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 , , , , , ,

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 , , , , , , , , ,

Overturn Too Good For Rivals In Fighting Fifth

November 28, 2011 Leave a comment

Exactly what we learned by the outcome of the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday is not altogether clear, particularly as 2010 Champion Hurdler, Binocular, found Overturn too good for him on the day, but then again, he has found at least one too good for him in this race twice previously.

The Donald McCain trained Overturn finished 4½ lengths in front of Binocular who came second who was over 20 lengths clear of Celestial Halo in third, with Overturn making all in the Newcastle feature, a win which will make the Champion Hurdle in March his primary target for the season. McCain also confirmed that he will adopt a cautious policy with the seven year old until Cheltenham, with only one run likely beforehand.

It has to be said that the versatile Overturn has been a great asset to the McCain yard, not only has he now won at Grade One level over hurdles, he has also won two valuable flat handicaps. Those wins in fact were the 2010 Northumberland Plate, which is the most valuable flat raced at Newcastle and this year’s Chester Cup, which he won back in May. His other important wins were the 2010 Grade Two Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr, the 2010 Galway Hurdle at the Galway Festival and more recently the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle earlier this month. His total prize winning’s now is a staggering £553,844, not bad for a gelding purchased for only £75,000.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Binocular will probably be philosophical regarding Binocular’s defeat. He will be disappointed of course but having been beaten in this race three years running when going off as the odds on favourite he might decide that he will not bother next year. He will also be well aware that the 7 year old needed the run and will undoubtedly be more competitive next time out, which could be in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. As we all know he won the Christmas Hurdle last year where somewhat ironically, he had Overturn over three lengths adrift in second place.

As a result of the outcome of the ‘Fighting Fifth’, Overturn has been quoted as short as 10/1 by Ladbrokes to win the 2012 Champion Hurdle, while Binocular is only 14/1 to regain the crown he won in 2010.

The big disappointment in this race was the performance of the Paul Nicholls trained, Celestial Halo, who finished well behind after failing to go with the pace. It could be that he was not right on the day, so it is best to reserve judgement until he is settled back at home. However this was certainly a well below par performances which does not inspire too much confidence for the future of the seven year old. This is a pity as he had looked in sparkling form earlier this month, when winning the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.

Filed under Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival Races, Cheltenham Festival Trials, Donald McCain, Newcastle Tagged with , , , , , , ,

National Hunt Trainers To Watch This Season

November 24, 2011 Leave a comment

The prize money earned by Paul Nicholls in last Saturday’s wins by Kauto Star and Master Minded in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase and Grade 2 Amlin 1965 Chase have consolidated the champion trainer’s position at the top of the trainers championship this year and we’re not even a month in to the season. The Ditcheat trainer sits well clear in the money list with a huge £756, 708 of total prize money so far. He has saddled 54 winners from 198 runners, giving him a strike rate of 27%, a record that is by far and away the best of any trainer.

However, Nicholls is not the only name that punters should be keeping a close eye on over the coming months.

With big wins by Weird Al and now Overturn in last weekend’s Ascot Hurdle, trainer Donald McCain continues to confirm his potential as someone with an extremely bright future in the sport. Although he cannot claim to have the same calibre of horses as Nicholls in his yard, he has still saddled 57 winners this season from 263 entries which has earned him a strike rate of 22%. He is in second place on the money list with just over £391,000, which of course ultimately decides the champion trainer, but more importantly he has returned a whacking £35.73 for a one pound stake!

Two other trainers who have given punters the biggest return on their investment so far this season are Emma Lavelle ans Sarah Humphrey. Levelle is in great form with 19 winners from 85, giving her a strike rate of 22%, which has yielded an incredible £65 for a £1 stake. She has a whole host of runners at her Hampshire and it will be interesting to see if her good run of form can continue.

Although not necessarily a household name, Sarah Humphrey is a trainer clearly going places. She has saddled five winners in the last 14 days from only six runners which has helped her to a strike rate of 35%, having saddled a total of 19 winners from 55 runners which have given punters a yield of £51 for their £1 stake.

Another trainer punters should be aware of is Victor Dartnell, who, although does not have many runners, his strike rate of 20% made up from 10 winners from 50 sent out has earned punters a return of over £45 for every £1 stake.

Filed under Donald McCain, Paul Nicholls, Trainer Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

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