Month: November 2010

There is an interesting novice chase at Hexham tomorrow with a number of promising types running in the 1.40.

Best Lover missed the whole of last season but has won over hurdles at Hexham. On the credit side the stable are in excellent form but against that Best Lovers hurdles win came on good to firm ground. His trainer reports that he is an exceptional jumper. Bygones of Brid won 3 times over hurdles last season and has the look of a chaser. He is a tough sort and has winning form on heavy ground.

Glenwood Knight is rather a fragile individual but has plenty of ability and has a great pedigree being out of a half sister to Grand National winner Papillion. He was second at Haydock in April over the fixed brush hurdles which indicates that he will handle the ground and that he should have the aptitude for fences. Lord Villez was still a maiden after 20 races in France but has already won 2 of his 3 starts since coming to the UK. His wins came over hurdles at Newcastle and Sedgefield on soft and heavy ground. Graham Lee rides Bygones of Brid in preference to Lord Villez which may be significant. I think that this could be between Bygones of Brid and Glenwood Knight.

Locked Inthepocket is yet to win a race but he has run some decent races and his pedigree indicates that he should improve with time. He was 6^th over two miles on his seasonal reappearance at Carlisle last month but should improve both for the run and the extra distance in the Hexham 3.10.

 

Dansilver 1.00 at Fakenham

 

Today

Last season’s Supreme Novice Hurdle winner Menorah maintained his unbeaten record at Cheltenham by defying top weight to take the Greatwood Hurdle. It was a gutsy performance to hold off the challenge of Brian Ellison’s Bothy and the winner was given a fine ride by Richard Johnson. Menorah’s trainer Philip Hobbs won the Greatwood a few years back with the grey Rooster Booster who of course went on to win the Champion Hurdle. Menorah has certainly shown that he acts on the track at Prestbury Park. My selection Manyriverstocross ran well in third and perhaps needs a longer trip.

David Pipe’s Grand Crus won the Intermediate Hurdle over two miles five. A fine jumper he will be aimed at the brush hurdle handicap at Haydock next week over three miles. Set to carry a six pounds penalty, he will relish the step up in trip and will be hard to beat provided this race hasn’t left its mark. Either way, he is an excellent prospect for chasing.

Tomorrow

After the excitement of the Cheltenham Paddy Power meeting we are back to more mundane stuff tomorrow with jumping at Leicester and Plumpton.

My nap at Leicester is in the 2.20 where I hope that William’s Wishes can follow up on his recent success at Ludlow. He is a horse going the right way and should get the good ground that he needs.

I also have one tip at Plumpton where I fancy Neil Mulholland’s Ban Uisce in the 3.00. He won twice last season, both in conditional jockey’s handicap hurdles, at Folkestone and Taunton. He still looks on a decent mark and will again be ridden by Mark Quinlan who clearly gets on well with him and can claim 7 lbs.

And a big race coming up!

We are under 2 weeks away from the Hennesssy Gold Cup so I thought it would be a good time to look back at some earlier runnings of this prestigious handicap.

It was first run in 1957 at Cheltenham and the race was won by Mandarin who beat the then reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Linwell. Mandarin went on to even greater success but I will save that story for a future article!

The race moved to its current home at Newbury in 1960 when the favourite and top weight was the Irish challenger Zonda ridden by Pat Taaffe. Zonda had won the Irish Grand National in 1959 and finished 3^rd in that race in 1960 as well as finishing 3^rd in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the class horse in the race but had to carry 12 stone.

The form horse was Knucklecracker both trained and ridden by Derek Ancil. The horse had already notched up 3 wins in 3 mile chases that season. There were 3 other notable runners. Oxo had won the 1959 Grand National and had returned to Aintree prior to the Hennessy to finish 3^rd in the Grand Sefton. He has also finished 3^rd to Mandarin in the 1959 King George. Winning Coin had finished the previous season with 3 straight wins and had started the new campaign by winning a 3 mile chase at Wincanton, while Plummer’s Plain had won the 1960 Whitbread Gold Cup.

Plummers Plain opened up a 12 length lead at one stage and had many of the field in trouble but his challenge faded and it was left to Zonda and Knucklecraker to fight it out. Knucklecracker pulled clear as his rival tired and claimed the prize. It is said that he drank a quart of stout as part of his daily diet, the horse that is not the trainer! Perhaps the Mackeson would have been a more apt race for him.

There was a strong field for the 1973 renewal with 3 former winners lining up – Charlie Potheen, Spanish Steps and Bighorn. Charlie Potheen started 9/2 favourite having also won the Great Yorkshire Chase, the Whitbread Gold Cup and finished 3in in the Cheltenham Gold Cup behind The Dikler and Pendil.

Grand National hero Red Rum was also well fancied as was Red Candle. The latter was best known as a 2.5 mile horse and was a past winner of the Mackeson.

Red Rum took the lead from Charlie Potheen at the 4^th last but in one of the most memorable finishes in the history of the race was just edged out on the run in by the tenacious Red Candle.

Fulke Walwyn had trained the first ever winner of the race, Mandarin and by 1981 had been the most successful trainer in the history of the race. That year he supplied the favourite in dual Whitbread winner Diamond Edge. The progressive Political Pop a winner of 6 chases and trained in the north by Michael Dickinson was expected to run well as were the 1980 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Master Smudge, the 1978 Hennessy winner Approaching and the 1981 Grand National 3^rd Royal Mail.

Diamond Edge jumped brilliantly apart from a mistake at the 3^rd last which briefly gave his rivals hope but he recovered to clinch victory with a tremendous jump at the last to beat Political Pop by half a length.

I will look back at a few more memorable renewals of the great race next week.

Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artist Katy Sodeau.

Bye for now.

It wasn’t a fantastic day for me on the tipping front but I did highlight a couple of winners in last night’s preview.

Moving swiftly on to tomorrow’s action the 1.10 is a hot novice chase despite the small field. Captain Chris was the highest rated of these over hurdles and is a horse with a lot of ability but on this occasion he may have to give best to the more experienced Loosen My Load. The Irish challenger jumps well and won at this meeting last season showing that he goes well at this track and at this time of year.

The 1.45 looks to be between Forpadytheplasterer and Tataniano with the former favoured by the weights. Tataniano does however have an excellent record first time out.

You could drum up a case for quite a few runners in the Greatwood Hurdle at 2.20. Manyriverstocross has been supported in the market over the last week and looks potentially well handicapped. He goes well fresh and seems to act on any ground.

Get Me Out of Here was a strong finishing second to Menorah, beaten a head in the Supreme Novices at the Festival while General Miller beat Menorah by a neck at Aintree and this trio have very solid form claims. Sanctuaire is a course and distance winner and is one for the short list. Bothy would prefer much softer ground so I will put a line through him. Olofi was only beaten a neck at Chepstow on his seasonal reappearance and could go well off a light weight. At these weights I fancy Manyriverstocross.

My short list for the 2.55 consists of Lush Life, Grand Crus and Westlin’ Winds. My selection would be Lush Life if the ground is on the good side or Grand Crus on a soft surface.

Yabora would come into the reckoning in the 3.30 given soft ground while Theatrical Star, a full brother to Aligralil is an interesting debutant in the bumper at 4.00.

Gary Moore does well with his handicap hurdlers and his Via Galilei could go well at Fontwell in the 2.00. The ground would be the worry as he does not have winning form in the soft. In the same race Sir Du Bearn is an interesting newcomer from France. Bubbly Bruce has some decent bumper form and looks the one to beat in the 3.40.

Noble Prince (1.05) and Solwhit (2.15) are my selections at Punchestown.

Today’s picture, of 2002 Greatwood Hurdle winner Rooster Booster, is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

 

Cheltenham stages the biggest race of the jumps season so far in the Paddy Power (once the Mackeson) Gold Cup at 2.35. The trends may help us here as 14 of the last 18 winners came from the first 3 in the betting and I feel that the race may be between the market leaders Great Endeavour and Long Run. Long Run came over from France with a big reputation and won his first two races in the UK until he was beaten in the RSA Chase. Great Endeavour won at the Cheltenham Festival last season is lightly raced and goes well fresh. Of the others Mad Max, Sunnyhill Boy and Door Boy are worth considering. Mad Max, a real giant of a horse, has had breathing problems but looked back to his best when winning at Aintree at the back end of last season. He has a formidable record first time out. Sunnyhill Boy was runner up to Great Endeavour at Cheltenham and at the weights is entitled to run his old rival pretty close. Door Boy has plenty of ability but has not really done himself justice so far. 2.5 miles could be his best trip and at 40/1 he could be overpriced. Long Run and Great Endeavour are my selections.

The 12.50 is tricky as there is not many form lines to go on but it may pay to side with Titan de Sarti a winner twice on the flat in the French provinces.

Wayward Prince is yet to finish out of the first two under rules and looks the one to beat in the 1.20. At a bigger price Cannington Brook may be worth considering. Although beaten into 3^rd place by Wayward Prince at Aintree last season he is well regarded by his trainer and looks the type to be better over fences.

Elsewhere on the Cheltenham card my two against the field in the 1.55 are Any Currency and Ballyfitz.

Moon Indigo was disappointing at Hexham but can make amends in the Wetherby 3.55.

At Uttoxeter conditions should favour Predictive in the 1.10 and the same stable can take the 2.10 via Realmont who had some top class form in France before suffering some serious injury and illness setbacks. In the 2.45 Ayemdee is a course winner and relishes soft ground. Black Noddy is well thought of by connections and is one to watch in the bumper at 3.50.

The pictures of former Paddy Power Gold Cup winners Exotic Dancer (top) and Our Vic, are by courtesy of the artists Sarah Clegg (Exotic Dancer) and Lisa Miller.

The new jumps season really gets underway over the next 3 days with the Paddy Power Festival at Cheltenham.

The grade 2 novice hurdle tomorrow at 1.50 features the unbeaten Cue Card last season’s Champion Bumper winner who seeks to maintain his 100% record. He seems to handle any ground and from what we have seen so far could well be something special. The main danger could be Dunraven Storm who finished well down the pack behind Cue Card at Cheltenham but has done little wrong otherwise winning twice in bumpers and twice over hurdles. All his wins have come on good ground.

The 2 I like in the 2.25 are De Boitron and Rivaliste, both running over what is probably their optimum trip. De Boitron is a course winner and seems on an upward curve but may just need the run. Rivaliste is only a 5 year old and is open to improvement. I would give him the edge here albeit narrowly.

Nicky Henderson does well with his handicap hurdlers and may supply the answer to the 3.35 with Aegean Dawn who was trained previously by the Alners. Henderson has won this race for the last two years and on both occasions the winner was ridden by a 3 lbs claimer as Aegean Dawn is here. One that could go well at a bigger price is Scampi Boy who should be all the better for his run over course and distance last month.

There are plenty of promising sorts in the novice chase at 4.05. One that I am going to rule out is Vino Griego. He didn’t impress with his jumping when well beaten at Kempton and while the longer trip here may help him he is best suited by plenty of give in the ground. The 3 to concentrate on seem to be Time for Rupert, Quantitiveeasing and Reve de Sivola. A tough call this as all 3 look outstanding prospects but I will side with Reve de Sivola who is one of my top horses to follow this season.

My only selection at Newcastle is Prioryjo in the 2.15.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

 

After a tardy start to the jumps season things took a turn for the better for me this afternoon thanks to Wymott (5/2) and Safran de Cotte (7/1), both winning at Bangor. The big shock of the day was at Huntingdon where Arkle favourite and 1/5 shot Medermit refused.

There is an interesting bumper at Ludlow tomorrow to round off the card at the Shropshire venue. As well ar runners from the Nicholls and Henderson yards I recommend you keep an eye on Forever Waining and Drumlang.

At Taunton Paul Nicholls should take the 2.10 with Dark Lover who has some bumper form and is related to several winners.

 

Tomorrow’s jumping cards come from Bangor-on-Dee and Huntingdon and they are also racing at Naas in Ireland.

Bangor stages a potentially informative novice chase (1.10) with several with decent hurdles form. Wymott, highly regarded by Donald MCCain won a grade 2 hurdle at Haydock in February beating Wayward Prince, himself a winner over fences this season already. Wymott handles the ground and will stay further than this trip in time. Alfie Sherrin won a good handicap hurdle at Newbury over and extended 3 miles last season when he was with Paul Nicholls. Now with Jonjo O’Neill he goes well fresh and is a serious contender here. Tarablaze has been off the track for the best aprt of two years with a leg injury but had won the same garde 2 hurdle at Wymott the season before. All 3 have points in their favour. Tarablaze was a winning pointer and therefore has competitive experience over fences while it is tempting to go for Alfie Sherrin who does well after a break but for my selection I will side with Wymott who has been schooled thoroughly over fences and has the class to do well in that sphere.

In the 1.40 I will stick with Rock Noir who comes here on the back of a win at Exeter and will handle the ground OK as he has winning form in France on very soft and heavy going.

Minella Boys is at his best when the mud is flying and at odds of around 8/1 looks fair value in the 2.10. He is a course winner and has won off his current mark.

Bonfire Knight has some fair flat form and should be suited by the tight track at Bangor in the 2.40. Very testing ground is a slight concern so any stakes here should be kept at a sensible level.

Safran de Cotte won bumpers at Market Rasen and Haydock last season and can make a winning hurdles bow in the 3.10. His Haydock win was on heavy ground.

I have Royal Chatelier in my notebook as one to follow this season as he looks to be on a fair handicap mark. He runs in the 3.40 and soft ground will not be a problem for him. I expected to see him running over a longer trip as he is related to stayers, including Impek. I just wonder if this is something of a prep race. Perhaps we should keep a watching brief tomorrow and catch him when running over a longer trip.

I don’t have any tips for Huntingdon but it will be interesting to see how Medermit goes in the 2.50. He has the potential to be a leading novice chaser.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Alison Wilson.

There are 3 jumps meetings tomorrow with the main interest probably at Exeter. In the opener there Emma Lavelle gives a Wincanton bumper winner a hurdles debut while Paul Nicholls has a former points winner making his hurdles bow. This is not really the sort of race I would consider a betting proposition.

Royal Charm is potentially one of the more exciting prospects in Paul Nicholls’ yard and he makes his first appearance over fences in the 2.50. He won twice over hurdles at Exeter last season and will be hard to beat if reproducing his hurdles form here.

 

The racing tomorrow is fairly low grade stuff but there are a couple of runners that you might like to consider, both at Carlisle.

In the 12.50 dual Irish points winner Russinrudi makes his hurdles debut. Reported to be one of the bigger horses in trainer he may well be suited by the track at Carlisle. The ground could be a concern as he has not encountered heavy going thus far.

The other one I would be a bit interested in is Prince de Beauchene. All his career wins so far have come on soft or heavy ground. The Paul Nicholls runner would be the obvious danger.