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Cheltenham countdown for 11 February 2008Filed on 11 Feb 2008 @ 12:04
Countdown to Cheltenham, w/c: 4 February | 11 February | 18 February | 25 February 2008 | 3 March The expert view: Graham Richards' Cheltenham preview, Part one | Champion Hurdle ratings update | Triumph Hurdle ratings update Sunday 17 February 2008Kauto Star returned home lame after his impressive win in the Ascot Chase yesterday, but trainer Paul Nicholls expects him to be fit to defend his Cheltenham Gold Cup crown after finding the setback was not as serious as first thought. Nicholls reports the problem to be a minor infection, saying: "It's basically pus in his foot. Once the vet and my head lad had released that he was virtually sound. "It's basically a minor setback and shouldn't affect him too much. He would have had a couple of days off after running anyway and this should clear up within 48 hours, so it shouldn't make too much difference." David Pipe's Acambo has suffered a season-ending injury and is out of the Arkle Trophy. The trainer said on his website davidpipe.com: "Acambo has a slight stress fracture of the pelvis and is now out of training this season. He will therefore not run in the Arkle." Saturday 16 February 2008Reigning Gold cup winner Kauto Star won the Ascot Chase in some style and goes to Cheltenham to defend his crown as a worthy favourite. Paul Nicholls said after the race: "I wanted him ridden positively. There's no point dropping him out the door and riding him negative. I said to Ruby this morning that I wanted him third or fourth and just track through. That's the way to ride him and he jumped great. "We just have a month now to keep him spot on. You can see from today's performance he'll be very hard to beat." Albertas Run won the three mile Grade Two Reynoldstown Chase, seeing off the well-regarded Air Force One and Joe Lively to enhance his Royal & SunAlliance Chase credentials - but he has to overcome the poor record of Reynoldstown winners in the race. Cheltenham countdown - news digest At Wincanton last season's champion juvenile hurdler Katchit showed real determination to win the Grade Two Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle over two miles, his final run before the Champion Hurdle. Katchit took the lead at the start of the final circuit and galloped willingly in front, though he had to dig deep to grind out a winning margin over John Quinn's Blythe Knight, a Group Three winner on the Flat. The pair were well clear of the third horse. Amaretto Rose was pulled up on her return from injury. Earlier, Neptune Collonges looked to have booked his berth in the Gold Cup - for which he is a 33-1 shot - when winning the Country Gentlemen's Association Chase over 3m 1f, giving trainer Paul Nicholls his sixth win in the race in the last 10 years. Up at Haydock, Francois Doumen was on the mark in the Rendlesham Hurdle over three miles with Kasbah Bliss who scored a smooth four length success under Barry Keniry. Doumen said after the race: "I thought the race would bring him on for the World Hurdle, but he has gone and proven himself. He will now go to Cheltenham and will like better ground there. It is difficult to replace [two time World Hurdle winner Baracouda but he is coming up, is still very young and is getting there." Serabad pulled out all the stops for a battling win in the Victor Ludorum Juvenile Novices' Hurdle over two miles, giving Peter Bowen his first winner of the year. Serabad remains unchanged at 20-1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, with Karen Bowen saying: "Paddy said he wouldn't want the ground any firmer than it was and he is improving with every run. He'll go to the Triumph now and take on Franchoek again. He will be tough to beat but he'll be there trying." Keith Reveley's Tazbar continued his improvement when stepped up to three miles in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, registering a comfortable 12 length win over sound accord. Souffleur tired and was well-beaten in fourth. Tazbar is a 6-1 chance for the Spa Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, but Reveley said: "I still think Aintree is his course but I will have to think about Cheltenham. It is a championship meeting but they do a strong gallop, are always racing up and down hill and even the best horse can make a mistake. If everything is right and all 12 owners want to go he could run but it will be a last-minute decision - and I'm sure to have some sleepless nights thinking about it!" Kicking King was a well-beaten third in the Grade Two Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park behind 33-1 shot Ballistraw. Whilst many bookmakers have removed Kicking King from the Gold Cup betting, trainer Tom Taaffe said: "Obviously I'd have been much happier if he'd have won. If he's still fine in the next couple of days it's still onwards for the Gold Cup. "There'll be no pressure now going into the Gold Cup. I always said from day one I was training him for one day and I still am." Emma Lavelle is leaning towards the David Nicholson Mares Only Hurdle for Labelthou, saying: "She was entered in the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock this weekend but I felt that if I had to run her on faster ground, it would be better to save it for Cheltenham. "I hope we can get a bit of rain there to make it softer and the most likely target for her is the mares race. I would love to win a race at Cheltenham and that is the most realistic race, but we will have a crack at one or the other." Friday 15 February 2008Peter Bowen reports Souffleur to be in great form ahead of his planned engagement at Haydock tomorrow. The Challow hurdle winner was beaten by Carruthers at Warwick last month, but was found to be coughing after the race. He is over that now, and is to head for the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle at the Festival. A British-trained Champion Bumper contender emerged at Chepstow on Thursday, when Mahonia won the Jenkinsons Caterers Conferences Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race by a comfortable three and a half lengths. Trainer Paul Nicholls will run the horse in the Champion Bumper if the ground is OK. Nicholls had earlier lost the promising novice hurdler Piste Aux Etoiles, who took second on his British debut before collapsing after crossing the line. Over at Thurles Smoking Aces entered the Champion Bumper market at 20-1 after quickening well to pass his opponents and win by three lengths under J.P. Magnier. At Kelso, former Foxhunters winner Sleeping Night, now trained by Simon Waugh for his rider brother Adam, fought off Cornish Rebel in the Connolly's Red Mills Open Hunters' Chase. Sleeping Night is 25-1 for this year's Foxhunters, and Cornish Rebel is 16-1. Trainer Charlie Mann is engaged in a progamme to ensure that Moon Over Miami learns to relax ahead of the Arkle Trophy. After a poor run in the Kingmaker at Warwick on Saturday it was discovered that the seven-year-old had burst a blood vessel after getting worked up when the start was delayed. Mann plans to walk him round the parade ring at Ascot and Kempton on the next two Saturdays, and has initiated a special feeding regime to help keep a lid on him. The talented hurdler Harchibald, the recipient of a squiggle from Timeform, is to have his final prep for the Champion Hurdle in the Crossmaglen Benefit Night Race over a mile and a half on the all-weather at Dundalk. Thursday 14 February 2008Trainer David Pipe reveals Osana to be "in good form" ahead of the Champion Hurdle as he unveils his Festival plans. Read the full story. Wednesday 13 February 200834 remain in the Gold Cup at the forfeit stage, as fields for Festival Grade Ones are announced. Paul Nicholls is 10-1 with totesprt to train the first three home in the Gold Cup. Up to date fields can be found by clicking on the links at the top of this page. Horses removed from each race are as follows: 8 horses removed from the Gold Cup field: DOM D'ORGEVAL (FR), IN COMPLIANCE (IRE), MADISON DU BERLAIS (FR), MISTER TOP NOTCH (IRE), OFFSHORE ACCOUNT (IRE), OUR VIC (IRE), STRONG FLOW (IRE), TAMARINBLEU (FR) 3 horses removed from the Champion Chase field: HOO LA BALOO (FR), JACK THE GIANT (IRE), PABLO DU CHARMIL (FR) 16 horses removed from the Ryanair Chase field: FAASEL (IRE), FINAL ACT (IRE), FLEET STREET, HI CLOY (IRE), IN COMPLIANCE (IRE), MASTER MINDED (FR), MISTER TOP NOTCH (IRE), NACARAT (FR), NEW LITTLE BRIC (FR), OFFSHORE ACCOUNT (IRE), PABLO DU CHARMIL (FR), SIR JIMMY SHAND (IRE), SKY'S THE LIMIT (FR), SLIM PICKINGS (IRE), STAR DE MOHAISON (FR), TOO FORWARD (IRE) 9 horses removed from the Champion Hurdle field: BLUE BAJAN (IRE), BLUE SHARK (FR), CHOMBA WOMBA (IRE), CLOPF (IRE), KHYBER KIM, KINGS QUAY, NICANOR (FR), NOBLE REQUEST (FR), STRIKING ARTICLE (IRE) 8 horses removed from the World Hurdle field: BLUE SHARK (FR), FAASEL (IRE), GASPARA (FR), GONE TO LUNCH (IRE), RACING DEMON (IRE), RASLAN, RINGAROSES, TURKO (FR) Colm Murphy is bullish about the chances of Zaarito, the joint market leader for the Champion Bumper. The six-year-old notched his third win by eight lengths at Naas on Saturday, prompting Murphy to tell At The Races: "He was very good last weekend. He's always been a very nice horse and he hasn't stopped improving. "He's not a very big horse and he's not a very strong horse, but he seems to have a very big engine. He's probably not a horse who can take a lot of racing this year, but hopefully we can get him there. If all goes well in the next couple of weeks, hopefully we will be going over. If he improves half of what I think he can improve, he should have a serious chance." Arkle Trophy favourite Noland cemented his position at the head of the market when Polinamix won the Eastwell Manor Beginners' Chase at Folkestone by 18 lengths on Tuesday. Polinamix had been well beaten by Noland at the course last month, on Noland's winning debut over fences. Royal & SunAlliance Chase form is on display on Saturday, when Joe Lively takes on Air Force One in the John Smith's Reynoldstown Novices' Chase at Ascot. Jonjo O'Neill's Alberta's Run also lines up. David Pipe has confirmed that Osana heads straight to the Champion Hurlde without another run: "There's nothing wrong with the horse, he goes straight to Cheltenham. I had said beforehand that the Kingwell was a possibility or he could go straight there. "We've had two runs this season and the owner didn't want anything to go wrong at Wincanton so we'll go straight there." Straw Bear worked on Wednesday morning and is also to head straight to Cheltenham, bypassing Wincanton. Trainer Nick Gifford reports the horse to be in good heart. Tuesday 12 February 2008Osana is a notable absentee from Saturday's Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton, but the race could see the return to action of Nicky Henderson's Amaretto Rose. Katchit, Straw Bear, Blythe Knight and Lemon Silk are other entries in the race. Kicking King is in good form ahead of his second run of the season, in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on Saturday, for which he is 13-8 favourite. Dessie Hughes won't be commiting dual champion hurdler Hardy Eustace to a definite target just yet - Sizing Europe beat him well in the AIG Champion Hurdle and Hardy Eustace is only likely to run in the Champion Hurdle if that rival is absent: ."We'll see how Henry De Bromhead's horse is and if he arrives there. If he didn't, we'd go back to the Champion where we know what he's done before. If Sizing Europe did line-up, we'd more than likely switch and try our fella over the three miles [of the World Hurdle]." GAry Moore's Verasi won the Chris Poole And George Ennor Celebration Novices' Chase at Plumpton, jumping less fluently than he had a Warwick in January, and could chase a £60,000 bonus put up by SIS in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase, though the trainer warns he will require soft ground to run. Monday 11 February 2008Gold Cup favourite Kauto Star is due to have his final run ahead of Cheltenham in the Commercial First Ascot Chase on saturday, which has attracted a stong entry that also inlcudes Monet's Garden, Howle Hill, Hobbs Hill and Racing Demon. Ascot is to water parts of the course to ensure the going is no better than "good". Trainer John Carr has confirmed that Sublimity will head straight to Cheltenham without a further run. The gelding is a 5-1 shot to defend his Champion Hurdle crown. Sunday's meeting at Leopardstown threw up plenty of Festival clues, headed by victory in the Hennessy Gold Cup for The Listener, who now disputes favouritsm for the Ryanair Chase. Robert Alner's assistant trainer Nick Mitchell said: "He has an entry in the Ryanair and the Gold Cup, and we are going to have to seriously think about it. We fell short against Denman in the Lexus last time and I can't really see it being turned around, but we will seriously think about the Gold Cup. With Kauto Star and Denman being one and two in the betting they might scare a few away, but he does have enough pace for the Ryanair." Jessica Harrington has a contender for the Triumph Hurdle with Personal Column, who fought well for a gutsy short head victory over Won In The Dark in the Grade Two betchronicle.com Spring Juvenile Hurdle. The form boosts the Festival hopes of Adrian McGuinness' Beau Michael, who made all to beat him last time. Beau Michael is to run in a Grade Two at Fairyhouse on 23 February. Harrington's Festival Bumper winner Cork All Star hasn't jumped with great fluency over hurdles this term and was beaten in the Grade One Deloitte Hurdle by Forpadydeplasterer who is a leading chance in the Ballymore Properties' Novices' Hurdle - but trainer Tom Cooper warns he will not run if the ground is too fast. Cork All Star is due to run in the shorter Supreme Novices' Hurdle, with Harrington saying: "He didn't jump as well as he can and wasn't slick enough, but better ground and a stronger pace at Cheltenham should suit.He has been beaten fair and square but we are thinking positive, and he has been to Cheltenham twice and won there twice." Whatuthink beat Forpadydeplasterer in December, and having run poorly on Sunday was found to have scoped badly. The plan is to reoppose with the winner in the Ballymore Hurdle. Willie Mullins was on the mark with his mare J'y Vole, who won the Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase by five lengths, despite being headed by Big Zeb in the straight. Mullins said: "I don't know what we'll do next but going right-handed will definitely suit her. If she did go to Cheltenham, I think she might bottom herself going off like that over three miles so I'd favour the Arkle but I don't know if she has enough speed for that." Over at Exeter, Alan King saddled a treble, including Group Captain, who won the Listed toteexacta Novices' Hurdle. The high class recruit form the Flat impressed in a six length win over Working Title on his final run before a tilt at either the Supreme Novices' Hurdle or the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle. Bible Lord was a winner for Andrew Turnell and is a probabelr unner in the Racing Post Plate, for which the two and a half mile trip should suit. Filed on 11 Feb 2008 @ 12:04
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