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Cheltenham preview - Gold Cup

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:07:58 +0000

The debate over Kauto Star's fine form this season against Denman's lack of condition at Newbury dominates the Gold Cup this season - Graham Richards surveys the form of the leading contenders.

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Weekend roundup for 13/14 February 2010

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:04:12 +0000

Newbury and Warwick last weekend provided more clues for Cheltenham, and plenty of pointers for the Grand National. Form analyst Graham Richards takes a detailed look back.

Weekend roundup for 6/7 February 2010

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:21:39 +0000

There were Cheltenham clues in abundance last weekend, with quality racing at Sandown, Doncaster, Wetherby, Leopardstown and Musselburgh. Graham Richards analyses the form to find horses to follow and avoid come the Festival.

Weekend racing review for 23 January 2010

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:08:20 +0000

In the open at Ascot, Call Me A Legend won well for Alan King. Subsequent results over the past couple of days confirm the stable is back firing again. Advisor won the Juvenile Hurdle well enough. He jumps well and finished the race with his ears pricked. The times suggest the ground was good to soft and he is clearly effective when the word “soft” is in the description.

Weekend racing to offer Cheltenham clues

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:08:56 +0000

A fine weekends' racing in prospect including important trial races for the Cheltenham Festival.

The Paul Nicholls pair of Advisor and Pistolet Noir hold entries at Ascot; together with stablechum Royal Mix they also hold entries in what looks like a high-class renewal of the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on February 7th, a race won last year by Jumbo Rio.

Cheltenham Festival - other races update

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:39:18 +0000

Champion Bumper

Some early names worth consideration and to look out for. Thomas Mullins trains Tavern Times and Dr Whizz; both have already won, suggesting they might be useful. Noel Meade hit the scoreboard with Monastrell and Perfect Smile. He has another likely type in the shape of Realt Mor waiting in the wings. Willie Mullins has a good mare called Killultagh Queen. She won at Fairyhouse in good style.

Cheltenham Gold Cup update

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:38:08 +0000

Horse	Comments

Alberta’s Run	Returned to his best with a good win at Ascot. Always travelling well he ran on well all the way to the line. Whilst he was receiving weight from his rivals, he should on past evidence, be suited by a return to three-miles. He ran well when second to Kauto Star in the King George and deserves another crack at the great horse. One of many left in Kauto Star’s vapour trail and will not be easy to place from now on.
Barbers Shop	Finished fourth in the Hennessy Gold Cup, looking to run out of stamina. Ran well enough but something to prove to live up to pre-season hype. Produced an excellent effort against Kauto Star and now loots set to go for the Ryanair. Improving all the time, he can be a major player if continuing in the same vein.

Champion Hurdle and World Hurdle update

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:36:07 +0000

Horse	Target	Comments

Big Bucks	WH	Travelled better than he ever has when hacking up at Newbury on his return to action. He will extremely hard to dethrone in March; hard to see a realistic contender bar Kasbah Bliss or Diamond Harry, both may be busy elsewhere.
Binocular	CH	Reported to be improving all the time at home and reappears in the Fighting Fifth. The track will be in his favour. Speed horses tend to do well in the race, as the likes of Harchibald and Straw Bear displayed in recent years. Ante-post punters may like to consider a double in that race and Cheltenham. Runs well fresh and disappointing in the Fighting Fifth. Slow pace should have suited him. Having jumped well, he failed to pick up when asked to go about his business. A disappointing run and with no explanation forthcoming we will have to wait and see how he goes next time out.

Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase update

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:31:48 +0000

Horse	Target	Comments

Barker	CC RA	Fast improving horse that stays two and a half miles. Needs to improve at leapt 7lb to have a chance in either race. Unseated his rider in Joncol’s race. Too far out to draw any firm conclusions.
Big Zeb	CC	Returned to action with a facile win over the useful Made In Taipan. Needs to improve further to defeat Master Minded at his best. Has won left and right-handed and is effective on good, through to heavy. Jumping errors are thought by his trainer to be lack of concentration. It is hard to argue with, what is an improving profile. Barry Geraghty has ridden him seven times. Four wins, three seconds and no falls is the partnership’s record. Major disappointment in the Tingle Creek. Never got into any rhythm and was beaten before he left the back straight. The ground clearly did not suit him but he should have shown more than he did. Perhaps one explanation is his ability to go well fresh. My speed ratings indicate Big Zeb is as fast as masterminded. Horses with the ability to go that fast invariably are best when fresh. I am of the opinion his chances in the Champion Chase will depend when his prep-race is run. A minimum of five weeks prior to Cheltenham is, in my opinion, necessary.

Champion Hurdle update

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:52:23 +0000

Khyber Kim put up another improved performance and is now fulfilling his potential

Events at Cheltenham on Saturday conspired to make the Champion Hurdle a mystery worthy of Hercule Poirot’s attentions. The International Hurdle was run at a good pace. Apart from Medermit's mistake at the second last, I could see no excuses for the beaten horses. Ashakazar took them along at a good pace; despite looking less than keen to play the game with any enthusiasm. Headed three from home, he gave way to Celestial Halo who was shadowed by Punjabi, Medermit and Khyber Kim.

Arkle Trophy and RSA Chase update

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:11:02 +0000

Horse	Target	Comments

Apt Approach	RSA	Put in a mix bag of jumping at Thurles recently. A mistake at the final fence cost him a win though he would have had to fight for the victory. He should come on for the run and will stay at least two and a half miles.
Bensalem	RSA	Made hard work of winning at Plumpton. He will come on for run and improve next time out. Step up to three-miles appears likely. No disgraced to be outpointed by subsequent winner Take A Breeze. Should stay three-miles in time but may be a suitable type for the Jewson Handicap is he gets a decent mark.

Cheltenham Novice Hurdles update

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:10:28 +0000


Bellvano	SH	Travelled and jumped well when winning at Newbury. Came away in the closing stages after Henry King took a nasty tumble at the second last. Should be plenty more to come as he still looked green in the final quarter of a mile. Found nothing when push came to shove behind Menorah at Kempton Park. Back to the drawing board for connections.
Dunguib	SH	Hacked up, having jumped respectably in the Royal Bond Hurdle. Yet to be tested in any of his races this season, he is clearly a special talent. At this stage of his career, while his jumping is adequate, one cannot compare it to the slick jumping of the likes of Go Native and Binocular. I agree with the trainer that the call at present is the Supreme Novices, particularly as it is unlikely he will be tested at the pace they go in the Champion Hurdle, prior to the race. Current FSF rating is approximately 3lb below the usual Supreme Hurdle winners rating.

Twenty to follow over jumps

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:51:46 +0000

With the early exchanges of the jumps season behind us, Graham Richards provides his list of twenty unexposed horses to follow for the remainder of the season.

Cheltenham Open meeting: horses to note

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:20:42 +0000

On Friday, Consigliere showed more than enough to suggest he will be wining on soft to heavy ground. Four of his five wins have come on right-handed courses.

Later in the day, Regal Approach served notice he will be winning soon. He looks well-handicapped and came from way off the pace. Recovering from a mistake three from home, he finished in good style.

Novice chasers to follow

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:28 +0000

This preview is extracted from the trainer interviews in the 2009/10 National Hunt Season Guide by Graham Richards. With stable tours, horses to follow and newsletters for all major meetings through the season, it is an essential source of winners. Order your copy online today.

Bensalem
Won an Irish Point-To-Point at Dromohane, before joining the team at Barbury Castle Stables. Following a Bumper win at Sandown Park, he won three novice hurdles before finishing second to Diamond Harry at Cheltenham in January. Having summered well, he will go Novice Chasing and is likely to start over two and a half miles, before moving up in distance. Alan considers him an exciting prospect and reports he loves soft ground.