Newbury
Trip: 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs
Ground: Heavy
Stamina: Please only apply if you stay longer than the Mother in Law
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| Eventual winner Many Clouds with Merry King close behind |
Yes this was the Hennessy Gold Cup, and what a renewal 2014 was looking. With hot favourite Djakadam coming over from Ireland on what looked like a very lenient mark,but also bringing question marks over his jumping and experience we had plenty of punters look looking to take him and Ruby Walsh on. Smad Place, Fingal bay...I could list most of the field as it looked a hot renewal on paper. In the end it went to Many Cloud who provided Oliver Sherwood with his 2nd win in the big race, seeing off 50/1 shot Houblon Des Obeaux , Merry King and Monbeg Dude. Just looking at the first 4 home tells you what an Exacting stamina test this race turned into with a good gallop being set from the off by What a Warrior - There were only 9 finishers! Favourite Djakadam was one of these but he could never threaten the winner, the race at Carlisle where he defeated Holywell looks like a great preparation race now! Many clouds can be backed at 16/1 for the Gold Cup in March now, he has certainly proved himself worthy of a place in the race after winning one of the toughest handicaps going, in a very open year you would be foolish to draw a line through him. On Sunday Mr Sherwood confirmed he would love to have a crack at the big one and if Many Clouds can prove he has overcome these exertions in January then it'll be full steam ahead!
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| An emotional winning jockey post Hennessy success (Photo Richard Young/Rex) |
Elsewhere on the Newbury card 2013 World Hurdle Winner More of That made his reappearance in the Long distance hurdle, a race previously won by Big Bucks on an annual basis. Cole Harden looked a useful opponent pre race with fitness on his side and was backed in as the heavily odds on favourite drifted slightly. More of That looked like he did not totally love the ground and a lack of fitness was found out as he was beaten a fair way from home while eventual winner Medinas was still cruising three out. Richard Johnson was in line for more big race success on a Saturday as his mount stayed on strongly to see off the pace setting Cole Harden and earn quotes of 20/1 for the World Hurlde in March. McCoy post race seemed happy enough but bookies have pushed him out to 7/2 for a repeat world hurdle win and I must admit I had expected a fair bit more from More of That. I guess the stable are not exactly flying and MoT is a big horse who will take some getting fit but what seemed like the ante-post bet to have at the start of the season didn't look quite so attractive now.
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| The going gets too much for More of That as Medinas goes on to take Long Distance Glory |
Up North on Saturday
Well up at Newcastle we had one of the more disappointing renewals of the Fighting Fifth and also of the Rehearsal Chase, usually a long distance race with big field. Neither of there races really appealed to me on Saturday morning as I looked at the cards but that doesn't stop them running them! Irving was a hot favourite for the Fighting Fifth despite a crashing fall on reappearance in a Wincanton hurdle but this was probably due to the perceived lack of creditable opposition in the race, the most interesting being the John Quinn mare who was getting plenty of weight from the field. In the end these two were left to battle it out and it was Irving who found most to give Paul Nicholls his 100th grade 1 victory although Aurore D'Estruval lost absolutely nothing in defeat but I can't see him being good enough to justify a Champion Hurdle bet even at 20/1. Hey Big Spender won the Rehearsal Chase easily making a mockery of his 12/1 sp, he absolutely loves the stamina test this race throws up (this was a remarkable 3rd win for HBS in the race) and was part of a Toon treble for Brendan Powell.
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| Irving gives Paul Nicholls his 100th Grade 1 victory - a great achievement |
More Hilarity at the BHA
You study the form, pick your horse based on form over the distance of the race and then sit back ready to watch your selection romp home. Unbelievably for some punters backing in the opening 2 mile race at Towcester the runners did not actually stop after the advertised race distance of two miles though! However this was not a case of a field of top notch horses who were going so quickly they couldn't slow down, oh no...this was a case of the data being supplied to certain sources being incorrect. So while you had your copy of the Racing Post declaring a 2 mile race to start the card this was never actually the case and the entries were made over the distance of 2 miles 5 furlongs...quite a difference! After a series of high profile blunders at the top end of the sport in recent weeks, for example the Badger Ales chase being won by an illegible horse, this will not have gone down well at all at racing HQ and does not reflect overly well on the sport. Yes I promise we are in the 21st Century...aren't we???
Ireland on Sunday
Despite the withdrawal of Annie Power due to lameness the card over in Fairyhouse on Sunday was absolutely top notch, the Irish certainly know how to put on a top card on a Sunday! Willie Mullins released another host of stable stars with Cheltenham aspirations; Kalkir,Allez Colombieres, Zaidpour...not to mention other top notches like The Tullow Tank who would bring the house down if he won this looked a belting day and it did not let us down! However the day was tinged with saddness after Allez Colombieres suffered a fatal injury and had to be put down, thoughts go out to connections of him as he looked destined for the top.
On the day Kalkir started the Mullin's bandwagon rolling with an 8 length victory in the opener on the card. Quite whether he deserved to be cut into 7/1 from 12/1 for the Triumph hurdle on the back of this victory is up for debate as I'm not sure exactly what he beat, but he did do it very nicely and I wouldn't be a layer put it that way!
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| Kalkir jumps clear in the opener (Photo Patrick McCann - Racing Post) |
Mullins got the double up in the 2nd race but unfortunately there was a sad note as Allez Colombieres was pulled up very early on in the 2 mile race as mentioned earlier. In his absence Willie still won the race, such is the strength of his stable, as Nichols Canyon took full advantage to take the victory. 14/1 was quoted for the Supreme post race, however with the ammunition the Mullins has to fire at that race I wouldn't be totally confident NC would even turn up in March.
The Grade 1 action resumed although Mullins couldn't win this one with Zaidpour taking a tumble; however the master trainer would no doubt have been heartened that Sandra Hughes could take this one, her first Grade 1 victory and one for Dessie no doubt. Would you take the 25/1 for the World Hurdle offered post-race about the winner? Well with More of That disappointing yesterday the race does look more open that it did on Friday, however you would want to see Lieutenant Colonel beat more than Jetson and the admirable Little King Robin before taking a Cheltenham plunge.
The race of the day, the Drinmore Novices Chase, saw many horses place their Cheltenham credentials on the line and it was Valseur Lido who rose to the challenge, giving Mullins a treble on the card and earning him quotes of 7/1 for the JLT Chase, or 5/1 with certain firms on VL winning ANY Cheltenham race. The Tullow Tank didn't give his running imo as he disappointing down the field but in seeing off Apache Stronghold and the field Valseur Lido certainly boasts some smart form in the book now, and his jumping was absolutely beautiful. He looks some horse and was probably the highlight of the Fairyhouse card for me although who knows what his Cheltenham target will be!
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| Bryan Cooper aboard the hugely impressive Valseur Lido |
That's it for my wrap of the weekend, we really have had a great few days and for sure there is plenty to think about looking ahead to the Festival in March. Let me know what you think on the weekend's action; who impressed you most with your ante-post hat on?
Thanks for reading
Thanks for reading
Alex
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