Only a short bulletin tonight as I am off to watch the mighty Macclesfield Town!
Exeter
1.20 Volcon Surprise first time in a handicap has possibilities.
1.50 Royal Charm should win this but will be a short price.
2.20 Molly Round could be one to benefit should the favourite falter.
Towcester
1.10 Close House
1.40 Lucky Landing
Gowran Park
12.35 Darroun looks the one to be on with Bat Masterton next best.
1.35 Make a Track
Bangor
1.45 Ballyclough has won a bumper and a maiden hurdle on good ground but his brother Crocodiles Rock handled plenty of give in the ground so conditions shouldn’t be a problem. Magnifique Etoile has also won a bumper and a maiden hurdle. Both horses have to shoulder penalties and there may be something lurking among the horses yet to win a race. The two winners set the standard though. If pushed to choose I would select Ballyclough as perhaps more likely to handle the ground.
2.20 The Paul Nicholls runner may well be too good for them but he will be a very short price. Devotion to Duty has an each way chance. He has won on soft ground and ran well when 6th over hurdles at Cheltenham last time.
Newbury
12.50 Minella Stars and Penny Max look the two to concentrate on. Both have had a run over fences and both finished 3rd. Minella Stars jumped the better of the pair and so gets the nod.
1.25 Ericht won two bumpers last season and finished 6th in the Champion race at Cheltenham. He was a decent 3rd in a Grade 2 novice hurdle back at Cheltenham last month. Montbazon has a similar profile. He is a bumper winner and was runner up in the Aintree Champion race. He was also 3rd on his hurdles bow at Cheltenham. I was quite impressed with Ericht on his hurdles bow and I would just favour him over Montbazon.
2.00 Dancing Emily and Gospel Preacher have each way chances at biggish odds.
2.35 Time for Rupert probably needs a confidence booster and this could well be it. He jumps well and should have too much class for his rivals.
Picture is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.
Catterick
1.20 There are a few decent prospects in this novice hurdle. Crackentorp has already got off the mark over timber beating Hawk Mountain at Market Rasen. Bourne is the other one I like. He was second in the Old Newton Cup on the flat.
2.50 Freddie Brown probably didn’t like the soft ground at Kelso last time and is worth another chance. Ibn Hiyyan showed improved form when 3rd at Uttoxeter and should be suited by this drop back to 2 miles.
Folkestone
1.10 A hurdles winner in France, Soir D’Estruval is well thought of by connections and could well make a winning chase debut here.
Turf trivia
Sawago, a runner in the 2.10 at Folkestone has been 7th 7 times in his 10 race career
There is racing over the jumps at Fakenham tomorrow and on the all weather at Wolverhampton.
At Fakenham Jimbill should be good enough in the opener while at Wolverhampton The Tatling is set to run for the last time. This will be the 176th race of the 14 year olds career.
The picture of The Tatling is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.
From the archives
The two big races tomorrow are the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown and the Hilly Way Chase at Cork. Beef or Salmon (pictured below) is on the roll of honour for both races having won at Punchestown in 2003 and at Cork in 2002 and 2003.
Punchestown
12.35 Wandering Aengus
1.05 Dylan Ross
2.05 Rubi Light ran a cracker when 3rd in the Ryanair and was unlucky at Gowran Park when falling at the last with the race in his pocket. He acts on any ground and the trip is ideal. Joncol jumped well on his seasonal reappearance when winning at Thurles. Roi de Mee is consistent and loves soft ground. He was a good second behind Kauto Stone at Down Royal over this trip which is probably his minimum. Tranquil Sea won this race last season and looked in good nick when winning at Clonmel on his last start. Rubi Light looks an improving sort and may land the prize at the expense of Tranquil Sea and Joncol.
Hereford
12.45 Prince Roque
1.15 Off the Ground
2.15 Strongbow’s Legend
Turf trivia
The Hilly Way Chase run at Cork tomorrow is named after the horse that won the 2 mile Champion Chase in 1978 and 1979. The following year it was renamed the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
The picture of Beef or Salmon is courtesy of the artist Jenny Lupton.
Cheltenham
Big race form guide – Cheltenham 2.30
I will refer to this race as the December Gold Cup as the sponsors keep changing and I can’t keep up with the various sponsor’s names!
Medermit won the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and ran 3rd to Master Minded at Ascot. He is yet to win in 6 visits to Cheltenham. Ghizao looked high class at times last season but could only finish 4th to Medermit at Exeter. Divers is interesting. A winner of a novice handicap at the Cheltenham Festival he was 3rd in the Paddy Power over course and distance. Salut Flo is lightly raced and could be ahead of the handicapper.
Great Endeavour won the Paddy Power and went on to finish 3rd in the Hennessy. It would be a big ask to win here after two such hard races. Woolcombe Folly has winning course form and represents Paul Nicholls in a race where those higher in the weights have a good record.
Divers will do for me with Salut Flo an interesting dark horse.
12.10 Hinterland won well at Cheltenham on his last start and the second and third in the race have both won since. He should be too good for his rivals here with Irish raider Canna the one most likely to chase him home.
12.45 Join Together, Mossley and Champion Court all have claims. Join Together beat a subsequent winner over a furlong less at this track last time out. Mossley had some very smart hurdles form finishing runner up in the Albert Bartlett and has already got off the mark over fences winning at Kempton last month. Champion Court was 4th in the Albert Bartlett and has got his chase career off to a promising start. A win at Aintree was followed by a very creditable 2nd to Grand Crus at Cheltenham. This trio all have excellent course form and are hard to split but my idea of the 1-2-3 is Mossley, Join Together and Champion Court.
1.20 Havinggotascoobydo is preferred to Robinson Collonges.
1.55 Rev It Up goes for the hat trick after wins at Chepstow and Ffos Las. The trip should suit.
2.30 See big race form guide.
3.05 Menorah, Overturn, Brampour, Pittoni and Grandouet are all worth considering. Greatwood winner Brampour deserves respect as does Irish runner Pittoni who is getting weight from his rivals. Philip Hobbs has a great record in the race and saddles Menorah while Overturn is looking for a four timer. Grandouet is the one for me despite slight reservations about him handling the track. He has impressed me with the way he has travelled in his races and he looks to be improving.
3.35 Oscar Whisky should win with the main danger coming from The Knoxs.
Doncaster
12.30 Rose of the Moon (danger Ballycarney)
1.05 Saint Are (danger Lively Baron)
3.20 Benny be Good
Lingfield
12.55 Castlerock
2.05 Golden Chieftain (danger Alfie Spinner)
Navan
12.15 Mystic Desir
12.45 Rourkes Cross
1.15 Reizovic (danger Dedigout)
1.45 Pineau de Re
3.25 Bishops Walk
From the archives
The Paddy Power Chase and the December Gold Cup are run at Cheltenham over the same distance 4 weeks apart. Great Endeavour is looking to land the double this season. Pegwell Bay became the first horse to win both races in the same season in 1988. The dashing grey Senor El Betrutti did the double in 1997 while Fondmort won both races but in different seasons.
Today’s picture, of the recently retired Denman, is by the artist Lisa Miller.
Cheltenham
12.00 A 4 horse race where 3 have solid claims. Solix, a Grade 3 hurdles winner in France and 5th in the Coral Cup won a 4 horse novice chase at Ascot beating a subsequent winner. He was not foot perfect but should improve for the run. Sam Winner was 5th in the Triumph Hurdle but fell on his chase debut at Exeter. Sybarite has perhaps been a little disappointing in his 2 runs over fences but he is well thought of by his trainer and should be winning races before long.
12.35 Ultravox, Bally Legend and Paintball are worth considering at decent odds.
1.45 Mon Parrain was all the rage for the Paddy Power but never got into the race. He may well be better suited by this longer trip. Fair Along ran a cracker when 3rd in the Hennessy.
2.55 Oscargo is a lightly raced horse with bags of potential and is the choice of jockey Ruby Walsh.
3.30 This looks to be between Darlan and Balding Banker with preference for the former.
Doncaster
12.25 Sprinter Sacre should make a winning chase debut although backing odds on in a novice chase is almost certainly the road to penury.
2.10 Fairwiew Sue represents decent value and runs for a stable in quite good from.
Turf trivia
John Foster rode in 3 Grand Nationals as did his son Martin. In 1952 John was the youngest jockey in the field at the age of 17 but his mount Hal’s Venture fell at the first fence.
Picture courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.
Huntingdon
Big race form guide – 2.00 Peterborough Chase
Tartak won the race last season when it was run at Newbury. He was probably fortunate as the likely winner fell at the last. Wears first time blinkers.
Hidden Keel and Tchico Polos have a fair amount to find on ratings but are not forlorn hopes. Both are difficult to place as they fall between handicaps and graded races. Hidden Keel is a progressive sort, probably best at this trip and is suited by a right handed track. Tchico Polos would not want the ground too soft. He has a fair level of form in graded races but like Hidden Keel would need to step up on previous form to win. Surfing is a listed winner over hurdles in France and is well regarded by his trainer. The trip should be right for him and he is unexposed.
The two main protagonists are The Nightingale and Somersby. The Nightingale failed to stay over 3 miles at Down Royal last time and this drop back in trip looks just right for him. Best going right handed he likes some give in the ground. Given the trainer’s marvellous record in the race Somersby must be respected. He has a very consistent career record and come here in form, having finished second to Master Minded at Ascot last time.
I would be inclined to side with Somersby as he has the form in the book. Surfing and Tchico Polos make most appeal as outsiders.
3.00 There are plenty with chances. Tuscan Gold, a winner on the flat for Sir Mark Prescott has joined Alan King and makes his hurdles bow. Runner up 3 bumpers Florafern was well fancied when falling on his hurdles debut. Italian Master won a point to point at Dromahane on good ground and is held in high regard by connections.
Ludlow
1.10 Darna and Get it on are my fancies here. Darna was a lucky winner at Lingfield but jumped safely and will be better for the run. Get it on won at Sedgefield in September but fell on his last start.
Taunton
12.50 Wincanton winner Rolling Aces can follow up in this.
1.20 Having failed to complete in two efforts over fences Molly Round reverts to hurdles. Three times a winner over the smaller obstacles last season she looks over priced.
1.50 He’s Our Lad has been runner up on 4 of his last 5 starts will and likes a tight tarck like Taunton.
Clonmel
12.35 A winner on the flat Bat Masterton was 3rd on his debut over hurdles at Navan.Bat Masterton
1.05 Chasing Shadows and Taraval are my two against the field.
3.35 Crocus Bay has done enough on two of his 3 starts to suggest he can go close here.
From the archives
Trainer Henrietta Knight has a remarkable record in Huntingdon’s Peterborough Chase having trained the winner of the race 8 times in the last 13 years. Her winners were Edredon Bleu (4), Racing Demon (2), Impek and Best Mate (pictured below).
Turf Trivia
Champion jockey Paul Hannigan has only ridden one horse for the Elite Racing Club and that was Monolith trained by Len Lungo who won the Pontefract Cup in June 2006.
Picture by kind permission of the artist Lisa Miller.
Hexham
12.20 Last season Bold Sir Brian won a bumper at Ayr and a Grade 2 hurdle at Kelso. He has finished second on both his starts over fences at Carlisle when his jumping has not been altogether fluent. The track may suit him better at Hexham though. Bishop’s Heir could be a big danger. He is suited by very testing conditions.
12.50 Triptico was awarded a bumper last season on the disqualification of Dark Glacier, a subsequent hurdles winner. He was then 4th on his hurdles bow at Exeter when Ruben Cotter, since a good second at Cheltenham, was back in 5th.
1.50 Rollwiththepunches could be a bit of a handicap dark horse.
Leicester
I don’t have a strong view on any of the races at Leicester but Salomo (1.00) and Dhaafer (3.00) might be worth considering.
Fontwell
1.40 Bumper winners Let’s Get Serious and Medinas look the pick in this race. With both making their hurdles debuts it is hard to choose between them but Let’s Get Serious has marginally the better bumper form and seems to have the size and scope for the jumping game.
2.10 Judging from the betting there seemed some confidence behind Jolibob when he ran disappointingly at Towcester last time. He is worth another chance.
2.40 Gary Moore does well with his handicappers and Amaury de Lusignan could be on a winnable mark.
Sedgefield
1.20 Alexander Road won 3 times over hurdles last season and looks the type to do well in mares only chases.
From the archives
Two of the main races last weekend were named after famous horses from years gone by.
On Saturday Sizing Europe was a decisive winner of the Tingle Creek Chase named after the swashbuckling front runner who was especially at home at Sandown. Unsuited by the Cheltenham undulations he never won the Champion Chase although he was second in 1974. He reserved his best form for the Esher track.
On Sunday Fairyhouse staged the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle named after the first horse to win the Champion Hurdle three times, in 1949, 1950 and 1951. Hatton’s Grace was also the first 11 year old to win the race. A dual purpose performer he also won the Irish equivalents of the Lincoln and Cesarewitch.
Turf trivia
The film version of the Dick Francis novel Dead Cert was shot on location at Fontwell Park in the summer of 1973.
Picture courtesy of the artist Julie Whitwham.
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