2012 Cheltenham Festival Highlights

March 19, 2012 Leave a comment

It was Idarah, the final finisher in the final race that effectively brought down the final curtain of the four day 2012 Cheltenham Festival and in so doing closed another chapter in the meeting’s history books but this year’s Festival has to go down one of the most exciting for years.

Searching for talking points and highlights at the Festival any year is easy but 2012 had so many it is difficult to know where to start and for that matter how to prioritise them.

Certainly one highlight that should stick in the mind of all National Hunt racing fans was the huge round of applause handed out so spontaneously by the 60,000 crowd after the Kauto Star was pulled up in the Gold Cup by jockey Ruby Walsh. Their reaction probably was suitable acknowledgement that the dual Gold Cup and five times King George VI Chase Champion will not be seen competitively on a racecourse again and that he will now be retired to the luxurious pasture he so richly deserves given that he arguable rates as one of the best Steeplechasers the world has ever seen!

Kauto Star’s Stablemate, Big Bucks, however, did not disappoint, once again proving too good for his rivals in the World Hurdle, winning the race for a record breaking fourth consecutive year and in the process winning his 16th consecutive race. His confirmation as the greatest staying hurdler of all time came two days after the Willie Mullins trained Quevega had won the three mile Mares Hurdle also for the fourth consecutive year. Her win confirmed her as the greatest staying mare of all time and possibly the only horse capable of taking Big Bucks on.

A second act of unadulterated spontaneity was witnessed when Hunt Ball won the Pulteney Land Investments Novices Handicap Chase over 2m4f, the final race on the first day. Owner, Anthony Knott, who had accused the Official Handicapper of getting it all wrong with his horse all season, became almost uncontainable when the seven year old romped home by eight lengths carrying 12 stone on his back. His win yet again defied the handicapper and had his owner making that point to everybody on the boisterous but jovial walk back to the winners enclosure. The win was greeted with so much enthusiasm by the crowd, many of which had taken Knott’s advice and backed the 13/2 favourite that it prompted the official handicapper himself to make his way to the winners enclosure to acknowledge that he had got it wrong by shaking Knott’s hand. It was a great and magnanimous and one of those episodes that that go a long way towards making the Festival what it is today. Hunt Ball in fact has earned himself a 50/1 shout for the Gold Cup at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival.

With the exit one Festival superstar in the form of Kauto Star a potential replacement announced his arrival on the chasing scene in the form of Sprinter Sacre. The six year old became the first of trainer Nicky Henderson’s magnificent seven winners at this year’s Festival after his seven length victory in Arkle Challenge Trophy. It was a run of such awesome quality, that had jockey Barry Geraghty confirming that he is the best he has ridden and had bookmakers installing him as the 2/1 favourite to win the 2013 Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Hendersoncould not have had a betterCheltenham; Sprinter Sacre became his 40th Festival career winner to equal that of Fulke Walwyn, which he was then to shatter with six more, taking him to a new record of 46. His other winners:

Simonsig – Hugely impressive winner of the Grade 1 Neptune Investment Management Novice Hurdle over 2m5f.

Bobs Worth – First home in the Grade 1 RSA Chase and now an 8/1 quote for the 2013 Gold Cup.

Finian’s Rainbow – New Queen Mother Chase Champion after coming on top in a controversial but epic battle up the hill with defending champion, Sizing Europe who went off the 4/5 favourite.

Une Artiste – 40/1 winner of the Grade 3 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. His win completed a 3,382 four timer on the day for the Seven Barrows trainer. It was the first time in the history of the Festival that a trainer had saddled four winners on a single day.

Riverside Theatre – Held on to win a terrific battle in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase over 2m5f with Albertas Run, winner of this race for the previous two seasons.

Belvano – The 20/1 winner of the Johnny Henderson Grand annual Chase and the race named to honour Nicky’s father. There could have been a no more fitting end to the Festival and was made even better when his Tanks For That finished second and Anquetta fourth.

The one surprise defeat of the Nicky Henderson cam was that of Long Run in the Gold Cup who could only finish third, behind winner, Synchronised and the 50/1 outsider, The Giant Bolster. Although this race is not considered a highlight this year due the fact that it was a worryingly low class renewal with only Kauto Star and Long Run being rated more than 180 in the field. Synchronised, in fairness has won at Grade One level and did run a stormer under Tony McCoy to win. However, how the 160 rated runner up The Giant Bolster got so close is something that should not really happen in the country’s most prestigious steeplechase.

Other surprise defeats came in the Champion Hurdle where Hurricane Fly could not justify his 4/6 price, finishing third behind the Paul Nicholls trained Rock on Ruby.

Filed under Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle, Arkle, Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Races, Gold Cup, Latest Racing News, Neptune Novices Hurdle, Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Willie Mullins, World Hurdle Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Festival Talking Point: Henderson Stable lad wins £1 million

March 19, 2012 Leave a comment

Whilst Nicky Henderson and connections stole the show as far as success was concerned at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival it was one of his stable hands who stole the show off the course.

Conor Murphy, an unassuming Irishman who lives in Lambourn and looks after the interests of new Queen Mother Champion Chaser, Finian’s Rainbow, at the Seven Barrows stable won himself over £1m after placing a £50 accumulator on five ofHenderson’s runners at the Cheltenham Festival. All five won!

It is true that he had to use a little bit of guesswork but if he had any inside information as to which race Simonsig would run in, he should be forgiven, as he backed him to win the Neptune Novice Hurdle, when most thought that he would run in the ‘Supreme Novice’.

His wins came with Sprinter Sacre in the Arkle Chase who was around the 7/1 mark when backed by Murphy but went off as the 8/11 odds on favourite. Next came Simonsig, who was a 20/1 shot when backed but had shortened into 2/1 favouritism by the time of the off. RSA Chase winner, Bobs Worth was backed at 6/1 and went in at 4’s. Murphy’s own yard horse Finian’s Rainbow won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 12/1, a win which must have had Murphy gutted as it looked like he was going to get beat by defending champion, Sizing Europe. The bet and the million pound win however was secure once Riverside Theatre managed to hold another defending champion, Albertas Run in the Ryanair Chase at odds of 16/1 antepost but went off as the 7/2 favourite.

Of course having stable knowledge does help, otherwise surely he would have backed Long Run to win the Gold Cup but perhaps the canny lad’s instincts knew best and forced him to resist the temptation of a six horse accumulator.

Quite understandably, Conor is not seeking further publicity and latest reports has suggested that he has gone into hiding but those who know him believe  that he will be back at work this morning looking after Finian’s Rainbow and mucking and riding out with the rest of the team.

Great credit must be extended to the Bet365 Bookmakers who took and laid the bet, they did not seek to capitalise on the PR front preferring to respect the fact that account holder’s details should be respected and that the client should remain officially unexposed.

Overall, the ‘Festival’ was a reasonable betting encounter between punters and Bookmakers although the latter benefited hugely with the defeats of a number of hot favourites, some which were defending their crowns. Long Run went down at 7/4, Boston Bob failed to land the Albert Bartlett with odds of 6/5, Peddlers Cross failed again this time in the Jewson with odds of 5/2, while 6/5 Grands Crus could only manage fourth place in the RSA Chase. Sizing Europe was unlucky but only came second when 4/5 odds on, while Hurricane Fly, perhaps the best backed favourite of them all at 4/6 failed to fire in the Champion Hurdle, beaten by Rock On Ruby and Overturn.

Of those defending their crown sonly Quevega in the Mares Hurdle and Big Bucks in the World Hurdle were successful.

Filed under Arkle, Cheltenham, Latest Racing News, Neptune Novices Hurdle, Nicky Henderson, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Cheltenham Tips: Five Antepost Picks To Consider

February 27, 2012 Leave a comment

With Cheltenham fast approaching, it’s time to take another look at some of the horses being “talked up” to win at the Festival. Depending on what you read or who you speak to, there are a number of alternatives being touted for many of the races at the four day meeting but listed below are my five current best bets with just two weeks to go, some are more obvious than others but I’m confident that the current prices will all represent value come the days of the respective races.

Supreme Novice Hurdle – Midnight Game @ 10/1 (general)

Trained by Willie Mullins, the five year old Midnight Game has done nothing but improve all season at the yard, evidenced backed up by his two wins in decent company in his last two starts. Owned by Gigginstown Stud Midnight Game has been placed in Listed races on the flat in France and has taken to hurdling with a great deal of enthusiasm and provides Mullins with a great chance of kicking off the 2012 Festival with a winning start for Mullins in the “curtain raiser”.

Arkle Challenge Trophy – Sprinter Sacre @ Even Money

It does not take a genius to realise that this Nicky Henderson trained six year old has everything a young chaser needs. He has proven that over fences at least he has few peers over 2 miles and the excitement expressed at the Seven Barrows Yard is absolutely genuine. Based on what he has shown over the bigger obstacles this season, it is hard to see anything other than Sprinter Sacre landing the Arkle on day one.

Menorah from the Phillip Hobbs stable delighted connections with his 13 length win at Taunton at the end of the year which he followed up by winning again next time. His fall last time should be forgotten as he is can be expected to repay anyone who backs him each way in the Arkle as a bigger priced alternative to Sprinter Sacre.

RSA Chase – First Lieutenant @ 7/1 (general)

All the hype of course as to the likely winner of this race is centered on David Pipe’s Grands Crus but over in Ireland there is a strong body of support for the Mouse Morris trained, First Lieutenant. Second last time out in the Grade 1 Fort Leney Chase over 3 miles at Leopardstown behind the brilliant Last Instalment, this 7 year old is primed to take full advantage of Last Instalment’s absence for the rest of the season. He has been specifically laid out for the RSA and will come to Cheltenham with the stable expecting to win and it’s worthwhile risking that the Grands Crus camp opt to go for the Gold Cup as if that is the case, then the current 7/1 will look massive about this genuine Irish Raider.

Champion Chase – Wishfull Thinking Each Way @ 16/1

Having been disappointing all season, trainer Phillip Hobbs remains confident that the best is yet to come from last year’s Jewson Novice Chase second. He is reportedly working extremely well at home and should he bring that form to the track then he should enter the reckoning in this race. One for the shortlist and a definite each way bet at 16s.

Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle – Vulcanite

This four time winner on the Flat has trainer Charlie Longsdon and connections highly excited and they believe that the five year old is perfectly suited to win this Grade 3. He has taken to hurdling with great aplomb and although seven lengths back when second last week in a Newbury Novice Hurdle, Longsdon believes that the run will have him spot on for the County Hurdle.

Filed under Arkle, Cheltenham Festival Trials, Latest Racing News, Royal & Sun Alliance Chase Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Indecision Over Grands Crus Festival Target Leaves RSA Chase Picture Wide Open

February 13, 2012 Leave a comment

With still no clear indication from the David Pipe stable as to where Grands Crus will be aimed at the Cheltenham Festival, the betting remains somewhat confusing for anybody looking to untangle the RSA Chase in hope of finding some antepost value.

Grands Crus was due to run in the Reynoldstown Chase at Newbury last weekend but with that race being cancelled and excluded from the rearranged card for this coming Friday, it is unlikely that the seven year old will have another run before the Festival and as it stands, connections are non-committal as to their preference as to which race, the RSA Chase or the Cheltenham Gold Cup they wish him to enter, leaving punters to hold their bets for either race.

Currently Grands Crus is the 2/1 favourite for the RSA Chase, with Bobs Worth from the Nicky Henderson yard next best at 4/1, while Sunday’s PJ Moriarty Novice Chase winner, Last Instalment, is rated an 8/1 chance alongside First Lieutenant. In the Gold Cup market, Grands Crus is the 7/1 third favourite, behind Long Run and Kauto Star.

Whether Grands Crus runs in or not, the RSA Chase remains an eye-caching race, particularly now that Last Instalment, confirmed his likely presence in the field following his very impressive front running victory in the ‘PJ Moriarty’ over 2m5f at Leopardstown at the weekend. Trainer, Phillip Fenton, confirmed that the seven year old, who is now unbeaten in four starts over fences this season, will head for the RSA and represents one or Ireland’s best hopes for Festival success.

In winning at Leopardstown, he held off the challenge of the Willie Mullins pair of Lambro and Call The Police, seeming to have improved from his last run when winning the Grade 1 Fort Leney Novice Chase over 3 miles also at Leopardstown in December. In that race he had First Lieutenant, also a major RSA player well beaten six lengths behind and he looked every bit a Cheltenham Festival good thing.

Tony Martin’s Bog Warrior also attracted attention of punters as a potential Cheltenham Festival winner at the weekend, with his bloodless 11 length victory in the Opera Hat Novice Chase at Naas over two miles. This win put the eight year old back on course for Cheltenham after falling in his previous start in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase over 2m at Leopardstown at Christmas. Before that of course he spectacularly won the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase over 2m4f by 31 lengths a race where First Lieutenant was pulled up. The win has earned Bog Warrior a 12/1 quote from Ladbrokes for the RSA Chase and a 16/1 quote from the same Bookmaker for the Arkle Challenge Trophy but much like Grands Crus, a decision to which he will run in has yet to be made.

Filed under Arkle, Cheltenham, David Pipe, Gold Cup, Latest Racing News, Leopardstown, Nicky Henderson, Royal & Sun Alliance Chase, Willie Mullins Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Arkle Chase Promising To Be One Of 2012 Cheltenham Festival Highlights

December 15, 2011 Leave a comment

Whilst the Gold Cup will always be the main event of the annual Cheltenham Festival, followed by the Champion Hurdle and the Queen Mother Champion Chase, there are still a number of other races each year that have provide plenty of intrigue and discussion for National Hunt fans throughout the winter in the build-up to March, hot races you could call them that have a number of runners boasting early season form that suggest they have the potential to win one of the Festival’s other feature races.

In 2012, that race could well be the Arkle Challenge Trophy which is effectively is the Two Mile Champion Novice Chase. The reason for this is quite simply that many of those highly talented young hurdlers from the last couple of seasons have moved on to chasing careers and most have the Arkle in their sights for their main target of the season.

Although most of these first season chases are still staking their claims in the host of trial races that lead to the Arkle, the market currently has the runner up to Hurricane Fly in last season’s Champion Hurdle, Peddlers Cross, at the head of the betting.

The Donald McCain trained seven year old has had two spins over the bigger obstacles so far this season, emphatically winning both although neither could be described as being against a serious test of opponent. Nonetheless, he appears to have adapted to fences extremely comfortably, impressing with his jumping, whilst maintaining his usual momentum. He has been installed as the 4/1 favourite, three points clear of the next best in the market, the Paul Nicholls trained Al Ferof.

Winner of the Grade One Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Festival last March, Al Ferof has come through two tests this season already over fences. The first of those, the Grade 2 November Novices Chase at Cheltenham last month he won by an easy seven lengths but he was given a severe examination in his latest outing in the Grade One, Henry VIII Novice Chase at Sandown. He won that race in very game fashion by a neck from the Nick Williams trained For Non Stop, who will also be heading to Cheltenham for the Arkle. That Sandown win, whilst proving his tenacity, did not hugely impress the Bookmakers in an overall sense who have now eased the John Hales owned gelding to 7/1 from 6/1 in the Cheltenham odds for the Arkle.

Vying for the position of joint favourite for the race is the Nicky Henderson trained, Sprinter Sacre. Third behind Al Ferof in the Supreme Novices at the Festival in March, word from Seven Barrows was that this five year old had schooled particularly well over fences and proved as much when landing a Novice Chase at Doncaster last weekend by 24 lengths, an impressive start to say the least.

Menorah, from the Phillip Hobbs stable who won the 2010 Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham unseated jockey Richard Johnson on his chasing debut at Exeter at the beginning of last month. At the time of the mistake he was well in command, looking every bit the winner and will surely be making amends next time out. That said, Hobbs him in the Grade 2 International Hurdle at Cheltenham last weekend where he could only manage fourth behind Grandouet and he is now likely to resume his chasing career which is sure to see him take in another race over bigger obstacles soon but would not be one to be pinning hopes on ahead of the Festival without seeing evidence that his jumping is sound.

Others heading for the ‘Arkle’ include Colin Tizzards Cue Card who so narrowly lost to Bobs Worth in the Grade 2 London Prides Novice Chase at Newbury a fortnight ago. That race was run over 2m4f but he is sure to prefer the two mile trip which is the distance Tizzard will most likely run him next time. Meanwhile Bobs Worth has been installed as the second favourite for the RSA Chase in March’s Festival.

Trainer Charles Byrne has confirmed that the leading Irish fancy for the Arkle, Solwhit, has had a setback at home and will not be making his chasing debut until the New Year. The seven year old who has won six times at Grade One level over hurdles certainly has a lot of class about him, but obviously until he runs over fences the ‘jury must remain out’ as to his Arkle chances. He is currently a 16/1 shot for the race which, incidentally, Irish horses have a very good record.

Filed under Arkle, Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Races, Cheltenham Festival Trials, Donald McCain, Doncaster, Nicky Henderson, Phillip Hobbs Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Willie Mullins: Six Of The Best For the National Hunt Season

November 18, 2011 Leave a comment

Champion Irish trainer, Willie Mullins, is beginning to move through the gears as the National Hunt season gathers more momentum. The hugely successful trainer, who saddled four winners at last year’s Cheltenham Festival will hoping to better that tally in 2012 and will be reliant that at least three of those winners from last year will be capable of repeating the feat come March. Here are six of his best stable prospects that will be campaigned with tilts at the Festival in mind.

Hurricane Fly

There is no doubt that the greatest two mile hurdler around right now will go off as the favourite to win the Champion Hurdle for a second successive year. As we all know, he saw off the challenge of three major contenders when winning the 2011 Champion Hurdle and did so with alarming ease. He is probably one of the bankers of the Festival who can be backed currently at 7/4 -  a price that will only contract if he picks up where he left off last season when he makes his seasonal reappearance in a couple of weeks time.

Quevega

What more can we say about this outstanding mare who has won the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle at the Festival for the last three years running. Mullins has confirmed that the same policy of not running her until the Festival will be maintained this year, which is a long wait for fans to see her but understandable as it has worked for the past two seasons. She is a best price of 6/4 for race and is sure to be shorter come the Festival.

Sir Des Champs

Unbeaten over hurdles, Sir Des Champs culminated his excellent campaign last season by winning the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockey Hurdle at the Festival, This year the hugely talented 5 year old will be aimed at the Novice Chases with a probable tilt at the Arkle Chase. Prices will be out for him after he has made his debut, probably in the Beginners Chase at Punchestown on 19th November.

Uncle Junior

An out and out stayer, Uncle Junior surprised many last week when winning the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham last week, where he beat the very experienced Garde Champetre by 2½ lengths. Mullins had always believed that the ten year old would acquit himself well in races such as this, no matter what the going and his season’s target will be a repeat of the Open meeting course and distance success in the Cross Country Chase at the Festival.

Samain

Unbeaten in three ‘Bumpers’ last season, this German bred 5 year old will next be seen novice hurdling although Mullins has not as yet decided when this will be. By all accounts he is impressing everyone at home, he has great speed and his rate of improvement last season strongly suggest that the stable could have a real star in the making. Even without a hurdle win, Samain is a 20/1 shot for the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Boston Bob

Having won two from three in decent Bumpers last season, and who has a win in a Point to Point to his name, this six year old could be one of the more versatile horses in the Mullins stable; particularly now after he dotted up in a maiden hurdle at Navan this week. Mullins intends to keep him over the smaller obstacles this season but he expects him to run a big race in the Grade One Royal Bond Hurdle at Fairyhouse in early December. A decision will be taken after that race as to what he targets for Cheltenham.

Filed under Arkle, Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival Races, Cross Country Chase Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2011 Cheltenham Festival ranks as one of the best in recent memory

March 22, 2011 Leave a comment

Wow! It is now time to catch our breath and reflect after four days of top class National Hunt racing at the Cheltenham Festival, which last week hosted some of the most spectacular horse races ever seen.

The Festival which is by far the most avidly followed NH meeting of the year saw a record number of Irish winners and crowned a new Gold Cup hero in the form of the Nicky Henderson trained, Long Run, who ended the dreams of those old war horses, Denman and Kauto Star. The win by Long Run was the first for a six year old since the great Mill House in 1963 and could easily be the first of many. Ridden by amateur, Sam Waley-Cohen, the first amateur to win the race for thirty years, Long Run confirmed himself the best chaser around by following up his victory in the King George Chase at Kempton in January!

The Festival also witnessed a magnificent performance put up by Hurricane Fly who destroyed a highly impressive field of runners in the Champion Hurdle. The seven year old, trained by Willie Mullins put to bed any fears that he could not perform outside of Ireland by winning the race comfortably, despite the best efforts of the plucky Peddlers Cross.

Ireland also won the Champion Chase after Sizing Europe, himself a one- time antepost favourite to win the Champion Hurdle, romped home on Day Two. He put up a brutal front running performance when claiming the two miler; leaving past champions, Big Zeb and Master Minded in his wake, proving in the process that he will be the one to beat next year too!

Perhaps the highest praise should be heaped on the Paul Nicholls trained, Big Bucks who became the first horse to win three straight World Hurdles proving that there is no match for him no matter what is thrown in his direction, Grands Crus certainly ran well and no doubt will be around to try again, but he was beaten fair and square by potentially the greatest staying hurdler of all time, who by winning was recording his eleventh straight victory.

Other notable performances were put up by Albertas Run who won his second straight Ryanair Chase over two miles and five furlongs. Ridden supremely well by Champion jockey, Tony McCoy, the ten year old was far too strong for the rest and won with something in hand. Al Ferof another from the Paul Nicholls stable looked a very good winner of the Supreme Novice Hurdle and will undoubtedly feature in the 2012 Cheltenham Festival with the Champion Hurdle the likely target where he could be his trainer’s first winner in that coveted race. In winning he put to bed the dreams of trainer Colin and jokey Joe Tizzard who had gone off as the favourites to win the race on Cue Card. The Supreme Novice Hurdle seemingly is fast becoming the race that favourites cannot win!

After a string of second places, Captain Chris confirmed once and for all that he knows how to win when claiming the Arkle Trophy for trainer, Phillip Hobbs and jockey, Richard Johnson. The seven year old won the Grade Two Pendil Chase over course and distance last month after finishing second four times before that, a run which seemed to put him spot on for Cheltenham. He looked a very worthy winner of the ‘Arkle’ and a potential Champion chaser next season – watch out Sizing Europe!

It was of course a great Festival for the Irish who saw their previous record of ten winners, smashed by appearing in the winners enclosure a staggering 13 times, with trainer, Willie Mullins celebrating with four of them, which made him the top trainer at the Festival. Amongst his winners of course was the great Quevega who won her third consecutive mares Hurdle in formidable style on the first day.

Ruby Walsh finished on top of the jockey’s table with five wins, three for Mullins and two for his UK stable of Paul Nicholls.

Filed under Arkle, Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Races, Gold Cup, Jockey, Paul Nicholls, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ruby Walsh Tagged with

The ‘Dark Horses’ to look out for at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival

February 22, 2011 Leave a comment

We all have our preferences for the various races at the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival but we all know that not all of them will win. Some will go close, some will fall or run badly, some will unseat their jockey and some will be downright unlucky, but that is the nature of the sport we love and the Festival that we all regard as the best anywhere in the world. But who will be the dreaded horses that beat ours and which we simply did not consider. Let us look at half a dozen of the major races and pick out an alternative for each.

Supreme Novice Hurdle – We all seem to be going for the same horse in this one, Cue Card certainly looks to be the best horse in this race for which he is the 9/4 clear favourite to win. But as has often been pointed out this race is not ‘heaven sent’ for favourites with only four winning since 1989, however trying to fine one to beat Cue Card looks almost impossible, but one that might could be the John Quinn trained, Recession Proof, winner of the very competitive Totesport Trophy at Newbury in 18th February. The novice beat a top notch field and showed plenty of courage to win by a short head from Bothy, to claim his third straight win over hurdles.

Dark Horse: Recession Proof 12/1

Arkle Trophy Chase – The Bookmakers are struggling to separate the top three in the market for this race, with Finians Rainbow, Ghizao and Medermit all around the 5/1 mark. The truth is that there has been no novice 2 mile chaser that has really shone this season, it was expected that the Willie Mullins trained, Mikael D’Haguenet would be the one that they all had to beat but he has been nothing short of dreadful over the bigger obstacles and has drifted out to 33/1 for the race.

The interesting aspect however is that Mullins still believes very much in the seven year old and confirmed that he will be at Cheltenham and that this race would be the most likely. Mullins believes that he will improve enormously for Cheltenham where he will get much better ground than the heavy ground he has been running on over in Ireland. There is no doubting his class and might well be a huge surprise winner for his very many fans.

Dark Horse: Mikael D’Haguenet 33/1

Champion Hurdle – This still looks like one of the best races of the whole festival with Bookmakers reporting plenty of interest in the four principle protagonists, Binocular, Menorah, Hurricane Fly and Peddlers Cross. It has to be admitted that it is extremely difficult to imagine any other runner winning the race outside of these four.

However Alan King has been bullish about the chances of his Mille Chief for some time and his win the other day in the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton strengthened King’s belief in the five year old who he believes is better that Katchit who won this race for the yard in 2008. King believes that with better ground at Cheltenham, Mille Chief has the fight within him to win and at around 16/1 to do so then he also has great value.

Dark Horse: Mille Chief 16/1

Champion Chase – With Master Minded and Big Zeb all the rage in the betting market, few punters are considering anything else as the likely winner with the possible exception of Somersby. It was interesting therefore to listen to Willie Mullins who confirmed his Golden Silver as a definite runner in the big feature of Day 2 at the Festival. Beaten by Big Zeb three times this season already, Mullins seemed to find the key to getting the better of the Champion Chaser in the Grade 2 Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown last month when Golden Silver collared Big Zeb at the last before going on to win by half length. The 9 tear old has since won the Grade 2 Paddy Power.com Chase at Naas in very impressive style suggesting that he is a serious threat with Mullins believing that he can beat Big Zeb again.

Dark Horse: Golden Silver 12/1

Cheltenham Gold Cup – With nearly all the antepost money being aimed at the top four of Imperial Commander, Long Run, Denman and Kauto Star there seems little reason why any other runner should win the ‘Blue Riband’ at the Festival. However, we will remember that Imperial Commander was the ‘dark horse’ of this race last year and won with relative ease, this year of course he is the favourite.

The dark horse this year could be another Willie Mullins trained star in Kempes, who was seriously impressive when winning the Irish Hennessey Gold Cup earlier this month on very testing ground. Mullins believes that a big run can be expected in the Gold Cup particularly if the ground suits, which could be good enough against the four principles.

Dark Horse: Kempes 18/1

Filed under Arkle, Champion Hurdle, Gold Cup, Supreme Novices Hurdle

Medermit set for Arkle Tilt after Sandown success

February 8, 2011 Leave a comment

Trainer, Alan King, confirmed over the weekend that Medermit will run in the Arkle Trophy Challenge at the Cheltenham Festival in March, following his solid success when winning the Grade1 Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown Park last Saturday. King had been undecided whether Medermit should take on the more prestigious Arkle over two miles or the Jewson Novice Chase over two and a half miles but both he and jockey, Choc Thornton believe he will be better over two miles and deserves his chance at one of the big races at the Festival.

Medermit certainly looked impressive in the Scilly isles Chase, although he did have to battle hard to hold off the late challenge of Captain Chris, who also ran well for the Phillip Hobbs stable. Hobbs however, like King was, is not certain which race at the Festival will suit his 7 year old who has now finished second four times from four starts this season. The Bookmakers in fact have shortened Medermit for the race from 13/2 to 6/1, while Captain Chris is at 14/1 but is 10/1 for the Jewson Novices. Interestingly it was King’s first Grade 1 winner for two years.

Favourite in the Arkle odds is the Nicky Henderson trained, Finians Rainbow, at 4/1, more or less across the board. The eight year is clearly a late developer but has looked mightily impressive in his two chase starts so far, which he won emphatically each time, although it has to be said that he only had two opponents in each race. The first win came in the Rooney Hall Novice Chase back in November where he had none other than Hells Bay 12 lengths behind. Hells Bay of course who is trained by Colin Tizzard defeated Medermit on New Year’s Day in the Grade 2, Dipper Novice Chase over two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham and is one of the favourites to win the Jewson. Finians rainbow followed that win by taking the Zenergi Novice Chase last month at Newbury when a huge odds on favourite.

Next best in the Arkle betting at around 9/2 is the Paul Nicholls 7 year old, Ghizao, an impressive winner of his last two chase’s, one at Grade 2 level . In both races he had Captain Chris well behind him in second place.

Nicholls, King and Henderson all have good records in the Arkle Challenge Trophy, winning it seven times between them. King in fact won in successive years in 2006, with the brilliant Voy Por Ustedes and in 2007 with My Way De Solzen, while Nicholls last success in the race came in 2003 with Azertyuiop, while Henderson has to go back to 2000 when he won with Tiutchev.

Filed under Alan King, Arkle, Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Races, Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls, Phillip Hobbs, Racecourse, Sandown, Trainer Tagged with , , ,

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