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