West End Rocker Can Land Bet365 Gold Cup

April 26, 2012 Leave a comment

It has been a case of “Cometh the rain, cometh the money” for the two proven mud lovers in this weekend’s Bet365 Gold Cup over an extended 3m5f atSandownPark. The first of those, Le Beau Bai, winner of the Welsh National earlier this season has been heavily supported in the market this week and has been cut from 12/1 into 6/1 across the board with bookmakers, whilst Becher Chase winner, West End Rocker, is reported to be unaffected by his Grand National fall and is next in the market at a best price 9/1 with Ladbrokes.

It is the Bet365 Gold Cup, known for years previously as the Whitbread Gold Cup, is the race that effectively draws the curtain on the National Hunt season. Over the years it has produced some fantastic winners, the great Arkle took the honours in 1965, his great rival, Mill House took the race in 1967 and the incredible Desert Orchid won a pulsating battle in 1988. All three carried top weight to victory.

Top weight this year is Tidal Bay, former winner of the Grade 1 Arkle Challenge Trophy over 2 miles at Cheltenham but who these days is campaigned over longer trips but he has found little success since moving to the stable of Paul Nicholls at the end of last season. He is quoted at 10/1 to win the race but would have to end a losing run over fences stretching back to November 2008 if he is to do so.

Nicholls also runs his consistent stayer, Aldertune, who has finished in second place in his last two runs, both at Sandown and has ran up a string of similar performances over the last couple of seasons but the 8 year old has only one chase win to his names and rates a 16/1 chance.

Galaxy Rock pulled up in the Scottish Grand National last week at Ayr but has been supported this week to bounce back to form for trainer, Jonjo O’Neill. He seemed to have a very hard race atAyrwhere he was pulled up before the final fence having raced prominently. Whether he has recovered sufficiently from that is a question that he alone can answer by performance but it raises questions and certainly gives reason for having plenty of doubt about backing him at 10/1.

Le Beau Bai will carry 10-12 and is one that can stay and jump forever and should be suited by the conditions and the course and looks nailed on to at least get into the frame for his trainer Richard Lee.

West End Rocker meanwhile, who looked so impressive when winning the Becher Chase at Aintree back in December, is a lightly raced horse who only got to the second fence in the Grand National. Provided that experience is behind him, he too should feature at the business end of this race and it would surprise to see him win.

Following his second place in the Midland Grand National over 4m2f at Uttoxeter last month, Major Malarkey from the stable of Nigel Twiston-Davies could easily go one better in this. He can handle any ground and if in the mood could make his presence felt off just 10-5, quite a lenient mark based on his last run.

This is a very tough race to call but preference is given to West End Rocker to return to winning ways for trainer Alan King and provide a fitting end to what has been an excellent season for the Wiltshire yard.

Filed under Alan King, Latest Racing News, Sandown, Sandown Gold Cup, Tips Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Synchronised Remains On Course To Re-Write History After Latest Grand National Forfeit Stage

March 23, 2012 Leave a comment

Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised heads both the market and the weights at the latest forfeit stage for the 2012 Grand National. A total of 59 runners have stood their ground, with last year’s winner Ballabriggs next in the weights on 11-09. Midnight Chase, who finished 31 lengths behind Synchronised in the Gold Cup is on 11-08 the same as Weird Al who pulled up in Cheltenham feature with a broken blood vessel whilst a pound further back is Gold Cup fourth BurtonPort who’ll have just three pounds to reverse the eight lengths he finished behind Synchronised in the Gold Cup.

The simple fact that there are so many Gold Cup runners in this year’s Grand National tells us that we are likely to witness one of the highest quality renewals for many years. Add to the mix last year’s winner, Ballabriggs, Prince De Beauchene, winner of the Bobbyjo Chase inIrelandlast time out, together with Irish Hennessy Gold Cup winner, Quel Esprit and Sky Bet Chase winnerCalgaryBay.

Should Synchronised pull off the almost impossible Gold Cup and Grand National double in the same season then he would be the first horse to do so since Golden Miller in 1934 and the first horse since L’Escargot in 1975 to win both races. Another first is that he would also be the first horse since Freebooter in 1950 to carry top weight to victory. It all adds up to a very difficult task indeed for the Jonjo O’Neil trained and JP McManus owned runner but he could be the once in a lifetime horse that defies the history books.

It is fair to say that he will not go down as one of the all time great Gold Cup winners but it should be remembered that he won the Grade 1 Lexus Chase inIrelandin his preparation race forCheltenhamback in December. He also won the rearranged Welsh National over 3m7f in January 2011 and the Midland National over 4m1f a year before that, wins that confirm his staying ability to handle the marathon Grand National trip and it’s just whether he can overcome the burden of top weight.

Meanwhile Bookmakers generally have confirmed that support continues to come for the Willie Mullins trained Prince De Beauchene. The nine year old was last seen winning the Grade 2 Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse last month will be racing off only 10-06 making him a very decent proposition and with Ruby Walsh likely to take the ride, his price is only going to go in one direction.

Support it appears has waned for Donald McCain’s Weird Al following his broken blood vessel sustained in the Gold Cup where he had to be pulled up. He was still confirmed for the race however as is stablemate and 2011 winner, Ballabriggs, who is currently third favourite with odds of around 12/1. Ballabriggs of course will be trying to emulate the feat of the legendary three time winner, Red Rum, trained by McCain’s father, Donald and who was the last horse to win the Grand National back-to-back.

Others reported to be being well supported with just three weeks to go before the race include Junior from the David Pipe stable, Burton Port who is now into 12/1 in places, Alan King’s West End Rocker a 16/1 shot the same price as Cappa Bleu, Cheltenham Festival winner, Sunnyhillboy and the highly regarded Seabass from the Ted Walsh stable in Ireland. All will come to Aintree on April 14th with high expectations.

Filed under Aintree, David Pipe, Gold Cup, Grand National, Hennessy Gold Cup, Jonjo O'Neil, Ruby Walsh, Willie Mullins Tagged with , , , , , , ,

2012 Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer Preview

March 7, 2012 Leave a comment

Nicky Henderson

Nicky Henderson the pick to be the top trainer at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival

The betting is extremely close for the 2012 Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer Award, with Willie Mullins, the 5/4 favourite to retain his crown that he won for the first time 12 months ago after saddling four winners, including the magnificent Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle and will be hoping that the eight year old can repeat that success once again next week and get him off to a winning start on day one.

Others from his 30 strong contingent that is coming over from the Mullins County Carlow based stables in Ireland that have big chances include the mighty Quevega, bidding for a fourth straight win the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle. Although she has not raced this season, the eight year old is reported to be in good order and with so little opposition in the race, she would be appear to be one of the Festival’s “bankers”. Boston Bob should also provide the Irish maestro with a great chance of landing the Neptune Novice Hurdle and the stable also seem very keen on the chances of Sir Deschamps in the RSA Chase whilst Champagne Fever in the pick of his Champion Bumper entries, a race that he has won six times in the past 15 years!

Next in the betting to win the top trainer award is Nicky Henderson at odds of 2/1 which looks reasonable value when one considers the depth and quality of his entries. Of course he has the favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in Long Run, who will be looking to repeat his exhilarating win of last year and the yard are reportedly very pleased by the good form shown by 2010 Champion Hurdler, Binocular, who will be bidding to regain his title after missing the race 12 months ago.

Henderson’s stable jockey, Barry Geraghty, has gone on the record to say that his mount in the Arkle Trophy, Sprinter Sacre, is the best horse he has ever sat on which speaks volumes for his chances of winning the race and the horse has been one of the big “talking horses” ahead of this year’s Festival. Darlan looks a very good prospect in the Supreme Novice Hurdle while Simonsig is the 5/2 joint favourite to win the Neptune Novice Hurdle for the Seven Barrows operation. Bobs Worth has a great chance to win the RSA Chase, particularly if Grands Crus defects from this race to contest the Gold Cup, while Riverside Theatre will take all the beating in the Ryanair Chase. Despite the dominance of Big Bucks in the World Hurdle, Henderson has been quietly pleased with his Oscars Whisky who he believes will run a big race and prove himself capable of becoming a worthy successor to the three time champion.

Paul Nicholls of course trains Big Bucks, who for many, he is the “banker” of the meeting. Nicholls also has big chances in the Gold Cup of course with Kauto Star attempting to become the first horse to regain the Cup for a second time. As has been well reported, Kauto Star has had a minor setback at home after tumbling at a fence when schooling. Whether this has any lasting negative effect on the 12 year old remains to be seen and his absence would be a major blow for the Festival and the sport but the horse’s welfare must remain he paramount priority.

Nicholls is sweet on the chances of a number of his entries including Al Ferof in the Arkle Trophy, Zarkandar in the Champion Hurdle (despite Ruby Walsh electing to ride Hurricane Fly), Ted Spread in the County Hurdle as well as Kauto Star who, should he win the race for a third time will make the 2012 Cheltenham Festival the most memorable ever.

Other trainers who are likely to be seen in the winner’s enclosure are David Pipe, who amongst others will have the exciting Grands Crus representing his stable. Philip Hobbs too should be there or thereabouts with at least a couple of winners, while Alan King comes to the Festival with a stable bang in form and confidence sky high. Donald McCain has also been hitting the net regularly of late and although he had been reluctant to reveal the target for Peddlers Cross, the fact that he has now named the Jewson Novice Chase, should give him a great chance of coming away from the Festival with at least one winner, if not two. Jonjo O’Neill usually has his stable firing at Festival time and this year will be no exception, while Gordon Elliott, who saddled two winners at the 2011 Festival, will be looking for a similar score this time.

For this writer’s money however, it will be Nicky Henderson and his Seven Barrows team that will be lifting the top trainer prize in 2012. It would also be no surprise at all to see him saddle six winners!

Filed under Barry Geraghty, Champion Bumper, Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham, Donald McCain, Gold Cup, Jockey, Latest Racing News, National Hunt Races, Neptune Novices Hurdle, Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls, Royal & Sun Alliance Chase, Ruby Walsh, Trainer, Willie Mullins, World Hurdle Tagged with , , , , , ,

Europe Cuts Big Zeb Down to Size

February 7, 2012 Leave a comment

Sizing Europe sent out a chilling warning to his Queen Mother Champion Chase rivals on Sunday with an emphatic 15 length victory over Big Zeb in the Grade 2 Tied Cottage Chase over two miles in heavy ground. It has to be pointed out that Big Zeb’s jockey Robbie Power did ease his horse up once he had realised that he was beaten, but that should take nothing away from the emphatic nature of Sizing Europe’s victory.

The win marked a continuation of the excellent form the Champion Chaser showed when winning the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase also over two miles at Sandown back in December where he had a number of ‘Queen Mother’ rivals well beaten.

Big Zeb of course is a major scalp but the nature of his defeat was the biggest concern for his trainer, Colm Murphy who made no excuses, clearly accepting that he was beaten by a better horse on the day. Big Zeb as we all know won the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2010 and was runner up to Sizing Europe last year. He bounced back from that defeat just a few weeks later in the Boylesports Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival where he gained revenge by finishing ¾ length in front of Sizing Europe and at the same time putting doubts into the minds of racegoers as to which one of the two is the better horse.

However, Sizing Europe laid down the gauntlet on Sunday making it absolutely clear that he is the one to beat at Cheltenham on March 14th which is why Bookmakers across the board have cut his price into 6/4 from 5/2 to win back to back, while Big Zeb has been eased out to 7/1 with Nicky Henderson’s Finian’s Rainbow just ahead of him in the antepost market for the Queen Mother with odds of 6/1.

Certainly looking at the likely runners in this year’s Queen Mother it is hard to look beyond the three principles. Those in behind them in the current antepost market all look set for alternative races, horses such as Somersby, who will head for the Ryanair, while Al Ferof will probably line up in the Arkle Challenge Trophy. Trainer, Donald McCain is undecided about his Peddlers Cross, while Gauvain from the Nick Williams stable looks a better jumper over a longer distance. Should there be a host of defections then the case for backing Sizing Europe now is a very strong one!

Sizing Europe’s win has increased the belief that there could be as many as four current Cheltenham Champions heading for further Cheltenham glory this season. To that end Bookmakers have created an interesting market with odds of 20/1 for Sizing Europe, Big Bucks in the World Hurdle, Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle and Long Run in the Gold Cup all to retain their crowns. Of course Quevega, who also looks unstoppable in the mares hurdle, could also be added to that list making the bet even more interesting provided a Bookmaker could be found to lay it.

Filed under Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Trials, Latest Racing News, Leopardstown, National Hunt Races, Queen Mother Champion Chase Tagged with , , , , , ,

Argento Chase Can Provide Useful Gold Cup Pointers

January 25, 2012 1 Comment

Grands Crus can confirm he's a serious Gold Cup contender in the Argento Chase

It looks like it will be a cracking renewal of the Grade 2 Argento Chase at Cheltenham this coming Saturday with the David Pipe Cheltenham Gold Cup hope, Grands Crus, heading the betting market at odds of 2/1.

The race formerly known as the Cotswold Chase is run over an extended 3m1f on the New Course and has had a host of decent past winners, including the late Exotic Dancer in 2007, See More Business in 2001 and 1998, and One Man in 1997. It is a well known trial for the Gold Cup and there will be a number, in addition to Grands Crus, in the race this year that harbour Gold Cup hopes.

However, it is Grands Crus who has continued to look like a top class horse of the future certainly looks the one to beat and although a novice his jumping prowess already looks superior to most of these rivals on Saturday. He has been out three times already this season, winning them all, including a very impressive 2¼ length victory in the Grade 2 Feltham Chase over 3 miles at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. In that race he had the highly regarded Bobs Worth from the Nicky Henderson stable over 5 lengths in arrears in third place, which prompted trainer David Pipe to suggest that he may now take his chance in the Gold Cup against Long Run and Kauto Star. Interestingly, he is already the favourite to win the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

To win on Saturday he will have to overcome some very useful opposition, which includes 2010 Hennessy Gold Cup winner, Diamond Harry. The 9 year old has had only one run since that victory which came in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November where he finished fourth behind Kauto Star and Long Run. There is no doubt that he needed the run that day but he should be a much stronger candidate in this which explains why his trainer, Nick Williams is very keen on his chances and also why the Bookmakers have him disputing second favouritism with odds of 11/2.

Also at 11/2 is Paul Webbers Time For Rupert last seen also being beaten by Kauto Star and Long Run but this time in the King George Vl Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. He was no match for the big guns at Kempton, but Webber has been finding it hard to hide his confidence in him currently. He claims that ‘Rupert’ has been working better than ever at home and is now ready, having learned some valuable lessons to live up to the hype he received after his second place behind Big Bucks in the 2010 World Hurdle.

Captain Chris from the Phillip Hobbs stable is also currently at 11/2 and he is another who needs to confirm the potential he showed when winning the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival. He followed that win up of course with a great win in the Ryanair Chase over two miles at the Punchestown Festival to end what was a fantastic season for him. However this season he has done nothing but disappoint, unseating on his reappearance at Exeter in the Grade 3 Haldon Gold Cup, won by Medermit and then he finished third but over 18 lengths behind Kauto Star when trying three miles for the first time in the ‘King George’. It is clear that Hobbs will use Saturday’s race as a yardstick as to which of the Cheltenham races he will target. Currently the 8 year old has entries in both the Ryanair over 2m5f and the Gold Cup.

Now trained by Champion Trainer, Paul Nicholls, Tidal Bay will be running for the second time this season after being given a spin in a three mile hurdle race earlier this month in which he finished a creditable third. It was his first run since his doomed Grand National attempt last season, but it is worthwhile noting that he finished second in this race last season and possibly would have won had he made his challenge earlier. It will be very interesting to see how he performs for his new handler in the Argento.

Filed under Argento Chase, Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Trials, David Pipe, Latest Racing News, Paul Nicholls, Phillip Hobbs, Racecourse Tagged with , , , ,

Pipe Lands Paddy Power Gold Cup With Great Endeavour

November 17, 2011 Leave a comment

The Pipe family tradition of success in the Paddy Power Gold Cup continued at Cheltenham on Saturday when son, David, saddled Great Endeavour to victory in the competitive Grade Three event to add to his father Martin’s eight other wins in the race.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup of course is the feature race of the three day Cheltenham Open Meeting which has gained a reputation of consistently produced top quality winners. Those winners include 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Imperial Commander as well as multiple Grade One winners, Old Vic and Exotic Dancer. Then of course there is Long Run, who although he only came third in this race 12 months ago, went on to win the King George Chase at Kempton and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

It is unlikely that Great Endeavour could deliver such prestigious prizes but he certainly looks capable of winning another top race this season. He always travelled well in this race in the hands of Timmy Murphy, tracking the front running 7/2 favourite Wishfull Thinking throughout the 2½ mile race before bringing the race under control three fences form home. A quick shake of the reins by Murphy over the third last saw the grey quicken smartly before going on to win by an impressive seven lengths.

It was the second big pay day that the seven year old has given his owner, David Johnson, his first being the Grade Three Byrne Plate at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival. It was also Johnson’s seventh triumph in the race and he will now be hoping that Great Endeavour can go on to Newbury at the end of the month and win the Hennessy Gold Cup, for which he a best price 8/1 second favourite.

Wishfull Thinking, who had been heavily supported in the market beforehand, ran very disappointingly. The attempt by jockey, Richard Johnson to make all, failed miserably and he was a spent force a long way from home. Trainer, Phillip Hobbs said after the race that the eight year old had undergone a breathing operation over the summer which caused him to be “thick in his wind” post race suggesting that he may need a run or two before he is back to his best.

There were many that thought and possibly still do that this horse was a genuine contender for Cheltenham Gold Cup honours this season after impressively winning the Grade 2 Manifesto Chase at the Punchestown Festival back in April. However, based on this performance alone then he looks a long way off target for that race, but the ‘jury should remain out’ until he reappears again, which could be in the Hennessy Gold Cup at the end of the month.

The other entry that was backed consistently all week was the Paul Nicholls trained Mon Parrain, who, despite tracking the leaders ‘early doors’ never really threatened to win. In a similar manner to that he showed when almost stopping in the Topham Chase at Aintree back in April, Mon Parrain weakened a long way from home finishing in seventh place. Jockey Ruby Walsh said that he “lacked the tactical early pace of the race” which meant that Walsh was ‘flat to the boards’ in the early stages and like Wishfull Thinking was a ‘spent force’ by the time they reached the ‘business end’.

Second place in fact went to the Nicky Henderson trained 20/1 shot, Quantitativeeasing, but mistakes at the third and second last fences put paid to any outside chance his late surge had given him. Third place went to Divers from the Ferdy Murphy yard who also went off with odds of 20/1, who stayed on well enough, but clearly did not have enough class to mount a serious challenge. Nonetheless both Quantitativeeasing and Divers will be worth following in some of the lesser handicap chases later this season. Indeed it should not be forgotten that Divers won the Listed Centenary Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March and given that he should improve from this performance, he will be more than capable of repeating that success

Filed under Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Trials, David Pipe, Paddy Power Gold Cup Tagged with , , , , , ,

Leading Chasers Begin To Make Early Impressions On Road To Gold Cup

November 7, 2011 Leave a comment

With November now here, National Hunt fans will be ‘licking their lips’ as a number of the quality early season chases get underway. Most of the upcoming races over the coming weeks, such as the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham, the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury will undoubtedly ‘mark the cards’ of several with chances ahead of the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup or other races at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Already of course we have seen a number of horses put in performances that have caught the eye to force moves in the early antepost markets. Albertas Run for instance, proved that he is still a top class chaser when winning the Grade 2 Old Roan Chase over 2½ miles at Aintree a couple of weeks ago, where he had his old rival Master Minded well beaten and possibly out of contention for the Gold Cup. Albertas Run in fact will probably not run in the Gold Cup, with the preference of his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill, being a third consecutive win in the Ryanair Chase.

A week later we saw one of Donald McCain’s stable stars, Weird Al, win the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, defeating several useful types in the process, including Time For Rupert who was three and a half lengths back in second place. The performances of both the first two home in that race was enough to force bookmakers to respond clipping Weird Al in to 16/1 and Time For Rupert to 14/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. McCain has said his seven year old will probably next go for the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day while Time For Rupert will take on the King George and Gold Cup Champion Long Run in the Betfair Chase.

One Gold Cup contender that emerged over the past weekend was Quito de la Roque who delivered with a scintillating finish to deprive Sizing Europe victory in the Grade One, JN Wine Chase at Down Royal on the 5th November. In fact, at one point in-running, Quito de la Roque was trading at 279/1 on the exchanges as he had slipped seemingly out of contention as they rounded the final bend. At that point the race looked between Sizing Europe and The Nightingale, however, no sooner had the Champion Chaser seen off The Nightingale, it was Quito De La Roque, clearly relishing the trip, who came at him almost from nowhere and went by him with just a half furlong to run. It was a cracking finale to a great race, where both Sizing Europe and The Nightingale, who was running for the first time in almost a year, will improve for the run and on better ground they would both be in with better chances.

Quito De La Roque, who is trained by Colm Murphy has now won six of his last seven chases and looks to be a real Cheltenham contender, if not the leading Irish contender for the Cheltenham feature on Friday 16th March. This win would certainly earn him the right to be the called the best three mile chaser in Ireland and he can go a long way in confirming that when he is next seen in the Grade One Lexus Chase at the end of the year at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. His odds for the Gold Cup have been cut from 16/1 to 12/1 following his win, while Sizing Europe, not a certain Gold Cup runner is a 25/1 chance.

With the Paddy Power Open Meeting at Cheltenham this weekend, followed by the Betfair Chase and Hennessy before the month is out, there could be a much clearer picture of who the main pretenders are to Long Run’s crown and I for one am getting seriously excited for the coming months National Hunt action.

Filed under Betfair Chase, Charlie Hall Chase, Cheltenham Festival Races, Cheltenham Festival Trials, Gold Cup, JNWine Chase, National Hunt Races Tagged with , , , ,

Opening Cheltenham Meeting Signals the National Hunt Season is Nigh

October 17, 2011 Leave a comment

Don’t you just love it when you see the hallowed name of Cheltenham on the race cards ahead of a day of horse racing? It becomes immediately apparent that the National Hunt season (proper) is just around the corner and jumps racing in earnest can now begin.

There was nothing too special on the Cheltenham cards before Saturday’s meeting nor was there anything too special about the results. It is unlikely that there were any future Cheltenham Festival champions to be on show, although there were a number of notable performances, not least by the Sabrina Harty trained Irish raider, Kalann who won the 4YO Masterson Holding Hurdle over two miles by a very impressive 14 lengths. In that race he had the Paul Nicholls trained Tonic Mellysse in second place, a juvenile who is highly thought of at Ditcheat.

Another eye catching performance came in the ZEturf.com Trophy Handicap Chase over 3m1f where the Phillip Hobbs trained, Balthazar King, with Richard Johnson on board won the race by 3 lengths. That win gave the seven year old a fifth win in chases and should give Hobbs plenty of reason to look for bigger and better things for him this term. Balthazar King was thought good enough last season to take on the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, but was pulled up despite being well supported in the market.

Of course it would not be a Cheltenham meeting unless local trainer, Nigel Twiston-Davies wasn’t amongst the winners and he ‘came up trumps’ once again, saddling Billy Magern to victory in the ZEturf.com Handicap Chase over 2½ miles at odds of 11/2.

The biggest surprise of the day was that there were no wins for either Champion Jockey, Tony McCoy or for the Nicholls yard. There were no wins either for any outright favourite, nor for any rank outsiders, which all in all meant that honours were just about taken by the Bookmakers but there will be more than one or two punters that would have walked away from Prestbury Park with smiles on their faces.

The next meeting to be held at the course will be the “Open” which takes place over three days between 11th-13th November. The feature of this meeting is without doubt the Paddy Power Gold Cup which is raced on Saturday the 12th. It is one of those meetings which attract thousands of National Hunt fans (myself included), with plenty coming over from Ireland who will no doubt use the meeting as a rehearsal for the Festival itself which takes place next March. The Paddy Power Gold Cup was won 12 months ago by the Twiston-Davies 20/1 shot, Little Josh who had King George and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Long Run almost five lengths adrift of him in third place.

The favourite for the 2011 renewal is the Paul Nicholls trained French import, Mon Parrain, a five year old who finished second behind Always Waining in the Topham Chase Handicap at Aintree in April and who has a terrific record when running in France as a 3 and 4 year old.

Cheltenham Meeting Dates:

11-13 November – The Open

9-10 December – The International

1 Jan 2012 – New Years Day

28 Jan 2012 – Festival Trials Day

13-16 Mar 2012 – The Festival

Filed under Cheltenham, Cheltenham Festival Trials, National Hunt Races, Racecourse Tagged with

Denman’s Bid To Surpass Hennessy Gold Cup Records In 2011

September 21, 2011 Leave a comment

Without question, the Grade Three Hennessy Gold Cup is one of the most eagerly anticipated races of the National Hunt season. First run in 1957, the race is run over 3 miles and 2½ furlongs and over 21 fences at Newbury racecourse, at the end of November each year.

It is a handicap race but one that often encourages trainers to run their Grade One winners in due to the importance of the race in establishing great champions. There have been several top rated horses who have tried their luck carrying top weight around a very difficult, testing track but not all are good enough. Those that have been down the years include the likes of Arkle, who won the race twice in 1964 and 1965 and who of course went on to claim three Cheltenham Gold Cups and an Irish Grand National during that same time frame. Mill House, won in 1963 before going on to claim his one and only Cheltenham Gold Cup. Burrough Hill Lad, trained by Jenny Pitman also won the ‘Hennessy’ as well as the ‘Gold Cup’ while One Man won the Hennessy and the Queen Mother Champion Chase as well as the King George Chase.

The most recent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner to have won the Hennessy Gold Cup is Denman, who, like Arkle, won the race twice with the Paul Nichols star winning in 2007 and 2009 and who won the Gold Cup in the intervening year of 2008. Denman also finished third last year and will be taking his chance again for the last time in November and if he was to win the race for a third time, he’d break all previous records.

Denman and Arkle in fact are two of only three horses to have more than one win in the race, the other is Mandarin who incredibly won the inaugural race in  1957 and then four years later in 1961. Mandarin’s jockey in the 1961 victory, Willie Robinson in fact is the only jockey to have won the race three times, he also rode Mill House to success as well as Man Of The West in 1968.

Fulke Walwyn, trainer of all three of Robinson success’s also trained four other winners of the race and thus holds the trainers record of seven wins a record that might never be beaten.

The race was originally staged at Cheltenham, before moving to Newbury Racecourse in 1960. The sponsors Hennessy have maintained their association and sponsorship of the race from the very first year, which has now formed a partnership that represents the longest ever commercial sponsorship of a horse race. The first winner, Mandarin was in fact owned by Peggy Hennessy a member of the family. The family also sponsor the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup which takes place at Leopardstown each February.

Apart from Denman, the likely market leaders for this year’s race include the Paul Webber trained, Time For Rupert, whose most notable performance came when he finished second to Big Bucks in the World Hurdle in 2010. He has adjusted to chasing very well but ran when slightly injured last time when he went off as the 7/4 favourite to win the Grade 1 RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. There is also the likelihood that the Colm Murphy good thing, Quito de la Roque, winner of his last four starts over fences, three at Grade 2 level plus the prestigious Grade 1 Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival back in May. Diamond Harry, winner 12 months ago will also take his place in the field.

Filed under Hennessy Gold Cup, National Hunt Races, Newbury, Paul Nicholls, Racecourse, Trainer Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Weld Dominates Galway Festival With Record 17 Winners

August 2, 2011 Leave a comment

More often than not the Galway Festival is all about the Galway Plate, the Galway Hurdle and the irrepressible Dermot Weld and that has proven to be the case once again in 2011.

The two feature races had been declared as major targets for Weld this year but Majestic Concorde, who was having his first run since Unseating his rider in the Aintree Grand National was forced to pull up after jockey, Paul Carberry, lost his irons in the Galway Plate on Wednesday. More disappointed followed for the ‘Master of Rosewell’ when his Hidden Universe finished well down the field after making a bad mistake two out in the Galway Hurdle on Thursday.

Apart from those disappointments, Weld dominated the Galway Festival with a record breaking seventeen winners, six better than his previous best of eleven achieved 12 months ago. The performance of the stable was truly incredible and won Weld his 27th title as top Trainer at the Festival.

His first win came on the opening day with the two year old Riviera Poet who turned over the hot odds on favourite Learn, trained by Aidan O’Brien and thought to be a good Ballydoyle prospect.

Hat tricks followed on Days two and three, but exceeded even those performances with a four timer on Thursday with the highlight being the success of Rock Critic in the valuable, Ladbrokes Biggest names in Racing Handicap. That performance by the 10/11 jolly had punters racing to the Bookmakers stands to collect their winnings, much to the delight of Weld who loves to be the punters friend.

Only two more winners came on Friday, but Weld was to send the punters into ecstasy on Saturday with a third hat trick of the meeting. His 17th and final winner came on Sunday when Comedic Art took the honours in the penultimate race of the meeting.

Top jockey at the Festival this year was once again Pat Smullen who won the top flat jockey and who rode a record of 12 winners, all for Weld, while it was Robbie McNamara who had Weld to thank for him lifting the top National Hunt Jockey award with 4 winners.

The organisers reported that the Festival’s crowd was just 4,000 down on last year’s attendances with 146,847 attending over the seven days. An average of just over 20,000 per day. This is thought to be very encouraging particularly in light of the current economic climate. Bookmakers by and large reported that turnover was 10% down on last year, while the Tote Ireland reported it was down by over 13%, which is a slightly worrying trend.

Filed under Dermont Weld, Galway, Grand National, National Hunt Races Tagged with , , , , , , ,

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