Curtain Falls On Memorable National Hunt Season

May 2, 2013 Leave a comment

Sport can often have its dominant forces and the National Hunt sphere certainly had one to drool over this season as Sprinter Sacre was the beacon of the equine world as he toyed and teased with his rivals before stretching them to a point that they could no longer live with.

Nicky Henderson’s superstar was the box office commodity at the start of the Jumps season and those who witnessed his marvellous display in the Tingle Creek Chase at SandownPark were left open-mouthed, as he duly annihilated his rivals with a flawless display and the Seven Barrows star continued to leave an ever-expanding fan base watching on in awe.

A facile winner of the Victor Chandler Chase in january, he was expected to face a stiff assignment against Sizing Europe in the Champion Chase, but he duly brushed him aside with disdain as he romped to a 19-length success in the Blue Riband event, before he went on to crush Ryanair Chase winner Cue Card and Irish luminary Flemenstar in another mind-boggling victory in the Melling Chase at Aintree in April.

It was Henderson’s willingness to campaign him hard that saw his stock enhance further and his win over Sizing Europe in the Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival saw him emulate the mighty Istabraq by winning at all three major spring festivals and duly cement his place as the leading jumps horse in training.

Henderson was crowned Champion National Hunt trainer for the first time since 1987 and along with the incomparable Sprinter Sacre, the Seven Barrows maestro also had the joys of lifting the Cheltenham Gold Cup crown with the battling Bobs Worth, who fought off a spirited effort from Sir Des Champs to add the coveted prize to his Hennessy Gold Cup win earlier in the season.

Another champion who yet again showed his class at the Cheltenham Festival was Hurricane Fly who returned to the top of the perch in the two-mile hurdling division, as Willie Mullins’ stable star regained the coveted crown off Rock On Ruby to win it for the second time in his illustrious career, whilst maintaining an unblemished record throughout the campaign.

Big Buck’s was absent from the Cheltenham Festival through injury, which left the door open in the three-mile division and an old Grade One stalwart of the two-mile sphere tried his hand at the extra eight furlongs and Solwhit duly delivered with a battling success over Celestial Halo in the World Hurdle to show that he could well be a rival to Paul Nicholls’ legendary stayer if he returns next year.

Ireland and Willie Mullins have certainly had a phenomenal crop of horses this season and Quevega secured her place in history by landing her fifth consecutive Mares’ Hurdle at the Prestbury Park extravaganza, whilst Champagne Fever was another who got the Emerald Isle dancing as he fought off the highly regarded My Tent Or Yours in a vintage Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Some other familiar names came to the fore yet again during the jumps season as AP McCoy was crowned champion jockey for the 18th year on the spin but there were a host of names that propelled into the limelight from the virtual unknown in a campaign full of major ups and some significant downs.

Lucy Alexander was to become the first lady rider to be crowned leading conditional jockey, as she continued her meteoric rise up the ranks, whilst a fresh-faced Brendan Powell followed in his father’s footsteps by landing a runaway success at the Cheltenham Festival on board Colin Tizzard’s Golden Chieftain to show the National Hunt jockey scene is in rude health with some talented youngsters emerging.

A new name left tabloid sub-editors licking their lips as Ryan Mania produced a peach of ride on board the Sue Smith-trained Auroras Encore to victory in the Aintree Grand National and the likeable Scot was found conveying the sport in a positive manner on a host of daytime TV shows with the Merseyside marathon proving a gargantuan success with all 40 runners and riders returning safe and sound.

However, this all rather paled into insignificance as the 2012/2013 National Hunt season will be remembered for the horrifying injuries picked up by John Thomas McNamara at the Cheltenham Festival after a crashing fall from Galaxy Rock in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup on the third day of the meeting.

A much-loved amateur around the weighing room, McNamara was expecting to hang up his silks at the end of the season following a superb career, but his accident on the Jonjo O’Neill-trained raider that saw him suffer paralysis left a sense of emptiness around Prestbury Park following the news and racing showed it was like a family as the likes of Barry Geraghty and AP McCoy showed true class as they offered their condolences to McNamara even after wins in the Gold Cup and Albert Bartlett, respectively.

The likes of Messrs Henderson, Nicholls and Mullins may have yet again dominated the big Saturday afternoon races but there were some other stars to propel into the limelight during the season and Venetia Williams notched up the most winners in one season during her career, with the winning machine Jupiter Rex following in the steps of Hunt Ball, who propelled up the ratings in terrific manner.

Harry Fry stepped out of the shadow of Paul Nicholls and showed that he could be a trainer to follow over the coming seasons as his strike rate was an impressive one, whilst Donald McCain continued to go from strength to strength as he notched up the most amount of winners, but will now be looking for a lot more Graded winners next year to try and challenge the Nicky Henderson juggernaut, who should have the likes of Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig and Bobs Worth ready to strut their stuff for the 2013/2014 campaign.

Filed under Latest Racing News, National Hunt Races, Nicky Henderson, Opinion, Paul Nicholls Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Auroras Encore Bids To Compelte Aintree and Scottish National Double

April 17, 2013 Leave a comment

Champagne corks would not have just been popping at Sue Smith’s Bingley yard after Auroras Encore’s shock 66/1 victory but the BHA and all concerned with improving the welfare of horses in the race would have breathed a sighed a huge sigh of relief over a glass of the fizzy stuff as the 2013 Grand National produced a magnificent spectacle with all 40 horses and jockeys returning from the four mile four furlong marathon trip safely.

Aintree have prided themselves on introducing safety measures over the last 12 months after two horses, including 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised, suffered fatal injuries in the world’s greatest steeplechase last year, and the Merseyside venue would’ve been triumphing over the positive impact their changes made to what was still a highlight of not only National Hunt racing but of the UK sporting calendar.

Witticisms were flying in ten to the dozen in the lead-up to the race with some in the racing ranks referring to the race as a potential glorified hurdle race, but the 4m 3f 110y marathon lost none of its glitz and glamour as the 40-strong field went careering to the first fence.

The obstacles have certainly become a lot less taxing on the horses, as they are now able to brush through the top of the fences with more ease, but the view of watching these 40 equine superstars jumping round the idiosyncratic course still created a buzz around the millions that were watching the race around the world.

Going into the race all eyes had been on Katie Walsh, as her mount Seabass was backed off the boards, but as he did 12 months ago, the Ted Walsh-trained raider failed to see out the closing stages, whilst the fellow Irish raiders Colbert Station and On His Own had both failed to make it around the course after falling in the middle part of the contest.

Meanwhile at the head of affairs Nick Scholfield was gaining a real tune out of Teaforthree, but the petrol tank was plummeting in the red as a tired jump at the last handed the initiative to Ryan Mania on board Auroras Encore and the 2012 Scottish National runner-up and the pair duly sprinted clear to send the bookmakers into raptures and a new name catapulted into the newspapers.

Mania was a name only known in racing quarters, but no doubt editors across the land enjoyed compiling their punchy headings utilising the Scotsman’s surname, but his fall the following day at Hexham, where he was airlifted to hospital just brought home to the nation the ups and downs with the national hunt world.

After being discharged from hospital, Mania will have to spend some time on the sidelines, but he will desperate to be back in the plate for Auroras Encore’s next race, which looks set to be in the Scottish National at Ayr on April 20, where he tries to emulate the legendary Red Rum by notching up the Grand National and Scottish National double and he is currently around the 12/1 market in the latest betting to secure victory north of the border.

Filed under Grand National, Latest Racing News Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Irish Saint Heads For Triumph Hurdle After Adonis Victory

February 25, 2013 Leave a comment

Trial races can often be overhyped but the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle has provided a fountain of clues in recent years for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and Saturday’s renewal of the Kempton Park Grade Two may have helped paint a clearer picture of the four-year-old title, which takes place on the final day of this year’s meeting on Friday, March 15th.

Since the turn of the century, four winners have managed to use victory in the Adonis as a springboard to Triumph glory at Prestbury Park, with Snow Drop (2000), Penzance (2005), Soldatino (2010) and Zarkandar (2011) all etching their names in both crowns, but can Saturday’s winner Irish Saint emulate that quartet and progress to Cheltenham glory?

Sent off a 5/4 favourite for the Adonis, the Paul Nicholls trained Irish Saint appeared to have it all to do turning into the straight as Ruby Walsh became more and more active in the saddle, but the Ditcheat inmate gradually got rocking and rolling in the closing stages and eventually came upsides Vasco Du Ronceray.

Driven out after a good leap at the last flight, Walsh managed to cajole him past Nicky Henderson’s raider and he won by half-a-length which forced Bet365 to cut him to 12/1 for next month’s Triumph Hurdle, but with a strong bunch of four-year-olds set to line up at Cheltenham, he will need to produce a slicker effort than Saturday’s performance.

Outpaced in the middle of the race, Walsh had looked to be fighting a losing battle, but he showed he could well be a future stayer in the making as he was producing his finest work in the latter stages, as he reeled in Vasco Du Ronceray, who is 14/1 with Bet365 for the Triumph, and asserting late on.

A strong pace from the flag fall, the Triumph could well suit Irish Saint, but it’s debatable as to whether he possesses the required speed to be victorious in the race and there could well be a whole host of more attractive betting propositions in the current ante-post market for the 2m Grade One prize.

Irish Saint’s victory at the weekend saw Bet365 slightly trim Rolling Star’s price to 9/2 as he comfortably beat him in the Triumph Hurdle Trial on Cheltenham’s Festival Trials Day and Henderson’s premier challenger for the crown could well be one of the leading contenders for the race and along with Far West (4/1) and Our Conor (9/2) is one of a trio of horses who spearhead the market with just over two weeks to go.

Vasco Du Ronceray may have finished a close second, but Henderson may opt to send him down the Fred Winter route, whilst Alan King’s mare L’unique (33/1 for Triumph) lost her unbeaten tag and looks to face a difficult task in reversing the form.

A potential improver from the race is Courtesy Call, who was making her hurdling debut for Henderson after a decent career on the Flat for Mark Johnston and having travelled well until the second last flight was just outclassed by the front two, but he is sure to improve and at 25/1 in the latest betting with Bet365 could be scribed into a few notebooks.

Filed under Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Races, Cheltenham Festival Trials, Kempton, Latest Racing News, Opinion, Paul Nicholls, Ruby Walsh, Triumph Hurdle Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Grand National Contenders Emerge As Race Nears

February 20, 2013 Leave a comment

We have seen the build-up to the 2013 Grand National crank up a notch over the last week with the announcement of the weights coupled with one or two contenders staking their claims following trials. The handicapper has tried his best to level the field of entries for this year’s race and as usual, which has signalled the start of ‘National season’. Trainers and owners in Britain and Ireland are now finalising plans for their Aintree hopefuls with the race fast approaching.

One horse who has impressed recently is Cappa Bleu, who had his final run before Aintree at Ascot last weekend. The Evan Williams trained 11 year old ran a blinder to finish second in the Weatherbys Insurance Chase Limited Handicap over three miles and connections have now decided to send the horse straight to the National. Cappa Bleu seemed in great order as he jumped with style around Ascot before staying on well through the line to pick up a hard fought second place.

Last year, Cappa Bleu ran a great race in the Grand National to finish fourth and with that experience behind him and a fair weight to carry (10-7 – 3lbs less than 12 months ago), he has to be respected once again in 2013. The bookmakers were certainly impressed with his run at Ascot with the horse now fighting for second favouritism in some places at 12/1 behind the Willie Mullins trained Prince De Beauchene. That is high praise indeed for the horse but punters can be pretty sure he stays as he proved last year when he finished fourth and based on his current form, it would be no surprise to see him at least placed again.

Another horse who has long been touted as a potential National winner is Teaforthree but he looked well below his best recently when he faded out of contention in the Haydock National Trial. The Rebecca Curtis trained nine year old won the four mile handicap at the Cheltenham Festival last year to prove his stamina while he ran another good race at Chepstow when finishing second in the Welsh Grand National back in January. The manner in which he faded at Haydock on his last start however is a worry for punters but at the same time, he has been such a consistent horse recently that he can surely be forgiven for one bad run.

Teaforthree and Jockey AP McCoy, have built up a successful partnership over the past couple of years but the Champ is unlikely to be on board the Welsh trained horse at Aintree come April. McCoy is likely to get the leg up on Sunnyhillboy for his boss JP McManus this year instead, leaving Rebecca Curtis looking for a new partner for Teaforthree. It was Nick Scholfield who took the ride at Haydock and while he is clearly a very good jockey, he does lack the experience and class of McCoy who is of course the best in the business.

One other contender who is worthy of a mention at this stage is On His Own who made a fine return to the track at Navan to win the Boyne Hurdle ahead of his second tilt at the Grand National. The Willie Mullins trained horse fell at Bechers on the second circuit when travelling well last season and all the signs are that he is bang in form ahead of a return to Liverpool on 6th April. The horse showed plenty of class to win the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle on his first start for 10 months and as a result the bookmakers were impressed enough to cut the horse into as short as the 8/1 favourite for Aintree.

All of this comes in the wake of the news that Grand National top weight, Tidal Bay, will miss the race after picking up an injury. Even shoudler top weight, the Paul Nicholls trained runner looked well in after the handicapper had done his work but his withdrawal will now see the field shaken up ahead of the race. Plenty of horses will now be the subject of a hike in the handicap as a result of the withdrawal of Tidal Bay leaving plenty of punters left scratching their heads when trying to find the winner at this stage. There is no doubt however that the likes of Cappa Bleu and On His Own are credible contenders, they have both been treated fairly by the handicapper and both will be looking to win the race at the second attempt.

Filed under Aintree, Grand National, Tony McCoy Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Sprinter Sacre The Highlight of Trials Day As He Continues His March To the Queen Mother

January 28, 2013 Leave a comment

Seldom do superstars come along in horse racing, but in Sprinter Sacre the Sport of Kings appears to have another infallible talent that can take over Frankel’s mantle as the darling of the sport and his breathless performance in the Victor Chandler Chase was by far the highlight of a superb Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham.

For fans of the Nicky Henderson-trained hotpot there was only one anxious moment as he pecked on landing when jumping the second last, but Barry Geraghty merely pulled his head up and the 1/5 favourite propelled clear of his Grade One rivals to win by 14 lengths and cement his place as a short odds-on jolly for the 2013 Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Paddy Power have dangled a carrot for punters and are best-priced 2/5 for the seven-year-old to land the Queen Mother on the 13th March and it already appears a foregone conclusion provided Henderson can get him there on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, with the appearance of Flemenstar the only potential fly in the ointment, but the Irish Hennessy will determine where he heads in March.

Bobs Worth’s withdrawal from the Argento Chase may have starved punters of a final chance to see the Hennessy Gold Cup winner in action before the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but there was an old stager that was shining bright, as Imperial Commander ran an absolute corker in defeat and could well now be a lively outsider for the Blue Riband event on the final day of the four-day extravaganza.

Off the racecourse for nearly two years, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ veteran showed he still oozes the class that saw him win the 2010 Gold Cup and he was slashed to a 16/1 shot for the Festival highlight and he is sure to improve for the outing.

Denis O’Regan may have nailed Imperial Commander in the shadow of the post on board the Malcolm Jefferson-trained Cape Tribulation to earn himself a 25/1 quote for the Gold Cup, but it was the runner-up on everyone’s lips following his scintillating performance and he could well be in the firing line to try and retain the coveted crown on March 15.

Nicky Henderson added to his Festival artillery as Rolling Star got the better of Irish Saint in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial and he is now a 6/1 market leader for the four-year-old crown, whilst the progressive Katenko eased to a 12-length success in the Murphy Group Chase and could be Grand National-bound in April.

On a card that could’ve graced the Festival itself, Henderson had to settle for the runner-up position in the Cleeve Hurdle as Oscar Whisky failed to reel in Reve De Sivola in a pulsating finish to the 3m event and that pair could well meet again in the World Hurdle.

Along with Imperial Commander, Twiston-Davies had another near-miss as his previously unbeaten novice hurdler The New One was just touched off by a battling At Fishers Cross and the latter could well be a major player in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, whilst Twiston-Davies will send The New One to the Neptune. You can watch all Saturday’s races again on Channel 4′s On Demand service, worth checking out for Sprinter Sacre alone!

Filed under Argento Chase, Barry Geraghty, Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Trials, National Hunt Races, Nicky Henderson, Queen Mother Champion Chase Tagged with , , , , , ,

Bobs Worth Remains Favourite In Competitive Looking Gold Cup

January 16, 2013 Leave a comment

Nicky Henderson’s artillery for the Cheltenham Festival is staggering, as the Seven Barrows Maestro has arguably his finest battalion of stars for the four-day jamboree in his training career, and come the final day of the fixture, he could well be celebrating his second Cheltenham Gold Cup crown with Bobs Worth, who currently heads the ante-post markets for the Blue Riband event on March 15.

Winner of the Albert Bartlett in 2011 and last year’s RSA Chase, Bobs Worth was sublime in landing the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury earlier in the season, the dual Festival winner was instantly slashed into the 3/1 market leader with Paddy Power and if he can reproduce the heroics shown at the Berkshire track then he will set a very high standard, but this year’s renewal has a plethora of up-and-coming talent within the three mile chase division looking to cement their place alongside some of racing’s jumping elite.

Sir Des Champs is another who has a brace of Festival wins on his CV (Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap in 2011 and the Jewson Novices Chase in 2012), but Willie Mullins’ star lost his unblemished record when losing to Flemenstar in the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown in December, before suffering back-to-back defeats when going down in a memorable Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.  However, many still believe he will excel over the Gold Cup distance and given his love for the Prestbury Park course, it’s not surprising that he is 5/1 second favourite for the Grade One crown.

Flemenstar (11/1) had been all the rage heading into the aforementioned Lexus, but the way he wilted in the closing stages of the 3m contest left question marks surrounding his concerning potential stamina doubts and his enigmatic trainer Peter Casey will make a decision whether to hand him the Gold Cup task following his run in the Irish Hennessy.

Henderson won’t be firing a solitary shot at the Gold Cup crown as 2011 victor Long Run will also be attempting to emulate Kauto Star by regaining the coveted silverware and he was cut to a 7/1 shot in the latest betting with after his battling success in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

After clattering the final fence, defeat was almost a certainty, but Sam Waley-Cohen managed to cajole his pride and joy back into contention and nail Captain Chris (20/1) in the dying strides, to highlight his superb stamina and with a fierce gallop likely to be set from the outset in the Gold Cup, he could well come into calculations coming up the energy-sapping Cheltenham hill, which he has shown to relish in the past.

Paul Nicholls will be aiming to etch his name back into the trophy for the first time since Kauto Star won in 2009 and he will saddle Silviniaco Conti (7/1), who has progressed immeasurably this season and his demolition of Long Run in the Betfair Chase means he has to come into the reckoning, whilst the Mouse Morris trained First Lieutenant (10/1) is another of the new brigade and adds more depth to a wide open ante-post betting list.

The Giant Bolster (20/1) ran a cracker in defeat to Synchronished in last year’s renewal and David Bridgwater has always been ebullient about his Gold Cup chances, whilst the evergreen Tidal Bay (12/1) could be a potential challenger if Nicholls opts for this assignment rather than the World Hurdle.

Filed under Cheltenham Festival Races, Gold Cup, Paul Nicholls, Willie Mullins Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Donald McCain Leading Prospects For The New Season

November 9, 2012 Leave a comment

Continuing the look at some of the National Hunt’s leading stables, here I look at the leading protagonists from Donald McCain’s Bankhouse Stables.

Peddlers Cross

After finishing runner up in the 2011 Champion Hurdle behind the brilliant Hurricane Fly, McCain decided that as part of his natural progression, Peddlers Cross would be aimed at fences the following season, with an open mind being retained as to what his ultimate career target would be. That plan has now changed!

For whatever reason Peddlers Cross simply did not take to bigger obstacles, he appeared to lose momentum each time he approached one and then lose further momentum each time he jumped over. This was totally the opposite technique to the way he tackled hurdles, over which he could be relied upon to clear without changing stride and then pick up speed the other side.

This season therefore is all about a reverse of direction and back to hurdles. The plan is likely to start him off in the 2m4f Ascot race that stablemate, Overturn won last November. All things being well, should he get back to winning ways then he will be aimed at the 3m staying races at some stage. Ultimately this will mean taking on Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but McCain has never been deterred by taking on top class opposition provided he is happy his own entry and his faith in Peddlers Cross hasn’t wavered and the prospect of a clash with Big Buck’s is a mouth-watering prospect.

Overturn

With almost £700,000 in earnings already to his name, Overturn is reported to be in rude health at home and ready to race. However, with the new novice chase structure being introduced, it has been hard to try and find the right race for him.

That said, McCain is not just going to send him anywhere and is more than happy to wait until the right opportunity comes along.

The word is that Overturn has schooled extremely well over fences and as such, remains a very exciting prospect for Novice Chases to come. It is hoped to have him primed and ready to go for either the Arkle or Jewson Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Cinders And Ashes

It provided the first highlight of last season’s Cheltenham Festival when the stable’s Cinders And Ashes won the Supreme Novices Hurdle. The strategic plan now is to go back to Cheltenham for a bid to win the Champion Hurdle but in the meantime, a progress check will be mounted when he takes on the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle later in November.

McCain will recognise that until you start mixing it with the ‘big boys’, you are never quite sure what you have. The stable will know a lot more after Newcastle and future plans are flexible until he has had his first run of the new season.

Ile De Re

This six year old was a huge star for the stable during the flat season and although unable to get into the mix in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on Champions Day, he remains an exciting prospect for hurdling this winter.

He disappointed when finishing eighth, after going off  favourite, in a handicap hurdle at Ascot at the beginning of November and it will be interesting to see where he goes next and how he performs.

If he can transfer his improvement on the flat to hurdling, then he surely has a big race within him.

Weird Al

Weird Al goes extremely when well fresh and when he makes his seasonal debut, he will certainly be one to watch, wherever that may be.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup was his main target last season but he showed enough in the Grand National (despite falling) to suggest that he should be re-directed to Aintree as his season’s main target.

His fall in the Grand National aside, his jumping has always been sound and he has proven himself in Grade One company and as such, he will remain a competitive sort wherever he runs and is one to follow.

The Donald McCain stable has grown out of all proportion since son Donald, took over from ‘Ginger’ McCain his late father a couple of years ago. A Grand National win, victory in the Supreme Novices Hurdle and the Galway Hurdle plus the Northumberland Plate and Chester Cup on the flat are just some of the recent achievements  and with a stable’s array of talent growing all the time, more winners will surely be forthcoming.

Sky Sports Zoey Bird did this feature recently from McCain’s Cheshire stable, which is definitely worth watching.

Filed under Donald McCain, Latest Racing News, National Hunt Races, Opinion, Trainer

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