting. He started odds on to win that day but was eclipsed by the giant Original and then went missing until trailing the field in Sandown's Celebration Chase in April. There's no doubt that he has improved hugely, but the official figures are decidedly misleading. He looked flattered by his margin of victory when dominating from flagfall at Kempton in October and the mark he carried into that race (137) is more indicative of his merit. He was dropped two pounds for his Sandown drubbing, and it seems the handicapper is going to have to relent some more before Oumeyade can be competitive. He starts the season in new surroundings again having been bought by Donald McCain for owner Tim Leslie and may make his debut in the Prelude Chase at Market Rasen on Saturday where he would carry top weight.