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Cheltenham countdown for 3 March 2008Filed on 3 Mar 2008 @ 11:35
Countdown to Cheltenham, w/c: 4 February | 11 February | 18 February | 25 February | 3 March The expert view: Graham Richards' Cheltenham preview, Part one | Champion Hurdle ratings update | Triumph Hurdle ratings update | Champion Chase preview Monday 10 March 2008River Liane is the market leader for the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Hurdle after an emphatic win at Leopardstown a week ago, and his credentials were underlined at Naas on Sunday when Made In Taipan, second to River Liane, registered an easy victory. Jockey Tom Doyle is hopeful that Sweet Kiln will give trainer Michael Bowe a Cheltenham winner in the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle, saying: "The Bowes have won every big hurdle race in Ireland and it would be great for them to have a Cheltenham Festival winner, they have come close before. "She's in good form, she's had a little break and the conditions of the race suit her well. She has improved no end from last year and undoubtedly her best run was her second to Aitmatov in a Grade One. I don't think the ground will make much difference and two miles and five around Cheltenham will be tailor-made for her." Charlie Longsdon has flagged up the chances of his French import Songe, who has won twice for the Sezincote trainer, beating Donald McCain's Chord on both occasions. Longsdon told At The Races: "He goes for the Triumph Hurdle on Friday. He's got as solid a form as anything. He's won two out of two in this country and I don't see why he couldn't be an each-way chance in the Triumph Hurdle. "In his last win at Huntingdon he was giving weight away all round and really showed he stayed two miles on softer ground, even though he's a good ground horse. "Chord is a very good yardstick, a very well fancied horse of Donald McCain's and I'm sure he will run well in the Fred Winter - I certainly hope he does as it will give us a boost for Friday." Saturday 8 March 2008David Pipe's Ashkazar is a warm favourite to win either of his Festival targets - he is 3-1 favourite for the Fred Winter and 6-1 for the Triumph Hurdle after his win in the Sunderlands Imperial Cup at Sandown. The going at Cheltenham is unchanged despite a band of rain passing over the course. A storm is expected over Sunday and Monday, and the going could well ease to good to soft by the start of racing on Tuesday. Noel meade has supplemented Afistfullofdollars to the Gold Cup - the move comes after his six length win in the Grade Two Bobbyjo Chase last month. Friday 7 March 2008A.P. McCoy has been given the medical clearance to resume race riding ahead of the Festival, and he is expected to resume on Saturday with his first rides since 12 January. His great rival Ruby Walsh warmed up with a treble at Thurles on Thursday, and has been confirmed as the jockey for De Valira, Michael O'Brien's hope in the Champion Hurdle. Ryanair boss Micael O'Leary will have a runner in the Ryanair Chase in the shape of the Michael Hourigan-trained Mossbank. The eight-year-old had been under consideration for the Gold Cup after finishing four lengths second to Denman in the Lexus Chase, but connections have decided to go for the Blue Riband next year instead. Cheltenham's Clerk of the Course Simon Claisse is holding off any further watering with up to 22mm of rain forecast before the start of the Festival, which would see good to soft going on the Tuesday. The rain plays to the strengths of novice hurdler Forpadydeplasterer, whose trainer Tom Cooper told At The Races: "I'm glad to see the forecast for rain. "I always had a reservation that I wouldn't risk the horse on good ground because he is a big, rangy horse and his future lies over fences so I wasn't going to risk him. "There's a couple of Irish horses that have a chance, Trafford Lad of Dusty Sheehy's and Mouse Morris' horse Venalmar comes into consideration as well. Mouse knows the time of day and he has trained plenty of winners at Cheltenham." Another trainer happy with the forecast is Charlie Mann, who trains Moon Over Miami and Air Force One, both of whom will be seen to best effect on an easy surface. Last year's Champion Chase winner Voy Por Ustedes is better on a sound surface, prompting trainer Alan King to say: "He's in very good form, he schooled on Wednesday morning and it went very well. "But I have said all along he is a much better horse on good, spring ground so we don't want any of the rain that is suddenly forecast. The forecast at this stage is not encouraging so we just have to hope it doesn't materialise." Thursday 6 March 2008Cool Operator may not be Cheltenham-bound, but his win at Catterick yetserday was trainer Howard Johnson's first since 14 February. A bout of coughing, possibly connected to a bad batch of staw, was responsible, but the yard looks to be coming back to form ahead of the Festival. In the absence of Graham Lee, L'Antartique will be ridden by Paul Carberry in Thursday's Ryanair Chase, with trainer Ferdy Murphy telling At The Races: "The one we would be very hopeful for is L'Antartique. He won the Paddy Power and he won the Jewson last year. "Paul Carberry has never ridden him so things are a bit up in the air as to how he'll get on with him. He is a horse Graham has got a fantastic tune out of and he's ridden two incredible races on him to win both times. They were big fields and it took a fair bit of nerve to do what he did on him." Wednesday 5 March 2008Former Gold Cup winner Kicking King faces a crucial workout later this week to determine whether he lines up in this year's renewal. UPDATE - after failing to shine in his work, connections decided that Kicking King will not run inthe Gold Cup. Kicking King disappointed at Gowran Park on his second run after coming back from a long layoff, but trainer Tom Taafe remains hopeful: "He had a trapped nerve after Gowran. He is still very good, thank God. He will do a bit of work later in the week and that will make our minds up." Grade One Deloitte Hurdle winner Forpadydeplasterer is reported to be in "absolutely super" form by his trainer Tom Cooper, but connections would prefer rain - which is forecast for the weekend. "We just could do with a shower or two, they are forecasting good to soft and that would be fine. As long as there is no mention of firm in the ground and it is safe, he'll be fine. But I'd probably even have a look if it was good. Ideally it would be good to soft. "He's definitely the best novice in Ireland. It's hard to read into Aigle D'Or's form, but Group Captain was a very good Flat horse and he has plenty of experience," said the Tralee handler. Nigel Twiston-Davies' horses have shown consistnetly high form this season, and the Naunton trainer takes a strong team to the Festival. He nominated Pigeon Island and Mahogany Blaze as his best chances: "Pigeon Island has got a superb chance in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. We won it with another grey in Arctic Kinsman and this one has a similar profile. I'd be very disappointed if he's not in the first three. Mahogany Blaze is second-favourite for the Arkle Trophy and I'm expecting a big run from him. Robert Alner's assistant trainer Nick Mitchell will walk the track at Cheltenham before making a decision on Miko De Beauchene's target. The Welsh National winner needs easy going and is in the Pertemps Hurdle Final and the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase, and the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter is another option. Stablemate The Listener will run in the Ryanair Chase if he runs at all at the Festival - he is another that requires cut in the ground. Dessie Hughes has decided to run Schindlers Hunt in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, rather than the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase, for which he had been allocated 11-12. Tuesday 4 March 2008Nicky Henderson has been unable to get Amaretto Rose ready for the Champion Hurdle and the mare has been retired. The seven-year-old was injured when third in last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle and has run only once since, when pulled up at Wincanton last month. Henderson's stable jockey Mick Fitzgerald told At The Races that Chomba Womba in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle is his best chance of a Festival winner. The mare is a 7-2 chance after three wins this season, and Fitzgerald said: "I love this filly, she's everything that a racehorse should be. She's extremely tough, she jumps very, very well and she's honest. Every time I ride her I like her more." Fitzgerald also revealed that he thinks that Supreme Novices' Hurdle entrant Khyber Kim is back to his best after being beaten behind the potentially useful Tazbar and Whiteoak at Doncaster in January. "We're now more hopeful of seeing the horse at Cheltenham that turned up at Newbury the first day when he beat Theatre Girl very easily," said the rider. "He's a very good, fast horse and the ground would not be a problem to him, no matter what it is." Fitzgerald also had a positive bulletin on Sentry Duty, who won at Doncaster in a fast time and is a live chance for the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle, though he could yet line up in the Supreme Novices'.. Henderson's My Petra is favourite to win the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual on the back of her second to Noland, but faces stiff opposition from recent Uttoxeter winner Wanango. Assistant trainer Fozzy Stack said: "He was impressive last time and he jumped really well that day. He's quite a big horse and it's just taken a while for him to grow into himself." Trainer Adrian McGuinness is to run Grade Two winner Beau Michael in the JCB Triumph Hurdle The preferred option had been the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle, but a weight of 11-8 has forced the trainer's hand: "He has a rating of 123 in Ireland but gets a rating of 140 in England. I can't fathom it out at all. Basically, the English handicapper has made my mind up to go for the Triumph." Black Jack Ketchum had a racecourse gallop under A.P. McCoy after racing at Stratford on Monday, edging ahead of his work companion in a spin that pleased connections. If the ground is good, a run in the World Hurdle is on the cards. Arthur Moore warns punters not to overlook Mansony in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, saying: "I'm delighted with the horse and with his preparation for the race. I'd be very hopeful that he'd be in the money, I really would. I think the race will bring out the best in him and he's very relaxed and well in himself at the moment." Monday 3 March 2008Around 40 Irish contenders for the Festival worked at Leopardstown after racing on Sunday, headed by dual Champion Hurdler Hardy Eustace. Trainer Dessie Hughes is sending the 11-year-old to contest the Ladbrokes World Hurdle for the first time this year. Tony Martin worked Cesarewitch winner Leg Spinner ahead of his engagement int he Coral Cup, where a big run is expected if the going is good or better. Martin also saw Robin Du Bois cut to 8-1 for the Pertemps Final after impressing in his work. Farmer Brown was cut to 25-1 for the Champion Hurdle after coming out on top in his group, ahead of the eyecatching French Accordion. Won In The Dark was another to impress ahead of his bid in the Triumph Hurdle. The earlier racing action saw River Liane win the Madigans Hurdle in outstanding fashion, giving trainer Tom Cooper a live chance in the Fred Winter, for which he is now 7-1 from 33-1. Filed on 3 Mar 2008 @ 11:35
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