The Jumpers are Coming 2020/2021

del roy

JOSEPH O'BRIEN Jumps Stable Tours


'He's working great again - we have high hopes for him this season'

Joseph O'Brien may be transitioning to the Flat – he is coming off his best year so far in that code – but he still has a team for the winter that most trainers would be envious of.

Arkle runner-up Fakir D'Oudairies spearheads O'Brien's team of jumpers and will be joined in top chases by fellow Grade 1-winning novice chaser Le Richebourg, who has been absent since blowing his Irish Arkle rivals away in February 2019 but is set to make his long-awaited return next month.

Cheltenham Festival winners Band Of Outlaws and Early Doors may be sidelined for the season but there are any number of potential stars of the future waiting in the wings at Owning Hill.

Eric Bloodaxe is a horse O'Brien has always spoken highly of and is one such youngster the trainer is looking forward to sending over hurdles, while Forged In Fire and Fire Attack are other smart bumper horses ready to embark on novice hurdle campaigns.
Stable profile

Yard Owning Hill
Where Piltown, County Kilkenny
Started training 2016
Horses in yard 60 (National Hunt)
Members of staff 40
Head lad Faisal Hayat
Assistant trainers Mark Power and Brendan Powell
Secretaries Mark Hackett, Emma Dunning and Tara Armstrong
Travelling Head Girls/Lads Jim O'Brien, Tina Evans and Paddy Doody
Jockeys Mark Walsh, JJ Slevin, Ryan Treacy, Jody McGarvey and Eamonn Corbett
Amateurs Tom Hamilton and Neil Bashford
Conditionals Oakley Brown and Daire Davis
Stable sponsor Betfair
Website/email joseph@carriganogracing.com
Twitter @josephobrien2

Winners in Ireland

2019-20 68
2018-19 88
2017-18 67
2016-17 38

Profit/loss to €1 stake

2019-20 -151.36
2018-19 -128.5
2017-18 -48.46
2016-17 -109.02

Anything Will Do
Five-year-old gelding
Westerner (sire) - Aylesbury Park (dam)
Owner: Annus Mirabilis Syndicate
Form figures: 330-123
Racing Post Rating: 142 (chase); Official rating: None
He's taken to chasing well. He won his beginners' chase very well down in Killarney but maybe we shouldn't have run him when the ground was a bit quick at Listowel. He ran better when third at Fairyhouse but I was actually a bit disappointed with him. A step up in trip could suit him well. We'll look for a handicap and I think there could be a decent pot in him.

Dark horse
Assemble
6g Getaway - Annaghbrack
Gigginstown House Stud
44/1163-
RPR 144h OR 141h
He goes novice chasing. He wasn't a bad novice hurdler but I'd be hoping that he'll be better over a fence. Hopefully he can make up into a graded performer.

A Wave Of The Sea
4g Born To Sea - Je T'Adore
JP McManus
17-0413
RPR 130c OR -
A good juvenile hurdler for us last year, he won his beginners' chase well at Kilbeggan and has since run well in a novice chase at Punchestown. He jumped a bit to his left at the last that day but galloped home well. I'd say we'll step him up in trip now.

Busselton
3g Mastercraftsman - Blessed Luck
Chanelle Pharma Ltd
1-
RPR 119h OR -
He won in France and he looks a nice horse to go three-year-old hurdling with.

Castra Vetera
5m Jeremy - Mystic Cherry
Gigginstown House Stud
181-
RPR 114b
We really like her. She showed good form in bumpers last season and we're hoping that she can make a Graded novice hurdler. She should be ready to start soon enough and long-term you'd be hoping that she would develop into a mare who would have a chance in the mares' novice at Cheltenham.

Cerberus
4g Iffraaj - Miss You Too
JP McManus
11236-4
RPR 140h OR 138h
He's been a small bit disappointing. He has the option of stepping into handicap hurdles and we might go up in trip with him.

Choungaya
7g Walk In The Park - Autorite
Gigginstown House Stud
7/244U6-
RPR 140c OR 137c
He's still a novice over fences but he should be well up to winning his beginners' chase and then hopefully go on to all of those staying handicaps. He ended up being a little bit disappointing last season but hopefully with another year under his belt he'll be okay.

Collins
4g Martaline - Fantastic Cuix
Martin O'Sullivan
He's a nice horse who goes well and will be ready to start soon.

Darasso
7g Konig Turf - Nassora
JP McManus
511/420-
RPR 161c OR 155c
He could start off in the Clonmel Oil Chase. He's a very versatile horse who will be campaigned in all of those Graded races and he loves heavy ground. There should be lots of fun to be had with him.

Deilginis
6m Flemensfirth - Square Sphere
Martin O'Sullivan
4/10511-
RPR 122c OR 122c
She's a nice staying chaser who won her last two over fences last season. She's not a bad mare at all and I think she's one to follow as there are plenty more races to be won with her.

Dlauro
7g Lauro - Gergovie De Bussy
JP McManus
1/10-
RPR 126b
He goes novice chasing and starts off next month. He's been a very difficult horse to train, very frustrating, but he's training well at the moment. He burst blood vessels when last seen at Punchestown but, touch wood, everything seems to be good with him now.

Druid's Altar
3g Mastercraftsman - Shell Garland
Annus Mirabilis Syndicate
35621 (Flat)
RPR 79 (Flat)
He won his maiden over a mile and a half at Listowel and looks a nice type to go juvenile hurdling with.

Embittered
6g Fame And Glory - Kilbarry Classic
Gigginstown House Stud
415363-
RPR 152h OR 148h
He's an exciting horse to go novice chasing with. He did well as a novice hurdler and had a good end to his campaign. He'll run in a beginners' chase in the next few weeks. His schooling has gone well and we hope he is a Graded horse at least over fences.

Entoucas
6g Network - Mousse Des Bois
JP McManus
32213-2
RPR 134c OR -
He ran a lovely race first time up over fences at Tipperary and the plan will be to try to win a beginners' chase and go from there.

Eric Bloodaxe
5g Saint Des Saints - Diorissima
Gigginstown House Stud
117-
RPR 131b OR -
A very good bumper horse, he missed a little bit of time last season but he's back looking and working great again. He'll start off in a maiden hurdle next month and we'll take things from there. His bumper form is working out well and he had a genuine excuse for when he was beaten in Leopardstown as he pulled muscles that day. We have high hopes for him this season.

Fakir
5g Day Flight - Lazary
Gigginstown House Stud
5761U1-
RPR 144h OR 131h
He'll go novice chasing. He could make up into a decent handicapper and might even be a Graded horse. He'll go down the staying route.

Star quality
Fakir D'Oudairies
5g Kapgarde - Niagaria Du Bois
JP McManus
2/21122-
RPR 165c OR 159c
He'll probably go to Naas for the Grade 2 Poplar Square Chase next month and then we'll look at stepping him up in trip as the season progresses. I think he'd have won the Arkle had he not galloped through the second-last and he did well to get back as close as he did to Put The Kettle On at the line. He could be a Ryanair horse but he's still only a five-year-old so he's very young. Hopefully there will be a lot more to come.

Fils D'Oudairies
5g Saint Des Saint - Pythie D'Oudairies
C.M Grech
481-
RPR 121h
He's a nice horse who came to us from France after winning over hurdles at Auteuil. He'll go novice chasing.

Flying Scotsman
3g Galileo - Iveagh Gardens
JP McManus, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor
099-011 (Flat)
RPR 86 OR 87 (Flat)
He won twice in as many days on the Flat at Galway. We've gelded him and are looking forward to sending him over hurdles, when I hope there will be some fun to be had with him.

Fire Attack
5g Westerner - Seesea
Gigginstown House Stud
12-
RPR 126b
A good bumper horse who likes soft ground, he'll go for a maiden hurdle in the coming weeks and we'll go from there. We have Graded aspirations for him.

Forged In Fire
5g Presenting - Green Star
Gigginstown House Stud
1-
RPR 129b
He was a nice bumper horse and he's probably going to be more of a staying novice. He's almost ready to start and we think he's very nice, one of our better novice hurdlers.

Front View
5g Konig Turf - Tumavue
JP McManus
B/12120-
RPR 139h OR 135h
He was progressing nicely last season until the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham, when he didn't like the very slow pace and didn't jump great. The plan at the moment is to go chasing, although I wouldn't rule out coming back for a handicap hurdle.

Global Equity
5g Shirocco - Geek Chic
Annus Mirabilis Syndicate
3133P-
RPR 130h
She has black type over hurdles but is still a novice, which is good. We'll go down the staying route.

High Sparrow
7g Shantou - Belladventure
Best Of The Rest Syndicate
556-120
RPR 133c OR 130c
He's done well since switching back to fences this summer and he might sneak a staying handicap chase off a light weight. He's entered in the Cork National this Sunday and the Troytown the following Sunday.

Home By The Lee
5g Fame And Glory - Going For Home
Sean O'Driscoll
1218U-1
RPR 148c OR -
He looked beaten first time out at Limerick this season but stayed on well to the line to win. That was his first start over fences so you'd have to be delighted. He'll have a staying novice chase campaign now. He's done very little wrong and is still a very young horse.

Keskonrisk
5g No Risk At All - La Courtille
C.M.Grech
1-
RPR 119
He made quite a lot of money after winning a Fairyhouse bumper for Timmy Hyde and the plan is to go novice hurdling. He shows a fair bit of speed.

King's Vow
4g Frankel - Seven Magicians
Blackrock Racing Syndicate/Rugby And Racing Syndicate
070645 (Flat)
RPR 99 OR 91 (Flat)
He has a high mark on the Flat and now goes novice hurdling. He jumps well.

Le Richeburgh
7g Network - Fee Magic
JP McManus
511211/
RPR 165c OR 160c
He missed last season through injury but is in great shape now. It won't be long until he's back out again and the Fortria Chase at Navan is a possible starting point. It's probably not going to be easy for him this season but hopefully we can get a clear run with him.

Midnight Run
6g Well Chosen - Knockamullen Girl
Gigginstown House Stud
121/196-
RPR 146h OR 142h
He goes novice chasing and has taken to fences well at home. He could be a decent novice chaser.

Mortal
8g King's Theatre - Pomme Tiepy
Gigginstown House Stud
43-U18F
RPR 155c OR 153c
He'll be aimed at all of those good staying handicap chases, but he probably doesn't jump as well out of deep winter ground.

New Ross
4g Doyen - Hayley Cometh
P McGee
4-
RPR 104h OR -
He could go for a bumper or a maiden hurdle. There should be plenty of races to be won with him.

San Salvador
El Salvador - Angel Chorus
Sarah O'Brien
6-
RPR 96b
He ran well at Naas in a very slowly run race and we gave him a break after that. He's working well and will go for a bumper soon.

Scarlet And Dove
6m Jeremy - Dark Mimosa
Gigginstown House Stud
1/514-
RPR 124h
The plan will be to try to get black type over hurdles and she'll probably jump a fence too.

Sempo
6g Oscar - Miss Cozzene
Martin O'Sullivan
16/3216-
RPR 145h OR 142h
A nice horse who was a good staying novice hurdler last season, he'll probably go chasing. He's had a little hold-up and won't be back as early as some of the others but he's nice.

Slige Dala
5g Sholokhov - Lady's Gesture
Rectory Road Holdings Limited
23-1114
RPR 122h
We probably backed up too soon after Listowel when he got beaten at Limerick. We'll freshen him up and aim him at Leopardstown over Christmas. He doesn't want heavy ground.

Speak Easy
7g Beneficial - For Bill
JP McManus
32/3F3-4
RPR 148c OR 142c
He's a second-season novice over fences and should come on from his return at Galway last weekend. Hopefully there will be a nice pot in him somewhere.

The Moyglass Flyer
6g Galileo - Luas Line
JP McManus
1/31-
RPR 133h OR 129h
He's done very little wrong and won for the second time in three runs over hurdles at Leopardstown last Christmas. He'll be aimed at all of those good handicap hurdles.

Uhtred
5g Fame And Glory - Ingred Hans
Gigginstown House Stud
1/21-
RPR 131h
He was a good bumper horse and has already had a run over hurdles, when he was second to another one of ours [Front View]. The plan is to go novice hurdling and we'll take it step by step.

Two for the tracker

Forged In Fire is a nice horse and looks as though he could be one of the better horses we have in the novice hurdling division. Deilginis is a nice staying mare and I think there will be lots of races won with her this season.


Expert view

Joseph O'Brien won the Galway Plate with a horse who had never won over fences before and he might be able to do likewise with Speak Easy in the Troytown Chase at Navan on Sunday week.

Early Doors defied a mark of 139 to break his duck over fences at Galway and Speak Easy has a similar sort of profile. He won his maiden hurdle at Navan and a mark of 141 does not look insurmountable, especially since he shaped with such promise in a beginners chase at Galway on Sunday.

O'Brien is a dab hand at picking the right handicaps for his horses who are just below Grade 1 level, and expect him to do likewise with Entoucas.

He didn't hit the heights expected of him over hurdles, but jumped beautifully on his chasing debut at Tipperary and could win a big handicap chase next spring. The Grand Annual or Brown Advisory Plate could be on his radar.

The real quality on Owning Hill lies in the youth division. O'Brien has a whole host of novice hurdlers who have the potential to make it to the very top of the game.

Some say Ferny Hollow was not at his best when Forged In Fire beat him at Leopardstown over Christmas, but the pair stepped on the gas on the home turn and pulled 17 lengths clear of everything else. He could end up being a Ballymore contender.

Eric Bloodaxe also beat Ferny Hollow in a bumper and looks to have more pace than Forged In Fire. He could end up in the Supreme, as could Uhtred who showed a good turn of foot at Navan in December.

Castra Vetera is an imposing mare, who is only going to get stronger and better with time. She is seriously smart so put her in your tracker in case you miss her turning up in a maiden hurdle somewhere soon. You will not regret it.

del roy

HENRY DE BROMHEAD Jumps Stable Tours

It's not all about Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott. Other powerhouses are emerging in Irish jump racing and the string in Henry de Bromhead's care look as strong as ever this season, with potential challengers at championship level in all divisions.

The stable star is undoubtedly unbeaten mare Honeysuckle, for whom the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham was preferred over a Champion Hurdle bid despite her victory in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. A guessing game may well take place once again between February and March as to her Cheltenham target.

Nowhere is De Bromhead better represented than in the staying chase division. Monalee will be back for another crack at the Gold Cup after his unlucky fourth in last season's race. Chris's Dream could also be in contention again having run well for such a long way in March and they will be joined by last season's crack novice Minella Indo, who was cut down late in such extraordinary circumstances by Champ in last season's RSA Chase but started off his season with an impressive victory at Wexford on Monday.

We cannot forget the two-mile chase division either, in which last season's Arkle winner Put The Kettle On vividly demonstrated her love for Cheltenham. You can also add Notebook, who was the leading 2m novice chaser for almost all of last season before his defeat in the Arkle.

There are also plenty of young horses to get excited about for novice hurdle and novice chases, the principal among them being Bob Olinger, who created such an impression when winning a Gowran bumper in March.

This could well be the season when De Bromhead records his first domestic century of winners and there could be plenty more to celebrate besides that.

Race in focus

I'm really looking forward to getting Put The Kettle On back to Cheltenham next month for the Shloer Chase.
Stable profile

Yard Knockeen
Where Waterford
Started training 2000
Horses in yard 100
Members of staff 30
Managers David Roche, Emmet Raher, Cathal Connolly and Brian Scott
Travelling head lad Alan Coady
Secretaries Nicole Roche and Angelina Laiso
Jockeys Rachael Blackmore, Hugh Morgan, Daniel Holden, Dylan Robinson, Mike O'Connor, Emma Twomey
Amateur jockeys David Roche, Barry O'Neill
Website henrydebromheadracing.com
Twitter @henrydebromhead

Winners in Ireland

2019-20 79
2018-19 98
2017-18 60
2016-17 68
2015-16 48

Profit/loss to €1 stake

2019-20 -€55.96
2018-19 -€20.83
2017-18 -€86.10
2016-17 -€92.87
2015-16 -€49.27

Irish prize-money in 2019-20
€2,102,615

A Plus Tard
6yo gelding Kapgarde (sire) – Turboka (dam)
Owner: Cheveley Park Stud
Form figures: 21/3213-
Racing Post Rating: 171c Official Rating: 167c
He's in really good form and we'll aim him at the Fortria Chase at Navan and see how that goes. He's fairly versatile as to trip as he won his Grade 1 over 2m at Leopardstown and then his run in the Ryanair was probably his best of last season, but we'll start off at the shorter trip. He's still only six, just a baby, and we are really looking forward to getting him out.

Abbey Magic
9m Beneficial – Magical Theatre
Mrs D Halley
111/21
RPR 144c OR 134c
She was brilliant at Cork earlier this month and has some black type now, which is great. She's run five times for us and won four, and her only defeat was by her stablemate Visioman at Kilbeggan. She's a good-ground mare and we'll pick and choose our races on ground which suits her. She's a top mare and getting up to the sort of mark where we might consider the new mares' chase at Cheltenham.

Annexation
4g Wootton Bassett – Scarlet Sonnet
South Ros Racing Syndicate
1
RPR 119h OR -
He was really good at Navan in his maiden hurdle and we were aiming for the novice hurdle at Tipperary but he wasn't right. He seems in good form again and we might aim him at the For Auction Novice Hurdle at Navan. He handled soft ground on the Flat, although whether he'll be as effective on it over hurdles we'll see. We'll feel our way with him in the autumn and if he handles soft ground we can plot our way through the winter with him.

Arvico Bleu
8g Arvico – Sharifa
Gigginstown House Stud
223F/72-
RPR 138c OR 132c
He's a nice horse and in good form. He's run well in a couple of good handicap chases in his time and we'll aim him at some of the better 2m handicap chases the one at the Fairyhouse Winter Festival comes to mind. He's nearly ready to go and will be out in the next couple of weeks.

Aspire Tower
4g Born To Sea – Red Planet
Brendan McNeill & Jonathan Maloney
11F2-
RPR 145h OR 145h
He's in great form and working very well. We're aiming for the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal later this week and we'll see how that goes. He started last season brilliantly and I'm not convinced he was at his best after Christmas – he certainly didn't look himself at Cheltenham where he he jumped badly left. He's had a nice break and seems in great form now.

Atlantic Fairy
6m Jeremy – Tylensy
Mark E Phelan
2/3-
RPR 114h OR -
She's a really nice mare. She was injured after her one run at Clonmel last year, but she's back and working well. We'll be hoping to run her in the next month to six weeks when there's a good ease in the ground. I think she's a real stayer and we'll be looking for races over at least two-and-a-half miles.

Balko Des Flos
9g Balko – Royale Marie
Gigginstown House Stud
973/44-4
RPR 174c OR -
He got very sick last year and had pneumonia in January, but he came back to us in the summer and has been brilliant since. I was very happy with his run at Punchestown two weeks ago as he jumped brilliantly in third and had a really good blow afterwards. He's entered in the Champion Chase at Down Royal this week but there's also the Clonmel Oil Chase, so we'll see. I know he won the Ryanair in 2018 but I've always felt he was more of a three-miler.

Baptism of Fire
5g Jeremy – Julia Glynn
Gigginstown House Stud
1/55-1
RPR 123h OR -
I was very happy with his win at Punchestown two weeks ago. We went there thinking he would need the run and he did take a bit of a blow in fairness. He'll improve for that and he looks a really nice staying prospect.

Benruben
7g Beneficial – Didinas
Due East Gone West Syndicate
2F/8-411
RPR 144c OR 138c
I'm delighted with him. He's already had a terrific season and really battled at Roscommon, where he did well to win as he's a lovely big horse who probably wants a galloping track and bigger fences. We'll go for the Craddockstown Novice Chase at Punchestown and that will tell us where we stand with him. I hope he'll handle soft ground.

Dark horse

Bob Olinger
5g Sholokhov – Zenaide
Robcour
11-
RPR 135b OR -
We bought him off Pat Doyle after he won his point-to-point impressively and we like him. He works well and he won his bumper well. He'll go for a maiden hurdle in the next few weeks and we'll take it from there.

Brave way
5m Jeremy – Black Mariah
Kenneth Alexander
1-1
RPR 123h OR -
She's a nice mare. We were fortunate enough to get her at the Cheltenham November Sales and we were pretty much ready to go with her when the first lockdown came, so we left her off and it could have been the best thing to happen to her as she looked amazing when she came back to us. She's really strengthened up and we'll probably go to Punchestown in early December for a mares' novice hurdle.

Captain Guinness
5g Arakan – Presenting D'Azy
Declan Landy
12B-P
RPR 150h OR -
He was pulled up on his chasing debut at Tipperary last week and we discovered afterwards that he had an atrial fibrillation, meaning his heart was out of rhythm. It's basically the same thing that Sprinter Sacre and Denman had. He's with the vets at the moment and we can hopefully have him back out in the next five or six weeks. He had great novice hurdle form last year and before Tipperary he'd been working well and his jumping was good.

Cappucci Mix
7g Al Namix – Capuccina
Robcour
7/2U215-
RPR 142c OR 136c
He's a lovely horse who likes a bit of soft ground. He's a big horse and he's only really coming to himself now. We have a couple of options coming up for him. There's a new chase coming up which I had in mind for him, a second-season handicap chase at Fairyhouse in December that looks ideal.

Chris's Dream
8g Mahler – Janebailey
Robcour
15/P110-
RPR 167(c) OR 165(c)
He seems in great form. We're aiming him for the Champion Chase at Down Royal initially, but I'm not so sure whether we'll train him as a Gold Cup horse this year. I wouldn't like to discount it because he's always looked like a staying horse, but the first impression from last season's race was that he didn't stay and, as he seems to travel effortlessly up to three miles, we might end up dropping him back in trip. We'll pick our races for him after Down Royal.

Dark horse

Cobbler's Way
6g Oscar – Beeper's Leader
Gigginstown House Stud
2/1/212P-
RPR 147h OR 146h
He was wrong and got no run in the Albert Bartlett after a cracking run when he was second in the 2m6f Grade 1 at Leopardstown behind Latest Exhibition. He goes chasing now and will go for a beginners chase in the next few weeks. He's won his point-to-point and he jumps well, so it looks to be his game.

Commandingprescene
5g Kalanisi – Cooksgrove Lady
Mrs M J Wogan
2-1F
RPR 138h OR -
He's still a big baby but he won well at Punchestown last month and I'd say the penny was only starting to drop with him when he fell at Limerick last time. It was a nasty fall but he seems good now. There is a 3m novice hurdle at Cork next week but it might come a bit quick and there's another one at the same track in December. He's a lovely horse and stays well but we're in no real hurry with him.

Decimation
5g Milan – Babies Present
Gigginstown House Stud
2
RPR 121h OR -
He was just beaten by a good mare of Gordon Elliott's in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse when two of ours dead-heated for second. He'll hopefully win his maiden hurdle and go on from there.

Eklat De Rire
6g Saddex – Rochdale
P Davies
121-
RPR 140h OR -
He's a lovely horse who won his maiden hurdle well and looks a real staying type. He'll go novice chasing when there is some real cut in the ground. He showed at Thurles in March that he's a real galloper and he's one to look forward to.

Eleazar Des Neiges
6g Buck's Boum – Ludiana Des Neiges
Gigginstown House Stud
49/6512-
RPR 132h OR 123h
He's another big chasing type and this could be his year. He won his maiden hurdle and was second in a Gowran novice hurdle last season. He jumps well and is a nice horse who likes to get his toe in.

Epson Du Houx
6g Diamond Boy – Pruneyle Do
Gigginstown House Stud
4/F771-F
RPR 119h OR -
We've always thought a lot of this horse. He eventually won his maiden hurdle last season but we always thought he was a chasing type, and he ran well for a long way on his chase debut at Wexford on Monday. He took a very tired fall at the last but if he's okay we'll look for another beginners' chase in a few weeks.

Fully Charged
6g Fair Mix – Alora Money
Three Swallows Partnership
21/2146-
RPR 133h OR 131h
He had a good year last season. We were going to go for a beginners' chase in the last couple of weeks but we just backed off him and he seems to be good again now. It made us change our plan slightly and we will go for the auction hurdle final at Punchestown this week before going chasing.

Gabbys Cross
5g Frammassone – Mille Et Une Nuits
R S Brookhouse
1050-1
RPR 114h OR -
He won well the other day when we put the hood on him. He's been very immature mentally and it's taken time for the penny to drop but he's getting there all the time. We'll look for a rated novice hurdle for him now and see how he progresses from there.

Gaspard Du Seuil
4g Fuisse – Voilette Du Seuil
Sean & Bernardine Mulryan
1-34
RPR 106h OR -
He won a bumper in France before coming to us. He ran well in a four-year-old maiden hurdle at Punchestown where they went no gallop, but I was very disappointed with his run at Wexford on Monday. We'll get him checked out but he might just need a longer trip and better ground.

Gua Du Large
4g Kapgarde - Kayagua
Robcour
2
RPR 120h OR -
He's a nice big horse and we were delighted with his first run at Fairyhouse when he dead-heated for second with one of our other horses, Decimation. We're just getting to know him and we'll find a maiden hurdle for him in the next few weeks.

Holymacapony
4g Libertarian – Heavenly Star
Barry Maloney
1 (point form)
RPR 91p
He won a point-to-point nicely in February and I think he's one to look forward to.

Star quality

Honeysuckle
6m Sulamani – First Royal
Kenneth Alexander
11-1111
RPR 160h OR 158h

She's still only six and it was fantastic to win the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham with her last season. It was a close call between that race and the Champion and it probably will be again, although there's a lot to get through before we arrive at that point. She's summered really well as she came back looking brilliant and is working well. We'll aim initially for the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse and go from there. We'll look for a similar campaign as last year and go for the Irish Champion Hurdle, and from there we'll see how things are unfolding.

January Jets
6g Presenting – Poetics Girl
Robcour
1/283-15
RPR 129h OR 128h
He won his maiden hurdle well but everything was a bit quick for him next time at Tipperary, including the ground, and he just got lost that day. We'll aim for a beginners' chase now and he's a real chasing type.

Jason The Militant
6g Sans Frontieres – Rock Angel
Peter Michael
3/2151-
RPR 144h OR 143h
I think he's a very good horse who will do well this season. He won well on the Flat at Fairyhouse last time and is now likely to go for the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle at Down Royal this week. We'll see how he progresses from there, but if things go well we will take on some of the better horses. He needs soft ground.

Kapard
4f Kapgarde – Ardissone
Alan Halsall
11
RPR 112h OR -
She's a very nice filly. She won her maiden hurdle at Roscommon, which wasn't the strongest of races, and she was very green again at Wexford on Monday, but she battled well. She might go to Thurles before Christmas for a Listed mares' hurdle. She's a grand chasing type for the future but needs a bit of experience and loves an ease in the ground.

Le Musigny
6g Anzillero – Fee Magic
J.P. McManus
3/P/16-2
RPR 138c OR -
He was always going to be a chaser. He won his maiden hurdle at Punchestown and was well beaten at Naas after that but Barry Geraghty liked him that day. He ran nicely when beaten by Darver Star at Punchestown two weeks ago – he got a bit lost early on but stayed at it well. We'll find another beginners' chase for him.

Minella Escape
5g Beat Hollow – Be My Leader
Alan Halsall
41-F
RPR 129h OR -
He's a nice horse we bought out of a point-to-point which he won well. He'd been working nicely and was running a very nice race at Punchestown when he unfortunately fell at the last. We'll look for another maiden hurdle in a few weeks.

Star quality

Minella Indo
7g Beat Hollow - Carrigeen Lilly
Barry Maloney
1/1212-1
RPR 166c OR 160c
I think he's a very exciting horse and he lost very little in defeat in the RSA Chase. It was such an extraordinary race and Champ came to beat us sadly, but he ran really well. Last year we took the decision to focus strongly on Cheltenham, whereas this year we're going to focus up to Christmas and then see how we're going. We couldn't have asked for more than at Wexford on Monday – he was very impressive and performed above expectations. We'll probably go to Navan next month for a new Grade 2 second-season chase.

Minella Melody
6m Flemensfirth – Cottage Theatre
Kenneth Alexander
2/31110-2
RPR 139h OR 141h
She's good. I'm not sure what happened to her in the mares novice hurdle at Cheltenham, but she had a great season up until then and hopefully it was a matter of just doing too much in front that day. I was very pleased with her run at Galway on Sunday as she's a stuffy sort of mare and needs a run. She'll be aimed at the rescheduled Grade 1 mares' novice hurdle at Fairyhouse at the Winter Festival. Unfortunately it's a Grade 2 now, so she'll be carrying a penalty.

Minella Times
7g Oscar – Triptoshan
J P McManus
42120-1
RPR 140c OR 136c
He was really good when he won at Listowel and will be aimed now at the Troytown Chase. He's progressing and seems to stay very well. He looks like being a good hardy handicapper that we can aim at the good handicap chases at around 3m.

Star quality

Monalee
9g Milan – Tempest Belle
Barry Maloney
14/P324-
RPR 173c OR 171c
He obviously ran a blinder in the Gold Cup last season and we'll be plotting a similar campaign this year. He stayed really well, which was in some doubt, and it was unfortunate the way he was hampered and lost his place a little at the top of the hill – it possibly cost him a place. He's in really good form and we're thinking of starting him off in a Listed 2m6f chase at Thurles in mid-November. It looks an ideal race and I don't think he'll have a penalty. We'll see how things go from there and we might even have a crack at the King George at Christmas.

Moon over Germany
9g Germany – Elea Moon
Philip J Reynolds
286-U40
RPR 154c OR 149c
He ran very disappointingly at Listowel last time but we found a chip in his hind joint and he was a bit sore. All seems to be good now and we'll aim for something in the new year.

Mormon
7g Stowaway – A Plus Ma Puce
Gigginstown House Stud
127/529-
RPR 137(c) OR 130(c)
He had a couple of nice runs last year. He'll go for a handicap chase in the next couple of weeks and we'll aim for the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas. He needs to come up a couple of pounds but we'll see how we go.

Mud Runner
6g Presenting – Victoria Theatre
Julian Taylor
3-
RPR 113h OR -
He got injured on his one run last year and will be back in the new year. He's a nice horse and a very nice chasing type.

Myth Buster
7g Shantou – Fairy Blaze
C Jones
7/4U352-
RPR 142c OR -
He had a couple of good runs last year and was just chinned in a beginners' chase at Thurles in March. He had a really good run at Leopardstown over Christmas and we threw him into a Grade 1 after that where he got a bit lost. He seems in great form and will start in a beginners' chase or a handicap chase. He's a real staying type.

Notebook
7g Samum – Nova
Gigginstown House Stud
211116-
RPR 162c OR 158c
He's working really well at the moment and I'm looking at the Grade 2 at Down Royal for him over 2m3f or the Poplar Square Chase at Naas over 2m. Obviously he excelled over the shorter trip last year and I'm not pushed about going up in trip with him, it's just that the Down Royal race is so suitable with it being for second-season novices. He didn't run his race at Cheltenham in the Arkle last season but a couple of his wins were very impressive and I'd certainly hope that he'll be able to mix it with the best of the two-mile chasers.

Paloma Blue
8g Stowaway – Court Leader
C Jones
320-313
RPR 156c OR 149c
He ran a nice race in the Grade 2 at Gowran over two and a half miles but he's probably more of a two-miler. We'll put him in the Fortria Chase and see how he goes from there.

Petibonome
4g Al Namix – Olafane
Robcour
F1D- (point form)
RPR 94p
He was unfortunate to be disqualified from a point-to-point after he went the wrong side of a bale. He works well and I think he's going to be a nice horse.

Plan Of Attack
7g Court Cave – Loadsofability
Alan Halsall
21134-P
RPR 144c OR 139c
He led over the last in the Paddy Power last year and I hope that he has one of those big staying handicap chases in him. He struck into himself badly in the Kerry National, but there are a couple of races coming up for him like the Troytown or one at the Cheltenham November meeting.

Punitive
6g Shantou – Rowlands Star
Gigginstown House Stud
541U11-
RPR 129h OR 123h
He'll go novice chasing this year. He was progressive in novice hurdles last season and has always looked like a chasing type. I hope he'll come into his own this season.

Put The Kettle On
6m Stowaway – Name For Fame
One For Luck Racing Syndicate
111211-
RPR 159c OR 154c
She thrived last season and is in mighty form again. She came out of the blue a little when winning at Cheltenham last November and was probably the forgotten horse in the Arkle. We had her in the Grade 2 at Gowran but the ground was a little better than I would ideally have wanted, so we have decided to go straight for the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham next month as she showed last season how much she loves the course. She's still a young mare and we are hoping she can hopefully progress into a mare for a championship race.

Raya Time
7g Al Namix – Ruthenoise
R S Brookhouse
22/815-F
RPR 132h 103c OR 127c
He was a bit of a tearaway last year, but we rode him that way and he seems a lot more settled now. He was an early faller the other day in a beginners' chase at Killarney, which was a bit disappointing. He's probably more effective on better ground so we'll try to find a race for him before the ground gets too soft.

Royal Thief
6g Fame And Glory – Lady Fancy
Gigginstown House Stud
13150-1
RPR 133c OR 130c
He won well the other day and is a real staying type who is taking to fences really well. We'll see how he progresses but he's such an out-and-out stayer that he could develop maybe into an Irish Grand National horse by the end of the season.

Spyglass Hill
7g Morozov – Missmartinslane
Niall O'Leary
62F1-PP
RPR 148c OR 146c
He's been a bit unlucky as nothing went right for him in either the Galway Plate or the Kerry National. He'll get an entry in the Troytown but we'lll see how he is closer to the time. The alternative is a second-season novice chase at Gowran the same weekend over two-and-a-half miles. He's an out-and-out staying handicap chaser.

Telmesomethinggirl
5m Stowaway – Wahiba Hall
Kenneth Alexander
50-1311
RPR 135h OR 126h
She's a nice mare and progressing all the time. She's on a little break now and we'll bring her back for the good mares' handicap hurdle at Leopardstown in February. Depending on how that goes we might well aim her at the mares' novice hurdle at Cheltenham.

Trainwreck
8g Stowaway – Trail Storm
Gigginstown House Stud
843020-
RPR 146c OR 139c
I'd been running him over two miles but then Rachael Blackmore said to step him up in trip and he almost went and won the Leopardstown Chase over 2m5f. Rachael was stood down for the rest of that day and we got Eoin Walsh to ride him, but unfortunately he'd eaten his dinner, thinking he had no rides left, put up 2lb overweight and was beaten a head! He's one to look forward to this season in staying handicap chases.

Visioman
7g Vision D'Etat – Loumie
Alan Halsall
50-4711
RPR 140c OR 139c
He's done really well this year and won well at Limerick last time. He will go for a 2m4f handicap chase at Punchestown on Morgiana Hurdle weekend. He handles an ease but I don't think he'll handle real winter ground.

Walk Away
7g Black Sam Bellamy – Pegus Love
Robcour
4/7253-F
RPR 140c OR 136c
He's a very nice horse and still a novice for this season so we have some options with him. He took an unfortunate fall in the Munster National. We'll look for something similar and he'll probably get an entry in the Troytown.

Zarkareva
4f Authorized – Zarkiyna
Robcour
67-0F11
RPR 125c OR -
She was disappointing early on but has done really well since she went over fences. She won impressively at Sligo and was given a super ride by Dylan Robinson to win a nice race at Punchestown. She's progressive and gets her four-year-old allowances. She might go to Cheltenham in November for the novice chase Put The Kettle On won last year or we might wait for Leopardstown at Christmas. I hope she'll keep progressing.

Expert analysis

Monalee ran a cracker when a close fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, but perhaps Henry de Bromhead now has a better chance of winning jump racing's most prestigious prize.

Minella Indo was still an unfurnished individual when gunned down late by Champ at the Cheltenham Festival. That was only his third outing over fences and you wouldn't have to work too hard to come up with an argument suggesting odds of 14-1 are too big for the Gold Cup.

Honeysuckle remains unbeaten and, while some say otherwise, she beat Benie Des Dieux fair and square in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham, which takes some doing. De Bromhead resisted the temptation of the Champion Hurdle last season but, if she wins the Hatton's Grace and Irish Champion Hurdle again, it will be harder to swerve this time around.

Baptism Of Fire could be underrated. He got up late to deny Wide Receiver in a Punchestown maiden hurdle and the runner-up is held in very high regard. There is a vast amount of improvement in his locker.

Myth Buster interests me greatly this season and could be an ideal candidate for the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. He remains a novice, but his third to Easy Game and Allaho last Christmas looks cracking form now and he is in the best possible hands to continue his progress over fences. He should win a beginners' chase with his eyes shut in the coming weeks and I'll be keeping an eye out for a Paddy Power Chase quote once he does. Owner Chris Jones won the race in 2016 with Noble Endeavor and he looks to have another ideal type for the valuable prize.

Cobbler's Way is another promising staying novice chaser and he could develop into an RSA contender.

del roy

Paul Nicholls Stable Tour 2020/21


WATCH OUT......Mussleburgh...all handicap races, over the last five years, seventeen runners under 10/1 only..ten won...twelve placed...+26.57

The champion trainer is warming up nicely with a promise of much more to come. With 11 winners in October you can’t say it’s been a slow start for Paul Nicholls, but neither has he raced out of the blocks like he did in 2016 and 2017.
“I’ve never known a start to a season quite like this one,” says the 11-time title holder. “The horses have held on to their condition and never taken so long to get fit. Some of them have had racecourse gallops to bring them on, but there’s only so much you can do at home and in the end you have to give them a run – and some of them have needed it.”
Nicholls offers another reason for the quieter start: “Some of my younger rivals bring theirs to peak fitness from the word go nowadays, whereas I prefer to play the longer game. We have to remember, it’s a long season and I’m in less of a hurry than I used to be at this time of year.”
Ten winners in the last fortnight, including two at Wincanton’s popular Badger Beers meeting on Saturday where he always excels, have signalled a marked change of tempo and the likes of Politologue, Getaway Trump and exciting French import Mick Pastor will spearhead a strong team at Cheltenham this weekend.
Nicholls looked out on his second yard at Highbridge Stables the other evening, complete with 11 new boxes put up in September, and said: “This is some ammo we’ve got here. I can’t wait for the future!”
Stable profile

Yard Manor Farm Stables
Where Ditcheat, Somerset
Second yard Highbridge Farm, Alhampton, Somerset
Started training October 19, 1991
Horses in yard 140
Members of staff 50
Head lad Clifford Baker
Assistant trainer Harry Derham
Assistant head lad David Rochester
Pupil assistant trainers Natalie Parker, Charlie Davies
Assistant head lass Kate McCormack, Rose Loxton
Travelling head girl Kate Nutt
Assistant travelling head girl Trudie Smith
Jockeys Harry Cobden, Sam Twiston-Davies, Bryony Frost, Sean Bowen, Brendan Powell, Harry Skelton, Katie O’Farrell
Conditionals Lorcan Williams, Bryan Carver
Amateurs Will Biddick, Natalie Parker, Matt Hampton, Harriet Tucker, Angus Cheleda
PA Hannah Roche, Sarah West
Finance Lina Chadburn
Stable sponsor Morson Group
Website paulnichollsracing.com
Twitter @pfnicholls
Winners in Britain
2018-19 135
2017-18 127
2016-17 171
2015-16 122
Profit/loss to £1 stake
2018-19 -£52.21
2017-18 -£132.84
2016-17 -£78.39
2015-16 -£73.23
Prize-money 2018-19
£3,307,172



My five dark horses to watch


Monmiral

He made a deeply impressive winning debut in a three-year-old hurdle at Auteuil in March. Monmiral joined us in July and is a lovely big horse with plenty of scope and will be running in juvenile hurdles this season. He is the type rather like Solo and Clan Des Obeaux that is going to make a serious chaser one day.

Hell Red

He finished second to Monmiral at Auteuil, beaten two and a half lengths, and is a totally different type, sharper and racier, is ready to go and makes his debut for us at Chepstow's first meeting at the end of next week. I could see him making an immediate impact.

Stormy Ireland

Is one of a dozen or more nice horses sent to me this summer by Jarred Sullivan. She did very well last season for Willie Mullins, winning three times in the mud before finishing fifth in the Mares' hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Stormy Ireland has a rating of 153 and could be one to follow over fences this winter. While she is not the biggest she jumps well at home and is due to make her debut for us in a novice Chase at Newton Abbot on October 11 when she will get a handy 7lbs allowance from the geldings.

Pozo Emery

He is a promising recruit for Andy Stewart and his family and showed plenty of promise when finishing second in his only Point-to-Point in Ireland in March. We really like what Pozo Emery is showing us at home and he will be campaigned over two and a half miles over hurdles.

Whiskey Lullaby

Another interesting recruit from Ireland, Whiskey Lullaby is a half sister to the smart Petit Robin and finished second on her only start in a Point-to-Point in October. She made her debut for us at Newbury late in February in the colours of Highclere Thoroughbreds and went into plenty of notebooks after coming from the rear to be beaten three quarters of a length by the highly rated Gran Luna. Whiskey Lullaby is a big, scopey mare very much in the mould of Silver Forever when she began over hurdles.


Adrien-du-pont
Pedigree: seven-year-old gelding
Califet (sire) - Santariyka (dam)
Owner: Mrs Johnny de la Hey
Form: 47130-P
Racing Post Rating 153 chase
Official Rating 147 chase
I fancied him to be in the first four when he was pulled up at Ascot nine days ago. It’s looking more like he wants an easy 3m nowadays, so we may even consider dropping him in trip next time. Has plenty of ability but still inclined to be a bit keen. He needs to be dropped right out and come late – tactics that don’t always work out. When he gets a bit of luck in running there’s a decent handicap chase to be won with him.

As De Mee
9g Kapgarde - Koeur De Mee
Stewart family & Judi Dench
4/214U0/
RPR 153c OR 148c
He picked up a tendon injury in February last year and ended up missing the whole season. Andy [Stewart, owner] is sponsoring a 3m handicap hurdle at Cheltenham this week, so he’ll have a run there, which he’s bound to need, before going to Aintree next month for either the Becher or the Sefton. He loves it round there, having won the Grand Sefton in 2016 and completed three times in total over the big fences. Come the spring he’ll be trained for the National.

Ashutor
5g Redoute’s Choice - Ashalanda
Stewart family
22F3-
RPR 125h OR 119h
We realised last season his breathing was troubling him, so that was sorted in the summer and he could improve significantly for it. If he does then he’d look fairly treated off 119. Since he came back in mid-July his target has been the 0-125 novice handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday. I just hope he doesn’t turn out to be a morning glory, as last season he never produced on the track what he was showing us at home.

Ask For Glory
5g Fame And Glory - Ask Helen
Mr and Mrs Paul Barber & Colm Donlon
1(ptp)19-
RPR 125b
Gorgeous type of horse, very much a chaser of the future but well up to winning over hurdles first. He bolted up on soft ground in his bumper, and then he was never going to win a race like the Champion Bumper but nothing was lost by giving him further experience. He’ll want some cut and we’ll take him to Chepstow or Newbury in about a fortnight for a maiden hurdle.

Bathsheba Bay
4g Footstepsinthesand - Valamareha
Michael Geoghegan
32
RPR 104h OR 114h
Decent Flat horse for Richard Hannon who didn’t run for us last winter. He’s had the full works done: he couldn’t breathe properly so we got that sorted, and then he was gelded and took some time to get over it. Has run a couple of tidy races over hurdles and was probably beaten by a smart horse [Scardura] at Taunton last time. Looks a fun horse.

Birds Of Prey
5g Sir Prancealot - Cute
Kathy Stuart
22116-7
RPR 130h OR 127h
Decent fun horse. We gave him a good break as he’d been on the go on the Flat and over jumps, and it was a bit embarrassing as he was as fat as anything when reappearing at Kempton last month. He needed it quite badly and he should go on and win a handicap hurdle.

Black Corton
8g Laverock - Pour Le Meilleur
The Brooks family & Jeremy Kyle
2221-23
RPR 168c OR 163c
He keeps on amazing us and his last three runs suggest he’s still improving. I thought he had a really stiff task in the Galway Plate but he put up another career-best and would have finished closer still but for running into trouble off the home bend. Then he comes back at Ascot the other day off another career-high mark and runs another blinder. Being 10lb shy of top class means he’s not that easy to place, as his number of seconds suggests; I imagine we’ll have to go back into Graded races now and the Peterborough Chase might suit. Whatever happens in the winter his Gold Cup could well turn out to be the Oaksey Chase again at Sandown in April. He’s an absolute pleasure to train.

Blackjack Kentucky
6g Oscar - My Name’s Not Bin
Owners Group 026
6/1(ptp)/833-
RPR 125h OR 128h
Showed promise in a couple of staying novice hurdles in the spring. He’ll be ready in a fortnight and is capable of winning a 3m novice hurdle on soft ground before switching to fences, which is where his future lies.

Bob And Co
8g Dom Alco - Outre Mer
David Maxwell Racing
5345P3-
RPR 135c OR 150c
He’s among our team of nine hunter chasers and one of the more interesting ones. A three-time winner over fences in France, he’s contested many of the country’s top races, over hurdles and fences. The others in the squad are Art Mauresque, Alcala, Lough Derg Spirit (whom Andy Stewart has brought as a replacement for Pacha Du Polder), Bagad Bihoue, Braqueur D’Or, Wonderful Charm, Copain De Classe (who’ll run in the Grand Military Gold Cup), and Southfield Vic. I still get some flak over the horses we run in hunter chases but I don’t worry about it anymore; as I see it we're giving horses a second career who have marks that don’t allow them to win handicaps and, more important, we're giving valuable opportunities for a whole host of very promising young riders.

Bravemansgame
4g Brave Mansonnien - Genifique
John Dance & Bryan Drew
1(ptp)-
RPR 95p
Big, scopey baby, a beautiful individual who cost plenty at the sales but was never going to come cheap having won his only point-to-point very impressively. That performance meant he was the highest-rated four-year-old pointer in Ireland, whatever that amounts to. Has taken a while to get fit and is sure to improve for his debut, but everyone in the yard likes him, so do I. We took him to Wincanton for a racecourse gallop the other day and he’s about a week off a run.

Brelan D’As
8g Crillon - Las De La Croix
JP McManus
15135-U
RPR 142c OR 138c
Ran third in last season’s Grand Annual and those big handicaps at Cheltenham over 2m to 2m4f suit him. Ideally he wants a bit of cut and we’ll take a look at Saturday’s BetVictor Gold Cup. He’s been a bit unlucky one way or another but should pop up in a good handicap chase somewhere.

Brewers Project
5g Aizavoski - Shaylee Wilde
The Hon Mrs Charlotte Townshend
1(ptp)/
RPR 92p
The horse he beat in his Irish point-to-point in March last year is now a 142-rated hurdler. He sustained a hairline fracture of the pelvis while schooling last autumn, so we had to leave off him. The time off won’t be lost on him and he’s about a fortnight off a run. Nice horse.

Calva D’Auge
4g Air Chief Marshal - Hill Ou Elle
Owners Group
26P22-1
RPR 122h OR 127h
Came here with some decent placed form in the French provinces. He didn’t jump well to start with and we’ve worked hard on that, even so last week’s Plumpton win was a welcome surprise and he had a bit in hand too. Should make up into a useful fun horse.

Cap Du Mathan
4g Kapgarde - Nounjya Du Mathan
Stewart family
42-6
RPR 113h OR 127h
Andy Stewart has re-invested heavily for this season, buying eight new ones, and this is a decent prospect. He showed promise on both his hurdling starts at Auteuil last year, and ran okay on his first run for us, although I should probably have run him in a maiden hurdle at Chepstow, not Cheltenham. He looked as big as anything in the paddock beforehand, so there should be loads of improvement to come and he ought to go close next time provided I find the right race. I love him.

Capeland
7g Poliglote - Neiland
Kathy Stuart
12284-D
RPR 154c OR 143c
Poor old Capeland, that was extraordinary what happened the other day at Ascot. I feel a bit guilty because I told Kathy [Stuart, owner] I thought he’d go well and that our other runner, Diego Du Charmil, who ended up taking him out, was likely to need the run. She’s such a sporting lady and took the whole thing so well. Bearing in mind they disqualified Capeland I was hoping the handicapper would play fair and leave him on the same mark, so I was bitterly disappointed when they rang me to say he had been raised 3lb. If they saw fit to disqualify him from any prize-money then the run shouldn’t count for handicapping purposes. But I’m pleased to say following a few more phone calls they've had a re-think and dropped him back down 3lb, which is the right thing to do. Looking on the bright side, we have a horse who has clearly improved again despite a busy old campaign last season. He’s suited by a fast-run race so these big handicap chases suit him and there’s another very valuable one back at Ascot on the 23rd of the month. Let’s hope he can gain some consolation there.

Capitaine
7g Montmartre - Patte De Velour
Martin Broughton & Friends 2
4102-32
RPR 142h OR 135h
Still useful on his day, as he showed when winning at Taunton last season, but I was convinced his breathing was stopping him late on in his races, so we had his palate re-cauterised in the summer. Showed a similar level form in both runs this season, the latest over a longer trip for the first time. Is better going right-handed on a Flat track so we take him to Kempton (today).


Captain Cattistock
6g Black Sam Bellamy - Pearl Buttons
Mrs Angela Hart
F3131-7
RPR 147c OR 139c
Improved in his first season over fences and should develop into a decent staying handicap chaser. Loves cut in the ground and probably found it a bit too quick when running too fresh and with the choke out at Wincanton last month. Reappears at Fontwell on Sunday in the Sussex National and that should suit him. He’ll get an entry for the Welsh National and those other good long-distance handicaps.

Cat Tiger
5g Diamond Boy - Miss Canon
David Maxwell Racing
1341-21
RPR 123h, OR -
Really promising addition to the team from France. He was not far off the best four-year-old chasers over there last year, despite not being a typical chaser on looks. David Maxwell bought him at the Arqana Sale last November to ride over here and won a £100,000 chase at Auteuil on him a few days later. He was a maiden over hurdles so that’s the route we’ve taken and he benefited from a step-up in trip when making all at Exeter last week. He’s up to defying a penalty and he’s got a real future.


Christopher Wood
4g Fast Company - Surf The Web
Sharon Kinsella
113-04
RPR 140h OR 140h
Took to hurdling really well; his third to Pentland Hills in the Aintree Grade 1 was good form and you can put a line through his latest outing as he was over the top. Had a breathing operation in the summer and should progress in his second season. Considering he’d been a bit behind the others he ran okay at Wincanton on Saturday and we’ll look now at the Gerry Feilden at Newbury, where the flat track will be ideal.

Cill Anna
4f Imperial Monarch - Technohead
Stewart family
1(ptp)-5
RPR 102b
Big strong filly whom we bought after she made most of the running to win her only point-to-point. Needed the run on her debut in a fillies’ bumper at Aintree at the end of October; Bryony got off and said we should make more use of her on a stiffer track, so she’ll go to Cheltenham this weekend for the Listed mares’ bumper. She’s very much in the mould of Posh Trish.

Star quality
Clan Des Obeaux
7g Kapgarde - Nausicaa Des Obeaux
Mr and Mrs Paul Barber, Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson
41152-2
RPR 176c OR 169c
I was thrilled with his comeback at Down Royal behind Road To Respect, when he jumped superbly. He’s made enormous improvement in the last 12 months, and being only seven is entitled to progress further. I certainly feel that’s the case after Down Royal because I know how much improvement he showed from his first run to his second last season. I came back from Ireland and backed him at 7-1 for the King George: to my mind last year’s winner is the one they’ve all got to beat on Boxing Day. Later in the season he’ll be entered for the Gold Cup again and we’ll take a view on that later on. He was bang there at the last in the spring but didn’t get home – as soon as the rain came on the morning of the race I suspected we might be in trouble. But with another year on his back and possibly on different ground, who knows?
Oct 6th 2020............Clan Des Obeaux: I think he's the best he's ever looked. He's still only eight years old. He seems to have been around forever, but he's eight, probably the peak of his life. Our target is the Betfair Chase at Haydock at the end of November, so we don't want to get him ready too quick, but I'm very, very happy with the way he looks and the way he's going. He's not going to go back to Cheltenham whatever happens.

2020.....Clan is in top order at home, as big and strong as he has ever looked, and I'm preparing to take him first to the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 21 and have him really ready. Two years ago he just needed it a bit in the Betfair, ran a cracker, came on for the outing and then won the King George at Kempton.

The flat track at Haydock suits him so well and I am not going there this time thinking of it as a prep race for Kempton. He will be sharper than two years ago, fit enough to do himself justice and is good enough to win.

Then it is on to Kempton trying to land the hat-trick in the King George which is obviously the main focus for him this season. Whatever happens Clan will not be going back to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup.
There are other options in the second half of the campaign, maybe at Aintree, and I'd love to take him to the Punchestown Gold Cup if the meeting is on and we are able to travel to Eire.

RACINGUK....I think he's the best he's ever looked. He's still only eight years old. He seems to have been around forever, but he's eight and is probably at the peak of his life.

Our target is the Betfair Chase at Haydock at the end of November, so we don't want to get him ready too quick, but I'm very, very happy with the way he looks and the way he's going. He's not going to go back to Cheltenham, whatever happens.

Cliffs of dover
6g Canford Cliffs - Basanti
Mr and Mrs John Cotton
11/P/831-
RPR 141h OR 141h
Has been off the track since the turn of the year; there’s been nothing seriously wrong, he just kept getting little niggles, which was annoying. Should be back to run in handicap hurdles from Christmas onwards and I’m sure he’ll have benefited from a nice long break.

Confirmation Bias
4g Presenting - Bonnie Parker
Colm Donlon
1
RPR 108b
One of the more forward youngsters, and he’s a
half-brother to our Persian War winner Ed Bandit. Made his bumper debut at Wincanton on Saturday and won nicely despite being green; Harry [Cobden] had a job pulling him up afterwards.

Coup De Pinceau
7g Buck’s Boum - Castagnette
Colm Donlon
11342-3
RPR 142c OR 137c
Sound, reliable jumper with a laid-back attitude; he struggled a bit in Graded company last season and is never going to be a star but is a decent enough performer at modest handicap level. Ran well enough on his return and should soon be winning round the Ludlows, Tauntons and Wincantons.
Star quality

Cyrname
7g Nickname - Narquille
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
14/3711-
RPR 181c OR 176c
He’s in great shape and everything’s going smoothly in the run-up to Ascot next weekend. We’ll take him for a racecourse gallop somewhere between now and then and he’ll be ready. It’s in the back of my mind that he ran those two underwhelming races at the start of last season, but we’re training him differently now, so it’s up to him to come out and reproduce the level of form he showed with those two impressive victories at Ascot at the turn of the year. He stayed 2m5f so well when he won the Ascot Chase I can’t believe he won’t get 3m, so it will hopefully be next stop the King George and then we’ll make a plan for Christmas onwards. It’s no secret his best form is going right-handed, so I’m happy to keep him that way round in the first half of the season.

2020...I am thinking of starting him off at Down Royal in the Grade 1 JNWine Champion Chase on October 31 when he will be ready to run for his life. I want to find out before the King George if he truly gets three miles and the Irish race should give me the answer. If he wins or runs really well then we have plenty of time to freshen him up for Kempton.
Cyrname did an awesome bit of work at Wincanton a week before he beat Altior at Ascot in November but our horse had a seriously hard race which maybe left its mark at Kempton where he couldn't lay a glove on Clan Des Obeaux. He then fell heavily on his return to Ascot in February on testing ground but he was working well again and would have run in April until all racing was called off.

I'm pleased to say Cyrname looks tremendous. He is more relaxed now which means we can do a little bit more with him at home. I couldn't be happier with him and if he shows he doesn't stay three miles at Down Royal then I'll drop him back to two-and-a-half miles.

Oct 6th 2020...........Cyrname: He would have run in the spring if we'd have carried on and gone to Sandown and the ground was okay. He'd recovered. He was actually winded that day. He had no physical injury. He was just winded. I was fairly confident when I got to him, in that deep old ground, he'd given everything, as soon as we got some oxygen into him, the vets were brilliant, he was absolutely fine and he didn't take long to get over it funnily enough. I had him cantering away and he was ready to run again, as I said, in April but obviously, we couldn't. He looks great now. He's had a great summer, he's in as good a shape as he was this time last year. He's a little bit more laid back now in his work and everything he does than he ever used to be, but he looks great and he's scheduled at the moment to go to Down Royal because I'd love to see if he gets three miles there.

RACINGUK...He would have run in the spring if we'd have carried on and gone to Sandown and the ground was okay. He'd recovered and he was actually winded that day (when he fell in the Ascot Chase). He had no physical injury, he was just winded. I was fairly confident when I got to him, in that deep old ground, he'd given everything, and as soon as we got some oxygen into him, the vets were brilliant, and he was absolutely fine and he didn't take long to get over it, funnily enough.

I had him cantering away and he was ready to run again, as I said, in April but obviously, we couldn't. He looks great now. He's had a great summer and he's in as good a shape as he was this time last year. He's a little bit more laidback now in his work and everything he does than he ever used to be, but he looks great and he's scheduled at the moment to go to Down Royal because I'd love to see if he gets three miles there.


Dan McGrue
7g Dansant - Aahsaypasty
Mr and Mrs Paul Barber, D Bennett & D Martin
1/P3P-21
RPR 138h OR 130h
Had been crying out for a breathing operation so we got that sorted over the summer and it's clearly been a massive help, judged by the improvement he showed to win a handicap hurdle at Plumpton last week. Could go for another handicap hurdle at Newbury on Ladbrokes Trophy day, then we’ll have the option of going novice chasing – he’s won three point-to-points – or staying over hurdles. Mr Barber favours the first option, the other owners the second option, so that’s for them to agree on.

Danny Kirwan
6g Scorpion - Sainte Baronne
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
1(ptp)10/22-
RPR 140h OR 120h
Showed a lot of promise when runner-up in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Ascot last season before suffering a small setback in February. He’ll resume over the hurdles in the spring and is probably well handicapped. We’ve always thought a lot of him.

Danny Whizzbang
6g Getaway - Lakil Princess
Angela Tincknell
P1(ptp)/11-
RPR 141h OR 139h
Big, old-fashioned chasing sort whose future was always going to be over fences. Surprised us a bit when showing a lot of improvement from his first outing to his second; didn’t run after March as he needs cut. Had a breathing operation in the summer and that could really help now he goes chasing; takes a bit of getting fit and we’ve pencilled him in for a 3m novice chase at Exeter at the end of the month.

Danse Idol
6m Dansant - Screen Idol
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing
612221-7
RPR 127h OR 129h
Lovely mare, who showed consistent form in novice hurdles last season, since when she had her wind done over the summer. We’re following the route we took with Posh Trish last season, so it was always the plan to take her to Wincanton on Saturday, where I fancied her but she was disappointing. She needed her first run last season so perhaps that’s what it was. We’ll stick to mares’ races this season.

Darling Maltaix
6g Voix Du Nord - Rosalie Malta
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
3155F-4
RPR 134c OR 128c
Not an easy ride and has been too keen in his races. Ran quite well on his chasing debut at Ascot nine days ago and provided he relaxes should improve sufficiently to win a race over fences.

Deadline Diva
4f Frankel - Hurry Home Hillary
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
1F90-8
RPR 110h, OR 120h
Disappointed on her three runs for us, when she was much too keen and had trouble settling. We found she made a noise so she’s had a breathing op and we’ve started again from scratch. Seems more relaxed and I’m hopeful she can put those disappointments behind her on an easy track.

Diego Du Charmil
7g Ballingarry - Daramour
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
5/5235-1
RPR 164c OR 156c
Spent much of last season chasing Altior in Graded races. We felt he was struggling with his breathing so he had an operation over the summer and it just goes to show what a difference that can make. The op helped him improve a few pounds and we were back in business at Ascot. It was unfortunate he went and followed the loose horse and virtually ducked out at the last – they can do that sometimes at Ascot, looking for the paddock exit – and I felt so sorry for Kathy Stuart that Capeland was taken out, as I said beforehand I thought Diego was the one who would need the race. I expected Diego to blow up in the straight but he actually went and ran on again after negotiating the birch upright at the last. His revised handicap mark will put him in no-man’s land and he won’t be easy to place. He’ll get an entry in the valuable Hurst Park Handicap Chase back at Ascot later this month and he may well be forced back into Graded races. Has done most of his racing at around 2m but I’m itching to try him over 2m4f.


Dolos
6g Kapgarde - Redowa
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
2315-12
RPR 162c OR 157c
I love his sire and I love him too! He’s a tough and genuine chaser who can be a bit in-and-out but is essentially decent. An impressive win under top weight at Kempton in May left him a bit in no-man’s land handicapping-wise, but he ran a good race in the Haldon Gold Cup last week, a race we had targeted since he came back in. He needs to improve again to remain competitive in decent handicaps, but being six has age on his side.

Dr Sanderson
5g Jeremy - Guydus
JP McManus
/14115-P
RPR 133h OR 133h
Won three novice hurdles for us last season when he suffered on and off with sore shins; didn’t come down the hill at Cheltenham on his final run. Disappointed on soft on his Ffos Las chasing debut; probably wants better ground and is well up to winning races over fences provided we keep him at the right level. Suited by a flat track.

Duc De Bourbon
3g Buck’s Boum - Astre Eria
JP McManus
Unraced
A particularly nice three-year-old who is doing everything nicely and is being aimed at a four-year-olds’ bumper at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

Dynamite Dollars
6g Buck’s Boum - Macadoun
Michael Geoghegan
4/12111-
RPR 162c OR 157c
It was only a minor injury he suffered last season but it meant his having to sit out the spring. He’s back in training and I’m going to try to get him ready for the Desert Orchid at Kempton over Christmas, but I suspect it will be the new year before we see him back. In that case I’d aim to get two runs into him before Cheltenham, when the Champion Chase will be his No. 1 aim although he’ll also get an entry for the Ryanair as it maybe he wants 2m4f now. His novice form stacks up well, with Ornua, who he beat at Sandown, and Kalashnikov, who finished behind him at Kempton, both going on to win Grade 1s at Aintree. His season is all about getting him to the second day of the festival in peak form.


Eason
5g Coastal Path - Maitresse De Maison
Andrew Williams
166-2
RPR 120h OR -
Bit of a giant, not a true bumper horse in appearance, so perhaps it wasn’t surprising he failed to step up on his debut win. Ran a bit green on his hurdling debut at Chepstow and looks a maiden winner waiting to happen. Lovely chaser in the making and is a horse who won’t come into his own until going over fences in a year’s time.

Ecco
4g Maxios - Enjoy The Life
Colm Donlon
66-11
RPR 135h OR 141h
Gorgeous horse who is two from two over hurdles this season without ever coming off the bridle. Came from Germany with decent Flat form but a gelding operation knocked him back quite a long way and I was always slightly on the back foot with him in the spring. We threw him in at the deep end, running him in the Adonis, then the Triumph, and he was far from disgraced in either. We had his breathing done in the summer and he has come back a different horse entirely. Is ready to step up in grade now and could reappear at Cheltenham this weekend if we wanted to, but the two races I have in mind are the Kennel Gate at Ascot next month, then the Grade 1 Tolworth, although I should stress nothing is set in stone. And then we’d give him a break before Cheltenham.


Eallarna
5m Lucarno - Oeuvre D’Art
Axom LXIX
330-
RPR 98b
Placed in a couple of bumpers last season and has since had a breathing operation. We should be able to place her to win a mares’ maiden hurdle, hopefully starting at Ludlow on Thursday.

Enrilo
5g Buck’s Boum - Rock Treasure
Martin Broughton & Friends 4
141-1
RPR 127h
I love this horse and he’s one of the novice hurdlers I’ve been particularly looking forward to. He fell asleep a bit and ran green before quickening up nicely when making a winning hurdling debut at Wincanton; we’ll find another similar event and then look to step him up in grade.

Envoye Special
5g Coastal Path - Santa Bamba
Brooks, Kyle & Mason
622/262-6
RPR 134c OR 131c
I’ve always liked him but he was a big, backward baby last season which meant I could never train him as I wanted. I think some of these Coastal Paths need time, so that’s what we’ve given him. He also had a wind op in the summer, since when he has improved physically, so I’m hopeful he’ll win races over fences. Looks to be on a decent mark.

Eritage
5g Martaline - Sauves La Reine
Angela Tincknell
131-F5
RPR 119h
Bumper winner last season and one I like. He’s not an easy ride as he’s very light-mouthed. He was too keen on his hurdling debut at Wincanton and it’s been a similar story at home with his schooling, so we took him to Exeter for a novice hurdle last week to educate him, by dropping him in and teaching him to settle. He'll have benefited enormously from that and although he’s very much a chaser of the future there’s now no reason why he shouldn’t win over hurdles.

Favorito Buck’s
7g Buck’s Boum - Sangrilla
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
4416P2-
RPR 136c OR 131c
One of the lesser lights who has his good days and his moderate ones. He was on a good day when winning a decent handicap chase at Ascot last November and again ran well back there in March but returned a bit jarred up. Back cantering again, he’ll be ready around Christmas when the aim will be to win another handicap chase.

Fidelio Vallis
4g Saint Des Saints - Quora Vallis
John & Lisa Hales
2-7
RPR 106h OR -
He was bought for John Hales in the spring after showing a lot of promise on his hurdling debut in France when chasing home a Grade 1 bumper winner at Auteuil. He was one of those who ran just an ordinary race first time and his blood wasn’t great after. He’s been a bit keen, and has to settle into our way of doing things, and relax, before he can progress. But he’ll be okay in time.

RACINGUK....He obviously won the RSA, won that nicely, the form was great, and it was a setback last year not being able to run him, but sometimes a big horse like him, a year off never does them any harm. He's had time to mature and he looks fantastic at the moment.

I'm very happy with his prep and just need to keep him sound and well and head off to Newbury. That's the plan, anyway. There's not really anything suitable to run him in beforehand where the ground would be safe as a prep run for that, so we have to try and 'do a Denman' and get him there in the best of shape, fit enough to go and do himself justice.

Flash De Touzaine
4g Kapgarde - Narcisse De Touzaine
Stephen White
3
RPR 104b
Big four-year-old from a good French family who stayed on strongly in his Killarney bumper for Liz Doyle. We bought him in the spring because I love the sire. He’s just had a wind op and won’t be ready to run in a couple more bumpers until around Christmas.

Flic Ou Voyou
5g Kapgarde - Hillflower
Colm Donlon
4/110-23
RPR 129h
Big, strong sort with masses of scope. Won his two bumpers on soft and I always knew he’d make a smooth transition to hurdling as he’s been schooling for the best part of two years. Probably should have won on his jumping debut at Chepstow as he was a bit free and ran a bit green. In hindsight we should possibly have made more use of him at Wincanton on Saturday. He’s crying out for 2m4f.

Friend Or Foe
4g Walk In The Park - Mandchou
Gordon & Su Hall
44101-
RPR 112h OR 128h
After he made all at Taunton on his first run for us we tried to protect his handicap mark for the festival but he missed the cut for the Fred Winter by a couple. He went on to disappoint at Newbury when we fitted a tongue-tie but he spat the dummy out and didn’t enjoy it. He had a breathing op over the summer and he should be competitive in handicap hurdles. A big, immature horse last season, he’s got bags of scope.
Star quality

Frodon
7g Nickname - Miss Country
Paul Vogt
12111-3
RPR 177c OR 169c
What an amazing little horse he is! He had a breathing operation 15 months ago and the improvement he's gone on to show has been remarkable, winning all those big races. We started off again in the Old Roan, where obviously he wasn’t suited by having all those fences taken out. Aintree was always meant to be a prep for the Betfair Chase, a race I think is made for him. A tight 3m round Haydock, which is a flat track, should be perfect. Then he’ll have an entry for the King George and, come the spring, an entry for the Gold Cup too. That said, I suspect we might end up trying to win another Ryanair. He and Bryony [Frost] get on so well together and I’ve no doubt he’ll be giving his all again right through the season.

RACINGUK.....The plan is to go for the Charlie Hall and he is in good shape. We want to campaign him a bit more over three miles this season, as that is what he definitely wants. He just wasn’t quite good enough last season and has probably lost a gear as well. He has won a Cotswold Chase over three-one and I think three miles is his trip now.

Star quality
Getaway Trump
6g Getaway - Acinorev
Owners Group 023
24411-3
RPR 142c OR 155c
I hope he’s going to be a really smart novice chaser. He didn’t come back in until mid-August – a month later than the others – and he wasn’t quite ready when making his chasing debut at Cheltenham at the end of last month. But if he was going to run in Sunday’s Arkle Trial at Cheltenham I had to get a run into him somewhere, and he travelled and jumped beautifully before getting a bit tired and finishing third to Al Dancer. There’s an enormous amount of improvement to come and we’ll be quite happy to take on the winner again. To think the season before last we couldn’t even win a bumper with him. He was a bit free and lit up early in his carer but once he settled he just took off and has kept on improving. It wasn’t easy deciding whether to stick to hurdles or go chasing, but he’s always been a chaser on looks and he's obviously a really exciting prospect.

Give me a copper
9g Presenting - Copper Supreme
Done, Ferguson, Kyle, Mason, Nicholls & Wood
1/U1/4F4-1
RPR 152c OR 142c
He’s not easy to train but I knew if I could get him back there was a big race in him and it all came right on Saturday in the Badger Beers, where I thought he’d go well but might just need it. We didn’t see the best of him last season. Having showed at Sandown first time that he retains his ability, things didn’t go right after. He probably wants a flat track and, being a bit fragile, we don’t want to be running him too often; a month between races is okay so we might look at the Becher Chase, but down the line the National would be his big aim.

Glenlivet
4g Flemensfirth - Gleaming Spire
Thomas Barr
6
RPR 105b
He’s a brother to the decent 2m4f chaser Knockgraffon. Showed us plenty in his work in the spring and has again been catching the eye this autumn; everyone who rides him likes him, so on the face of it he was a bit disappointing when we ran him in the bumper at the first Chepstow meeting. I’d been due to take him to Salisbury for a racecourse gallop but they abandoned the meeting and he just needed the run. He’s a beautiful traveller and is going to be a serious horse in time.

Golden Gift
5g Gold Well - Five Star Present
Mr & Mrs Paul Barber, Ged Mason & Sir Alex Ferguson
22-3
RPR 116h
Comes from a good Irish family and is a really likeable individual. Quite green in both his bumpers last season, he did well physically over the summer and made his hurdling debut at Chepstow last Wednesday. He’ll improve for the run and should win novice hurdles when stamina is at a premium.

Grand Sancy
5g Diamond Boy - La Courtille
Martin Broughton Racing Partners
14210-F
RPR 155h OR 152h
I was thrilled with him at Wincanton on Saturday; they think a lot of Nicky Henderson’s horse [Fusil Raffles] although I suppose he might have needed it. If ours had just jumped the second-last it might have been very interesting. He’s another good advert for a summer breathing operation; having got his wind sorted a year ago his form improved massively. It was a good bit of placing by the team to win the Kingwell Hurdle, but I’ve never seen him developing into a Champion Hurdle contender. We’ve now got some thinking to do – do we stay over hurdles or go chasing? There’s no rush to decide.

Greaneteen
5g Great Pretender - Manson Teene
Chris Giles
3/611-0
RPR 134h OR 132h
One of a couple who ran really disappointingly at the first Chepstow meeting; we never got to the bottom of it and found out why. Has always had plenty of ability although hasn’t been the luckiest from an injury point of view. Had a little setback after winning at Fontwell in January, bringing his season to a premature end. Goes novice chasing now and should be competitive in his own grade round the smaller tracks.

RACINGUK...He is a nice horse and the plan is to go to the Haldon Gold Cup. He ran very well at the Cheltenham Festival in the Grand Annual and he did nothing but progress last season. I could see him running in a Tingle Creek if he progresses.

Highland Hunter
6g Subtle Power - Laughing Sparkle
Thomas Barr
10/1135-
RPR 133h OR 131h
He won twice over 2m4f for Lucinda Russell on heavy ground last winter – I understand he cut his leg on his last run but he’s fine now. Strangely for a horse who has won over hurdles his schooling has been fairly ordinary until recently. Seems a decent prospect for staying handicap hurdles on soft ground and we’re going for the £100,000 Brush Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday week.

Hugo’s Other Horse
5g Gold Well - Wicked Crack
Stewart family
41-
RPR 107b
Cue Card’s half-brother looks a decent sort for staying novice hurdles. I didn’t see him as an ideal type for bumpers, but he showed a lot of improvement from his first run to his second when winning at Fontwell. Andy Stewart is over for Cheltenham this weekend so he’ll run in the Listed bumper there on Sunday and then go over hurdles.

If You Say Run
7m Mahler - De Lissa
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing
/1232P-1
RPR 137c 142h OR 140c 140h
Despite her showing good form last season she had ongoing wind issues so we had her palate re-cauterised in the summer. After she made the perfect start to her chasing career in a mares’ novice at Worcester, I decided to use her allowance against the geldings in the Rising Stars at Wincanton on Saturday. She had a tough task and I knew she had to improve so she probably ran as I expected. We can go back to mares’ events and she’s sure to win plenty more races.

Jeremy Pass
4g Jeremy - Toulon Pass
John Dance
F(ptp)-
RPR 91p
Lovely stamp of a horse – you look at him and think he's our future here. He was unlucky in his only point-to-point, as he would have been first or second but for being virtually brought down at the last. Has done plenty of work and I like what I see, so he’ll be ready to start off in a bumper in around a week or so.

Kapcorse
6g Kapgarde - Angesse
JP McManus
61/7117-
RPR 146c OR 141c
Lovely individual, one of my favourites. He’s been green and backward and I’ve had to be patient with him, but he’s getting stronger as he gets older and he definitely has a future in staying chases. I’ve no doubt we have yet to see the best of him and he should win a nice staying handicap chase on soft ground. He’s had loads of work, including a racecourse gallop at the weekend, and following another one somewhere should just about be ready, so the plan is to run in the Ladbrokes Trophy first time out; he looks on a fair mark and I see him as a lively outsider for Newbury on November 30.

Magic Saint
5g Saint Des Saints - Magic Poline
Mr & Mrs John Cotton
2510F2-
RPR 152c OR 148c
On the back of an impressive Wincanton win we fancied him for the Grand Annual, but not for the first time he disappointed. He’d been troubled by his breathing so we got that operated on in the summer and I hope there’s a lot more to come from him, especially when he learns to relax more. Has age on his side and could be suited by stepping up in trip. Hasn’t been easy to get fit but, following a racecourse gallop over the weekend, is getting there now and could reappear on Saturday in the BetVictor Gold Cup.

Magoo
7g Martaline - Noche
Brooks, Fulton & Vogt
1/1/F425-
RPR 130h OR 126h
Was a bit unlucky not to have won a handicap hurdle at Sandown in March where he probably hit the front too soon. After we tweaked his wind again in the summer he goes for novice chases on soft ground round the likes of Fontwell and Plumpton.

Malaya
5m Martaline - Clarte D’Or
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
/FF410-3
RPR 124c OR 142c
She was hard to train for much of last season as she’d had an infection in a hind leg and it kept on troubling her, but she came good in the spring and won the Imperial Cup. Although she had a couple of tired falls over hurdles I think she’ll give fences more respect, but she jumped a bit novicey on her chasing debut at Market Rasen and returned with a nasty cut. She’s back cantering after ten days on the easy list and we’ll look for a mares’ beginners’ chase somewhere. If it turns out she doesn’t like fences we can always go back hurdling.

Dark horse
Master Tommytucker
8g Kayf Tara - No Need For Alarm
Tony Fear
11/F-
RPR 143h OR 143h
One of my favourites. He was very unlucky when suffering a tiny knee fracture when falling on his Chepstow chasing debut last season. Everything has gone well since his return and he’s been schooling away fine, so following a racecourse gallop at Wincanton at the weekend he’s just about ready to start. We’ll go back novice chasing, starting somewhere small and then hopefully creep up. Despite his obvious lack of experience he possesses a huge amount of ability.


McFabulous
5g Milan - Rossavon
Giraffa Racing
1711-2
RPR 118h
A half-brother to Waiting Patiently, he has looked a high-class prospect from day one and had a fantastic season in bumpers, when his victories included the Grade 2 at Aintree. He’d come back with sore shins after failing to come down the hill at Cheltenham earlier on. It’s been a struggle getting the weight off this autumn and he’s been a bit behind the others fitness-wise, so I’d expect him to come on enormously for his run at Chepstow last week. He didn’t hurdle fluently and will have to improve his jumping in order to progress. Although we started off at 2m we’ll step up to 2m4f next time.
2020.....He ended the season with a brilliant success in the EBF Final at Kempton and I will be training him with the Stayers' Hurdle in mind at Cheltenham in March.
McFabulous will start off in the Persian War Hurdle at Chepstow on October 9 if the ground is all right and under a new rule brought in this year because of Covid he remains a novice until December 1 which gives us more options for him. Even so, next race I am considering for McFabulous is the Grade 2 long distance hurdle at Newbury on what was Hennessy weekend.

RACINGUK.....Physically, he's done very well. He's a big, strong horse now and he’s a half-brother to Waiting Patiently, so he's from a good family and was a good bumper horse for us. He was very slow last year over hurdles, to get his act together, and he was very slow at home schooling. He had a fall at home schooling and his first run at Chepstow, the hurdle fell down in front of him and he lost his bottle a little bit.

Then he went to Ascot on very heavy ground. He wasn't right and underperformed, but because of that, he actually handicapped himself a little bit and I just thought, we're not going to win at Cheltenham with him this year, it's a bit too much, why not try and win the EBF Final? So we went to Market Rasen and he won there quite nicely plus jumped brilliantly.

He got a really good mark and went to Kempton and I honestly couldn't see him being beat that day. It all fell into place for him. He was going to be at Sandown the week before where the ground was testing and it was abandoned. Going to Kempton the Saturday after Cheltenham suited him well and he loved it around there and he put the race to bed very, very quickly and easily. He's a proper horse, he is.


Mick Pastor
3g Meshaheer - Mick Oceane
JP McManus
1
RPR 131h OR -
Potentially exciting recent arrival from France. Looked impressive when making a winning debut at Auteuil in May and I was delighted to see the runner-up went on to win their three-year-old Grade 1 Champion Hurdle the Saturday before last, so his form is really good. We all like him and he’s done everything right so far; the only fault I can find is he’s been a bit keen at home, so he’ll have to settle when he races. Lets’s see what he can do at Cheltenham on Saturday in the juvenile hurdle.

Miranda
4f Camelot - Great Artist
Owners Group 034
11P-8
RPR 118h OR 127h
The ground was too quick when she was pulled up on her final run last season, after which she was found to be in season. She’s a good fun horse for minor handicap hurdles, when she should be suited by a flat track and soft ground.

Mont Des Avaloirs
6g Blue Bresil - Abu Dhabi
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
4/2307P-
RPR 140c OR 142c
I had high hopes for him over fences last season but he didn’t jump well on his debut and was then largely disappointing when reverting to hurdles. He’s a big horse who has needed time, so we gave him a nice long break over the summer. And he’s had a breathing op, which will hopefully help him now he tries novice chasing again. I can see him leaving last season’s form behind.

My Way
5g Martaline - Royale Majesty
McNeill family & Chris Giles
72328-F
RPR 141c OR 127c
Considering what he’d done in France I had high hopes when he came here a year ago but it didn’t happen for him over hurdles. We had his wind done over the summer and that’s going to make a big difference judged by what I saw at Plumpton, where he jumped really well back over fences before taking a crashing fall at the last. He was sore for a few days but is back in good form and I’m sure there are races to be won with him over fences. He did well over them in France.

NEXT DESTINATION
He has had the best part of 18 months off since he won at Punchestown. We are on top of everything at the moment and if we keep him sound he will be a very nice novice chaser as he has schooled well. He could go to Fakenham for a three-mile novice chase.


Nimix De Juilley
5g Al Namix - Halbina De Juilley
JP McManus
1-
RPR -
He was bought for JP a year ago but has only recently joined us. Made a winning debut over hurdles at Strasbourg in France last autumn, but our handicappers won’t give him a mark yet. At least he can go for one of those races open to winners of a single race. I’m a bit in the dark about him for now.


Old Gaurd
8g Notnowcato - Dolma
Brooks family & Jeremy Kyle
232634-
RPR 159h OR 152h
He got a bit jarred up in the spring, the first time in his life he’s had an issue of any kind, so he’s not been out since February. Came in a bit later than the others but is getting there now and may return in the Coral Ascot Hurdle, in which he finished second last year. What an amazing servant he’s been! In 34 runs for us he’s been out of the money only six times. I know he didn’t win last season but he put up any number of good placed efforts in Graded company. I could be temped to try him over fences again in a graduation chase at some stage.

Oleg
4g Kamsin - Dramraire Mist
Middleham Park Racing XII & A & J Ryan
212-1P
RPR 117c OR 126c
After his Wincanton win I probably ran him again a bit too quick when he burst a blood vessel at Kempton next time. We’ve learned he needs more time between his races, needs to be kept fresh and to be running round the smaller tracks.
Overland Flyer
8g Westerner - Love Train
Colm Donlon
P/22P71-
RPR 133c OR 128c
Operates around the smaller tracks over fences and loves fast ground; I’d been hoping to get him out earlier but it’s been too wet. Reappears in a 3m handicap chase at Taunton on Thursday and he’d make a good hunter chaser if anyone’s interested in buying him.


Star quality
Pic D’Orhy
4g Turgeon - Rose Candy
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
1U220-F
RPR 138h OR 146h
I’m really excited about this horse and I think the world of him. He just got a bit tired when fading in the Triumph on his one and only run for us; it’s not easy for these French horses who cross the channel mid-season. He was one of the best juveniles in France before he came to us, so on the back of two racecourse gallops we took him back to Auteuil yesterday for their Grade 1 four-year-olds Champion Hurdle, the Prix Renaud Vivier and thankfully he is fine after his fall.
Oct 6th 2020.........Pic D'Orhy: Last year, we didn't run him in the Champion Hurdle. We never thought he's been a champion hurdler or a speedy horse. He's a really staying, chasing type of horse. He was bought as a chaser, so it was just about biding time now actually until he went chasing, and of course, we got lucky and won the Betfair Hurdle which was brilliant. He's all ready to go in fencing and that's where his future will lie I'm sure.
2020....We bought him from France to be a chaser and that is what he will be doing this winter, possibly starting in a novice Chase at Market Rasen, ground permitting, on October 17, a race we've won in the past with Dynamite Dollars and Azertyuiop. He looks great and put up a classy performance when winning a competitive Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February.

Pic D'Orhy is a big horse, schools nicely and has bags of scope but he can jump the odd fence like a hurdler and needs to respect his fences as he gains experience.
I can't wait to get him started over fences and we'll make a plan once he has run at Market Rasen. He has a big future.

RACINGUK...Pic D'Orhy was successful in this year's Betfair Hurdle
Last year, we didn't run him in the Champion Hurdle. We never thought he's been a champion hurdler or a speedy horse. He's a really staying, chasing type of horse.
He was bought as a chaser, so it was just about binding time now actually until he went chasing, and of course, we got lucky and won the Betfair Hurdle, which was brilliant. He's all ready to go in fencing and that's where his future will lie, I'm sure.


Star quality
Politologue
8g Poliglote - Scarlet Row
John & Lisa Hales
1/14422-
RPR 173c OR 166c
He’s in the best form I’ve ever had him at this stage of the season. He looks, and is working, great. Considering he hadn’t always run up to his best at Cheltenham in the past I was so proud of his effort when chasing home Altior in the Champion Chase. We gave him a wind op over the summer, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and after he didn’t get home over 3m in the King George last season we’re happy to stick to 2m this winter. I can’t wait to see him come back in the Shloer Chase on Sunday, then we’ll go on to the Tingle Creek – a race he won two years ago, the Desert Orchid, the Clarence House, then have him fresh for the festival. If Altior stays up in distance and Willie Mullins goes elsewhere with his latest superstar [Chacun Pour Soi], I hope we can end up running another big race in the Champion Chase.

Posh Trish
6m Stowaway - Moscow Demon
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing
21118-3
RPR 135c OR 142c
Really smart, tough mare and just looking at her – she’s so big and strong she could be a gelding – I’ve been excited for a long time to see what she can do over fences. I don’t think she got the credit she deserved for a blinding run on her debut behind two smart horses, Jarveys Plate and Reserve Tank, at Chepstow. She’s sharper for the run and sure to win races, hopefully starting at Bangor on Wednesday in a 2m1f mares’ Listed novice chase. At some stage I wouldn’t be frightened to use her 7lb allowance against the geldings as she’s high class, without a doubt.

Present Man
9g Presenting - Glen’s Gale
Mr & Mrs Mark Woodhouse
43/184P-P
RPR 155c OR 148c
From the day he came back in our number one aim was to get him to Wincanton on Saturday ready to run the race of his life and try to land the Badger Beers Chase for the third year on the trot – plenty have done the double but no horse has won it there times – but when the rain came I knew it wasn’t to be. It ended up quite testing and that isn’t his ground at all. We could now look at the Becher Chase again but the ground will have to be suitable, and Doncaster is a track we’ll look to target over the winter. The middle part the season can a bit of an anti-climax as he doesn’t operate as well on winter soft ground.

Quel Destin
4g Muhtathir - High Destiny
Martin Broughton & Friends
11115-1
RPR 148h OR 149h
Super tough four-year-old who has now won six of his eight hurdle starts for us. Got slightly injured in the Triumph Hurdle and came back a bit sore, but it was nothing serious. It can be a tough old season for second-season juvenile hurdlers, but after a pipeopener on the Flat he came out and won again at Cheltenham, where the heavy ground was ideal. We thought about bringing him out again in the Elite Hurdle, but we’ll give him a bit more time and the idea is to go either for the Greatwood on Sunday if the ground is testing or step him up in trip in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot later this month. Later on, one race I think would be made for him is the National Spirit at Fontwell in February.

REAL STEEL
I’m told he is better right-handed and his form suggests that, but he did run well in the Gold Cup where he looked a non-stayer. I think we will start him off in the Christy 1965 Chase that we won last year with Cyrname. To me he is a Ryanair horse.

Red Force One
4g Lethal Force - Dusty Red
Done Ferguson Mason
43-12
RPR 129h OR 129h
What a massive improver! He started the season a maiden over hurdles – albeit a good one having finished fourth in the Adonis – and already he’s shaping into a smart handicapper. He can always go back to novice hurdles, but he’s obviously one for some of the big handicaps after his run in the Listed handicap at Ascot, where he would have won in another stride. He’s in the Greatwood, and although that might come too soon I must admit 10st 1lb does look very attractive. Later on a suitable target might be the very valuable handicap hurdle back at Ascot just before Christmas.

Red Risk
4g No Risk At All - Rolie De Vindecy
Middleham Park Racing
75429-1
RPR 114c OR -
Hasn’t long arrived in Ditcheat. He was bought shortly after winning his second start over fences in France at Auteuil in September. Obviously I don’t know too much about him yet.

Rhythm Is A Dancer
6g Norse Dancer - Fascinatin Rhythm
W Harrison-Allan
15P14-3
RPR 116c OR 127c
Won three over hurdles last season despite struggling with his breathing, so we’ve had that seen to over the summer and he’s a good fun horse to go chasing with. Always needs a run or two and finished a bit tired at Fakenham on his debut, but is capable of winning races over fences at his own level.

Romain De Senam
7g Saint Des Saints - Salvatrixe
Dan MacDonald & Chris Giles
1412-14
RPR 154c OR 148c
Has been on an extended summer break and will be prepared for a spring campaign, when he’ll be trained for the Grand National. He’s best on a flat track and likes decent ground, so the National could really suit him. Before Aintree he could take in what used to be the Racing Post Chase at Kempton in February.

SAINT SONNET
He ran well at Cheltenham having only won at Catterick the time before. I will give him a run over hurdles somewhere then he will have an entry in all the good two-and-a-half-mile handicap chases, including the Paddy Power, which might be a nice race for him.

Saint Xavier
7g Saint Des Saints - Princesse Lucie
David Maxwell Racing
463146-
RPR 139c OR 150c
Useful handicap chaser in France, successful twice over fences there. He’s a maiden over hurdles so he’ll go novice hurdling at around 3m for owner/champion amateur David Maxwell.

Sametegal
10g Saint Des Saints - Loya Lescribaa
Mr & Mrs John Cotton
21/2338/
RPR 153c OR 141c
He’s classy but fragile and has had no luck with injuries in recent seasons. We were trying to get him ready for Wetherby over Charlie Hall weekend but he wasn’t ready, so the Grand Sefton at Aintree next month is now a possibility. He hasn’t won for over three years but has a very good record first time out.

San Benedeto
8g Layman - Cinco Baidy
Paul Vogt
60173-6
RPR 164c OR 152c
Has struggled with his breathing from day one and for that reason is a bit in-and-out. Geoff Lane, who carries out our breathing procedures, says he must be a really good horse to have won as many races as he has. Ran with a bit too much enthusiasm when dropping out on his return at Market Rasen last month and goes next for a 2m6f handicap at Newbury on Ladbrokes Trophy day. Not at his best on winter ground, he’s more of a spring horse and showed he’s still capable when winning the Greatwood Gold Cup in March. Loves decent ground and a flat track, although he spends much of his life in the grip of the handicapper nowadays.

Sao
5g Great Pretender - Miss Country
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
242/72-2
RPR 110c OR 124c
Frodon’s half-brother used to be a hard-puller at home like Cyrname was. He’s had another wind op and judged by what I saw on his chasing debut at Kempton he is well capable of winning a novice handicap off his mark. Bearing in mind his breathing issues he may prefer a flat track.

Scaramanga
4g Mastercraftsman - Herboriste
Malcolm Denmark
3212-8
RPR 129h OR 132h
Looked on a winnable handicap mark so we took him for the good four-year-old hurdle at Chepstow in October but he found the ground too soft and I admit he was disappointing. Put a line through that run, his blood wasn’t 100 per cent afterwards, but he’s come right now. Will be out again soon and will want better ground.

Secret Investor
7g Kayf Tara - Silver Charmer
Hills Of Ledbury
22411-2
RPR 155c OR 150c
Ran very well on his comeback at Down Royal when the soft ground went against him. He’s a hard horse to get right first time, so he’ll come on an enormous amount for the run. Last season he took a couple of outings before he clicked over fences; he’s a big horse who loves going long into a fence, although he wasn’t so clever when asked to go short. But he came good in the spring, helped by a change of tactics when we rode him more positively, and he was particularly impressive at Ayr. Where we go next I don’t know; he’ll be entered for the big handicaps and Grade 2s.


Sending Love
6g Scorpion - Dato Vic
Jared Sullivan
1(ptp)-
RPR 92p
One of two sent to me by Jared Sullivan, so it’s nice to have him back on board. He won an Irish point in early 2017 and was with Willie Mullins last year when suffering a cracked pelvis. He schooled nicely last week, when we must have jumped the best part of 50 horses, and is about a fortnight off a run.


Silver Forever
5m Jeremy - Silver Prayer
Colm Donlon
11312-11
RPR 134h OR -
Smashing mare. We’re taking the Posh Trish route with her, so she started in the same mares’ novice hurdle at Chepstow we won last year with Posh and she won as she liked. Then it was on to Newbury last week when she just held on from a nice filly of Nicky Henderson’s [Floressa]. Over 2m she found the ground plenty quick enough, and if it’s softer and the pair meet again back at Newbury at the end of month she’s got a good chance of confirming the form on worse terms. Hopefully she can end up in the Listed mares’ novice at the Festival.
2020....It is highly likely this smart mare will be going chasing this season but I need to talk to her owner Colm Donlan before making long term plans. She can easily jump fences but we might start her off first in a good hurdle race. There are some decent mares races over hurdles and fences but she would also be very effective against the geldings as well.

Silver Forever is in good shape, coming on nicely and should be ready to run in a month's time. She is a winning pointer, jumps very well, won a Listed race at Sandown in January and after a very minor setback was being prepared for a spring campaign when racing came to a half.

Sir Psycho
3g Zoffany - Open Book
Martin Broughton & Friends
41
RPR 104h OR 117h
Athletic type who had showed a lot of promise in his only run on the Flat this year in a Leopardstown maiden in the spring. Jumped a bit ordinary first time for us and he needed the run, but cheekpieces woke him up at Wincanton next time and he won comfortably. I need to find a handicap next as he’s been given a very attractive mark; after that we can look for something better.

Skatman
4g Mastameet - Maid For Auction
Chris Giles
1 (ptp)
RPR 92p
Doesn’t have the greatest of pedigrees but is a smashing individual. Won his maiden point at Dromahane impressively and the first three home are all based at Ditcheat now. We bought him at the Doncaster sales and surprisingly he cost less than the horse he beat. He’s done everything asked of him very nicely so I’m looking forward to seeing him shortly in a bumper.

SOLO
We will start him off at Wincanton in the Elite Hurdle and go from there. He has been gelded during the summer. He was very good at Kempton in the Adonis, but he got lost a little bit round Cheltenham in the Triumph and he may have been over the top. He will improve this season as we have started from scratch with him.

Southfield Harvest
5g Kayf Tara - Cham

del roy

Olly Murphy Jumps Stable Tours 2020/21


Olly Murphy's Warren Chase operation has come a long way in a short space of time with last season bringing a first top-level victory with Itchy Feet in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase.

Add Ryanair Chase hope Brewin'upastorm, potential Stayers' Hurdle contender Thomas Darby and a glut of exciting novice hurdlers, including Champagnesuperover, Jetaway Joey and Plenty In The Tank, and there's enough to suggest another Grade 1 success won't be far away.

There may well be some future stars in the bumper ranks, in which Murphy boasts a 23 per cent strike-rate since starting training in 2017 and has around 40 horses for this campaign.

Murphy, an ambassador for Betfair, said: "We had a good season and it was massive to train my first Grade 1 winner. We have a lot of young horses but we're slowly starting to have a few more established horses and it would be great to have Thomas Darby, Brewin'upastorm and Itchy Feet contesting proper top-level races, along with some nice novices coming through.

"There's loads to look forward to and I've been very well supported by some great people."

Aidan Coleman is Murphy's new stable jockey, while it is worth noting Adrian Heskin's mounts on Max McNeill-owned horses as he boasts a 45 per cent strike-rate (17-38) when teaming up with Murphy.

Rival to watch
Shan Blue was very impressive for Dan Skelton on his chase debut at Wetherby earlier this month. He looked really smart.

Race in focus
The Tolworth and Challow are two top-level races I'd love to think I might have a nice horse to run in and Champagnesuperover would be among the possibles.
Stable profile

Yard Warren Chase Stables
Where Wilmcote, Stratford-upon-Avon
Started training July 4, 2017
Horses in yard 120
Members of staff 40
Assistant trainer Ger Tumelty
Head lad Martin Devenney
Head girl Sarah Tumelty
Travelling head staff Charlotte Best, Jordan Dorward
Racing manager Camilla Cotton
Jockeys Aidan Coleman, Richard Johnson, David England, Adrian Heskin, Gavin Sheehan
Conditionals Fergus Gregory, Lewis Stones, Callum McKinnes
Amateurs James King, Ceris Biddle, Dara McGill, Luke Scott, Solly Wood, Toby Steele
Stable sponsor McCoy Contractors
Website www.ollymurphyracing.com
Twitter @o_J_murphy91

Winners in Britain
2019-20 67
2018-19 82
2017-18 47

Profit/loss to £1 stake
2019-20 -£68.87
2018-19 -£93.06
2017-18 -£61.39

Total prize-money
2019-20 £613,394

Alpha Carinae
Five-year-old mare
Robin Des Champs (sire) - Annas Present (dam)
Owner: Tim Syder
Form figures: 11-12
Racing Post Rating: 123h 103b Official Rating: 122h
It was a tactical race when she was second at Market Rasen and that didn't suit. She's a really nice, athletic mare, a strong stayer, and could well pick up some black type.

Blazer's Mill
6g Westerner - Creation
Ms J A Wakefield
2/1/4P-1
RPR 123h OR 126h
He was impressive at Perth and it looked a good race for the time of year. He's always galloped like a smart horse and I've just been getting him all wrong. He's a two-miler with loads of speed and could win a nice handicap.

Brewin’upastorm
7g Milan - Daraheen Diamond
Mrs Barbara Hester
42/11U-
RPR 158c OR 150c
He's set for the Colin Parker at Carlisle on Sunday and I'm looking forward to him going up in trip. He's going to have to step up from his novice chase campaign but I don't see any reason why he won't. I've always had a lot of belief in him and the Ryanair is a long-term aim.

Champangesupernova
5g Jeremy - Meldrum Hall
McNeill Family & Patrick and Scott Bryceland
13-
RPR 111b
I love him and he'll be in his element over fences in the future. He handles soft ground very well and makes his hurdling debut at Stratford on Thursday. I'm hoping he's going to be a nice Graded horse this season and the Tolworth or Challow could suit him well if there was ease in the ground.

Endlessly
5g Nathaniel - What's Up Pussycat
Raymond Treacy
511-8
RPR 118h OR 123h
He was badly hampered when making a move at Cheltenham on Saturday and probably would have finished in the first four otherwise. We'll look for a handicap on a big galloping track on soft ground and he could be well handicapped under both codes.

Enemy Coast Ahead
6g Malinas - Penang Princess
McNeill Family
1/2-111
RPR 131h OR 129h
I've given him a mid-winter break after a good summer and he has to have good ground. His mark looks reasonable and he could be one for the Lanzarote if the ground isn't too soft.

Dark horse

Fearless
5g Arakan - La Spezia
Tim Syder & Dominic Burke
15/3U1-2
RPR 125h OR 122h
I was amazed he was beaten at Fontwell on his return but he does everything easily at home and took a blow after. He has entries on Saturday, looks to have a nice mark, works well and will give his owners plenty of fun.

Finawn Bawn
7g Robin Des Champs - Kayanti
Lf Infrastructure Ltd
13131/3-
RPR 133c OR 133c
He should be back around Christmas and his sole chase run at Chepstow reads very well. A tendon injury curtailed his last campaign but I think a lot of him and if we can get him back firing he'll be contesting some nice novice chases.

Grandads Cottage
5g Shantou - Sarah's Cottage
John Hales
1/32-5
RPR 109b
He was unlucky not to win a bumper last season but I was very disappointed with his hurdling debut at Carlisle last week. Nothing came to light but he's an awful lot better than that and the form of his point-to-point win is strong.

Here Comes McCoy
5g Dylan Thomas - Is It Here
C J Haughey
1-4
RPR 110b
He got a fright early on at Uttoxeter and I hadn't got him on grass before then – he's much better than that. He wants two and a half miles and plenty of cut and I still think a lot of him.

Hunters Call
10g Medaaly - Accordiontogelica
Holloway, Clarke, Black
531/14
RPR 138h OR 137h
He's been a star and ran a cracker in the Galway Hurdle where things didn't go right. He's going for the Greatwood Hurdle next month and soft ground would be ideal. He's well capable of winning another nice race.

I K Brunel
6g Midnight Legend - Somethinaboutmolly
McNeill Family & Prodec Networks Ltd
6/1841-2
RPR 137c OR 139c
I was delighted with his chase debut at Fontwell and wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be a Graded horse. He's just going to keep improving.

Star quality

Itchy Feet
6g Cima De Triomphe - Maeva Candas
Kate & Andrew Brooks
411U-3
RPR 160c OR 154c
He's a horse close to my heart on what he's achieved so far and ran well in the Old Roan on Sunday. They went very steady, which didn't suit, but he jumped well and will be favoured by a greater test of stamina. I haven't lost any faith in him. There's a good race in him and we may look at the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup.

Jetaway Joey
5g Getaway - Present Your Own
Mrs Barbara Hester
21-2
RPR 115h
He's an exciting prospect and has done well for a break. He had a right good blow after his return at Carlisle and will come on a bundle. He would be up there with our nicest novice hurdlers and will take a lot of beating on his next start.

Linelee King
5g Martaline - Queen Lee
Mrs Diana L Whateley
1/210-1
RPR 109h
Kelso was a nice starting point for him and we'll be stepping him up in trip on a big galloping track. He's a good work horse and well above average.

Nickolson
6g No Risk At All - Incorrigible
Tim Syder
1/12-2
RPR 131h OR 135h
I was happy with his return at Carlisle and we'll probably head to Newbury for the Gerry Feilden. He has a big engine but very little experience, so we'll take our time with him. I think the world of him.

Plenty in the Tank
5g Champs Elysees - Lunathea
Mrs Diana L Whateley
1-
RPR 105b
We bought him after he beat Linelee King in a Chepstow bumper and he works like a good horse. He's very forward-going and starts off over hurdles at Fakenham on Wednesday. He needs to relax but is potentially smart.

Port Of Mars
6g Westerner - Sarahall
Noel and Valerie Moran
1/213-
RPR 129h OR 131h
He'll go novice chasing but came in a bit later so won't be seen for another month. He wants slow ground and should be a nice staying chaser.

Sangha River
7g Arcadio - Hidden Reserve
Mrs Barbara Hester
12/1123
RPR 128h OR 132h
He ran very well when third in a Listed novice hurdle at Kempton last time and will go over fences now. He has loads of ability and should be a nice two-mile novice chaser. He has to have good ground and will have a mid-season break.

Skandiburgh
6g Sageburg - Skandia
Kate & Andrew Brooks
1/2110-4
RPR 138h OR 138h
He got a fright around Fakenham on his chase debut but he's a staying chaser for the future. He wears his heart on his sleeve and I like him a lot. The National Hunt Chase could be a long-term aim.

Strong Glance
7g Passing Glance - Strong Westerner
Welfordgolf Syndicate
5/212-32
RPR 132h OR 129h
He ran a cracker at Aintree on Sunday when stepped back up to two and a half miles and is going the right way. He goes to Cheltenham for either the intermediate hurdle or Greatwood at the November meeting.

The Butcher Said
7g Robin Des Champs - Georgina Valleya
McNeill Family
252-121
RPR 146c OR 139c
He's been fantastic, winning six times and never running a bad race. He'll probably go for a novice chase at Cheltenham's Paddy Power meeting next month. He's better than his last run at Bangor as he was a little bit flat and the better the ground, the better he is.

The Wolf
6g Kapgarde - Ges
McNeill Family & Prodec Networks Ltd
4217-21
RPR 135h OR 135h/c
It was a tactical two-runner hurdle he was beaten in on his return but I was absolutely delighted with his chase debut win at Chepstow on Tuesday. I was half questioning his attitude over hurdles but the fences have definitely made a man of him and he jumped immaculately. I'd be inclined to go small with him next time – he has an attractive mark we could look to exploit.

Thomas Darby
7g Beneficial - Silaoce
Mrs Diana L Whateley
2/2313-
RPR 157h OR 157h
He's in great nick and goes to Aintree for a conditions hurdle on Saturday week. If he runs well we may take the Stayers' Hurdle route. He's not the most consistent but has so much ability and on his day he's very good. The best is still to come.

Bumper horses

We have around 40 bumper horses with a lot of four-year-olds and plenty of five-year-olds who didn't get a run in the spring. Italian Spirit (4g Fame And Glory - Coco Milan), Fletch (5g Kayf Tara - Oeuvre Vive), Tamar Bridge and Washington look nice prospects. Restandbethankful (4g Califet - Persian Forest) won on his debut at Perth, shows plenty of speed and may go for another bumper. I really like No Risk Des Flos (5g No Risk At All - Marie Royale), who finished third at Carlisle, while Chosen Port (4f Well Chosen - Despute) is really nice and will start off in a mares' bumper. Allavina (5m Getaway - One Cool Kate) looked smart when winning at Market Rasen and will run in the mares' Listed race at Cheltenham next month before going hurdling. Ripper Roo (5g Smadoun - Sninfia) is another who will have a bumper run before hurdling – he bolted up in a decent point-to-point for Charlie Poste and Fran Nimmo, has been bought by Deva Racing and does everything nicely.

Two for the tracker

I'll go for two novice hurdlers in Jetaway Joey, who I hope can take high order, and Plenty In The Tank. He works like a very nice horse.


Expert view

Itchy Feet looked like he could be the first real superstar for the Olly Murphy team when running away with the Scilly Isles at Sandown last season, but it all went wrong when he unseated rider Gavin Sheehan at Cheltenham and he was a bit disappointing on Sunday.

He returned from his summer break in the Old Roan at Aintree but looked an awkward ride for new stable jockey Aidan Coleman, who appeared to be struggling to get his mount organised to challenge. The pair were well held by Nuts Well, who was giving weight.

Itchy Feet isn't going to be the top-class performer he looked judged purely on that form, but it's probably wrong to assess him too harshly on that return and he looks like he might be better suited by going right-handed anyway. Maybe he can return to his best when switched to a clockwise circuit. The trainer has nominated the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham as a possible target, though, so he evidently doesn't agree with that assessment.

Coleman might not have been able to get it done on Itchy Feet on Sunday, but there's no doubt he is among the best riders in Britain and his addition as stable jockey certainly looks a bit of a coup. The association has the potential to propel the Murphy yard to better things.

del roy

Stop yis talking shoite for a few hours.

Gavin "shels"

Upping the Ante podcast back next week! Getting giddy now lads - we're back!

del roy

Anthony Honeyball Stable Tour 2020/21


Here, Anthony discusses current plans.


ACEY MILAN (IRE) Goes novice chasing this season, wants ground on the easy side of good; 2m2f-3m nov hcap chase maybe Aintree early Nov. Feel his mark is workable in spite of performing well last season. Hoping he can progress into pattern chases.

AVOIR DE SOINS (IRE) He's had his problems but hopeful he can win a little handicap hurdle if his jumping holds up; if he can win one he might end up winning three! First things first, though.

BELLE DE MANECH (FR) Nice filly. Seems to handle any ground, will start in a mares' maiden hurdle; nearly ready to run. Home work is good, ignore final run last season where she was probably feeling the effects of a gruelling race at Ascot. Nice mare to follow.

BLEUE AWAY (IRE) Had an issue with cramping at the back end of her race; really pleased with her now and hopefully she'll go well in a mares' maiden hurdle early November. Really good jumper, probably start over two miles, ridden positively. Very hopeful.

BOB BACKUS (IRE) Taking his time to come to hand, and might need a bit of experience in novice hurdles; perhaps won't fully come to himself until novice handicap chases.

CAPTAIN CLAUDE Half brother (Flinck) placed in Silver Trophy so promising sign. Just getting going now so hope to run in a bumper in Spring.

COQUELICOT (FR) Very strong galloper. Was a star for the yard and her owners (a geegeez syndicate) last season, winning three (including Listed bumper). The further she goes the better she goes. She'll start off in a maiden hurdle and then go down the mares' novice route, hopefully ending up at Cheltenham in March.

DEJA VUE (IRE) Schooled really well over fences; appreciates heavy ground and front running. Small field mares' novice chase and proper winter ground will be ideal for her.

DON LAMI Trained really well so far, wants good to soft ground and should be competitive in three mile handicap chases, hopefully still progressive

DREAMING BLUE (GB) Has the stamina to make a juvenile; schooling has been fine, improving each time. Excited to see how he fares, probably starting next month. Also has the option to have a run or two on the flat.

FANFARON DINO (FR) Huge horse; showed well in bumper but no good twice in novice hurdles; bred to be very good (half brother to Champion Hurdler, Epatante). Might be seen to better effect in handicaps. Soft/heavy, 2m4f

FIRESTREAM (GB) Spring horse, strong pedigree. Could be very nice.

GABRIEL’S GETAWAY (GB) Staying pedigree, so likely to need more time. Might be ready for a spring bumper but more likely one for next season

GLORIOUS ISOLATION (IRE) Schooled eye-catchingly well, and has a fair engine. Might go straight to mares' maiden hurdles to make use of her athleticism.

GUSTAVIAN (IRE) Goes into handicaps off 120 which looks a decent starting perch. Dropped in usually because he's keen at home; but ended up having a bit too much to do more than once. There weren't many hurdles to jump the day he won, but he did it well. He's talented and will be well in if not pulling his chance away. Might progress to be a Pertemps type.

HIDEAWAY VIC (IRE) Going chasing. Schooled very well. Has had breathing issues, had a wind op. Handles deep ground, but 120 may not be a gimme in novices' handicap chases. That said, hoping he can win off that mark. Soft ground, 2m4f-3m

HOWLINGMAD MURDOCK (IRE) Apart from the name, he has a fair bit going for him! Brother to Easy As That, who is a very talented horse. Very straightforward so far. Looking towards spring bumpers with him.

JEPECK (IRE) Qualified already for the veterans' final, and that will be his primary target.

KAYF SERA SERA (GB) Another who if she wins one she might run up a sequence. Ran well on her debut at Ffos Las but not gone on over hurdles. Should improve with another summer on her back and may just need her first run back.

KHALINA STAR (GB) Geegeez syndicate mare. Still growing, good size; will come back in when the weather gets colder and be aimed at a spring bumper

KID COMMANDO (GB) Lovely horse, ran a cracker in the G2 Dovecote Hurdle. Always wants to please. Will ideally like 2m4f, softish ground, and could feasibly handicapped even off 136. Ready to go towards end of October, maybe at Aintree and then on to Haydock on Betfair Chase day.

KILCONNY BRIDGE (IRE) Mares' handicap hurdle at Wincanton next month is the initial target for her, then go from there. Tough ask off 126 but she's earned that after four wins last season. She'll jump a fence, maybe later in the season. Has schooled nicely, though may want to go right-handed

LE COEUR NET (FR) Quietly progressive from season to season, now rated 115, and will probably follow a similar path to last season (conditionals' race at Newbury, handicap chase at Wincanton)

LILITH (IRE) Think she wants soft ground - she has a very high knee action; looking forward to getting her over fences but will go novice hurdling this season. 2m4f mares maiden hurdle mid-Nov onwards in the mud

LILY THE PINK (GB) Has a bit of scope and may be interesting over a fence, but we may try to win one more handicap hurdle first.

MARCO ISLAND (IRE) Lovely big horse, aiming for a bumper in the spring but may not be quite ready until next autumn. Very much a chaser in the making

MARILYN MONROE (IRE) Runs off a lowly mark, and if she has any ability should be able to win races on decent ground. She is quirky but has schooled well and will be ready to go soon.

MIDNIGHT CALLISTO (GB) Lovely mare, schooling well; ready to go now in a mares' maiden hurdle. Has minor black type already, and looking forward to seeing how far she can go in that sphere.

MIDNIGHT TUNE (GB) Had a palate fire; pulled up in two of her last three, and this will probably be her final season before going to the paddocks. She'll be aimed at decent mares' chases and/or good class staying handicap chases. We love her to bits, and she owes the yard nothing.
MONT SEGUR (FR) Few little setbacks but has run very well in between. Quirky but really talented; schooled well over hurdles but won't go novice hurdling until after a bumper (or two) at Ascot end of the month.

MOONDANCER (GB) Well related to flat horses, smart flat pedigree but doesn't behave like a flat horse. Slowly getting the hang of things, and will be aimed at bumpers late this year.

NOCTURNAL MYTH (GB) Good work horse at home. Got a fair mark, had a wind op, should go very well in a handicap hurdle. Will then kick on over fences. Could be a lot of fun if he clicks this season.

PRECIOUS (IRE) Very (like, very!) big mare, and carries a lot of condition; but she always responds in her work. Hoping she'll be ready to go in November (both her sisters have won bumpers)

PURE VISION (IRE) Pretty good on his day but hasn't taken much racing in recent times; had a palate fire. Goes on any ground, probably better on softer side, 3m+. Everything seems right just now so hoping he'll be competitive again.

REGAL ENCORE (IRE) Superstar for the yard, likely to go back to Ascot before heading towards Aintree. Plan is well understood after a number of years the same: try to win a valuable handicap at Ascot before a tilt at the National. That said, might have a spin in the Becher this season.

REPRESENTED (IRE) Back cantering; wants quicker ground. Has had over a year out, but is looking really well now and hoping he's nicely handicapped off 107

ROCKET ROBBO (GB) Juvenile bumper horse. Quite pleased with him; he was bred by his owner who also bred Malinas Jack. Robbo was a little tentative at first but has been getting the hang of things. Hopefully be ready for a junior bumper in early December.

SAM BROWN (GB) Doing well. Planning to go to Haydock on Betfair Chase day where there's a valuable graduation chase, 2m5f. After that, not sure: maybe Welsh National, maybe the Grade 2 chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. But first things first!

SOJOURN (IRE) Could have a nice weight for something like Welsh National; would have to win another smaller race first and then aim for a nice pot. Maybe the Tommy Whittle or something of that ilk.

SOLDIER OF FORTUNE x QUIET THOUGHT Nice filly, will aim for spring bumper; if not, autumn.

SULLY D’OC AA(FR) Talented horse; had a palate fire just to give him every chance, feel like there's a very good handicap in him. Might want to run on good to soft ground, and definitely has a playable mark. Could drop back to two miles.

SWINCOMBE FLEAT (GB) Related to Firestream, be running in a bumper in November we hope. Good size, learning all the time, feels like a nice mare. Hopeful she'll go close on debut.

UCANAVER (GB) Really caught the eye when second to Coquelicot, with a winner in third and distance to the rest. Will run in a mares' bumper this week and looking forward to seeing how she goes.

WAGNER (IRE) Very nice horse; hard to know where to start: could go handicap hurdling but he has schooled well over fences, too, so a bit of a conundrum. Could be progressive, and seems nicely handicapped.

WINDANCE (IRE) May have another run in a bumper before going novice hurdling; schooling well though so could go straight down that route.

WINDSWEPT GIRL (IRE) Another geegeez mare, she keeps surprising us. We don't really know what her level is as she only ever does enough at home. She's very laid back, but won a minute at Taunton, albeit in a weak-looking race. Will either school more and go mares' maiden hurdling, or she'll run in another bumper; probably the latter.

WORLD OF DREAMS (IRE) Super pedigree, close up to Samcro on the page. Ready to run in a bumper in a fortnight or so.

YOU CAUGHT MY EYE (IRE) Stayed on really well in a weakish bumper; will stay in bumpers for now before going mares' maiden hurdling.

del roy

Hope some of ya took note..SULLY D’OC AA(FR) Talented horse; had a palate fire just to give him every chance, feel like there's a very good handicap in him. Might want to run on good to soft ground, and definitely has a playable mark. Could drop back to two miles.

Tomorrow...CARLISLE 2.40 SAM BROWN (GB) Doing well. Planning to go to Haydock on Betfair Chase day where there's a valuable graduation chase, 2m5f. After that, not sure: maybe Welsh National, maybe the Grade 2 chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. But first things first! 13/2 powers

Plasandrunt

The 2.40 in Carlisle looks a cracking little race today. Black Op looks a bit overpriced to me, Will love the testing conditions, has easily the best chase form and despite being 9 is still relatively lightly raced.

Andrew00

Black Op won't be ready for today hence the huge drift. Cracking race though. Great to have proper jumps back

stretchaq

i am having a little fancy on prospecterous in the 3.20 33/1 will hope for a place

MickyPearse

Thoughts on Cyrname? Surely a light campaign is exactly what the horse needs. We now know he stays 3 miles and goes left handed.

Just goes to show you how good that Altior race was last year. Altior took his soul from him that day and ruined his season.

Personally I think a very light campaign for Cyrname is perfect. King George and then straight to the Gold cup. 17/1 available for the Gold cup seems big to me.

Coneygree

Absolutely no chance he stays the Gold Cup trip in my eye unless he's trained with the Kenyan marathon runners during the summer.

Topofthegame is the same price and he might still be a broken horse after injury but I'd have him over Cyrname for the Gold Cup any day.

AnniePowwa

Brooklyn glory looks a talented girl

Plasandrunt

Cyrname can't get the KG trip, no way he goes for the GC

Coneygree

Henderson on Shishkin:

"He's got the lot and you could see him as a Champion Hurdle horse, but the Arkle's his objective. He schooled over fences for the first time two Thursdays ago and I've only seen two other horses do what he did. They were both big, both ran in the Supreme, won the Arkle and won the Champion Chase, but I'm not going to say any more! What Shishkin did was unreal."

He must be a f*cking aeroplane

AnniePowwa

Coneygree wrote: »

Henderson on Shishkin:

"He's got the lot and you could see him as a Champion Hurdle horse, but the Arkle's his objective. He schooled over fences for the first time two Thursdays ago and I've only seen two other horses do what he did. They were both big, both ran in the Supreme, won the Arkle and won the Champion Chase, but I'm not going to say any more! What Shishkin did was unreal."

He must be a f*cking aeroplane

Considering what aspire tower did to abacadabras and in turn what goshen was going to do to aspire tower I wouldn't be getting ahead of myself

Coneygree

AnniePowwa wrote: »

Considering what aspire tower did to abacadabras and in turn what goshen was going to do to aspire tower I wouldn't be getting ahead of myself

Sure Sprinter only came 3rd in his Supreme! Nicky never bigs up his horses, to see him say this should have your ears pricked.

Wouldn't compare March in Cheltenham to late October in Gowran, especially a first run out of the season. Abacadabras looked fat and unfit, I'm sure he'd a good blow after the race. I wouldn't put a line through any of him, Samcro or Delta Work yet. Outside of Farouk, BOD was the only Giggies horse that looked at a level and sure he's such a dope on his day he could look a 2 miler.

Shishkin and Envoi double, put the kids on it ta feck!

akelly02

i think people are dismissing what cyrename did.

the ease at which he travelled and jumped was a joy to watch, reminded me of the great kauto star.

and no better man to train king george and gold cup winners either .

there are worse 16/1 shots for the gold cup

IAMAMORON

MickyPearse

Plasandrunt wrote: »

Cyrname can't get the KG trip, no way he goes for the GC

He stayed 3 miles at wetherby so your point is dismissed.

He wasn't the the same after the Altior race last year. He sold his soul to the devil beating Altior. It messed up Altior's campaign too. Cyrname wasn;t the same horse after so I'm very happy to put a line through last years king george run.

He'll show up fresh and ready this year!

akelly02

MickyPearse wrote: »

He stayed 3 miles at wetherby so your point is dismissed.

He wasn't the the same after the Altior race last year. He sold his soul to the devil beating Altior. It messed up Altior's campaign too. Cyrname wasn;t the same horse after so I'm very happy to put a line through last years king george run.

He'll show up fresh and ready this year!

he could run them ragged from the front if he produces a similar performance in the King george

IAMAMORON

I am laying Cyrname 4 places for the Gold Cup. There is too many other definite stayers. Wetherby is no Cheltenham there is an extra 550 yards up a big dirty hill with 2 fences on it, he has not a hope and I would advise all to save their money.

If you want a nice bet for Cheltenham I would follow the Harriet Graham horse Aye Right, he will be a nice handicapper and if she can find a race for him is worth backing. Small stable so will manage to stay off the front pages until he gets a nice win somewhere and good luck to her. It gets into the Hennessey off 146, worth a look.

akelly02

IAMAMORON wrote: »

I am laying Cyrname 4 places for the Gold Cup. There is too many other definite stayers. Wetherby is no Cheltenham there is an extra 550 yards up a big dirty hill with 2 fences on it, he has not a hope and I would advise all to save their money.

If you want a nice bet for Cheltenham I would follow the Harriet Graham horse Aye Right, he will be a nice handicapper and if she can find a race for him is worth backing. Small stable so will manage to stay off the front pages until he gets a nice win somewhere and good luck to her. It gets into the Hennessey off 146, worth a look.

would you lay him for the king george at 7/2?

Morgans

MickyPearse wrote: »

He stayed 3 miles at wetherby so your point is dismissed.

He stayed 3m in a grade 2 race. Usian Bolt would beat me in a marathon, doesnt mean that his best distance isn't 100 meters.

IAMAMORON

akelly02 wrote: »

would you lay him for the king george at 7/2?

I will wait until Christmas, but Clan Des Obeaux will hack up again this year and possibly for the next 3-4 years. He owns that race now, fill your booties.

akelly02

IAMAMORON wrote: »

I will wait until Christmas, but Clan Des Obeaux will hack up again this year and possibly for the next 3-4 years. He owns that race now, fill your booties.

kauto star could win 5 king georges but you think clan des obeaux will win 7 or 8?


back to bed .

lemush

IAMAMORON wrote: »

I am laying Cyrname 4 places for the Gold Cup. There is too many other definite stayers. Wetherby is no Cheltenham there is an extra 550 yards up a big dirty hill with 2 fences on it, he has not a hope and I would advise all to save their money.

If you want a nice bet for Cheltenham I would follow the Harriet Graham horse Aye Right, he will be a nice handicapper and if she can find a race for him is worth backing. Small stable so will manage to stay off the front pages until he gets a nice win somewhere and good luck to her. It gets into the Hennessey off 146, worth a look.

Aye Right will not be in the Hennessy off 146.

IAMAMORON

akelly02 wrote: »

kauto star could win 5 king georges but you think clan des obeaux will win 7 or 8?


back to bed .

I only said 3-4. He will as well, he is an 8 year old so maybe time is against him. But he will be winning at least another 2.

It's like I said at the weekend when you have west of Shannon spoofers on about presenting Percy being the best horse since Arkle and yet he wouldn't stand a chance in a king George.

As a final note that does not make him a super hero either. The true acid test of staying chasers is winning a King George and a Gold Cup.

Kauto Star
Dessie
Kicking King
Long Run
Best Mate
See More Business
The Fellow

That's the benchmark. I would hope Closutton have the balls to send Al Boom Photo over, lets' see.

akelly02

IAMAMORON wrote: »

I only said 3-4. He will as well, he is an 8 year old so maybe time is against him. But he will be winning at least another 2.

It's like I said at the weekend when you have west of Shannon spoofers on about presenting Percy being the best horse since Arkle and yet he wouldn't stand a chance in a king George.

As a final note that does not make him a super hero either. The true acid test of staying chasers is winning a King George and a Gold Cup.

Kauto Star
Dessie
Kicking King
Long Run


Best Mate
See More Business
The Fellow

That's the benchmark. I would hope Closutton have the balls to send Al Boom Photo over, lets' see.

al boum photo will only be seen on new years day in the egg and spoon race , and then the big one unfortunately .

such a shame

IAMAMORON

akelly02 wrote: »

al boum photo will only be seen on new years day in the egg and spoon race , and then the big one unfortunately .

such a shame

He gets a pass because winning 2 Gold Cups is proper currency, but they definitely wrap them in cotton wool a lot more these days... and to the detriment of the sport. You have to look at the race on Saturday to see the shight that goes on, that is a shame.

Would still love to see Al boom Photo have a shot at a King George.

Dr. Bre

Such a talent but only seen twice a year - at tramore and the gold cup. Would love to see more of him !

akelly02

IAMAMORON wrote: »

He gets a pass because winning 2 Gold Cups is proper currency, but they definitely wrap them in cotton wool a lot more these days... and to the detriment of the sport. You have to look at the race on Saturday to see the shight that goes on, that is a shame.

Would still love to see Al boom Photo have a shot at a King George.

its going to be a great gold cup all the same

lostintranslation
santitni
al boum
cyrename
champ
minella indo
topofthegame
the great percy
allaho


serious juicy race if they all get there fit and well

supremenovice

If I owned Al Boum Photo, I'd have been a bit sceptical of a two race campaign to begin with. But if it delivered me back to back Gold Cups, with a serious chance of a third, then I'd wrap him in cotton wool and buy him his own massage parlour.

supremenovice

akelly02 wrote: »

its going to be a great gold cup all the same

lostintranslation
santitni
al boum
cyrename
champ
minella indo
topofthegame
the great percy
allaho


serious juicy race if they all get there fit and well

Kemboy says "Eh, excuse me?"

akelly02

supremenovice wrote: »

Kemboy says "Eh, excuse me?"

not without a chance, as is delta work i suppose

Coneygree

akelly02 wrote: »

its going to be a great gold cup all the same

lostintranslation
santitni
al boum
cyrename
champ
minella indo
topofthegame
the great percy
allaho


serious juicy race if they all get there fit and well

Ah here Allaho for the Ryanair!

IAMAMORON

Delta Work is crazy money AP for the Gold Cup. He was only out for a jog on Saturday.

madmoose

supremenovice wrote: »

If I owned Al Boum Photo, I'd have been a bit sceptical of a two race campaign to begin with. But if it delivered me back to back Gold Cups, with a serious chance of a third, then I'd wrap him in cotton wool and buy him his own massage parlour.

You would be delighted owning him, why slog it out in the trials and come placed for the big one, least he will also run at Punchestown

Plasandrunt

MickyPearse wrote: »

He stayed 3 miles at wetherby so your point is dismissed.

He wasn't the the same after the Altior race last year. He sold his soul to the devil beating Altior. It messed up Altior's campaign too. Cyrname wasn;t the same horse after so I'm very happy to put a line through last years king george run.

He'll show up fresh and ready this year!

Comparing 3m at Wetherby to the Gold Cup trip lol

del roy

Cheltenham Friday 19th March Triumph Hurdle

Duffle coat 33/1 2pts e/w powers

my first ante post bet.

IAMAMORON

lemush wrote: »

Aye Right will not be in the Hennessy off 146.

I think he will. I have him at no.21 on the weights as they stand on current entries. He will get in if they want him to?

https://www.racingpost.com/racecards/36/newbury/2020-11-28/768281/

The handicapper is hardly going to touch his mark after Saturday?

MickyPearse

IAMAMORON wrote: »

He gets a pass because winning 2 Gold Cups is proper currency, but they definitely wrap them in cotton wool a lot more these days... and to the detriment of the sport. You have to look at the race on Saturday to see the shight that goes on, that is a shame.

Would still love to see Al boom Photo have a shot at a King George.

Al Boom would get his arse handed to him in a King George. Too fast for him

posturingpat

IAMAMORON wrote: »

I think he will. I have him at no.21 on the weights as they stand on current entries. He will get in if they want him to?

https://www.racingpost.com/racecards/36/newbury/2020-11-28/768281/

The handicapper is hardly going to touch his mark after Saturday?

Jaysus he will surely? 150+ rated performance? I'd be guessing 150-152 without looking close.

IAMAMORON

posturingpat wrote: »

Jaysus he will surely? 150+ rated performance? I'd be guessing 150-152 without looking close.

I don't actually know. I actually am not sure if they are allowed raise him at this point either? Had he won the race there is an obvious penalty but I don't think they have scope to raise him half a stone when he is beaten 7 lengths. He is beaten 5 lengths by Vindication?

In saying that I only half know the rules for NH handicapping. I don't think it would be fair to raise him half a stone considering Vindication is rated 161. Although technically it is a pound per length so he could get a hike.

I don't he can win a Hennessy if they throw half a stone on him. Unless connections only jogged him out and reckon they have the half stone in hand, which leads me to thinking why did they bother trying on Saturday? I mean 7 and a half grand is not much considering what he could get paid in a Hennessy.

AnniePowwa

MickyPearse wrote: »

Al Boom would get his arse handed to him in a King George. Too fast for him

Jesus I've now found the most useless punter on boards, what exactly would hand him his arse? Clan des tailed of in a gold cup ha

IAMAMORON

AnniePowwa wrote: »

Jesus I've now found the most useless punter on boards, what exactly would hand him his arse? Clan des tailed of in a gold cup ha

There is an argument around that in fairness. The King George is a quicker race, a shorter trip, the track is right handed and you also need a nice jump at the last.

Horsies that like Cheltenham may not like Kempton - for example Denman couldn't win right handed.

We will never know though as I doubt Closutton have the balls to send him over.

Also I think personal insults are not appropriate, it is just a discussion on horsies, would you talk to a horse like that?

akelly02

IAMAMORON wrote: »

There is an argument around that in fairness. The King George is a quicker race, a shorter trip, the track is right handed and you also need a nice jump at the last.

Horsies that like Cheltenham may not like Kempton - for example Denman couldn't win right handed.

We will never know though as I doubt Closutton have the balls to send him over.

Also I think personal insults are not appropriate, it is just a discussion on horsies, would you talk to a horse like that?

i think AL Boum would place in a king george, a grand prep for the big one

im interested to see how lostintranslation gets on, after his bombing in the race last year, he was never comfortable.

The Mig

Regarding Al Boum Photo, if its not broke, don't fix it.

Only one day matters!

IAMAMORON

akelly02 wrote: »

i think AL Boum would place in a king george, a grand prep for the big one

im interested to see how lostintranslation gets on, after his bombing in the race last year, he was never comfortable.

I would be more worried about the form of Colin Tizzard, not great at the moment. They do not look to be firing and more worrying that they are losing at single digit prices.