A Review of the Festive Fun 27th, 28th and 29th December

Lexus Chase

This year's renewal looked a competitive affair on paper; we had the reigning Lexus Chase Champion Bob's Worth, Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere, 2^nd placed On His Own, Grade 1 winner Boston Bob, the improving Sam Winner and the new kid on the block Road to Riches all lining up at Leopardstown. After Silviniaco Conti had impressed the Kempton faithful with his authoritative win in the King George Chase on Boxing Day could we see a horse in this field who could stamp their claim to the Gold Cup in March in a similar manner?

Well quite frankly I do not think we did. The field was taken along by On His Own, who lost ground at most fences jumping out to his right, and Road to Riches, before they were joined swinging into the home straight by most of the field. However it was Sam Winner who joined the front two where it mattered as they closed in on the winning line, and Road to Riches was the one to stamp his class on the race, staying on nicely to score by 1.5 lengths from On His Own. If anything though this race only served to strengthen the claims of Conti to the Cheltenham stayers Crown come March as the position of Sam Winner back in 3^rd place somewhat holds this form down in my opinion. I also think On His Own could well have won had he jumped a bit straighter and although R2R is undoubtedly a talented animal quotes of around 8/1 in places will not be tempting me in as a win bet. I was far more impressed by Nicholl's Gold Cup favourite at Kempton on Boxing Day and even this far out I'd rather take the 3/1 still going on Silviniaco finally tasting glory on the Friday of the Festival.

Bryan Cooper on board Road to Riches - now firmly on the Road to Cheltenham (Photo Patrick McCann (Racing Post))

A huge disappointment in the race was Bob's Worth, who never threatened and finished last of the finishers; he is now a 20/1 shot for the Gold Cup but to be honest this doesn't look the same horse who so marvelously win the 2013 Gold Cup, or even the 2013 Lexus. Lord Windermere, the reigning Gold Cup holder, also ran poorly but he ran badly all of last season before winning where it mattered so do not write him off yet, although I was expecting a better showing here to be honest and wouldn't be touching him ante-post either. Overall this was a race that simply served to strengthen the position of Conti at the head of the market rather than introducing another horse into my Gold Cup thinking.

Christmas Hurdle

On the same say as the Lexus Chase we were also treated to the Christmas Hurdle, a 3 mile Grade 1 Hurdle race; would we see a horse come out and stamp their hoofprint on a wide open World Hurdle market in this event? At Fishers Cross was sent off favourite here, however once again disapointed with his jumping and was well beaten before the final flight. It was left to Liutenant Colonel and the front-running Jetson to slug it out as they pulled well away from the field, and eventually it was the Sandra Hughes trained Liutenant Colonel who came out victorious by 3/4 of a length. 

Both winner and runner up came out of this one with enhanced reputations I thought, Jetson took the field along and was only narrowly denied while the winner showed a great attitude and staying ability that will stand him in good stead come March. Indeed Liutenant Colonel is now 12/1 (Jetson 16/1) for the World Hurdle, a far more appealing price that More of That, who heads the market at 4/1 in my estimation. At Fishers Cross needs to sort out his jumping but he is quickly becoming a very disappointing horse while Briar Hill will have to come on an awful lot for this outing if he is to justify his tall reputation. Indeed many will now have to question if he is the same horse after that heavy fall at Cheltenham last season which left his poor cheekbone smashed to pieces apparently. 

Liutenant Colonel and Jetson jump the last together, and both came out of the race reputations enhanced

Finally Noel Meade must be pleased with Monksland who was making his first appearance on the track for 2 years. He ran well to finish 3rd, never threatening the leading pair, but certainly looks to retain some of his ability and it will be interesting to see where he goes next. The Christmas Hurdle though was all about the front two who will almost certainly be in the World Hurdle shake-up if they turn up to Cheltenham in March in this kind of form.

Ryanair Hurdle

I must be honest and admit now; I absolutely love Hurricane Fly and didn't need any financial interest at all in this race, a 2 mile Grade 1 Hurdle over at Leopardstown on the closing day of their winter festival to be cheering the house down in support of this magical horse. He was sent off favourite for the Ryanair Hurdle which was effectively a match with Jezki , the pair in the market at 5/6 and 11/8 respectively. Arctic Fire and Tiger Roll were the only other horse in the betting at smaller than 66/1.

Prior to the race I though the Fly would win here but this could well be the last time he confirmed superiority over Jezki as come Cheltenham, if the Fly even went to the festival, the track there and also likely way the race would pan out would massively favor Jezki. However on his traditional home turn, with his excellent Leopardstown record, the Fly had to be the one here. And that was how the race panned out, Jezki and Hurricane Fly coming over the final flight together before Ruby managed to get his mount up to taste his 21st Grade 1 victory; what a stunning record. Jezki came in 1/2 a length down, with Arctic Fire running superbly to finish a close 3rd.

Hurricane Fly and Jezki jump the final flight together, however it was the Fly that emerged victorious.

I secretly hope Hurricane Fly does not go to the Cheltenham Festival and contest another Champion Hurdle (for which he is now a 12/1 shot generally) as we've seen before the track doesn't really suit him. This was fine and dandy when he was at the peak of his powers, but with the mighty Faugheen in opposition I really don't want to see the Fly disappoint at Prestbury Park like he did last year. I'd much rather have Willie send him to Punchestown for the Irish Champion and go out with a bang, a likely victory at the highest level and a fantastic way to end his mighty career.

Jezki on the other had remained unchanged at 11/2 for the Champion Hurdle, you can even get 6/1 in places, and this rates as an absolute corker of an e/w price in my opinion. We know the course suits this reigning Champion, and the likely fast pace and good ground that we will get in March will also see him in a far better light in a race he has undoubtedly been prepared for all season long. If you are feeling really cheeky take some 33/1 e/w on Arctic Fire for the same race as I was really quite impressed by him today. There were claims on social media post-race that he would have got dangerously close to winning this race given a stronger ride...no comment!


Topaz Novices Chase

The 3 mile chase for Novice horses on the same card as the Ryanair looked pre-race to be the best Novices Chase we were likely to see before the Cheltenham Festival; some huge names were lining up. Don Poli was sent off favorite for this hot race where he faced Apache Stronghold, The Tullow Tank, Mala Beach, Lots of Memories, Shanahan's Turn and Very Wood, all of whom you could make a good case for in the run up to the off. It really was a race to savor and one that guaranteed some ante-post reaction in the aftermath in regards to the RSA Chase in particular at Cheltenham.

The field were taken along by Lots of Memories, who lead the field until the home turn. Don Poli then joined the long time leader as the race properly began in earnest. Apache Stronghold drew alongside Don Poli coming over the last but Don Poli's stamina really kicked in and he won impressively in the end, the front two drawing well clear of a top-quality field. The pace of the race wasn't that quick but as I say the front two did draw well clear and you couldn't fail to be impressed, they dispatched some quality horses by some distance and this capped a memorable festive period for Gigginstown Stud and Bryan Cooper.

Don Poli lands just in front of eventual runner up Apache Stronghold

Don Poli is now 2nd favourite to Kings Palace for the RSA Chase at 8/1, however this could partially be due to the confusion as too his festival target. Patrick Mullins really wants this as his ride in the 4 mile chase, for which he is a 4/1 favorite, but for my money he is miles too classy for this race. Mullins senior has voiced his opinion he has a real Gold Cup contender for future years here, so surely you put him in the best and most prestigious festival race he could win? This is no doubt the RSA, and I'm sure Gigginstown and Bryan Cooper will be favoring the 3 mile chase where the face off with Kings Palace would make for one of the races of the festival! Please Willie, give us an RSA to remember!

Elsewhere

I'll just quickly mention a few other performances of note with a view to the Cheltenham Festival in March. Firstly the victory of Parlour Games in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury was one to note with regards the Neptune Investment Novices Hurdle, especially as John Ferguson reckons this horse is the best the stable have ever had. Admittedly he hasn't been training for that long but he has still trained some very nice horses (Purple Bay, Cottom Mill etc) and he is now 14/1 for the 2 mile 5 furlong Novice Hurdle at the Fez. Don't be put off Blaklion for the longer race, the Albert Bartlett, at Cheltenham as he was probably caught for toe here having tried to test the stamina of the field from the front. The longer trip and the Cheltenham hill will play to his strengths and I still quite like his Cheltenham claims.

Fans of the Triumph Hurdle should check out the performance of Top Notch in the opener on the Newbury card, yet another arrow in the bow of Simon Munir for that race! He has a fearsome attack for that race, with Peace and Co heading the market, Bristol De Mai and Vercingetorix already impressing so far this season. Who knows, are any bookies offering odds that he owns the first 5 horses home?!?!

Vigil won the closing bumper at Leopardstown on Monday, and was immediately introduced at 12/1 for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. He managed a 5th place in the race last year but with that experience under his belt he could well have improved to go a few better this year. Listeners to the fantastic Final Furlong podcast were alerted to the chances of Vigil by Robbie McNamara as the recently turned professional jockey put this one up as his winner of the Bumper. Well done if you were on before his victory today!

I'm sure again I've missed some performances but I really just wanted to touch on the best of the stuff at Leopardstown as this was a fantastic festival with some great top quality racing. So many ante-post moves being generated and heart strings tugged so please let me know what performances you really enjoyed over the Festive Period.

As always thanks for reading

Alex

Boxing Day...St Stephens Day...What a day!!!

Woof. What a great day's racing! Boxing Day or St Stephen's Day, either way we saw some great racing with huge implications when it comes to think about targets for the 2nd half of the season. Some horses enhanced their reputations - see Faugheen, Sinviniaco Conti, Coneygree, Jollyallan, Clarcam etc etc, while some certainly blotted their copybooks - I'm looking at you Kalkir, and you Vautour! There was a feast of racing to keep tabs on and well done if you even managed to stay on top of half of it. In this blog we will review some of the main highlights of the day, feel free to comment if you think there are any glaring omissions!



Kempton



Let's start with the main meeting in England on Boxing Day, the King George meeting at Kempton Park. With an attendance up on last year the viewing public came expecting entertainment and did not leave disappointed. Jollyallan got the ball rolling in the opening hurdle race, oozing class as he romped to a 4 1/2 length victory over the Willie Mullins trained Sempre Medici (the runner up made a right hash of the last and may have put up more of a challenge otherwise), the pair 5 lengths clear of 3rd.

No doubt connections were expecting something good as the winner was a well backed 5/4 shot, and with improvement definitely still to come according to his trainer there will be a few tempted by the 16/1 floated about for the Supreme Novice Hurdle. This was a race run at a good gallop, with the first two no doubt very decent horses, although just where Sempre Medici comes in the Mullins pecking order who knows! I think the form will work out well and definitely like the winner going forward. He has progressed nicely this season, winning bumpers previously and progressing through the classes over hurdles. Fry is bringing him along well and I will be interested to see where he turns up next as I am sure the trainer will have at least 1 more run before deciding if the Supreme is the correct place to send Jollyallan.

Stellar Notion jumped beautifully from the from to take the Novices Handicap Chase on the card, impressing me as he really took his fences well. Cheltenham is the plan according to Tom George who trains this one, although he can go over 2 miles or the 2 1/2 of today's race so targets are slightly up in the air.

Another winner who jumped beautifully was Coneygree, who maintained his composure while virtually all of his rivals lost their places in the race at those tricky things they call fences in the Kauto Star Novices Chase (the Feltham to the rest of us!). One thing is for sure, Kauto Star didn't jump like the majority of this field, although the great horse would have been impressed by the winner who won by half the track in the end. Saphir Du Rheu was the first to go, taking with him the hopes of any favorite backers out there and also bringing yet more abuse for poor Sam Twiston Davis on social media. For my money STD didn't really do anything wrong on this occasion but I hate kicking a man while he is down (literally in this case) so perhaps this is playing on my mind. Carraig Mor, Salsalito Sunrise and Creepy all made mistakes and fell or were pulled up leaving just the three finishers but this race was all about Mark Bradstock's hugely game and impressive winner.

Having jumped his rivals into submission Coneygree was trimmed into 14/1 for the RSA. This horse is certainly making up for lost time in his career and will be sent to the festival now where he will certainly have his backers. He jumps, he stays and he is a half brother to the wonderful Caruthers; what isn't to like! He is overpriced in the RSA market for my money and certainly a possible ante-post bet for me.

The wonderfully game and beautiful jumper of a fence Coneygree takes the Feltham

Not long after the finish of the Feltham we had the funny sight of the track being filled with airport staff, waving their funny paddles as if signalling something was ready to take off. Then I realised what it was...the mighty Faugheen was getting ready for take off!

I was hugely excited to see what Faugheen the Machine would do over the 2 mile trip in the Christmas Hurdle as I thought there were some useful sorts in opposition who the track would suit more, meaning that we actually might get a race where Faugheen would have to come out of first gear. However once we were underway in the race Willie Mullin's charge showed just why he heads the Champion Hurdle market as he delivered an absolutely imperious performance, one that screamed class and screamed Champion to be honest. He dispatched Irving, Purple Bay and Sign of a Victory with consummate ease on a speed track that wasn't meant to suit his style, if he could do this at Kempton just what would we see come March??

Now as short as even money,and as big as 7/4, for the Champion Hurdle in March it would take an extremely brave man to bet against Faugheen taking glory in the big one. The market revolves around Faugheen, Jezki and The New One yet I just think the Mullins inmate has the class, speed and stamina to win the race whatever scenario unfolds come the Tuesday of the festival. I wouldn't bother getting involved ante-post now, the price won't be shorter unless something bad happens to either of his main rivals, but I also wouldn't bother backing anything else against him. Quite simply this horse is a complete and utter machine of a racehorse; I was seriously impressed!

Ruby needed a pair of binoculars to see any of the rivals he had left trailing in his wake

Right, after that it was King George time - the feature event of the 2 day meeting; in the preceding three races on the Kempton card we had seen 3 similar winning performances - horses jumping beautifully from the front and impressing viewers with the manner of their wins. Would we see another here?

Well it appears the answer was an emphatic yes as last year's victor Silviniaco Conti made light of ground fears to gallop his rivals into the ground, jumping beautifully and producing for me a career best performance on his way to a 2nd title, and a 9th for the Master trainer Paul Nicholls. This was the most impressed and taken I have ever been by a Conti performance, I've backed him before when he has won and didn't back him today so this isn't pocket talk either, this was just the best I've seen him jumps, strongest I've seen him gallop and best I've seen him ridden. A complete staying chaser performance delivered when it mattered and if Nicholls can get Conti to the Fez in this kind of form it will take some horse to beat him. The bookies agree and 4/1 fav is his general position in the market; this could well change if we see something special in the Lexus Chase but thus far this season this is comfortably the best 3 mile chasing performance seen.

Noel Fehily victorious aboard Silviniaco Conti (Photo Mark Cranham, Racing Post)

Dynaste ran well into 2nd place, putting to bed any doubts over the trip, but interestingly David Pipe said he'd rather win the Ryanair (5/1 Fav) than finish 3rd in the Gold Cup and with no reason for the form with Conti to be reversed it could be that a drop down in trip come March is in order.

Al Ferof  looked like he could do with a step back down despite finishing a good 3rd; Nicholls said post-race the Champion Chase was his idea of Al Ferof's race, he just needed to convince the owner! I think Champagne Fever should also have the 2 mile Championship race as his target as despite showing up near the front for the majority of the race he just didn't get the trip in the end and with that division looking potentially wide open I hope Mullins gives him a chance to be let loose from the front over 2 miles (you can back Al Ferof at 8/1 and CF at 14/1 for the Queen Ma).

Cue Card  is a Ryanair horse no doubt, although he would also be very interesting bowling out from the front over 2 miles, and the Ryanair is also the target for John's Spirit, who ran with credit in his first foray into the highest company.

Let's just sum this all up by saying this was a great race that did not disappoint the viewing public and we were treated to a wonderfully talented winner in Silviniaco Conti. Well done to all connected with horses that ran in the King George and helped produce such a spectacle!



Leopardstown and Limerick



Onto the action over the Irish Sea where to be honest it was more about horses that disappointing than those that wowed us as both Kalkir and Vautour - previously market leaders for the Triumph and Arkle respectively - were beaten at long odds on upsetting multiple bets nationwide (including my own!) While Vautour made a shuddering mistake at one of his fences that Bryan Cooper onboard Clarcam took full advantage of (although he may well have won anyway) there was no obvious reason for the defeat of Kalkir by 33/1 shot Fiscal Focus.

Indeed Fiscal Focus had so much in hand he was eased down to win and generate quotes around the 16/1 mark for the Triumph Hurdle, with Kalkir pushed out to around 10/1. The main winner in the Triumph Hurdle market was Peace and Co, who is now 3/1 favorite however if this race has taught us anything it is that betting in the juvenile hurdle races at the festival so far in advance is a bold tactic! Kalkir was so impressive last time out, was he such a let down this time or is the winner just a very smart horse? Only time will tell but there are 3 months till the festival. Kalkir could easily come out and blow us away again next time, or the winner could come out and win again, who knows? Just heed the lesson served up here - do not punt in the Triumph Hurdle market so early on unless you have some information others are not so fortunate to have!

Back to Vautour, destroyed by a horse he beat so easily last time out in Clarcam. We must allow for the shuddering error he made 5 out, indeed Townend had a job keeping him on all fours, but Clarcam has laughed at him under a top ride by young Bryan Cooper and would appear to have come on a bundle for his win last time out. He was sent off an 8/1 chance here, mainly because as I previously said Vautour had him in his pocket on all known form, but is now as short as 8/1 for the Arkle at the festival (Vautour pused out slightly to 6/1). It may be that Vautour is better on better ground, or that he really appreciates a certain Mr Walsh on board, who knows. However I previously thought Vautour was buying money to win at the festival, after today I'm not so sure.

Clarcal, previously slammed by Vautour, gained his revenge on St Stephen's Day

Lets not focus totally on the horses that performed below expectation though, and instead end our Irish review with a top chasing performance; that delivered by Gilgamboa over at Limerick. Trained by Cross-Country specialist Enda Bolger this is certainly a horse who does not lack for toe as he beat a quality field including Wounded Warrior, Adriana Des Mottes and Perfect Gentleman to win eased down. The performance of the day over in Ireland and Gilgamboa is a horse to follow no doubt. He ran well in the supreme novices hurdle at the Fez last year, and now sent over fences has been seen to even better effect in my opinion. He jumps really well, has speed and stamina, and is still as big as 14/1 for the Arkle in March. Excitingly we would see him clash with Clarcam at the Irish Arkle before Cheltenham, which would give us a really good idea of the pecking order of these Irish 2 mile chasers, but I would not be put off a nibble at 14/1 now for Cheltenham glory after today!

The famous Green and Gold carried to victory by Gilgamboa at Limerick

There were numerous other great performances around the country on the 26th December, after all we did have some 12 meetings to concentrate on, but I've tried to capture the main ones in this review. Time restricts me from going into every meeting in depth but lets just list a few nice ones now and you can check them out if you have the time or inclination!

O O Seven  - Impressive Bumper winner at Huntingdon, could be smart for Nicky Henderson.
Alternatif - Won the closing handicap hurdle for Pipe at Kempton and could be on a good mark.
Space Cadet  - Won a hot bumper over at Leopardstown for Gordon Elliott.
Close Touch - Henderson inmate who beat a good field in a Novice Chase at Wincanton.
Dolatulo - Could be on his way to the Grand National after winning the Rowland Merrick at Wetherby.

This was a great day for all racing fans, a real festive feast after a few days without any racing! The action doesn't stop there though, we've got plenty of top quality action coming up over the rest of the festive period so I'll definitely be blogging sooner rather than later

Thanks for reading!

Alex

Ante-Post Focus on the King George

Boxing Day - King George Day at Kempton Park. A race dominated in past years by Kauto Star, a five time winner, but also won by the likes of Long Run, Kicking King and the returning Silviniaco Conti. Indeed Conti returns with Cue Card, who looked for all money the winner before emptying drastically in the home straight and being overhauled by Noel Fehily to provide Paul Nicholls with an 8th winner of the Grade 1 Chase. Run over a 3 mile trip with 18 fence to be jumped many a Gold Cup hopeful will put their credentials on the line over the festive period at Kempton Park and this year is no different. However one thing that is slightly different this year, especially compared to 2013, is that we look like racing on ground that is genuinely good-soft, no mud-fest on offer this year, and this is one of the key angles I am taking into the race. We currently bet as follows (as of Monday 22nd December)

King George Odds (From Oddschecker)

Last year's victory heads the betting for the 2014 renewal, closely followed by Willie Mullin's Irish raider Champagne Fever. However conditions will not be ideal for Conti, who would prefer softer ground to turn this into a real stamina test, and Champagne Fever is totally unproven at the trip so really priced on his trainer and form over shorter. This leads me to look elsewhere in the betting to find myself a bet in this race.

Philip Hobb's Menorah rates as a great bet for the King George

My selection in this race is Menorah, who will absolutely love the good ground on offer on Boxing Day. Menorah, for my money, has been a totally reformed character this season, first time up winning the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby (seeing off the re-opposing Silviniaco Conti and Double Ross) and then running a cracker in 2nd in the Betfair chase on ground that would have been softer than ideal. His official rating is now as high as it has ever been in his career at 169, and according to Racing Post Ratings his last 3 runs have actually been the best of his life! Gone (hopefully) are the days of inconsistent performances, flashes of brilliance mixed with shockers. Furthermore Kempton is a track that suits, being a 3 time winner here and only disappointing once when pulled up in this event last year. We can forgive that run though as Menorah was running first time up on awful ground for him, far removed from the scenario faced this year. It would have been more ideal if Richard Johnson could have taken the ride, however Tom O'Brien is riding winners for the Hobbs yard in Johnson's absence and I am not put off by his presence in the saddle. We know Menorah has the class to win a race like this as is proven at the top level in the past; he is my selection at a best price of 17/2. At the current odds you can even have a nice e/w bet on Menorah and get favorable terms; better get involved now than on the day where we may had a few non-runners.

King George VI Chase Ante-Post Selection

Menorah e/w 17/2

Talking Horses with Young Jockey Alfie Warwick

Talking Horses with Alfie Warwick

Now with a bit of a lull in racing between now and Boxing Day I thought I would try something different for the blog and actually move the focus away from race previews, reviews and betting thoughts. This week I'm delighted to say I managed to get talking to young flat jockey Alfie Warwick and Alfie has been kind enough to lend me some of his time to answer a few questions I put to him. With the recent retirement of Grand National winning jockey Ryan Mania proving just how hard a life it is for jockeys to make a living out of the sport we love I thought it would be fascinating to get an interview with a young jockey looking to make his way in the game. So without further ado lets get into the questions and answer session that I conducted with Alfie.

Alfie with his first ever race ride in Dear Maurice

'So Alfie you got into racing relatively late on in the day didn't you? Had you always been a racing fan or was this just by chance? Tell us a bit about how you caught the racing bug and acted on your passion so we can get to know you a bit more...'

I got into racing at 16 which is typically late yes and fell into it completely by chance. I was approached at a careers fair in Birmingham whilst I was a student at Huntingdon regional college by a representative of the British racing school as I was the right build for a jockey. From there I was intrigued and signed up for a 9 week residential course in Newmarket and then moved to lambourn in Berkshire to complete my baseline training. This was for a trainer called Stanley Moore and since then haven’t looked back its fair to say I caught the bug quickly!

Wow, definitely a good careers fair for you then! And you've been solely riding on the flat thus far, however at 5 foot 8 you might be a bit taller than your average flat jockey, any plans to ever give it a go over the jumps or are you a flat boy for life?

I love all aspects of racing and keenly follow both codes. But when I got into racing I was the right weight for a flat jockey and therefore started work for a flat racing yard. Although It is hard work I manage to maintain a riding weight that is suitable for flat racing but the realistic truth of it is that I will end up riding over jumps because of my weight. However currently I am enjoying riding on the flat and whilst I am still able too I will continue but I have started preparing myself for my future over the jumps.

Well you got your first winner on the all weather at a huge price (33/1 for readers out there). Tell us a bit about the ride and what it felt like to cross the winning line in front...

Well this is my favorite question to answer by far! It was an amazing feeling! I spent the whole race in front and my plan before the race was to do so, so it all fell right for me! Coming up the straight in front with every other jockey off the bridle I would be lying if I said I wasn’t very nervous and in some ways bricking it as it was only my 4^th ride. The horse went on to be sold for 150 grand after the race so the owner and trainer were both very pleased but it was a kick in the teeth for me as I never got to ride him again but still follow his life closely as he made my dream come true that night at Wolverhampton!

Alfie aboard Orange Grove, a 33/1 winner!

Amazing, huge congratulations to you on becoming a winning jockey! You've had 7 rides so far this season, with the recent retirement of Ryan Mania, who had won the Grand National over jumps but was finding life as a jockey tough just how hard is it to get yourself ride on horses and make the job pay?

First of all I want to wish Ryan the best of whatever he decides to do from now on as he made the hardest decision a jockey can make. But it is very hard for any jockey as there are so many of us in such a small profession it is hard to get the rides. But you just have to ride every horse to the best of your ability, know your form and report back from the race in as much detail as you can to keep the trainer happy. To make it pay you just have to keep working and grinding away but there is a saying in the weighing room that any jockey who is in it for the money won’t get far. We do it for the love and the feeling you get when you’re up there on the back of a horse

So who do you get most of your rides for and who are you riding out for?

I am currently apprentice to Andrew Reid so he supplies most of my rides and I ride out for him most mornings. But any chance I get I go riding out for other trainers, most recently John Ryan, but I have been lucky enough to go into a few great trainers like David Simcock and Hugo Palmer.

Tell us a bit about your average day and also, given the festive excesses consumed by us armchair jockeys at this time of the year, a bit about your daily diet...

My day starts at 5 30 am when I get up and take a small jog to start my metabolism. I then have cup of green tea and start riding out, typically 4 or 5 horses a day. I then ether go racing or watch the days racing before returning in the evening to feed and check up on the horses I have ridden in the morning (as long as I’m not racing).

A typical day will involve a fair bit of this!

Will you be allowed a Christmas dinner or will that depend on your Boxing Day activities?

It would usually depend on my boxing day rides but this year it will be no Christmas dinner no matter what I am doing boxing day as I am on a strict diet plan that I have been given by my dietician.

As you do all your riding on the flat, and mainly on the all weather tracks, which is your favorite and which is the hardest to ride around?

My favourite track to ride is Kempton as I enjoy the false rail there and have had a lot of fun nipping up the inside there. The hardest all weather track to ride is Southwell as the ground there is very testing and you need to keep the horse plugging on up the straight when they are usually on their last legs!

Is there a big difference between riding on the all weather and riding on the turf? 

A huge difference! The turf is a whole different ball game as you have to think about the best ground, undulations and the best going for your horse. Also it is vital you keep your horse balanced on the turf as any bump could have you off where as the all weather tracks are a lot flatter.

Shows what a useless jockey I'd make! And do you have any goals for yourself as a jockey in the year 2015?

In 2015 I hope to ride as many winners as I can which every jockey does! But really I just hope to stay fit and still loving what I do!

Who is your favorite jockey, one on the flat and one jumps please!

My favourite flat jockey is Adam Kirby as I think he is unbelievably strong and a great horseman. It’s a shame about his weight because if he was lighter I think you would see him riding even more winners than he already does! Over the jumps I love watching a good friend of mine Brendan Powell JNR ride and I think if he keeps going the way he is he will be Champion jockey one day.

You are preaching to the converted here, I love Brendan Powell JNR and think he is destined for the very top of the jumps game. Right...you are offered the ride on ANY horse currently racing; who do you take it on?

A hard question this one as there are so many nice horses out there at the minute. But two spring to mind and not obvious ones. One horse for David O’meara called Watchable that I almost rode in his first race that has now gone on to run in the Ayr gold cup and win a nice handicap at Ascot. I really think he will be one to watch for the turf next year. Also a horse that has just been sold to the states called Anipa who won the Cheshire Oaks for Roger Varian. I loved her running style and will be following her as she attempts to win grade 1’s in America.

Have you ever been late to ride out and got a real rollicking or are you a punctual jockey?

Every jockey has received a fair few rollickings I can tell you that much! Its part of the game and its how you pick yourself up afterwards that people want to see its no good arguing in this game you just have to bite your lip and do better next time.

Classic question but have you any horses we should be keeping our eyes out for over either the Festive season or the season ahead as a whole?

Like I said I think watchable is one to watch for the turf. But over the festive period I would look out for any Goldophin runners as they have a good batch for the all weather this year and are doing very well.

And if you are given a day totally off how do you spend it?

A day off is rare but when I do get one I just try and be a regular 20 year old and see friends and family. Trying to fit it around any racing I need to watch that day!

Alfie getting a rare chance to sit back and relax...was this before another rollicking?!?!

I really want to thank Alfie for taking the time out of his schedule to have a chat to me and hope anyone reading this enjoys getting an insight into a young jockey's life as much as I did! This was a pleasure to write so I just want to thank Alfie once again, hopefully he can get a good few rides over the Festive period and add to that winning tally of his...I am sure that must be at the top of his list to Santa!

The last weekend before Christmas!

A Triathlon of Horses from Ascot on Friday

We saw three very useful performances at Ascot on Friday; 1 hurdler, 1 chaser and 1 bumper horse. Two of them went in small but select fields and the final, and most impressive in my opinion, in the concluding bumper that was run at a frenetic pace - one in each discipline! Let’s look at them in chronological order though.

First up we had the win of L’Ami Serge for the Nicky Henderson yard, who under Barry Geraghty saw off the front running Killultagh Vic and Emerging Talent to take the 2 mile Novice Hurdle by a whopping 7 lengths. Emerging Talent was probably the most likely danger at the business end of the race but fell at the 2^nd last, leaving the winner to scoot away from the Irish raider and take victory in a hugely impressive manner. We don’t really know the value of this form but L’Ami Serge was a very easy winner over a certainly useful (and beautiful jumper) Willie Mullins horse. Whether 14/1 represents value for the Supreme Novice for the winner I don’t know as the Festival opener will be run in a far different manner to this one, with a far bigger field representing it’s own test. However I’d rather take that price than the 6/1 on Douvan as at least we have some solid form to go on in the case of L’Ami. If Douvan is hit up in the market over the next few hours however we can be assured that the Mullins yard fancy Douvan to do L’Ami now they have a yardstick within their stable. Lets wait and see but with so much activity expected in this market over the Christmas period it may be best to hold fire now.

 

L'Ami Serge puts his worst jump in at the last but still won easily

We then moved onto the Novice Chase over 2 miles 3 furlongs, where Ptit Zig, Josses Hill and Dunraven Storm all held leading claims to take the honours in this Grade 2 race. In the end experience held at Ptit Zig, odds-on winner of 2 chases already in his career, further enhanced his Cheltenham credentails as fencing (and seasonal) debutant Josses Hill couldn’t match the winner in the jumping deparment. Don’t run out the runner up though, as Henderson said in the aftermath of the race Josses Hill needs more match practise and will come on a bundle for the run as well. Quotes of 8/1 for the winner for Arkle and JLT, compared to 10/1 for the Arkle for Josses Hill (a better hurdler, 2^nd in one of the hottest Supreme Novices in recent memory) are fair enough and would leave me with a conundrum as to how to get involved in this race. There is so much potential under the bonnet of Josses Hill that I would be tempted to back him, but Ptit Zig is a proven, and very impressive jumper of a fence. Nicholls didn’t commit to either race (or infact even sending him) for Ptit Zig afterwards but did say he saw his charge getting further over time and definitely made it sound like it would be JLT unless the going was properly soft. Two very useful Novices we will certainly be hearing more of in the season ahead. Dunraven Storm was found out trying to give weight to two very good horses and would be interesting when back out in a slightly easier race, however bear in mind he managed to serve it up to Vibrato Valtat and Irish Saint at Sandown and couldn’t lay a glove on these two here (although unfavoured more by conditions here).

Finally on the Ascot card for Friday the closing bumper will be very interesting to follow throughout the season and will make for reliable form in my opinion. The race was run at a really solid pace and won in the end by a hugely impressive flat recruit in Supasundae from the Andrew Balding yard. The stable currently are in red hot form, with 5 winners from their last 7 runners, and in this close relative to Nathaniel they have one here who could take them to the Cheltenham Festival in March. As I say I was so taken by this performance due to the pace that they went here; this was no slowly run bumper which turns into a sprint down the home straight. Supasundae saw off some highly thought off opposition here and 16/1 for the Champion Bumper would be the bet I would be tempted by after the Friday card. Solid field size, good pace, good opposition and a hugely impressive winner = horse to follow!

We had a hugely impressive winner of the closing bumper in Supasundae

The Saturday before Santa!

The most impressive performance of the day for me came from the most exciting horse currently fit to race in Un De Sceaux over at Fairyhouse. With his usual front running style the Willie Mullins inmate got out in front and never saw another rival as he jumped impressively and confidently (showing no ill effects of his fall lto) to win by a token 12 lengths...it could have been double that easily. Now a 3/1 favorite for the Arkle if he is sent there you can be assured of one thing; there will be some pace in the race! It's difficult to read too much into the form, he didn't beat a massive amount as his 1/5 SP would suggest, but his jumping was big and confident and much improved from his debut. There is no way I would lay 4/1 (a price available in places), I'd much rather be a backer at those odds, but with Willie having so many bullets to fire at the Cheltenham races you are taking a gamble that he will even be sent to the race. To be honest I'm inclined to take the gamble that he will go to Prestbury Park this season after missing it last year and take the 4/1 on this front running machine.

Such a thrilling horse to watch; Un De Sceaux (photo Patrick McCann Racing Post)

Over on these shores we had day 2 of the Ascot Christmas Festival where Irish Saint further enhanced his claims to honors in the Novice Chase division, however at a slightly further distance to Un De Sceaux. Irish Saint was an impressive winner of the 2 mile 5.5 furlong Novices Chase, seeing off Puffin Billy (who suffered a horror fall, but is thankfully OK, when well beaten) and Thomas Crapper in an impressive manner. Post Race his trainer Paul Nicholls left us under no doubt as to this horse's targets in time; 3 miles if the ground dries up or this trip if it remains testing. He is entered in both the JLT and the RSA at the Cheltenham festival, however as usual Nicholls reminded us that Cheltenham was not the be all and end all and Aintree could be the aim, making any ante-post bet a tricky thing with Irish Saint. I don't think he is a top class horse up to winning at the highest level at Cheltenham; he was beaten by Dunraven Storm at Sandown (admittedly over a shorter than ideal trip) and Dunraven Storm was beaten out of sight on Friday as mentioned earlier. It could be that Grade 2 races, or even a top handicap, are more Irish Saint's thing and I won't be betting him for either Cheltenham race.

Zarkandar somehow managed to avoid winning the Long Walk Hurdle later in the Ascot card. He looked all round the winner 2 out as he cantered all over Reve De Sivola and overtook him in menacing style. However after getting ahead of his rival he either idled or didn't find anything off the bridle as Daryl Jacob managed to gather another effort out of the brave and admirable Reve to get him up to win by a head. I certainly would't blame Sam Twiston-Davies for the ride, I don't see what else he could have done, it was just when Zarkandar hit the front he didn't fully pull away as looked like he would, and should, have done given his rating. Maybe he just needs to be held on to a bit longer but this was concerning and limits his potential as an ante-post proposition for Cheltenham, where 14/1 is available for the World Hurdle. He didn't fail for lack of stamina, so the trip shouldn't be an issue, it may just be that the blinkers applied didn't do their job today. Reve De Sivola is a hugely admirable horse, however these were his absolute perfect conditions and he is now a 3 time winner of this race. It has been proven before though that he isn't quite World Hurdle class, don't let that ditract from his victory today but I wouldn't back him to follow up in March.

The Winner (left) and runner up (right) of the Long Walk Hurdle

The Young Master further enhanced his growing reputation as a horse to follow after shrugging off a 14 lbs rise in the weights following his Badger Ales 'win' to take the Silver Cup handicap in good style, beating Hennessy runner up Houblon Des Obeaux by a 2.5 length margin and gaining connections compensation for their Badger Ales disqualification. He is only 5 years old and clearly progressive; for all that Cheltenham this year may come too soon he is definitely a horse to keep on side of. I think Gold Cup quotes are a bit fanciful this year but if he has a good remainder of the season I wouldn't run it out in the future; this is a horse with a progressive career ahead of him and Neil Mulholland is a top trainer who will surely not overface him this season given what he could be capable of down the line.

Finally on the Ascot card Bayan gave Gordon Elliott another big winner of the Ladbroke Handicap Chase, winning at odds of 14/1 from last years winner Pine Creek. Elliott had been saying pre-race that this was the target for Bayan and his charge did not disappoint; a great training performance by Elliott. One man who may have been annoyed post-race however was his jockey Davy Condon who was hit with a mammoth 15 day whip ban after this ride! After the jockey suffered an almost career ending spinal injury from a fall at Cork in August this was a fantastic and emotional win for him, although that whip ban certainly provided a bit of a sting in the tale. Lets not distract from the winner though, this was a great performance carrying a huge 11 stone 5 lbs in conditions and a gutsy win; congratulations to all involved including Gary O'Brien from the At The Races team.

A great picture courtesy of the Racing Post of winning jockey Davy Condon

That's all from me for this weekend folks, although I'll have a few Festive previews up over the next few days as we have some top action coming up for us at Christmas time!

Thanks for reading

Alex

Ante-Post focus - Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle (Plus Saturday Update)

The big betting race this coming weekend is the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle at Ascot; a fiercely competitive 19 runner hurdle run over the bare 2 mile trip. First run in 2001 the event went to Dan Skelton last year and his representative, Shelford, is 2nd favorite for the event this year with Actival, from fellow up-and-coming trainer Harry Fry, heading the market at 4/1 having been the subject of heavy market support in recent times.

Both of those horses fit the ideal profile of a 2nd season hurdler; 9 of the last 11 runners represented this category. However obviously neither have been missed in the market and they are plenty short enough, especially as an ante-post selection as they may get pushed out slightly on the day as bookies vie for your business. I'm going to look to a couple at bigger prices as my selections and will put up 2 horses in this preview, one who will prefer better ground and one who won't mind more rain just so we can cover both eventualities.

First up is Goodwood Mirage, a horse I fancied for the Greatwood at Cheltenham before he was pulled because of the soft ground. I am concerned his trainer, Jonjo O'Neil, isn't in the best of form at the moment but AP McCoy keeps the faith with Goodwood Mirage so I won't desert him yet. This horse put of a much improved round of jumping on seasonal debut this season up at Wetherby; this coincided with his first run after a gelding operation and I really think this could be the making of GM. He has bags of speed for this minimum trip having been a useful performer on the flat winning over 10 furlongs in his time, does go on softer ground (although wouldn't want it too soft) and temperament issues that may have hindered him in the past could be long behind him after having 'the chop'. The form of his Wetherby run is working out well with winners coming out of the field and whist he has gone up 10lbs for that win he is still unexposed as a hurdler and at 12/1 is also a nice price here as an e/w selection.

AP McCoy is a great help in the saddle for the first selection Goodwood Mirage

The other horse I want on my side is Baradari from the Venitia Williams yard who are starting to come into some good form and had a big handicap winner up at Cheltenham last weekend. The yard wasn't going at all well when Baradari ran at Cheltenham in the Greatwood but they are really starting to turn the tide now and I want to keep her runners on side, especially when the mud is flying. Baradari needs the ground to be testing this weekend but was staying on really well up the Cheltenham Hill last year in the Fred Winter so won't be phased if we get a really fast run Ladbroke as it can help bring his stamina into play. The trip may actually be a touch shorter than ideal but with a big field size we should get a fair bit of pace in the race which I hope will compensate for this. Dropped 1lbs in the handicap on the back of the Greatwood run, with jockey and trainer higher on confidence now and with a lovely racing weight of 10-6 (7 of the last 9 winnners carried under 10stone 9 lbs) I'll add Baradari to my profile at 16/1.

Can Venetia Williams get another big race winner on a Saturday?

Ante-Post Advice

Goodwood Mirage e/w at 12/1
Baradari e/w at 16/1

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Saturday Update

Unfortunately Baradari is a non runner but Goodwood Mirage still goes to post and with conditions currently soft, but possibilities of improvement according to Clerk of the Course Chris Stickels, I'm still hopeful of a good run. Jonjo couldn't be in much worse form (not had a winner since the 19th of November) which is a massive concern but I do really like the horse and think he has a big handicap in him somewhere this season so would be very annoyed if I missed it today! However I'll also add another string to my bow in the shape of Clondaw Warrior, another ex flat horse who has joined the Willie Mullins yard in recent times. What grabs me about this horse is that Mullins managed to improve him 34lbs(!!!) on the flat so if this horse has improved anything like that amount over hurdles he is still incredibly well handicapped. He was a good 3rd in the Greatwood and the slightly better ground may help more here, he can race off a featherweight of a dead 10 stone and unlike my other selection Mullins is firing in the winners!

Elsewhere on the Ascot card I do still like The Young Master, the disqualified winner of the Badger Ales trophy at Wincanton who has still been put up 14lbs by the handicapper despite being stripped of said victory and prize money due to actually being ineligible for the race! However the manner in which he won that race on the day was more than deserving of a 14lbs hike and as an improving 5 year old a 'concelation' prize may await connections today. A few of his rivals come here off the back of a gruelling race in the Hennessy which may have left its mark where as the selection has had a decent break and at 3/1 should go very close.

The Long Walk hurdle should go to Zarkandar but he is priced accordingly and I won't be getting involved given the incredible record of 2 time winner Reve De Sivola  in the race who is a much more attractive price but hasn't shown much since his win here last year. No bet for me.

Up at Haydock I'll be on one of my horses to follow Bitofapuzzle in the mares hurdle at 1.30. She will love the stamina test presented by conditions here and can further enhance her growing reputation as a mare to follow for the Harry Fry stable. The Priates Queen represents a big test however and this will be a big feather in her cap if she can take victory today. Harry Fry sees her going over 3 miles and fences in time but with stamina always a vital asset on testing ground up at Haydock this 2 mile 4 trip will take plenty of getting and I'm hopeful.

That's all for today on quite a low key day of racing compared to what we've been used to but the top class action comes thick and fast over the festive period so it's probably best to have a slightly quieter weekend in the run up to the festival feast! Have a good one and be lucky!

Thanks for reading

Alex

Saturday Update - Selections

Ascot - 3.00 The Young Master
Ascot - 3.30 Goodwood Mirage (already advised)
Ascot - 3.30 Clondaw Warrior
Haydock 1.30 Bitofapuzzle

Weekend Reflections featuring the Cheltenham December Meeting

Another weekend closer to the Christmas break (can't wait) and another weekend of top class National Hunt racing over. We had some notable market moves for the Cheltenham Festival created by the action on the track over Friday, Saturday and Sunday so join me as I look back on the most notable performances seen over the past weekend.

Friday - RSA ripples from Cheltenham and Bangor

Well the Cheltenham weekend started with me looking very silly as I attempted to oppose King's Palace in the opener with Sausalito Sunrise, thinking that an 8lbs swing in the weights would be enough for the form to be turned around after King's Palace beat SS last time out but receiving 5lbs in weight. I could not have been more wrong if I tried as King's Palace produced a fantastic round of jumping on his way to a 7 length victory. This was a hugely impressive victory for David Pip's horse, whom the trainer did not rule out being the best jumper he has ever trained post race.  "He's the horse that every owner, trainer and jockey dreams of" was one of the soundbites available in the aftermath of the race, quite some claim! This saw him cut into 7/1 favorite for the RSA Chase in March and after this authoritative display over the Cheltenham fences he has a huge amount in his favor including a really likable jumping technique which would not look out of place in the Gold Cup never mind the novice events. The only concern for me is that his two chase wins have come in small fields where he can dominate proceedings, so how he will cope with the larger field in the RSA is up for debate. He also disappointed at the festival last year but fencing was always going to be the making of him so I won't let that put me off. Certainly I wouldn't want to be a layer of King's Palace for Cheltenham glory.

A beautiful jumper, King's Palace is as short as 4/1 in places for the RSA Chase (Photo John Grossick R.P)

There were far fewer ante-post ripples after the chasing debut of top class hurdler Melodic Rendezvous just moments later at Bangor. Despite facing much lesser opposition than Kings Palace Melodic Rendezvous has to work even harder for victory; Nick Scholfield had to niggle away at his mount from quite some way out and only managed to score by a length in the end from a 135 rated hurdler (consider MR was rated in the mid 160's over hurdles). He jumped round, something many chasing debutantes don't managed I guess, but this wasn't very impressive and even quotes of 40/1 for the Arkle would not tempt me on the back of this run. Alternatively he is a 25/1 shot for the JLT over half a mile further but I won't be following MR in for Cheltenham glory, especially considering all his better hurdles form is on testing ground which (hopefully) isn't too likely come March. Comparing this to the performance of King's Palace a few minutes earlier was like chalk and cheese!

Saturday at Cheltenham

We had what looked a fairly informative card at Cheltenham on Saturday with some useful sorts putting their Triumph Hurdle claims out there for all to see in the opener, The New One strutting his stuff for the Champion Hurdle and a couple of nice novice chasers as well as the Handicap stuff and the Relkeel hurdle where one time Champion Hurdle winner Rock on Ruby was out. So just how did day two at the December meet go and what can we learn going forwards?

Hargam won the opener in a tight finish from Karezak, who was giving the winner weight so probably comes out of this race as slightly the better horse. Indeed you would fancy the Alan King horse would have won had he not made a hash of the last, however the hurdles are there to jump and Karezak didn't seem to fancy doing that at the last! However Henderson reported post-race that his horse (and the eventual winner) will be suited by better ground and the word was that AP McCoy thought it rode like a good race. Both winner and runner up will be targeted at the Triumph, for which they are 14/1 and 20/1 respectively, and the fact they pulled so far ahead of the remainder proves they were the class acts in the race. However I'd be wary of punting in the Triumph so far in advance, you have to fancy there are a few more horses who will contest the race in March who we haven't even seen yet from the big yard. Henderson even said that Hargam was only 'up there' with the best of his so what else have this stable got to fire at the race? Horse's to bear in mind, but not a race to bet ante-post in yet for me.

Wayne Hutchinson would have hoped for a better jump at the last from Karezak!

After the performance of King's Palace yesterday would we be treated to another good staying Novice in the 3 runner Novices Chase, which saw Champagne West go off a well backed favorite? Well I was actually quite disappointed with the favorite, even though he won in the end after Little John ran out (amazing that the horse and jockey are both OK after watching this). Champagne West didn't jump well in the first part of the race and I wasn't the only one unimpressed by the winner, he was pushed out to 20/1 for the RSA and JLT after being a shorter price on the back of an impressive debut. Perhaps he was feeling the effects of that race on testing ground, his trainer said he may not have liked the sticky going either, and Hobbs is still under the impression he is a 3 miler in time but will be coming back to this course on New Years Day to contest a 2 mile 5 race for match practice. Perhaps we will see a more impressive performance there, and if I had bet ante-post after his debut I wouldn't be ripping up my ticket just yet, but this is another case of sit and wait regarding having a bet for March now. 

We certainly saw a few moves after the taking performance of Blaklion in the as he won as he liked under a chance ride by Ryan Hatch, who took the mount after Jamie Moore had to step down post-fall earlier. Blaklion already has an enviable record at Cheltenham and quotes of 14/1 for the Albert Barlett look very generous to me for all there are a host of hot Irish horses in the market. He now has winning form over the distance and at the course, huge positives, as well as a top attitude to boot. The way he went clear from a decent field here really impressed me and I think the price is only so large for the race in March due to certain horses in opposition being trained by Mr W Mullins. Does Tell Us More really deserve to be the same price or shorter in the market or is this just hype talking over form in the book? I could look silly come March but for me I like a good bit of solid form to go on rather than talk from the yard.

The International Hurdle saw a few Champion Hurdle aspirations go on the line, as well as the aspirations of Mad Moose to ever race again! Sadly Mad Moose refused to race yet again but fortunately Vaniteux and The New One did elect to jump off and it was The New One who really enhanced his Champion Hurdle claims here. Both horses came over the last together but it was TNO who really asserted well, clearing away up the hill to win the International for the second time. He deserved to be trimmed in for glory on the opening day of the festival on the back of this, he had really progressed since his run at Haydock, and he is now a biggest price of 3/1 and generally a 5/2 shot behind 9/4 poke Faugheen. His jumping was also far better than I have seen previously and I was very impressed, something I am not usually feeling after I watch The New One race I must admit. What really excited me (as well as the performance on the track) was that Nigel Twiston-Davies didn't rule out letting TNO clash with Faugheen in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton park over the Festival season...go on Nigel, give us a real Christmas treat!!!

The New One and Vaniteux clear the last together but it was the former who came out on top

The largest cheers of the day was heard in the closing race on the card as this went to a horse that loves the undulations of Cheltenham in former Champion hurdle winner Rock on Ruby. He saw off the challenge of Volnay De Thaix to take the Relkeel hurdle, a race previously won by great horses such as the late Oscar Whiskey and also More of That. Rock on Ruby is a tough horse who loves it round here and it was great to see him back in the winners enclosure over this extended trip. There isn't a 2 mile 4 furlong hurdle for ROR at Cheltenham, he would have to wait for Aintree for that, so it will be interesting to see if Fry targets the World Hurdle for his charge considering his love of the course. He is a 25/1 shot for that race, quite a tempting price given the open nature of the World Hurdle this year after More of That suffered a shock reversal a couple of weeks ago. Volnay De Thaix ran well in defeat, staying on at the end, and the World Hurdle trip wouldn't be beyond him either if Henderson elects to send him there, however I feel Mr Henderson may save him for a chasing campaign now.

Noel Fehily takes the adulation of the Prestbury Park Faithful

Also on Saturday Sew on Target continued the rich vein of form of the Tizzard yard as he won the 1.25 under young Brendan Powell, who has benefited from the Tizzard form in his new role as stable jockey. Niceonefrankie hosed up in the big handicap, the December Gold Cup, at a nice price of 16/1. This race really fell into the winners lap as horses fell left right and centre, indeed he came into the home straight with a 20 length lead, however as I said earlier the obstacles are there to be jumped and Aidan Coleman got a nice tune out of his mount here. You would have to worry about his chances in future handicaps as he will surely go up in the weights for this win in a race that looked a weak renewal before the off and got even weaker as many of the big guns departed at the obstacles. Coleman gave his mount a beautiful ride it must be said, getting him out in front to test the stamina of the field and this have the added benefit of keeping him out of trouble. Well done Aidan who did tip his ride in his RacingUK column, I should have listened! Splash of Ginge was a faller when starting to make his challenge and looks to be on a nice mark, possibly one to take out of the race for next time...if he can stand up.

Niceonefrankie doing what you are meant to do at a fence under Aidan Coleman

I fancy we saw a good one up at Doncaster in the shape of Peace and Co, he was pulling Daryl Jacob's arms out all the way round as he traveled like an absolute beauty of a horse and jumped excellently as well. A 20/1 shot for the Triumph before the race Peace and Co was giving weight to a 2 time winner and thrashed the field by any distance you liked, he is now 8/1 for glory in March and I wouldn't be a layer at that price. I was seriously impressed here and would much rather back Peace and Co at 8/1 than Hargam for all Hargam beat better opposition, indeed this was a performance that almost saw me break my promise to not bet on the Triumph just yet! However I had to remind myself it is a long way till March and we will see many more contenders for that race coming out over the coming months; it's not like other races where we know basically what is going to line up at Prestbury park for the Fez. Nicky Henderson was very very happy post race, indeed I fancy he was more taken by this horse than his Cheltenham winner as he had a real look of pleasure on his face. No doubt about it Peace and Co looks a serious horse!

Sunday - Ireland leading the way

The best of the Sunday action came from Navan, where Willie Mullins had a host of runners out as usual so Cheltenham moves we virtually guaranteed. Worryingly for British racing there were more runners in the first 2 races combined that on the whole of the card at any 7 race card in Britain over the weekend! However for once it wasn't a Mullins runner who impressed most as Gordon Elliott took the limelight this time with No More Heroes. The Gigginstown runner took the Novice Hurdle event on the card ahead of Punchestown bumper winner Shaneshill, something of a surprise in the market as the winner was 3/1 compared to the 4/9 at which the eventual runner up was sent off. It may be that Shaneshill will be a better horse on better ground as he didn't look totally at ease with the soft going, however No More Heroes was a very impressive winner and showed a great attitude to go with barrels of stamina. He has point to point form over 3 miles so it could be that the Albert Bartlett is the race for this one, for which he is now a 7/1 shot at the head of the market. Alternatively you could look at the runner up, thinking that the better ground in March will suit him more, the shorter distance of the Neptune will probably suit him more and after today's defeat he is a 10/1 chance to emulate stablemate Faugheen and take that race. However take nothing away from the winner this was an impressive and thoroughly likable performance.

And that the wrap from an interesting December weekend, not the highest quality Cheltenham meeting ever but still a good one and it was nicely supplemented with Doncaster and Navan. We've got Ascot coming next weekend which could be out first sight of Josses Hill over fences as well as Douvan, Supreme Novices talking horse, a possible entry in a hurdle on the card.

Thanks for reading and always views appreciated!

Cheers

Alex

The Cheltenham December Meeting - Day 2

Day 2 is full of decent action so let's get underway right away! The going looks like it will be quite testing; currently good to soft but apparently riding quite testing so stamina will again be a vital asset especially combined with the stiff uphill finish at Cheltenham. Racing is off at 12:15 and that seems like as good a place as any to start!

12.15 2 mile 1 furlong Triumph Hurdle Trial

Sea the Stars lines up here carrying a double penalty for his two wins thus far in his career over obstacles, both victories on the bridle, and he will be popular to provide Pipe with an opening race double at this meeting. However this is a big step up in class of race and with the double penalty I think it makes sense to look elsewhere. I'm going to swerve Hargam for the Henderson/McCoy team as I'm sure he will be plenty short enough and instead chance one from a yard who have an excellent record with these ex-flat recruits. Mr Gallivanter is the selection here for the John Quinn yard; the stable think this could be their Triumph Hurdle horse and they should know when they've got a live one for that race! He is two from two over hurdles, jumps and stays well  and can be backed at 13/2 so is the one for me in a tough opener to the card.

John Quinn trains the selection in the opener and the trainer knows a Triumph Hurdle horse when he sees one!

12.50 2 mile 5 furlong Novice's Chase

A small but select field here with the preference for Champagne West here after his impressive win at the course last time out. The Hobbs yard have always had chasing in mind for this one and he didn't disappoint on debut beating perennial bridesmaid Colour Squadron in addition to a host of useful performances. Un Ace has been impressive in his victories but hasn't faced the opposition the selection has and was a faller on his only attempt at the Cheltenham fences. Champagne West can enhance his reputation here and I think we could see some ante-post ripples created on the back of this.

1.25 2 mile 110 yards Handicap Chase

A tricky handicap where many of those who fought out a Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham November meeting re-oppose. Bold Henry came out on top that day but has been put up 10lbs in the weights whist Sew on Target, Astracad and Karinga Dancer were in behind that day. However the one I like here is Solar Impulse who, unlike the majority of the field, is still really unexposed over fences and being a 4 year old gets in well at the weights. He ran a very nice 2nd to Moneraire at the Newbury Hennessy meeting and is only up 5lbs for that; with plenty more to come he can come out on top here.

2.00 2 mile 5 furlong December Gold Cup 

In the big handicap of the day I am once again going to follow Ericht in here as I'm absolutely convinced there is a race in him off this mark. So well thought of by connections to be backed into join favorite for a handicap chase at the festival last year off a mark of 140, where he admittedly was pulled up, he has come down 3lbs in the handicap to a mark of 137 for this race and has run decent races at this course the last twice. With Barry Geraghty re-taking the reigns from Andrew Tinkler tomorrow he races with a lovely weight compared to some of those re-opposing from his previous two handicap runs who have gone up in the handicap. With the Henderson yard going far better now than they were earlier this season I think at 9/1 Ericht can provide us with a nice e/w selection. He has run well over the course, won at the trip and gone on soft ground - ticks in three boxes required to take a handicap like this.

Not as prestigious a Gold Cup this weekend but hopefully same result!

2.35 3 mile Albert Barlett Novices Hurdle

A really hot renewal of this race where you can make a strong case for 4 out of the 6 horse and it's dangerous to discount any of the field with the exception of Volcanic Jack. Certainly an informative contest for the future.I'm going to take a chance on Binge Drinker for Rebecca Curtis at a very attractive 13/2 (e/w possibilities). He is 3/3 over hurdles thus far in his career, nicely progressive, and has proven a likable attitude to battle to his most recent success. He also is versatile regarding ground and won't be too troubled if underfoot conditions do worsen overnight. The opposition are hot, I've already mentioned that, so if I had to bet in this race I'd like to chance something with a rewarding price that I could bet e/w on and Binge Drinker is that horse.

3.10 2 mile 1 furlong International Hurdle

I've never been totally convinced about The New One; I don't think he jumps well enough to be a top top class hurdler and am once again looking to oppose him at his cramped odds here. He needs to be winning here, and winning well, to justify his position at the head of the Champion Hurdle betting but I think that the Nicky Henderson horse Vaniteux, receiving 8lbs in weight, could cause the odds on (8/15 shot) favorite a few concerns here. Vaniteux ran really well on the worst of the ground at Cheltenham last time out to finish 2nd in the hugely competitive Greatwood Hurdle off top weight, indeed he could well have won had he managed to get some fresher ground to make his challenge on and the better surface here will be more ideal. He jumped nicely there and Henderson has his yard in much better form that back in early November which is obviously in the selection's favor. The New One is rated 13lbs higher than Vaniteux and really should be winning on Saturday, however I'm taking a chance on the Greatwood runner up to cause an upset here.

3.45 2 mile 4 furlong 110 yard Relkeel Hurdle

Rock on Ruby will head the market here, as a previous Champion hurdle winner he has the class to make a real impact over an extended trip however connections would not be reverting to hurdles if his attempts at a fencing career had been more successful and I think he can prove vulnerable to an improving type here. I'll take a punt on a horse rated only 2lbs lower than ROR, thought highly enough to be sent off as favorite for the fixed brush hurdle shouldering a whopping 12 stone, in Volnay De Thaix. The selection was 4th that bad but that was with a huge weight, on bad ground and  over 3 miles -  a real stamina test! The step back in trip will see the Henderson horse to better effect, his best form is over this trip, and with Geraghty in the saddle you can be assured of a top ride. I'd rather take a bigger price on a 5 year old with definite improvement ahead of him rather than a 9 year old reverting from fences and Volnay De Thaix is the selection in the closing race, with Lac Fontana another danger but one who may find it too much to give weight to the field.

This man needs to be having a good day tomorrow for the blog!

Thanks very much for reading and be lucky if you have a bet!

I'll be back on Sunday with the usual weekend review

Alex