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Cheltenham countdown for week of 28 January 2008Filed on 28 Jan 2008 @ 16:56
Countdown to Cheltenham, w/c: 14 January | 21 January | 28 January | 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 Saturday 2 February 2008The Nicky Henderson-trained Afsoun got the better of Nick Gifford's Christmas Hurdle winner Straw Bear in the totepool Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday, staying on well after the last for a three and a half length win. Afsoun has been clipped to 25-1 for the Champion Hurdle, in which he was third last year, and Straw Bear has been eased to the same price. The Tother One powered clear of Warne's Way to maintain his unbeaten record. He was cut to 16-1 for the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle, and the Festival will be his next run, though Paul Nicholls has advised that a run in the Albert Bartlett Spa Novices' Hurdle could be an option. Silverburn won the totesport.com Challengers Novices' Chase, where Hobbs Hill was a non-runner, jumping well and powering clear to a six length win over The Market Man. Nicholls said: "This was always going to be the race for him - the ground suited him and Hobbs Hill coming out made it easier. We were more positive with him and he jumped really well. He's in the Arkle Trophy and would only go there if it came up bottomless. The Royal & SunAlliance Chase is more likely. David Pipe's Ashkazar justified odds-on favouritism to land the toteplacepot Juvenile Novices' Hurdle, pushed out under hands and heels by Timmy Murphy to register an easy success. Pipe said: "We were planning on sitting second or third but nothing wanted to go on so Timmy decided to make it. He jumped well and won like a 4-7 shot should and a reproduction of his latest run when fourth to Franchoek should have been good enough to win this. "He is in the Triumph Hurdle but the owner David Johnson isn't too keen on that race so we'll have to see." The Paul Nicholls-trained Rippling Ring, an import from South Africa, made an impressive debut over hurdles in the Every Minute, Every Match - Betlive @ williamhill.co.uk Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday, galloping clear in good style to win by six lengths over Veloso, and earning a quote of 12-1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in the process. The second division of the race saw Newbury winner Celestial Halo - like Rippling Ring, owned by Andy Stewart - finish seven lengths behind Nicky Henderson's Sentry Division, a useful performer on the Flat who was having only his second start over hurdles. The winner is now 14-1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and also holds an entry in the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle. John Quinn had told punters not to overlook Leslingtaylor's chance in the Arkle Trophy and he booked his place, beating Tidal Bay, who blundered at the last, in the Watch & Bet - Betlivetv @ williamhill.co.uk Novices' Chase. Quinn said: "He'll come on for the run. He was a bit hesitant early on jumping, but he did it well enough. He warmed to it well and stayed on well when the favourite came back at him. "Drying ground suits him and he wants an even faster pace. The next stop will be the Arkle. He's got Flat tactical speed and he goes on top of the ground." Leslingtaylor saw his price cut to 14-1. Friday 1 February 2008The Champion Hurdle picture should become clearer tomorrow, with Straw Bear, who beat Harchibald in the Christmas Hurdle under an astute AP McCoy ride, taking on his old rival Afsoun in the totescoop6 Contenders Hurdle at Sandown. Over in Ireland on Sunday, Newmill warms up for a bid to regain his Champion Chase crown with a run in Moscow Flyer's old prep race, the Byrne Group plc Tied Cottage Chase. The useful novice mare Cailin Alainn, making her seasonal bow, heads the opposition in the absence of Justified, who waits for the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park. Philip Hobbs' Fair Along is a possible for either the Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase, and is likely to head straight for the Festival - a run in the Commercial First Ascot Chase on 16 February will only be entertained if the ground is not soft. Another Ryanair Chase contender is Charles Egerton's Hobbs Hill, and the progressive chaser returns to action in the Scilly Isles Chase, now named the totesport.com Challengers Novices' Chase, at Sandown on Saturday. Egerton said: "I'm very happy with him and I would be disappointed if he didn't run a very big race. We'll decide after Saturday what he does next." Champion Bumper runner-up Sophocles has his third start over timber at Punchestown on Sunday in the Grade Two Byrne Group Plc Novice Hurdle, ahead of a run in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Captain Cee Bee, also bound for the Supreme Novices', heads his rivals, and trainer Eddie Harty is hopeful of a good run, telling At The Races: "He gets better and better and learns from his races all the time." "He's only had the two runs over hurdles and the plan is to go to Cheltenham. He's fit and well and hopefully we'll learn a lot on Sunday. Ideally, for me, he wants good ground." Tolworth second Deep Purple is a leading fancy for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and is unlikely to run again before Cheltenham. Trainer Evan Williams told At The Races: "He's won his Grade Two and he's just got beat in his Grade One. We are fortunate to have him. "If we can have a bit of luck, we can grab that Grade One hurdle somewhere in his life - touch wood it will be at the Cheltenham Festival as he is very well in himself. I think we could be better off going straight to Cheltenham. He goes well after a break. He's run plenty and there are some very nice places to go after Cheltenham." Siege Of Ennis beat a large field on his hurdling debut last Sunday, and trainer Eddie Harty will give the four-year-old one more run before either the Triumph Hurdle or the Fred Winter. Notre Pere, a faller whilst racing prominently in a Grade Two won by Pomme Tiepy at Leopardstown on Sunday, is to run at Leopardstown on Sunday week or at Navan the following week to make his case for a run in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase - where he would only line up on soft going. Thursday 31 January 2008Alan King's Pur De Sivola won at Wincanton, beating the underperforming Fleet Street and Predateur, but the trainer is unsure of his spring target, saying: "I can't really read that race. It was still a nice prize to win. He's in the Arkle but he's not that sort of horse and the Jewson Handicap might come into the equation if he goes to Cheltenham." Cryptic was another Wincanton winner, running his rivals ragged in the Clydesdale Bank National Hunt Novices' Hurdle, and will be Cheltenham-bound, with trainer Philip Hobbs saying: "He'll be a chaser next year but at the moment we have him in both the Pertemps Final and the three-mile novice at Cheltenham. He's improving, so you'd have to think about the novice." The Nicky Henderson-trained Jack The Giant, twice a winner of valuable handicap hurdles in December, will spend at least a fortnight on the sidelines after meeting with a setback. The gelding had been an intended runner at Doncaster on Saturday. Henderson told the Racing Post: "We'll have to monitor it and I'm still hopeful he'll be able to run in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. I don't know exactly what he's done, he's not lame or anything. We'll just see what happens over the next couple of days and see how we go." Cesarewitch winner Leg Spinner is to have a spring campaign, and could run at Cheltenham without a previous run. Trainer Tony Martin said: "Touch wood he's well and he's got plenty of options [in the novice hurdle events], but he won't go to Cheltenham unless the ground is good." Entries are revealed for the four Grade One novice hurdles at The Festival, including the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (run as the Brit Insurance last year), which is being run as a Grade One contest for the first time in 2008. The 130 entries for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle include last season’s Weatherbys Champion Bumper victor Cork All Star, one of 46 Irish-trained entries along with Muirhead, who is unbeaten in three starts including the Grade One Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse last month when he got the better of Cork All Star. Willie Mullins, successful last year with Ebaziyan as well as Tourist Attraction in 1995, has five engaged this time around while Whatuthink could attempt to provide Oliver McKiernan with a first Festival success. A very interesting contender is the Andy Turnell-trained Blue Bajan, formerly a very smart Flat performer who has made a highly-promising start to his career over hurdles. There are 156 entered in the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle. These include the Nicky Henderson-trained Aigle D’Or, the current ante-post favourite and an impressive scorer at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day, January 26, in the Grade Two Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle. Other leading contenders include Breedsbreeze, trained by Paul Nicholls and successful in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown earlier this month. Alan King captured the 2007 JCB Triumph Hurdle with Katchit and he trains this year’s market leader Franchoek, successful in two out of his three starts at Cheltenham already this season, most recently in the Grade Two Wragge & Co Finesse Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle on Festival Trials Day. The one horse to have got the better of Franchoek over hurdles was the Gordon Elliott-trained Harper Valley, successful in the Boylesports.com Juvenile Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham on December 15 when he proved a length and a half too good for the J P McManus-owned horse and the duo could re-oppose on March 14. There are 91 entries in the JCB Triumph Hurdle with 32 trained in Ireland - see full analysis of the race. Wednesday 30 Janaury 2008Yorkshire trainer JJ Quinn has flagged up his stable star Leslingtaylor as an outstanding each-way bet in the Arkle Trophy, telling PA Sport: "I wouldn't discount him from the Arkle, he's no mug. Somebody rang me on Tuesday and said 'do you think Leslingtaylor is an Arkle horse?' "I said 'think of it this way, see how many horse have won from six furlongs to a mile and a half on the Flat, won a Swinton Hurdle and won a Listed chase first time over fences?'. He's got a bit of class, he goes on decent ground and when the ground dries it will be right up his alley." Leslingtaylor will run on Saturday, but whether at Doncaster or Musselburgh depends on the ground. Quinn also has news of his Champion Hurdle hope, former Lincoln winner Blythe Knight. The eight-year-old is due to reappear in the Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on 16 February. Quinn said: "He's a huge price for the Champion Hurdle when you consider how easily he beat Osana at Aintree. I gave him a full months holiday after he ran at Newcastle and he's back in training now. I'm pleased with him. "He's a spring horse. The only time he has ever flopped it has been my mistake because I have gone to the well once or twice too often." Trainer Alan King has confirmed that My Way De Solzen is to return to hurdles in the totesport.com National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell on 24 February after two disappointing efforts over fences, but cautions that plans for Cheltenham will only be made after the race: "He has an entry in the World Hurdle, just as he has in the Queen Mother and the Ryanair but it is pointless guessing at this stage until we get him back on the track and running well. "It's a total mystery as to what went wrong at Kempton, we found nothing wrong with him, the horses were running well at that time and everything else was running extremely well," he told At The Races. Front-running two-mile-chaser Ashley Brook was pulled up on a disappointing run in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot last time out, and trainer Kevin Bishop has discovered a muscle problem that could explain the poor run. Equine injury specialist Mary Bromiley has found a pulled muscle in his hind-quarter which probably happened when he fell at Liverpool in October. Ashely Brook now has a weighted shoe to build the muscle back up and Bishop hopes to run him a couple of weeks before Cheltenham ahead of a tilt at the Champion Chase. Cotswold trainer Kahlil Burke has news of his string following Gardasee's excellent second to Thyne Again in the Irish Arkle at the weekend. A delighted Burke said “We always knew this horse was decent. It was just a matter of giving him time and keeping him sound. It’s all systems go now for the Festival where he will be aimed at the Jewson. He will also hold an Arkle entry should the ground come up soft.” The trainer could also run Gardasee in the John Smiths' Grand National, saying: “You need a horse with a high cruising speed for the National and the way Gardasee jumped round the big fences at Leopardstown, he is an ideal candidate.” Burke’s other Festival hopes include leading juvenile hurdler, Lemon Silk, of whom Burke said “He is a horse who has done nothing but improve all season, winning at Sandown and a Grade 2 at Lingfield, as well as being placed at the October and November Cheltenham meetings. He looks like a very good candidate for the Supreme Novices with the weight allowances.” Burke added that Mange Tout will be aimed at the cross country race or the four miler and General Zhang will be aimed at the four miler. Of his final Festival hope, Burke said: "Regional Counsel is a high class flat horse who works exceptionally well and is every bit as good as Lemon Silk. Should he make it to Cheltenham, weather permitting; he will be a live fire candidate in the Triumph. He is definitely a horse to follow on the flat or over hurdles.” Tuesday 29 January 2008Gold Cup hope Exotic Dancer is reported to be making excellent progress after straining a muscle in his back and is on target for a run in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton next month. Gary Moore's Numide won impressively at Folkestone on Tuesday, taking the Spitfire Novices' Hurdle by five lengths and seeing his odds for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle cut to 12-1. He had entered the reckoning for the race after his debut victory at Leicester. His next run will be in the Dovecote at Kempton. At Taunton Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh teamed up for a treble, headed by Big Fella, who cruised home by nine lengths in the Staple Fitzpaine Novices' Hurdle. Nicholls said: "This is a tight track and he will be a better horse in a better race and with a lead for longer. I stuck him in the three-mile race at Cheltenham this morning and there is a good three-mile novice hurdle at Haydock on February 16 which is also a possible. However, there are no firm plans and I think [co owner Paul Barber] may say we will leave Cheltenham for next year for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase." Doncaster has a valuable card on Saturday, and Supreme Novices' Hurdle hope Striking Article could run in the Every Minute, Every Match - Betlive at Williamhill.co.uk Novices' Hurdle for Howard Johnson following a sparkling piece of work, but a foot problem caused by gravel could yet keep him out of the race. Ferdy Murphy's Kalahari King and Nicky Henderson's Zebra Crossing are other noteworthy entries. Jonjo O'Neill's Don't Push It has been off the track since winning a Listed hurdle at Chepstow earlier in the season, but is close to a return to action. Connections are looking for a suitable target over two miles and will decide after that whether to aim for the Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase over half a mile further. Fellow Jackdaws' Castle inmate Wichita Lineman missed Saturday's Cleeve Hurdle due to soft ground and may head to the World Hurdle without another run, as connections do not want to give him a hard race ahead of the Festival. Royal & SunAlliance Chase form will be clearer after the John Smith's Reynoldstown Chase on 16 February, with Air Force One and Joe Lively, who head the ante-post market, both due to line up in the Ascot feature. Air Force One's trainer Charlie Mann told At The Races: "He's a very good horse. I bought him in Germany two years ago with the Triumph Hurdle in mind, but he got a splint and we had to put him away. "He needs to step up in grade now because he has only won a small race at Folkestone and a bit better race last time. He deals with good ground. He does handle soft ground but I wouldn't run him on fast ground, which we shouldn't get at Cheltenham anyway." Howard Johnson's Tidal Bay is another entry in the Royal & SunAlliance, but the trainer could be leaning towards running him in the Arkle Trophy instead, saying: "I'm curious to see how he'd get on over two miles. He's in a two-miler at Doncaster and he's in the Grade One Scilly Isles at Sandown (over two and a half miles). Former Champion Chaser Newmill, beaten by Nickname and Kicking King last week, could make a quick reappearance in the Byrne Group plc Tied Cottage Chase on Sunday because he is in such good heart. He is a 16-1 chance to regain his Champion CHase crown, having finsihed fourth to Voy Por Ustedes last year. Monday 28 January 2008Nicky Henderson won the Bull Ring Juvenile Novices' Hurdle at Ludlow with Punjabi last year, and he continued his fine run of form with another victory in the race, this time courtesy of Doubly Guest who made an impressive start over hurdles. The trainer reports the mare to be an ideal candidate for the Fred Winter Novices' Hurdle. Gary Moore's Numide looked a smart import from France - where he was fifth in the Prix du Jockey Club - when winning at Leicester earlier this month, and the trainer is hoping he can contiunue to give a good account of himself at Folkestone on Tuesday, where his prospects for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle will become clearer. Tolworth Hurdle winner Breedsbreeze is a leading fancy for the totesport Trophy at Newbury, but owner Jim Lewis favours a run at Exeter the following day, saying: "I've spoken to Paul this morning and he's inclined to think that we have a lot of weight to carry and if we returned to the novice hurdle arena - ie at Exeter the next day - theoretically, it would be an easier race. "We desperately want to get to Cheltenham and run in the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle on the Wednesday and it would be a bit disappointing if we left our race at Newbury." Sizing Europe has solidified as the clear market leader for the Champion Hurdle following his deeply impressive win in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday. Osana was second to him in the Greatwood Hurdle - conceding weight - and trainer David Pipe could see how much his charge has improved with a run the Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton next month. Gardasee was a fine second to Franchoek was a decent winner at Cheltenham on Saturday, in the absence of his December conqueror Harper Valley, who did not run on the tacky ground. Now trainer Gordon Elliott is considering a run in the John Smiths' Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial at Musselburgh on Sunday for the four-year-old Triumph Hurdle hope. Filed on 28 Jan 2008 @ 16:56
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