1. ENDA BOLGER

Ballyoisin
9g Presenting – Regal Force
John P McManus
5/15612-
RPR 169c OR 167c

Unfortunately he won’t be back until at least the spring. He’s had surgery on his knee and is recovering at Martinstown. He’s a real good-ground horse and we won’t be doing anything with him until January 1 but hopefully he’ll be able to get back for the likes of Punchestown and Killarney next year.

2. MARTIN BRASSIL

City Island
7g Court Cave – Victorine
Sean & Bernardine Mulryan
11/6P2P-
RPR 155h OR 153

He’s back in training with us after a long break and the plan is for him to stay over hurdles this season. We hope he might be able to run around Christmas and I’d imagine he’ll probably stick to the three-mile division. He never really got his ground over fences last season and hopefully everything can go well for him this time around.

Longhouse Poet
6g Yeats – Moscow Madame
Sean & Bernardine Mulryan
1338-62
RPR 147h 138c OR 146h

He improved for his first run over fences at Punchestown when second at Naas. It’s a different discipline for him to get the hang of and there are some very strong novice chasers around at the moment. He showed some good form last season so hopefully he can have another good year.

3. CHRIS GORDON

Annual Invictus
5g Mahler – Shantou Rose
Thomas Michael Smith
P/125-2
RPR 124h

He’s a point-to-point winner and bumper second who strengthened up a lot over the summer and was beaten by a very nice horse of Nicky Henderson’s in Captain Morgs at Ascot on his hurdling debut. That was a really solid run – his best yet – and he’ll now head to Lingfield on Thursday. 

Highway One O Two
5g Shirocco – Supreme Dreamer
Anthony Ward-Thomas
24111-F
RPR 143h OR 146h

He was a Grade 2 novice hurdle winner at Kempton last season and now it’s a matter of getting him back on track after Ffos Las, where he came up against an absolute beast in Hitman on his first start over fences and raced very, very keenly in dreadful ground until taking a soft fall when exhausted. I’m looking at a beginners‘ chase at Carlisle at the weekend and I haven’t lost faith in him at all.

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Lord Baddesley
5g Doyen – Tropical Ocean
Richard & Mrs Carol Cheshire
25-12
RPR 103b 125h

He was beaten at Fontwell last weekend but I’d like to think he’s a much better horse than that. He was conceding a penalty to a very nice horse of Colin Tizzard’s and didn’t run at all badly, but he didn’t look the same horse in that testing ground. We’ve had a few here by Doyen, and although they have the knee action they don’t seem to like it too soft. We’ll look for a similar race on better ground, but I’m minding him this season as he’s a chaser in the making.

4. WARREN GREATREX

Emitom
6g Gold Well – Avenging Angel
The Spero Partnership Ltd
2/614-23
RPR 140c 157h OR 147c 155h

He was obviously a high-class staying hurdler and he’s now run twice over fences, running well the first time at Uttoxeter and then a bit flat just two weeks later at Ffos Las. We freshened him up after that and he got a bit tired when he worked at Newbury last Tuesday, but he’ll come on a lot for that and we’ll look for a nice novice or beginners‘ chase to get his confidence back. He’s still very much one to look forward to.

Mahlervous
7g Mahler – Brook Style
The Marvellous Partnership
51/23-92
RPR 136c OR 131c

He was placed on both his starts over fences last season and showed he’d come on for his reappearance when finishing a very good second at Sandown behind Sevarano, who is highly rated by Oliver Sherwood. He tends to get better as the season goes on and I think he’s going places. A long-term target would be the novice handicap at Ayr in April because of his owners, but he might be better than that by then. 

5. ANTHONY HONEYBALL

Kid Commando
6g Robin Des Champs – Banjaxed Girl
Chapman, Hanger, Kingston & Langford
2513-16
RPR 142h OR 143h

He’s like a younger version of Regal Encore. He wants to please and would gallop through a brick wall for you, so that has to be nurtured  to make sure he’s not over-racing. He was able to win a nice race at Ascot over two miles but really wants two and a half miles and soft or heavy ground, but he didn’t give his running for some reason when he got that at Haydock on Saturday. Perhaps it came too soon, or maybe it was the big weight, but we might now look at something like the National Spirit at Fontwell and work back from there. He’s a cracking horse who jumps like a stag and will be interesting over fences one day, but there’s so much to do over hurdles first this season.

Sam Brown
8g Black Sam Bellamy – Cream Cracker
T C Frost
41/11P-3
RPR 158c OR 152c

We are hoping to run in the Ladbrokes Trophy, and I think he’s got enough quality. The track and trip will suit but he wouldn’t want it drying out too much and a bit of rain later in the week would help. He’s still inexperienced over fences, but his jumping at Carlisle on his reappearance was good enough to suggest there’s a good chance it will be up to scratch at Newbury, and he came out of the race really well. We’ve got the Welsh National as a back up, but I don’t think he’d be doing both races unless he had a bit of bad luck at Newbury. 

Sully D’Oc AA
6g Konig Turf – Samarra D’Oc
John P McManus
P/6256-1
RPR 140c OR 135c

It’s possible the Ascot handicap he won was his Gold Cup, but I still think there’s more to come from him as he’s still learning his trade a bit. He’s got a choice of entries at Newbury on Friday, but he’ll almost certainly go for the two-and-a-half mile open handicap. He’ll improve as he steps up in trip and he’s still a novice.

6. TOM LACEY

Adrimel
5g Tirwanako – Irise De Gene
Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford
1/110-1
RPR 131b 122h

He won his novice at Sandown first time out over hurdles and we’ll look for another nice opportunity for him with a view to going back there for the Tolworth. I think a lot of him and if he got soft or heavy ground at Sandown in January I think he’d take a bit of whacking. He’s going to be better up in trip in due course and he’s a going to be a chaser one day.

Kimberlite Candy
8g Flemensfirth – Mandys Native
John P McManus
935P/21-
RPR 160c OR 153c

He’s going back to Aintree a week on Saturday for another crack at the Becher, in which he was second to Walk In The Mill last season before his good win at Warwick. He’s a lot higher in the handicap now, but in this last week or two he’s really come alive. Every year he seems to come back from his summer break bigger and stronger, and he’s in a good place right now.

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Sebastopol
6g Fame And Glory – Knockcroghery
C Boultbee-Brooks
1/43/141-
RPR 141h OR 142h

He might go to Newbury for the Gerry Feilden, which is an intermediate hurdle. He’s ground-dependent and wants nice ground, but Newbury seems to take any amount of rain from what I can see. He’s been slow mentally as much as physically, and I still don’t think he’s got the hang of racing, so there’s potentially a nice race in him. 

7. EMMA LAVELLE

Doc Penfro
8g Dr Massini – Prescelli
Doc Redemption
0/2/412-2
RPR 140c 136h OR 136c 136h

I was delighted with his second to The Big Breakaway at Cheltenham. He was obviously beaten by a very good horse, but they didn’t really go quick enough for him and he was a little bit keen. He’s had issues with his knees, so has to have soft ground, but he’s come back fine and should make a pretty good handicap chaser if we can keep the wheels on.

Hoi Polloi
5g Shantou – Backtothekingsnest
Nicholas Mustoe
1-
RPR 111b

He’s a lovely young horse and the form of last season’s impressive bumper win at Kempton has been franked several times. He has several entries and is ready to make his hurdling debut any day, possibly at Hereford on Wednesday. He should go places.

Killer Clown
6g Getaway – Our Soiree
Tim Syder
2553-U6
RPR 110c 121h OR 124c 124h

We haven’t got it quite right with him yet this season in that he got knocked over at the second on his first start over fences and then at Exeter he jumped brilliantly but found the trip just too far and didn’t get home. He should be quite an exciting novice this season.

Paisley Park
8g Oscar – Presenting Shares
Andrew Gemmell
111/117-
RPR 172h OR 167h

I was delighted with his racecourse gallop at Newbury last week and the heart issue he had at Cheltenham hasn’t given either him or us any concern since, so we’re looking forward to going back to Newbury at the weekend for the Long Distance Hurdle. We hope he can get back to where he was and start the season off in the same fashion as last year. He seems really well in himself and we hope what happened at Cheltenham was just a one-off.

8. JOHN McCONNELL

Alatar
Derek Kierans
3g Ruler Of The World – Aliyfa
Unraced

He’s a nice horse who won a maiden for Michael Halford and the plan is to go juvenile hurdling with him this winter. We think he’s a nice recruit.

Anna Bunina
4f Poet’s Voice – Russian Society
Ms Caroline Ahearn
U11247
RPR 134h OR 131h

We have one eye on the mares‘ novice hurdle at Cheltenham for her. She’s at her best on spring ground and that would look the right race to aim her at.

Streets Of Doyen
6g Doyen – Satco Street
Ms Caroline Ahearn
U31111
RPR 136h OR 135h

He’s gone from strength to strength, winning his last four races for us, each win more impressive than the last. If he keeps on improving, he could be an Albert Bartlett horse.

Go Another One
8g Stowaway – Missusan
Ms Caroline Ahearn
F-11433
RPR 157h OR 145h RPR 151c OR 139c

He’s a real stable star. We’ve given him a break and the plan will be to freshen him up for the spring. He’s versatile and will have the option of running in a big handicap over hurdles or fences. 

9. DERMOT McLOUGHLIN

Captain Cj
9g Westerner – She’s So Dainty
Mrs Fidelma Toole
23F21-P
RPR 151c OR 143c

He had a good season last year but was disappointing on his comeback at Cork – Conor [Maxwell] said he was never comfortable. Hopefully he’ll be able to leave that run behind. He’ll have the option of the Porterstown Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse next.

10. NEIL MULHOLLAND

Any News
5g Stowaway – Kisskiss Bang Bang
Jane Nuala Cartwright
F-11
RPR 123b 134h

He won his bumper in good style on quick enough ground and we were very happy with the way he won his novice too, which was on soft or almost heavy ground. We’ll probably look to give him another run in a normal novice and then hopefully step him up in grade. I suspect he ideally wants proper nice ground and he might go to Doncaster next month. He’s a big horse whose future lies over fences. He jumps well and is very professional. 

Lord Accord
5g Yeats – Cush Jewel
Lynne & Angus Maclennan
3-11U
RPR 98b 119h

He was a bit unfortunate to unseat early on at Fontwell last time, where the race was won by a horse he’d had back in third when winning his maiden hurdle there the previous month. That race has worked out well, with the runner-up winning since as well, and I suspect he’d have taken a bit of whacking if he’d stood up, although the ground may have been soft enough for him. We’ll probably look to freshen him up a bit over Christmas and then look for some better ground. He’ll stay hurdling this season.

Milkwood
6g Dylan Thomas – Tropical Lake
Ms J Bridel
1/132-14
RPR 142h OR 140h

He won on the bridle at Ffos Las and then ran a cracker there in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. He’s still a big baby, so I wasn’t keen to run him up that steep hill in the Greatwood after the ground changed, especially when there’s a race like the Gerry Feilden at Newbury around the corner. That’s where he’ll probably go, and he’d tick all of the boxes on a nice flat track. Later on he might be the type for the Betfair Hurdle or something like that. 

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11. JEDD O’KEEFFE

Miah Grace
5m Malinas – Silver Gypsy
Caron & Paul Chapman
2131-62
RPR 140h OR 137h

We really like her. We’re hoping to go chasing with her next season, but in the meantime we want to see how far she can rise up the ranks over hurdles. I was absolutely thrilled with her first run over two and a half miles at Wetherby, where she was only beaten by a decent horse and they pulled miles clear of the third and the fourth. It was definitely a lifetime best, and she’s still improving.

Mr Scrumpy
6g Passing Glance – Apple Days
H Posner
12F1-10
RPR 131h OR 131h

He won on his reappearance at Wetherby over three miles and then went to Aintree with a view to qualifying him for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, but he flopped there and I don’t know why. I wouldn’t give up on him, as we really like him, and we might still try to qualify him for the Pertemps before going chasing next season.

Sam Spinner
8g Black Sam Bellamy – Dawn Spinner
Caron & Paul Chapman
28/111-P
RPR 157c 165h OR 157c 162h

He’s in a bit of no man’s land at the moment, but we’ve decided to go back to hurdles for the time being, although there will be no easy races for him. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with him physically after the Charlie Hall, but he just didn’t jump with any confidence, so he’s going to go to Newbury for the Long Distance Hurdle and we’ll see where we are. I can’t offer any long-term plans, but we haven’t ruled out going back over fences.

12. GEAROID O’LOUGHLIN

Cedarwood Road
5g Stowaway – Valleyboggan
C Jones
9611-
RPR 143h OR 145h

He did very well for us last year and we always hoped he would develop into a nice chaser. I’d say Leopardstown at Christmas will be on his agenda now.

Coeur Sublime
5g Elusive Pimpernel – Love Knot
C Jones
23/130-4
RPR 156h OR 152h

I was happy with him in the Morgiana – you’d have to be happy. I didn’t really have a handle on where I was with him because nothing could go with him at home. There is definitely more to come. The Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas is next on the agenda and he will definitely improve. He came out of Punchestown surprisingly well.

Mitchouka
6g Creachadoir – Minnaloushe
C Jones
07136-3
RPR 141c OR 136c

I was actually pleased enough with how he ran behind Annamix at Gowran Park on Friday. He stayed on quite well and I think we might try him over three miles at some stage.

13. BEN PAULING

Global Citizen
8g Alkaadhem – Lady Wilmurt
The Megsons
17/414-P
RPR 159c OR 151c

He wasn’t himself in the Haldon Gold Cup and I suspect it was the different tactics, which didn’t work for him at all as he’s so flamboyant and enthusiastic. He seems well at home and did a lovely piece of work at Newbury last week, so back over two miles at the top of the handicap in the 0-150 at Newbury this week I think he’ll be quite dangerous again.

Kildisart
8g Dubai Destination – Princess Mairead
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
36652-3
RPR 159c 147h OR 155c 149h

He came back from his prep run over hurdles at Wetherby in fabulous form and he’s in great old order. He seems to be improving with age and heads to Newbury on Saturday for the Ladbrokes Trophy, which is his first big target. He was in the Grand National this year, and I’m sure he’ll have another entry, but Newbury will tell us an awful lot and if he’s competitive, or wins, off 155 he’ll put himself in some better races. From what we’re seeing at home he’s improving.

Le Breuil
8g Anzillero – Slew Dancer
Mrs Emma Palmer
1/P750-4
RPR 151c OR 141c

Last season was very much a question of putting the wheels back on after his win in the National Hunt Chase. That race took a lot out of him, as it was bound to, but he’s looking much more like his old self again now. He always needs his first run and I couldn’t have been happier with him at Kelso, where he took an almighty blow jumping the cross fence and then sprinted up the run-in when he had his second wind. He’s heading back to Aintree for the Becher, in which he jumped so impressively last season but just faded from the Melling Road. He’s in a much better place now, and he’s 9lb lower, so he’ll go there with a big chance.

Shakem Up’Arry
6g Flemensfirth – Nun Better
Harry Redknapp
/F220-14
RPR 129h OR 130h

Having been second last season to Mister Coffey and Shishkin at Newbury, he won as he was entitled to at Ffos Las on his reappearance, when he looked very good. He stepped up in trip in a hot handicap at Haydock on Saturday and ran very well in fourth, just keeping on at the same pace from the back of the second last after being fairly free early on. I don’t know where he’ll go now, but it will be back in novice company.

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14. NICKY RICHARDS

Ribble Valley
7g Westerner – Miss Greinton
David Wesley Yates
61/112-1
RPR 147h OR 147h

He didn’t settle when he went to Ascot last season but at Carlisle on his reappearance it all went brilliantly and he did just what we hoped he’d do, settling well and coming through to win nicely. He’ll make a super chaser one day if he’s not a top-class hurdler, but we aren’t talking about chasing at the moment. The Fighting Fifth is the plan.

Marown
6g Milan – Rosie Suspect
Trevor Hemmings
1/11-3
RPR 129c 132h OR 130c 130h

He’s a nice horse who won his bumper and both his novice hurdles and had his first run over fences at Ayr the other day. He finished third, but it was only two miles and he’ll be a three-mile chaser on a bit of nice ground in the spring. He’s had only three runs over obstacles and will be a lovely horse as he goes on in life. 

15. OLIVER SHERWOOD

Dominateur
7g Desir D’Un Soir – Sourya D’Airy
Kate & Andrew Brooks
/F1137-3
RPR 145c OR 141c

His jumping was a bit rusty but he ran okay behind Pym at Sandown, where he was up against it at the weights and would have preferred softer ground. He’s had a few days with Laura Collett since for a bit more jumping practice and the idea is for him to have one more run before the Welsh National. He’s a dour stayer.

Jersey Bean
7g Court Cave – Jennifers Diary
A Taylor
278-311
RPR 139c 139h OR 135c 125h

He’s been a revelation this autumn. He lost his way last year and didn’t jump his fences with much vigour, so we sent him to Henrietta Knight for a week and she suggested blinkers. I wasn’t keen on that as he’s so tough, but they’ve completely changed him as they’ve made him focus on his jumping. He beat quite a competitive field nicely at Exeter last time, and although he went up 10lb to 135 I think that’s still workable. I’d love to run him over three and a half miles or four miles in a Midlands National or something like that if it wasn’t a bog, but he can’t handle soft or heavy ground.

Ocean Drifter
5g Aizovski – Driftaway
Tim Syder
3/213-21
RPR 118h OR 120h

He was second first time over hurdles to a good horse of Dan Skelton’s and then won a little race at Fontwell. He was all out there, but having been headstrong last season he’s so much more relaxed now so it’s time to step him up in trip. He’s already qualified for the EBF Final, and that’s in the back of my mind as a goal. He’s won a point-to-point and I’d like to think he’ll get three miles. Chasing will be his game one day.

Sevarano
7g Shantou – Eva La Diva
Tim Syder
/11422-1
RPR 142c 136h OR 139c 135h

I was delighted with his first chase run at Sandown, where his jumping was exquisite. I haven’t got a set plan, but he’ll probably have another run in a novice over two and a half miles and then perhaps go for something bigger over Christmas. I’m dying to run him over three miles, but it will be one step at a time. I’ve always thought chasing was his game and he probably should have gone over fences last season.

16. MATTHEW SMITH

Ronald Pump
7g Schiaparelli – Fruit Yoghurt
Laois Limerick Syndicate
12242-F
RPR 159h OR 156h

He’s 100 per cent fine after his fall at Navan. He was going to be involved in the finish if he stood up but he had a good blow and hopefully will improve for the run. We’re staying over hurdles with him for the season and he could go to the Hatton’s Grace next. I think two and a half miles on heavy ground would be fine for him if it came up like that.

17. JAMIE SNOWDEN

Anythingforlove
5m Black Sam Bellamy – La Perrotine
Foxtrot Racing Anythingforlove
11-
RPR 108b

She’s a sister to the Gold Cup winner Sizing John and won both of her bumpers last season. She started off in a novice hurdle on Sunday at Uttoxeter, but the pin came out of the stirrup at the start and Gavin Sheehan wasn’t able to ride her throughout the race. She had a little jump round and ended up finishing fourth. We were hoping to go for a Listed race at Haydock in a month’s time, but we’ll go back to the drawing board and find another novice or maiden. She’s a very talented mare and we live to fight another day..

Ga Law
4g Sinndaw – Law
The Footie Partnership
16-111
RPR 152c OR 150c

He’s run only five times and has won four of them. He’s unbeaten over fences and he’s been pretty impressive, most recently in the Rising Stars at Wincanton. He went up to 150 after that, and I think we’ll go to Sandown next for the Henry VIII. It’s a drop back in trip, but he’s only been running over the intermediate trip while the ground was drier. On softer ground two miles will be fine, and he’s a lovely jumper, so those seven fences down the back should suit him well. He gets that four-year-old allowance too, of course. After that it might just be one more run and then Cheltenham perhaps.

Kiltealy Briggs
6g Fame And Glory – Baby Briggs
McNeill Family
2131P-2
RPR 140c 135h OR 140c 136h

He’s out of a sister to the Grand National winner Ballabriggs and was always going to be one of those horses with whom anything achieved over hurdles was a bonus, so he did very well to reach the level he did last season. We ran him in the Albert Bartlett, but he had colic straight afterwards and needed two operations, so he certainly didn’t run his race that day. Thankfully he’s come back really well, and he was second first time out over fences in a graduation chase at Carlisle, where two miles was much too short but he only just failed to get back up. He’s a proper chaser and he’s gong to be much better over further. He’s smart and there should be a decent handicap in him, but there’s a Grade 2 at Ascot we might think about. 

Stoney Mountain
7g Mountain High – Cherry Pie
Anita Gillies
P/11U59-
RPR 145h OR 142h

He came from the Trevor Hemmings dispersal [cost £140,000] as a mid-140s staying hurdler. He’ll go novice chasing now and has done lots of jumping here. He stays well, jumps nicely and will probably start off over fences in a beginners‘ chase at Ludlow early in December. He’ll be a proper staying chaser.

18. SAM THOMAS

Good Risk At All
4g No Risk At All – Sissi Land
Waters Plant Hire Ltd
21
RPR 115b

We’ve always thought a lot of him as he finds everything very easy at home, so it was nice to see what he did in the Listed bumper at Cheltenham after he’d been beaten first time out at Newton Abbot, where he’d been a little green and was caught flat-footed. He’d clearly come on by leaps and bounds since then, but I was very worried about the ground at Cheltenham. He’ll go jumping now, as he’s obviously a nice horse with an engine and if we were to wait until March for the Champion Bumper that’s obviously a very hard race to win and it can be rough too. We’ll try to nick a little novice or two and then perhaps put him away.

Iwilldoit
7g Flying Legend – Lyricist’s Dream
Diamond Racing Ltd
1612/91-
RPR 137c 126h OR 133c 128h

He hasn’t run since winning on his chasing debut at Kelso last December, but we had him in three times just prior to lockdown and each meeting was abandoned. He’s very lightly raced but has got better and better every season. His main assets are his stamina and his jumping, and I’d like to train him for a Welsh National one day as he stays all day and loves the mud. He’s a smashing horse and he’ll reappear in a 0-135 at Carlisle at the end of the month.

Skytastic
4g Way Of Light- Verzasca
Walters Plant Hire Ltd
1
RPR 105b

He’s a big, raw horse who won a Newbury bumper first time out. He’d be 17 hands already and he’ll be an absolute monster next season when he’s a bit bigger and stronger. He’ll come on no end for his run in every sense as he hadn’t been away before, and he’ll go jumping straight away now. We’ll try to find a nice novice for him on a big galloping track, maybe back at Newbury or up at Doncaster. 

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The post Stable Tour Extra – round-up of smaller trainers appeared first on RaceBets Blog.

The days of Gavin Cromwell being recognised as Gordon Elliott’s farrier are long gone, as he is now well established as one of the most potent forces in the Irish jumping ranks.

Cromwell’s impressive progress in recent years has been one of the standout themes to the end-of-term standings, going from the fringes of the top 20 with eight winners in 2017-18 to seventh position a year later with 33 successes.

The 46-year-old nearly doubled that domestic tally with 62 winners last season and ended proceedings in fifth, with only Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead and Joseph O’Brien ahead of him.

Cromwell’s Danestown team is undoubtedly going places fast, with the trainer able to get the best out of low-grade handicappers to the same extent as with top-level performers, advertised by his Champion Hurdle exploits with ill-fated 2019 hero Espoir D’Allen and last year’s third Darver Star.

Cromwell is building new boxes at his expanding operation and another strong season in 2020-21 should do his chances of promptly filling them no harm. 

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Stable profile

Yard Danestown
Where Balrath, Navan, County Meath
Started training 2005
Horses in yard 70
Members of staff 15
Head lad Ger Fox
Assistant trainer Feidhlim Cunningham
Assistant head lass Nicola Walsh
Pupil assistant trainer James Callinan
Travelling head lad Justin McGovern
Assistant travelling head lass Rebecca Rafter
Secretary Rachel Doody
Accounts Derek Murray
Jockeys Jonathan Moore, Conor McNamara, Conor Maxwell
Amateurs Joey Dunne
Stable sponsor Betdaq
Website gavincromwellracing.com
Twitter @gavincromwell1

Winners over jumps in Ireland

2019-20 62
2018-19 33
2017-18 8
2016-17 10

Profit/loss to €1 stake

2019-20 -€46.36
2018-19 -€89.22
2017-18 -€135.26
2016-17 -€31.00

Total prize-money 2019-20

€966,628

Horses:

Alfa Mix
Five-year-old gelding by Fair Mix (sire) – Alora Money (dam)
Owner: John P McManus
Form figures: 415127-
Racing Post Rating 142h Official Rating 142h

We’re going to start off over fences shortly, possibly at Navan on Sunday. He had a good time of things last season and has schooled well, having come from point-to-points.

Arverne
5g Doctor Dino – Argovie
John P McManus
80084-2
RPR 117c OR 112c

It was a big improvement from him when he was second at Punchestown last time. He’s very slow to jump though, and would want to sharpen up.

Bajan Excell
4g Helmet – Bajan Belle
Brendan Keogh
3150-55
RPR 121h OR 128h

He’s a hardy horse and we’ll be starting him back over the next couple of weeks. We’ll definitely give him another go over fences. Soft ground is fine for him, although I don’t know about running him on bottomless ground when chasing.

Calthor
5g Califet – Blackthorne Winter
John P McManus
F1/4
RPR 117h OR –

He was a bit disappointing on his hurdles debut at Galway and we might try him over fences. He’s quite a free-going sort and I’d say we’ll probably keep him to two miles.

Dakota Beat
5g Beat Hollow – Rushmore Rose
A M Murray & Grant Harrison
17-3232
RPR 118h OR 117h

He’s been knocking on the door but is still a maiden over hurdles and he’ll probably struggle to win a maiden at this time of the year. We’re giving him a break until next year and hopefully he can pick up a race in the spring or summer.

Star quality

Darver Star
8g Kalanisi – Maggies Oscar
SSP Number Twentytwo Syndicate
1323-13
RPR 162h RPR 151c OR 160h

He was brilliant the first day over fences and we were a little bit disappointed last weekend at Punchestown, but he wants better ground. I thought he could have travelled a bit better but he didn’t get slow overnight and we’ll have to put a line through it and blame the ground. Johnny [Moore] was delighted with the way he jumped and he went to the line well. Two and a half miles is probably more of his trip but we’ll try him again at two miles – we don’t really want to take on Envoi Allen. It took him a while to come to himself last year so I’m not too worried.

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Debuchet
7g Smadoun – Luzerne Du Poitou
Force Eight Syndicate
2393-7P
RPR 141c OR 132c

He’s only been with us a few weeks but he’s settling in well and it’s nice to have him. He’s started to come together over the past week and hopefully a change of scenery could be something different for him.

Elderado
4g Ruler Of The World – Palladius
Gavin Cromwell Racing Limited
U3
RPR 109h OR –

He’s a grand, unexposed horse who ran well when third to The Shunter at Downpatrick. We’ve given him a break and will bring him back in the spring.

Flooring Porter
5g Yeats – Lillymile
Flooring Porter Syndicate
162-132
RPR 141h OR 136h

I don’t really know what happened when he hung at Gowran, maybe he was looking for the stable yard or something. He’s fine anyway and will be aimed at the Proudstown Hurdle at Navan next month.

Gabynako
5g Tirwanako – Gunboatfrance
Mick & Molly Syndicate
23-22
RPR 142h OR –

Apart from getting beaten you can’t really knock what he’s done. He didn’t lose a whole lot in defeat when beaten in a photo at Fairyhouse last time. He’s one of our nicer novices.

Ilikedwayurthinkin
6g Yeats – Sway
John P McManus
1958-53
RPR 139h RPR 111c OR 136h

He was probably a bit disappointing in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham and we’ve sent him chasing this season. Hopefully he can improve as he gains experience.

Jeremys Flame
6m Jeremy – Supreme Beneficial
Flushfarm Racing Syndicate
2220-FU
RPR 139h OR 136h

She jumps brilliantly so it’s unfortunate she hasn’t completed on either of her chase starts. She just over-jumped the first on her debut over fences and she was tired after racing too keenly when unseating at Wexford last time. We’ll definitely be putting the hood back on her and are doing a few different things at home. She seems to be settling better and has the talent, so hopefully we can get her to produce her best.

Jimmil
6g Milan – Garlucy
T Conroy
67U415-
RPR 140c OR 133c

He had a small setback but hopefully we’ll have him with us by Christmas. He’s a huge staying chaser. I would have loved to have him back for the Porterstown Chase at Fairyhouse but we can look forward to him for later.

Jukebox Jive
6g Jukebox Jury – Sweetheart
Five Lamps Racing Syndicate
14/60-
RPR 125h OR 123h

We’ll be running him over hurdles this season and he has an option at Cork this weekend. He doesn’t have too many miles on the clock and is jumping a lot better. He did well for his summer break.

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Letsbeclearaboutit
5g Flemensfirth – Clarification
Alymer Stud Limited
11
RPR 136b OR –

We’ve always liked him and he’s bred to be a good horse, being out of Refinement’s first foal. We’ll stick to the bumper route this season. He’s a big, raw horse, 16.3 hands. I don’t want to overrace him but he hasn’t come off the bridle in either of his two runs this year. He could go for a Listed bumper at Navan next month and, depending on how things go, he has the option of the Grade 2 at Leopardstown [at the Dublin Racing Festival]. I don’t think he’d go to Cheltenham but Punchestown is an option. He doesn’t need cut in the ground – he has plenty of gears – but obviously handles testing going.

Oscar Thyne
5g Oscar – Coolsilver
Patrick Sheanon
2446-15
RPR 114h OR –

We were a little disappointed with him last time at Killarney but it was a better race than he’d won at Kilbeggan. We’re going over fences with him and hopefully he’ll make into a nicer chaser.

Peaches And Cream
5g Salutino – Muffles Girl
Gavin Cromwell Racing Limited
5P-0518
RPR 133c OR 127c

He won well at Wexford but bottomless winter ground probably isn’t his trick so we might just hold off and bring him back at Leopardstown. We know he likes the track.

Railway Hurricane
5g Perugino – Rose Earley
Miss Susan Barton & S O’Brien & John Mahon
5-8U131
RPR 130h OR 131h

He’s beginning to deliver on his early promise and we’ll look to find a rated novice hurdle for him. He’s not a slow horse and the drop in trip seemed to help last time at Tipperary.

Theatre Of War
4g War Command – Final Opinion
Clara Jug Syndicate
3UF27-0
RPR 128h OR 127h

He was very disappointing at Tipperary but has had a wind op since and is back in work. He ran very well in the Fred Winter and is still a maiden. He could potentially be back for Christmas.

Tokyo Getaway
6m Getaway – Golden Blossom
Ann Finnegan
2116-38
RPR 134c OR 124c

I think the ground was too deep for her at Cork last time, she just didn’t jump or travel as well as she can. I was delighted with her when she came back in this season. Hopefully her best days will be ahead of her.

Dark horse

Ujumpthelastuwin
6g Multiplex – Rosa Canina
Michael J Lynch
6/951-43
RPR 129c OR 120h

He ran very well at Navan on his first start over fences and we ran him back quickly at Fairyhouse because it was tailor-made for him. He ran a cracker in defeat and we’ll see what the handicapper does.

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Vanillier
5g Martaline – Virgata
Mrs H M Keaveney 
P/1-2
RPR 115h OR –

We were very happy with his first start for us at Punchestown and I’d imagine we’ll stick to the maiden hurdle route with him. He’s a nice horse who’ll make a lovely chaser in time.

Wadiyatink Now
7m Shantou – Simply Deep
Matthew Grimley/Raymond Grimley
689/1U1
RPR 128h OR 114h

She keeps surprising us. She had issues before and after she came to us but she’s putting it all together and has been progressive.

Walk Me Home
5m Galileo – Sway
John P McManus
00-1P2U
RPR 119h OR 107h

I don’t know whether she’d have won but she was unlucky to come down at the last at Navan. She actually hampered another nice mare of ours called Presenting Meghan and Johnny [Moore] felt she had a live chance at the time. We’ll look for something similar.

Western Run
5g Westerner – Stitch Pockets
North Star Syndicate
3-2311F
RPR 138h OR 132h

He’s going the right way and it was a pity he knuckled at the back of the hurdle at Punchestown last time. We’ll look for a rated novice again, or try him in handicap company.

Whirling Dervish
5g Camelot – Synergy
Givers Syndicate
990-126
RPR 126h OR 125h

The hustle and bustle over two miles on his first handicap run at Listowel probably caught him out a little but he still ran well there, and again in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket since. We’ll probably step him up to two and a half miles and run him in a rated novice hurdle.

Wolf Prince
4g Pour Moi – Preach
Patrick Sheanon
31212-0
RPR 136h OR 136h

We couldn’t put our finger on why he disappointed at Down Royal last time but we’ll run him in the Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas this weekend. We had a good season with him last year but it’s always tough for four-year-olds to step into senior company.

Yafordadoe
4g Zebedee – Bluebell Park
Yafordadoe Racing Syndicate
6U-1164
RPR 128h OR 124h

He probably ran close to his mark at Punchestown last time but we’ll take our time with him and find a race for him around Christmas. He’s a fun horse and can go back to the Flat too.

Young talent

We’ve got some nice young horses and Vintage Prosseco (5g Arctic Cosmos – Executive Games) is a lovely type who enjoys soft ground. He won in good style at Limerick on Tuesday and will want a trip in time. He’ll be nice when he gets a hurdle in front of him. We probably didn’t make enough use of Eyre Square (5m Doyen – Inistioge) when she was third in a Fairyhouse bumper but she’s a grand mare. Presentingnewyork is another nice bumper mare we’re looking forward to. Army Of One (3f Kingston Hill – Auctorita) came to us from the Flat in Germany through Bernard Cullinane. She could potentially go straight to a Listed mares‘ juvenile hurdle at Aintree, a race we’ve had some luck in. Pretorius (3g Durban Thunder – Pixie) has also arrived from Germany and could be a nice horse for the future.

Two for the tracker

Gabynako is a lovely horse who hopefully can have a good novice season. Vanillier made a nice start to his hurdles career at Punchestown and looks a nice chasing prospect for the future.

Expert view

Gavin Cromwell’s share price continues to rise on jump racing’s stock exchange and, let’s be clear about it, he could have another class act in his care. 

It is a bold statement to suggest Letsbeclearaboutit will achieve anything close to what Espoir D’Allen did, but the early signs are extremely positive and it would come as a surprise if he did not turn out to be a Grade 1 horse at some stage. 

The suggestion is that the son of Flemensfirth won’t go to the Champion Bumper, but following his progress will be fascinating. 

While everything has gone perfectly for Letsbeclearaboutit, nothing has gone right for Jeremys Flame.

Last season’s Tolworth runner-up now has form figures of FU over fences, but I agree with Cromwell and believe she is actually a decent jumper of a fence. She needs a hood and hopefully it will be applied for a mares‘ beginners‘ chase. She can pick up one of those with her eyes closed. 

Jukebox Jive is a horse I am very interested in this winter. He has only been seen twice for the whole of 2020 and has not run over hurdles since last December.

A hurdles mark of 123 pokes the eye out, especially when the mud is flying and the ground is at its heaviest. The Pertemps route might suit him.

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All change please. That is the theme of things for the Harry Fry operation this season.

Fry’s string have moved from Seaborough to new purpose-built quarters in Higher Crockermoor, and there has been a total refresh of the new yard’s inhabitants. A lot of the old guard have made way for 20 new bumper horses and 18 maiden hurdlers as Fry attempts to find the next wave of stars.

„We’re treating it very much as a fresh start and a new chapter. Results haven’t quite been what we’ve been striving to achieve over the last few years so we’ve pressed the reboot button and I’m really looking forward to the season ahead.„

One old-timer remains, recent Aintree scorer Unowhatimeanharry, while If The Cap Fits is very much the new flagbearer. Fry’s hope is that this season reveals the next. 

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Stable profile

Yard Higher Crockermoor
Where Corscombe, Dorset
Started training October 18, 2012
Horses in yard 75
Members of staff 30
Head lad Rawal Singh
Assistant trainer Ciara Fry
Pupil assistant trainer Nathan Vergne
Travelling head lad Tim Dennis
Jockey Sean Bowen
Conditional Lorcan Murtagh
Racing secretary Jo Donoghue
Stable sponsor Citipost
Website harryfryracing.com
Twitter @HarryFryRacing1

Winners in Britain 

2020-21 10
2019-20 30
2018-19 47
2017-18 53
2016-17 67

Profit/loss to £1 stake

2020-21 -£18.92
2019-20 -£27.50
2018-19 -44.54
2017-18 -£40.74
2016-17 +£1.52

Total prize-money 2019-20

£467,331

Horses:

Acting Lass
Nine-year-old gelding
King’s Theatre (sire) – Darrens Lass (dam)
Owner: Nigel & Barbara Collison
Form figures: P912P-P
Racing Post Rating: 154c Official rating: 149c

He’s a real mudlark. After he won the Welsh National Trial at Chepstow last season, we were going to aim him for the real thing this time around, but he stopped very quickly at Bangor on his reappearance and was found to have a breathing problem. He’ll have surgery this week and we’ll hopefully get him back on the track in January when he’ll be eligible for veterans‘ chases.

Dark horse

Boothill
5g Presenting – Oyster Pipit
Brian & Sandy Lambert
221-
RPR 126b OR 109b

His won his only start for me in a strong-looking Kempton bumper at the backend of the season and the form seems to be working out well, with a number of those behind him winning over hurdles. He was slightly later getting going but is one we’re looking forward to over hurdles. We’ll start him over two miles in a few weeks.

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Bullionaire
7g Gold Well – Dontcallerthat
Phil Fry & Charlie Walker -Osborne House
2/P312P-
RPR 130h OR 132h

He’ll go chasing this season. He’s always been a bit too free for his own good, but he’s doing plenty of schooling at home and should have a bit more respect for fences. He certainly has the size and look of a chaser so we’re hoping he can transition successfully. I’d think we’ll start off over two miles.

Captain Drake
7g Getaway – Julika
Gary Stevens and Brian and Sandy Lambert
U1U2-1P
RPR 142h 143c OR 142h 142c

He’s been in and out over fences, but he did win at Exeter on New Year’s Day and was a valiant runner-up in the Midlands National. I was pleasantly surprised he made a winning return over hurdles at Uttoxeter, but then his run at Cheltenham last weekend was a lot like his first run over fences last season. We’d been very much training him with the Welsh National in mind as he’s an out-and-out stayer who loves to see the mud fly, but we’ll put him back over hurdles first to try to get his confidence back.

Drumcliff
9g Presenting – Dusty Too
John P McManus
P9-0736
RPR 149c OR 129

He returned to us after a spell in Ireland, but hasn’t been the force of old. He finished third at Fontwell, but didn’t back that up at Aintree. We’ll probably try him in calmer waters, although I’ve given him an entry at Ascot on Friday as he’s run well there.

Star quality

If The Cap Fits
8g Milan – Derravargh Sayra
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
21/15-12
RPR 157c OR 160c

We were disappointed to see him beaten at Sandown, particularly with the allowances we were getting, but we learned more in defeat than we would if he’d won. To go around Sandown on only his second run over fences and jump well is encouraging, and we’ll probably drop him back in trip slightly now. He’s a Grade 1 winner over hurdles and still a very exciting novice chaser – if he replicates his hurdles form he could be among the top novices.

Ishkhara Lady
6m Scorpion – Loxhill Lady
The Horse Flys Partnership
1/11
RPR 117b OR –

She’s got a real engine, as everyone saw when she ‚won‘ her second bumper at Cheltenham last weekend. It’s great to have her back as she slipped a tendon off her hock last season and had been off for over 600 days before winning at Uttoxeter. She can only run in bumpers until the end of this year but might go to Huntingdon for a Listed mares‘ bumper in December. We won that a few years ago with Bitofapuzzle, who went on to win the Grade 1 mares‘ novice at Fairyhouse, and we hope this one can follow in her footsteps – she’s very talented.

Jolly’s Cracked It
11g Astarabad – Jolly Harbour
Gdm Partnership
5P/034-5
RPR 147h OR 132h

He’s getting on but he’s slipped in the weights and ran encouragingly for a long way at Aintree over two and a half miles – he’s never won over that trip and didn’t quite see it out. He’ll go for a Listed handicap hurdle at Sandown in early December and we’ll hope for very soft ground.

Just A Sting
8g Scorpion – Shannan Lady
Nigel & Barbara Collison
P/41FP-P
RPR 141c OR 135c

He was fourth in the Badger Beers first time out last year so we had that race in mind for him for a while, but the ground was too quick and he never let himself down. Now we’ve had the rain, it should be in his favour.

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King Roland
6g Stowaway – Kiltiernan Robin
Masterson Holdings Limited
11/212-3
RPR 137c OR 140c

He made his debut over fences at Uttoxeter over two miles and jumped very well, but he can be too exuberant for his own good sometimes. He just needs to learn to be a bit more professional and we’ll step him up in trip as and when he learns to settle better. We’ve always held him in high regard and I hope there’s better to come.

Lightly Squeeze
6g Poet’s Voice – Zuleika Dobson
J Davies and Govier and Brown
3111F-7
RPR 140h OR 137h

He really found his mojo last season and again looked like he was there with every chance in the Welsh Champion Hurdle but didn’t see his race out. It transpired his wind was catching him so he’s had his soft palate done and hopefully he’ll be back in time for Christmas when he should get his favoured soft ground and contest more good handicap hurdles.

Litterale Ci
7m – Soldier Of Fortune – Cigalia
John P McManus
P1351-4
RPR 137c OR 138c

She had a good novice chase campaign last season but is slightly in no man’s land now. I’m not sure she’s quite good enough for Listed races and she’s plenty high enough in the ratings.

Metier
4g Mastercraftsman – We’ll Go Walking
G C Stevens
1
RPR 132h OR –

I was really pleased with his jumping when he won on his debut at Newton Abbot. We’ll now find another novice before stepping up in grade and I’d expect him to get better as he goes through the grades and gets a more strongly run race. He’s an exciting novice hurdler.

Mille Sussurri
5g Milan – Silent Whisper
The Jago Family Partnership
3732-1
RPR 111h OR 113h

His win at Newton Abbot came off just 107, but we feel he can be progressive this season and could be one to follow. He’s only five and a fine big horse. He’s shown considerable signs of inexperience so I hope there’s better to come.

Misty Whisky
6m Stowaway – Whisky Rose
Distillery Stud
117/222-
RPR 114h OR 112h

She had three starts over hurdles last year and finished second every time, but she wasn’t at her best and we think she can be progressive off her mark. If she can reproduce her bumper form over hurdles this season she’s another to follow.

Momella
8m Sholokhov – Missing Link
Holt, Clark, Macnabb, Nugent & Robinson
FP9/P2-2
RPR 140h OR 132h

She’s been a bit out in the wilderness, but she’s finally put two runs together back-to-back – albeit nearly a year apart – and it was an encouraging return at Newton Abbot. Now she’s confident again in her jumping, I hope we can build on that and get her head in front. She’s in a mares‘ novice chase at Huntingdon on Saturday.

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Onefortheroadtom
7g Fair Mix – Ifni Du Luc
John P McManus
F/24581-
RPR 133c OR 126c

He took longer than we thought to get off the mark over fences but he’s pretty versatile ground-wise. He wants three miles.

Over To Sam
9g Black Sam Bellamy – Lady Brig
The Jago Family Partnership
3/3P1P3-
RPR 136c OR 133c

He’s lightly raced for a nine-year-old and will be ideal for veterans‘ races from the turn of the year. In the meantime we’ll be looking at stiff, proper staying chases and we know he can be competitive off his mark.

Phoenix Way
7g Stowaway – Arcuate
John P McManus
1/521/1-
RPR 141h OR 140h

He was found to have a fibrillating heart 48 hours before the Pertemps, having qualified well for that race. That’s all behind him and he’s set to go chasing. He runs at Warwick on Wednesday and we’ll find out if he’s a good novice chaser or if we’re going down the handicap route.

Samarquand
6g Malinas – Samandara
Charlie Walker & Phil Fry -Osborne House
1/13P/3-
RPR 133c OR 133c

He’s talented but has his own ideas about the game. He missed most of last season through injury but all being well he’ll be ready to resume in January. The whole family is bred to jump fences and he’s no different.

Sir Ivan
10g Midnight Legend – Tisho
The Eyre Family
3UP15-3
RPR 139h 143c OR 135h 135c

He’s hard to place as he’s too consistent for his own good. He ran another good race over hurdles at Aintree on his return giving a lot of weight to two much younger horses. He’s eligible for veterans‘ chases and we might just give him one more try over fences in one at Leicester at the end of the month and see if we can get his head in front again.

Unowhatimeanharry
12g Sir Harry Lewis – Red Nose Lady
John P McManus
24250-1
RPR 166h OR 151h

It was great to see him saunter into the lead at Aintree and win again. He owes us nothing but Mr McManus decided to bring him back and he was absolutely spot on. You wouldn’t know he’s rising 13 and he’s bounced out of the race. I suppose we’ll work towards the Pertemps now and let him tell us if he’s still up for it, but the signs are that he’s very much still in love with the game.

Whitehotchillifili
6m Milan – Mhuire Na Gale
Chasing Gold Racing Club
31316-5
RPR 129h OR 130h

She had a good campaign in novice hurdles last year once she learned to put her jumping together. She loves proper soft ground and it wasn’t soft enough for her first time out over two miles – she got outpaced and stayed on. She didn’t appear to stay further last year, but she’s a year older so we’ll give it another go.

Winningseverything
6g Flemensfirth – Baliya
Jago And Allhusen
134/11-F
RPR 130h OR 135h

He fell on his chase debut, which was frustrating as he’d schooled as well as any of our novice chasers. He was a little battered and bruised and he’s taken a little while to get over that. We’ve always thought of him as a chaser and we’ll be looking to resume again over fences, subject to how he schools. I think there’s more to come.

Two for the tracker

I’d be very disappointed if we couldn’t get a few wins out of Boothill, and King Roland is another who should be worth following this season.

Expert view

If you need a reminder of what Harry Fry can do with a horse look no further than Lightly Squeeze.

The gelding had disappointed in four starts over hurdles off marks between 108 and 112 when he was sent to Wincanton on Boxing Day last year. Judged on those previous defeats, he appealed as one to oppose at short odds, but looked a totally different horse and duly bolted up.

A fortnight later Lightly Squeeze had completed a hat-trick and in early February he was still in front when he fell at the final flight in Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle, one of the most competitive handicaps of the season, off 137.

It’s a season of building and transition for Fry, but loveable veteran Unowhatimeanharry has already given the team a boost with his Aintree victory, and If The Cap Fits promises to take high rank over fences.

The yard sent out 67 winners during 2016-17 for total prize-money earnings of £886,752, a time when Unowhatimeanharry was regularly plying his trade in top staying events and memories of Rock On Ruby’s exploits were still fresh in the mind.

Fry will get back to the big time. It’s just a matter of when. King Roland could be one to herald the comeback.

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Jonjo O’Neill had his team primed for racing’s return from lockdown at the start of June and, after an immediate flurry of winners, he has maintained the stable’s good form into the autumn.

With 35 winners on the board, he is more than halfway to last season’s final tally of 61 and operating at a healthy 17 per cent strike-rate.

Ever the realist, O’Neill is aware he is lacking the required firepower to make him a threat in top-class races, but he has a squad full of predominantly young recruits, many of whom have yet to reach anywhere close to their ceiling.

Reflecting the arsenal at his disposal, he expects to be busy in novice hurdles this season with the exciting Soaring Glory leading the way. While Palmers Hill, a fragile but talented athlete, has the potential to soar in his maiden season over fences if managing to stay sound.

Granted some luck with Palmers Hill and his stablemates, there should be plenty for the team at Jackdaws Castle to look forward to.

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Rival to watch

It was hard not to be impressed with Dusart, the horse who beat Soaring Glory at Newbury. He’s a half-brother to Simonsig and was pretty impressive considering we had experience.  

Stable facts

Yard Jackdaws Castle
Where Temple Guiting, Cheltenham
Started training 1986
Horses in yard 100
Members of staff 40
Assistant trainer AJ O’Neill
Head lads Johnny Kavanagh & Alan Berry
Travelling head staff Harrison Day & Jojo O’Neill
Racing manager Joe O’Neill
Racing secretary Jade Aspell
PA & events coordinator Clare Bowring
Accounts Cath Plumstead
Jockeys Jonjo O’Neill Jr, Richie McLernon, Alain Cawley, Gavin Sheehan, Will Kennedy, Adrian Heskin, Jonathan Burke & Nick Scholfield
Conditionals Kevin Brogan & Philip Armson
Amateur AJ O’Neill
Stable sponsor The Wasdell Group
Website jonjooneillracing.com
Twitter @JonjoONeill

Winners in Britain

2019-20 61
2018-19 56
2017-18 64
2016-17 78

Profit/loss to £1 stake

2019-20 -£67.30
2018-19 -£63.04
2017-18 -£198.26
2016-17 -£214.33

Total prize-money 2019-20

£532,918

Horses:

Adicci
Five-year-old gelding
Shirocco (sire) – Lughnasa (dam)
Owner: Mrs Siobhan McAuley
Form figures: 212F0-1
Racing Post Rating 128h Official Rating 124h

Unfortunately, when he came in this year his wind had collapsed so we had to get that done. You don’t know how successful it’s been until they run, so I was delighted with his win at Fontwell on Sunday. We’ll stay over hurdles this season and creep away in handicaps. He’ll have no problem stepping up in trip again.  

Annie Mc
6m Mahler – Classic Mari 
Coral Champions Club
41119-7
RPR 147c OR 142c 

She was a star last year but we found out our level when she was well beaten at Cheltenham. She ran a nice race on her return at Aintree and it always takes a run to get her tightened up, but I do think the handicapper has got her and life could be tough this season. She’s in great form and has matured over the summer but I’m not sure whether she can take the step forward. 

Arrivederci
5g Martaline – Etoile D’Ainay 
Martin Broughton & Friends 1
4/3721-1
RPR 136h OR 137h

We’ve always liked him. He’s strengthened up again this year and, if he can improve again off his comeback win at Wetherby, we might have a nice horse on our hands. He jumped well there and I’m certainly hoping he can go on. We’ll stick around two and a half miles but he can go up in time. He could run at Haydock on Saturday. 

Ashfield Paddy
6g Publisher – Thats Grace
Mrs E J Wills
3121-5
RPR 113 OR 123

He progressed from race to race last season which was encouraging. He should come on for his first experience over fences at Chepstow and will certainly relish the softer conditions during the winter.    

As You Like
9g Beneficial – Rubys Shadow
John P McManus
237-126
RPR 142c OR 137c

He’s had a good summer but I think he’s reached his limit and the handicapper has got him. He likes decent ground but handles a bit of ease. He’ll probably just win in his turn now. 

Carys‘ Commodity
5g Fame And Glory – Native Sunrise
Mrs Fitri Hay
U461-41
RPR 130h OR 132h

He’s quirky but talented and hopefully there’s more to come from him. His jumping was moderate when we started but it’s improved significantly and he did it very nicely at Fakenham last time. He handles some give in the ground and should go well at Wincanton on Thursday.   

Cloth Cap
8g Beneficial – Cloth Fair
Trevor Hemmings
3/4328-3
RPR 142c OR 136c

He looks a stronger horse now so hopefully he might be able to jump up a grade, which he couldn’t quite do last year. He’ll have to go up in the weights, but the Grand National would be a target if we can sneak him in. He’s in the Becher Chase, which might tell us something, but he wouldn’t run if it was too soft.  

Coeur Serein
6g Fame And Glory – Balvenie
Andrew T S Ralph Esq
33732-
RPR 113h OR 114h

He was ready to run and I was hoping to win a race or two early in the season, but unfortunately he got quite a nasty gash and it’s taken a bit longer than I’d hoped to heal. He’s at least a month away but his best chance might come in the spring.

Dark horse

Garry Clermont
5g Maresca Sorrento – Kalidria Beauchene 
Mrs C M Walsh
1315-65
RPR 135c OR 131c

He’s had a couple of runs over fences and jumps well, so hopefully he’ll win races. He’ll probably get two and a half miles and, because his jumping is good, we might look to run in open handicap company as the novice handicaps can be pretty punchy. He’s a nice horse.

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Gaston Phebus 
4g Coastal Path – Quarte
Oisin Fanning
3-1
RPR 117h OR –

He made the perfect start for us when winning a novice hurdle in what looked a warm enough race at Carlisle. That was over 2m4f and he saw the trip out well. He’s got plenty of size and will make a lovely staying chaser in time.

Kilbrook
5g Watar – Daly Lady
D J Burke And Delancey
2/33-2
RPR 118h OR 121h

He’s had a wind operation since his last run and will be out again soon. He’s one I like but I’d just like to see him put together what I’m seeing at home on the track. He’s a galloper and wouldn’t want a sharp track. We’ll probably look for a handicap hurdle next and he’ll make a nice little chaser in time. 

Lock’s Corner
6g Gold Well – Last Century
John P McManus
611-112
RPR 136c 136h OR 134c 134h

He’s been a great horse, winning twice over hurdles last year and twice over fences so far this. He switched back to hurdles to finish second at Cheltenham last month and you could go either way with him now. His last run was his first over three miles and I was delighted, but opportunities might be a bit thin now as I don’t think he wants it too soft. 

Maypole Class
6g Gold Well – Maypole Queen
Delancey
12P-01
RPR 127c OR 125c

We found an ideal race for him at Bangor last time and he jumped well for a novice. If we get a clear run with him I hope he can develop into a nice progressive chaser. 

Orrisdale 
6g Oscar – Back To Loughadera
Miss Katharine J Holland
61/123-B
RPR 123h OR 122h

It was so frustrating to see him brought down at the second fence on his chase debut at Southwell last week but he seems none the worse for it. We’ll school him again and if all goes well he could go to Lingfield next week, although I don’t want to run him on desperate ground. He’s always looked like a chaser and isn’t on a bad mark. 

Palmers Hill
7g Gold Well – Tosca Shine 
John P McManus
1/143/1/2-
RPR 139h OR 137h

There was nothing massively wrong with him last season but a few little issues meant he ran only once when narrowly beaten at Kempton. He’s a bit fragile but has the engine and he’s nearly ready to run. He’s matured into a gorgeous horse and we’re going to go chasing. He’d be exciting if he holds up to it. 

Papa Tango Charly
5g No Risk At All – Chere Elenn
M Tedham
1/7224-
RPR 127h OR 128h

He was put in his place behind The Big Breakaway at Newbury last season but it wasn’t his running when he disappointed at Doncaster. I still think he’s a nice, young horse and an exciting one to have. He’s a chaser down the road but we’ll give him more experience over hurdles this season. He’ll be out in the next couple of weeks. He should be up to winning a maiden and I hope he’s a good bit better than that. 

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Piggy Winkle
6g Fame And Glory – Ar Muin Na Muice
Mrs Gay Smith
360-P1
RPR 107h OR 107h

He’s fragile and has had his problems but he’s come out of his win at Market Rasen well and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards. He could switch quite quickly to chasing if we wanted to, but we’ll see how he gets on at Chepstow on Friday first. He’s got a good pedigree and hopefully we’re on the right track.  

Sky Pirate
7g Midnight Legend – Dancingwithbubbles
M Tedham
7/F22-25
RPR 139c OR 134c

He came there with his chance at the second-last in the Paddy Power Gold Cup but that fence has caused him problems before and he got it wrong again. It probably cost him a place but he still ran a fine race. He could well go back to Cheltenham for the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup in December and we’re also keen to try him over two miles at some stage. I certainly think he travels well enough to drop back.

Star quality

Soaring Glory
5g Fame And Glory – Hapeney
P Hickey
112-12
RPR 123h OR 133h

I’d say he got beat by a proper horse at Newbury last time, or at least I hope he did! We like this fellow and hope to have a nice season with him over hurdles before he goes chasing. He wasn’t the best at schooling to start with but he’s done a lot of work with Yogi Breisner and, if he continues to jump how he has in his first two runs over hurdles, I don’t think we’ll have a problem. We’ll look at another novice under a penalty soon and then have a think about where we go, but he’s a future chaser and one we hope is going to be around for a good few years.

Tedham
6g Shirocco – Alegralil
M Tedham
17/637-P
RPR 135h OR 131h

He was very disappointing on his chase debut at Exeter last week. He just wasn’t right on the day and it was too bad to be true. We’ll go back to the drawing board but he stays three miles and I still don’t think we’ve seen the best of him.

Tegerek
6g Mount Nelson – Takaniya
Local Parking Security Limited
412-213
RPR 136h OR 132h

It was a good performance to land a competitive Cheltenham handicap hurdle in October and he backed that up when third in the Greatwood. He has a bit of a kink in him and almost planted down at the start, which is a pity because he wasn’t beaten far. He still ran a blinder and I was thrilled to bits. We might look at the 2m handicap hurdle just before Christmas at Ascot. The owners have generously leased him to the new Jonjo O’Neill Racing Club and hopefully he can have a good season. 

When You’re Ready
6g Malinas – Royale Wheeler
Local Parking Security Limited
2/354-13
RPR 121h OR 118h

He’s started the season well, winning at Stratford and then finishing a close third at Leicester on Monday. They bypassed the last and it got a little bit messy but I was happy with the run and hopefully he’ll continue to improve. We’re still learning about him, but he likes a bit of cut in the ground and will stick at two miles for the time being.

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Bumper horses

Steady The Ship (4g Ocovango – Vinnie’s Princess) is a nice young horse and ran a promising race when third at Ascot on his debut. He’s related to Backspin, who won the Challow Hurdle for us, and we might look at one more run in a bumper before sending him hurdling. Pressure Sensitive (4g Shirocco – Bellavic) made a winning debut at Bangor, where the front two pulled clear, and he will go to Ascot for another bumper on Saturday before tackling hurdles. Red Maple (4g Sholokhov – Champagne Ruby) also won at Bangor on his debut and we’ll press on over hurdles now – he should be okay. Theme Tune (5g Fame And Glory – Supreme Melody) has run creditably in two bumpers and he’s a horse who jumps well, so we’re heading over hurdles now. Fast Getaway (4g Getaway – Maddy’s Supreme) made a pleasing debut when fourth at Ludlow but we’ll take our time and stick to bumpers as he’s growing a lot and still quite weak. On The Bandwagon (5g Oscar – Deep Supreme) was as weak as a kitten last year but we’re hoping he’ll make up into a nice horse this year. He’ll start in a bumper but will get a trip when he goes hurdling. Shantou’s Melody (4g Shantou – Glens Melody) was just touched off on his debut at Fontwell and ran well enough in a red-hot bumper at Cheltenham last time. He jumps well at home and goes hurdling now. Monbeg Genius (4g Shantou – Ella Watson) was a promising second in a point-to-point last month and he should strengthen up and improve with time. Mercutio Rock (4g Maresca Sorrento- Mondovi) will have learnt plenty from his debut at Chepstow and we’re looking forward to him making his debut over hurdles on Friday.

Two for the tracker

I hope Arrivederci can keep on improving and Steady The Ship is a nice youngster to keep an eye on.

Expert view

The days of Jonjo O’Neill’s squad comprising a vast selection of old and exposed chasers are long gone and he is set for an exciting winter with a number of promising and well-bred types gearing up to strike.

When asked for a bold prediction for the jumps season this month, I suggested O’Neill would train 100-plus winners for the first time since 2014-15, where he tallied 104. He already has 35 on the board, so just how bold that was is up in the air, but it’s certainly achievable.

Smart hurdlers Tegerek, Soaring Glory and Arrivederci will help keep that total ticking over. They all appear to be improving at a rate of knots, especially Soaring Glory, and will pay their way this year.

Over fences Garry Clermont and Orrisdale have long been in my tracker and appear unlucky not to have got off the mark yet this term. Orrisdale, especially, could be chucked in off his rating of 122 based on a couple of promising bumper and hurdle displays.

Given the new strategy employed by O’Neill, you wouldn’t put it past him training a fair share of bumper winners this term, either. So keep those trackers open!

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The post Jonjo O’Neill Stable Tour appeared first on RaceBets Blog.

Dan Skelton has rapidly climbed the training ladder, to the point where he is now spoken of as a champion in waiting, and even if 2020 has been a strange time in racing, he’s stayed focused on his route to the top.

„It’s been a weird year,“ he concedes. „I had to turn a lot of horses out in the field in April and we didn’t have the number of horses in for the summer that we had in the season when we got to 200 winners, but we’ve reshaped the team in favour of quality over quantity and I think our recent results have shown the benefit of that.

„It’s vital to have the youngsters – bumper horses, novice hurdlers and novice chasers – coming through to keep pushing from the bottom up, and if you keep those drawers full of quality you’ll be all right.

„You’d have to say Roksana, a horse we made from the beginning, is at the top now and we have horses like Third Time Lucki, Midnight River and Ashtown Lad, who we got out of a point-to-point the same as Shan Blue, so we’ve got greater strength than ever, including some smart National Hunt-bred three-year-olds, and we’re looking forward to a good year.“

Below he discusses a selection of horses picked out by our reporter.

Race in focus

Roksana is on her way to the top and the Long Walk Hurdle looks the perfect race for her.

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Rival to watch

Envoi Allen looks a flying machine over fences.

Stable profile

Yard Lodge Hill Farm
Where Shelfield Green, Warwickshire
Started training 2013
Horses in yard 130
Members of staff 50
Assistant trainer Tom Messenger
Head staff Tolley Dean, Joe Knox, Nick Pearce, Ed Austin, Amber Blythe
Travelling head staff Phil Haywood, Hannah Haywood, Andy Gardner
Jockeys Harry Skelton, Bridget Andrews 
Conditional William Marshall
Amateurs George Cowley, Murray Dodd, Tristan Durrell, Saul Woods
Racing secretary Ella Mahon
Communications Lucinda Gould 
Finance director Grace Skelton
Stable sponsor Ladbrokes
Website danskeltonracing.com 
Twitter @DSkeltonRacing

Winners in Britain 

2019-20 119
2018-19 205
2017-18 156
2016-17 118
2015-16 104

Profit/loss to £1 stake

2019-20 -£281.28
2018-19 -£88.19
2017-18 -£153.35
2016-17 -£259.57
2015-16 -£156.34

Prize-money 2019-20

£1,486,254

Horses:

Across The Line
Five-year-old gelding
Fame And Glory (sire) – La Protagonista (dam)
Owner: Craig and Laura Buckingham
Form figures: 3-413
Racing Post Rating RPR 120h Official rating –

A horse I’ve always liked, he hacked up in a maiden hurdle over two miles at Hereford this month and I was a little frustrated with his third at Uttoxeter on Saturday, when we followed the favourite rather than doing our own thing. Next time we’ll use his stride and open up a bit, because I know he’s a lot better than that.

Aggy With It
6m Presenting – Agathe Du Berlais
Andy and Sharon Measham
1/F7-211
RPR 122h OR 122h

She had a fall at the start of last year that put us on the back foot, but she’s getting her act together and I think she’ll be progressive now that we’ve stepped her up in trip. She comfortably won a novice hurdle at Taunton last time and I think there’s plenty more to come.

Allmankind
4g Sea The Moon – Wemyss Bay
WJ and TCO Gredley
1113-31
RPR 150c OR 151c

He enjoyed some real highlights last year and I went to Cheltenham for his reappearance over hurdles thinking I’d done a lot of work with him, but this year he’s more relaxed than last and maybe he lulled us into thinking he was fitter than he really was. He then made a remarkable chasing debut at Warwick, having the confidence to stand off and get stuck into the fences. Now we’ll keep him fresh and go for the Henry VIII Novices‘ Chase at Sandown on December 5.

Alnadam
7g Poliglote – Rosadame
Bryan Drew
81441-2
RPR 139c OR 129c

I was very pleased with him on his novice chase debut over two and a half miles on heavy ground at Carlisle, where he ran into a good horse and they pulled well clear of the rest. He jumped well and there’s plenty of improvement to come.

Amoola Gold
7g Mamool – Aughamore Beauty
Mr and Mrs Gordon Pink
3725-11
RPR 142c OR 138c

I was very happy with him winning a Listed handicap chase last month because he’s taken a long time to mature mentally and we’ve had to be very patient. He’s clearly got big performances in him from two to two and a half miles and I think slightly better ground than at Ascot would suit him even better. He’ll either go to Ascot again this weekend or to Newbury a week later, and while I’m delighted with how he’s progressing over fences, he’s still a novice over hurdles so we could have a go at that one day.

Antunes
6g Nathaniel – Aigrette Garzette
Mark Adams
32/1P7-2
RPR 139c OR 132c

He bumped into a good one at Bangor first time out this season and already looks better as a chaser than as a hurdler. As a very big horse I think he should come on for that and win plenty of decent races.

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Ardlethen
7g Arakan – Itsafamilyaffair
Mike and Eileen Newbould
23520-5
RPR 145c OR 138c

He ran a really nice race at Carlisle last time, when he couldn’t win at the weights. I always felt last year there was a bit of unfinished business with him in a lot of good novice chases and I think he can land a big pot.

Ashtown Lad
6g Flemensfirth – Blossom Trix
Darren and Annaley Yates
3/217-21
RPR 119h OR 123h

He stepped forward from his first run of the season to win a soft-ground novice hurdle at Wetherby last month. He’s a massive horse, a chaser in the making, but we’ll make a nice hurdler of him in the meantime.

Aux Ptits Soins
10g Saint Des Saints – Reflexion Faites
John Hales
8/5171/5-
RPR 155h OR 157h

He won a Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Aintree for us in April 2019 and was beaten only four lengths on his last run, in a Grade 1 at Punchestown. I’ll run him in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury at the end of the month and we’ll make a plan from there, but there are still good races to be won with him.

Bennys King
9g Beneficial – Hellofafaithful
Mezzone Family
1/6152-5
RPR 154c OR 147c

He had a good year last year and just needed the run when fifth in a handicap chase at Aintree over two and a half miles. Anything up to two miles and six on slow ground is his cup of tea, and he could be getting better.

Blaklion
11g Kayf Tara – Franciscaine
Darren and Annaley Yates
BP/085/0
RPR 166c OR 145c

He ran a bit of a stop-start race on his first run for us at Ascot last month [after a 623-day break], jumped a bit left-handed and showed a bit of ring-rust. It was good to get him started, though, and now he’ll go to the Becher Chase at Aintree on December 5. With the handicapper having dropped him 4lb, I think he can still be a competitor.

Cadzand
5g Stowaway – Queens Mark
Chelsea Thoroughbreds – Cadzand
1/32-2
RPR 117h OR –

The ground went too soft for him in a race that wasn’t run to suit him at Ayr last time and I’d say he’s a winner without a penalty. He runs at Warwick on Wednesday and it’ll take a fair one to beat him.

Ch’tibello
9g Sageburg – Neicha
The Can’t Say No Partnership
13/353-2
RPR 158h OR 154h

He ran a really good race when runner-up on his reappearance at Aintree, coming there very strongly but not staying on quite as well as the winner from the last. Now we’ll regroup and keep it simple, go to the International at Cheltenham, a race he was third in last year.

Destrier
7g Voix Du Nord – Razia
Three Celts
113/365-
RPR 157c OR 149c

He was third in a Grade 1 novice chase at Aintree and in the Haldon Gold Cup last year but he’s had a niggle and won’t be out until the new year. He’ll definitely win a good race.

Don Poli
11g Poliglote – Dalamine
Darren and Annaley Yates
0/P110-4
RPR 168c OR 130c

He’s a big, heavy horse who takes a bundle of getting fit, and I was encouraged by his reappearance fourth on soft ground at Aintree, where he just got tired late on. He’ll go to Haydock next time over three and a half miles and I think there’s still a fire burning in him.

Elle Est Belle
4f Fame And Glory – Katalina
Mrs Suzanne Lawrence
11
RPR 120b OR –

She’d worked well but you still don’t expect to see anything quite as special as she showed in winning on her debut in a bumper at Aintree, a run she followed up when dead-heating at Cheltenham at the weekend. We ended up getting there a bit soon, but the first two pulled well clear from the last and I was very pleased. You won’t see her again until the new year.

Emmas Joy
7m Gold Well – Emma Jane
Julian Howl and Ian Tyrrell
152117-
RPR 135h OR 135h

She was a very good hurdler and as a chaser she could be even better. She had a little setback in the autumn but now she looks fantastic and will probably start around Christmas. She has size and heart and will love a fence.

Faivoir
5g Coastal Path – Qape Noir
Mrs Suzanne Lawrence
211-214
RPR 129h OR 128h

I was astounded when he got beat at Uttoxeter on his seasonal debut in a novice hurdle, but I’d say he’s one of those light, lean horses you assume are fit at home because of the way they look. The Cheltenham race he won after that may not have been the most competitive, and he didn’t pick up quite as well as I hoped at Sandown last time, but that was real soft ground. I still hope he can start to climb the ladder as a hurdler.

Flash The Steel
8g Craigsteel – Anna’s Melody
John J Reilly
15/1090-2
RPR 141h OR 141h

He won the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow over two and a half miles last October and I then made a bit of a mess of things by running him over three at Haydock, but then who wouldn’t have done that given the way he was shaping? He ran well when hampered at the last in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival and came back this season with a good run in second back in the Silver Trophy, where two and a half looked the limit of his stamina. We’ll probably go to a handicap at Newbury’s Ladbrokes meeting with him, with a view to going chasing at some stage. He’s a solid handicapper at the top level and jumps a fence well at home. 

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Flegmatik
5g Fuisse – Crack D’Emble
N W Lake
3/203-15
RPR 131c OR 130c

He wasn’t all that productive over hurdles, which I suppose shouldn’t have come as a surprise given his size, but I was impressed with him when he won on his chasing debut at Carlisle on good ground. Everything went wrong for him at Sandown next time, where he was twice nearly brought down by fallers. There’s a nice race for him at Ascot over Christmas. 

Hatcher
7g Doyen – African Keys
P H Betts
1601-17
RPR 150c OR 143c

I was a bit disappointed with him at Cheltenham on his reappearance but it was the first time he’d been on a track like that and maybe the undulations didn’t suit him. He’s been a wonderful horse for us already but we need to get him back sparkling, maybe on a flat track, in the better races at Doncaster or Aintree. He wouldn’t want the ground too soft.

I’d Better Go Now
7g Alkaadhem – Pohutakawa
Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates
7/161-10
RPR 125 OR 125

He won well in a 3m handicap hurdle at Perth first time up but didn’t handle the undulations at Cheltenham next time. We’ll get him back on a flat track and start thinking about novice chases before too long. He’ll win plenty of races.

Interconnected
6g Network – R De Rien Sivola
Darren and Annaley Yates
F1/2/
RPR 135h OR –

He came to us with a big price tag and a lot of publicity, but he had a little injury in training last year and we’ve given him plenty of time because he’s a gorgeous big horse. He’s just started back and he’ll be out in the new year in a couple of hurdles, but he’s going to be a lovely chaser when the right time comes.

Lakota Warrior
4g Valirann – Talkin Madam
2- (point-to-point form)
RPR 89p

A lovely horse who came to us from the Irish point-to-point field. He’ll be ready to go in a couple of weeks and will do well as a hurdler at two and a half miles upwards, but you’ll really see the best of him as a chaser.

Midnight River
5g Midnight Legend – Well Connected
Frank McAleavy
33-12
RPR 134h OR 135h

We looked after him last year but he kept on well to win at Uttoxeter on his seasonal debut and I thought he jumped beautifully next time at Cheltenham for a horse with so little experience, only getting outgunned late on by a horse with an extra gear. I wouldn’t mind taking on anybody on slightly slower ground and I think he can take high rank as a hurdler, but you’ll see him at his best as a chaser next year.

Mohaayed
8g Intikhab – Reyaada
Mrs June Watts
0990-42
RPR 151h OR 141h

A real pleasure to have around the yard, he’s a County Hurdle winner who has won some very good two-mile contests for us but ran well in a 2m4f handicap on soft ground at Aintree on his reappearance, staying on well, then backed that up with a good run in second over just beyond three miles at the same track. He retains his enthusiasm and he looks the perfect horse for the Pertemps Final, which the owners sponsor. He’ll go to Cheltenham on December 11 for a 3m handicap hurdle and then we’ll plot a course for the festival.

Dark horse

My Drogo
5g Milan – My Petra
Mr and Mrs R Kelvin-Hughes
2
RPR 122b OR –

He looked promising when second in a Cheltenham bumper on his only run and looks the real deal. He’s a beautiful, imposing horse, relaxed well and came home strongly, and he’ll start his hurdling career at the Ladbrokes Trophy meeting at Newbury next week.

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No Getaway
7g Getaway – Nonnetia
Dick, Keenan, Sawer and Stevenson
842/192-
RPR 127h OR 126h

He’s a half-brother to Grand National winner One For Arthur and will go chasing this year. We were very and patient with him as a hurdler, because he’s been a slow learner, but I hope his owner will be rewarded for that in time.

Northofthewall
6g Mahler – Sherchanceit
Winter Gold Racing
1611-4F
RPR 147c OR 133c

A very smart horse in the making, he was in the process of running a big race at Aintree last time when he came down two out, jumping the fence well but not quite getting his landing gear down. Luckily he’s been fine since and we’ll just take our time getting him back on to the track, because there’s a nice race to be won with him. A step up to three miles in time wouldn’t frighten him and he’d be fine on most ground, although he wouldn’t want it heavy.

Nube Negra
6g Dink – Manly Dream
T Spraggett
36/1122-
RPR 153c OR 152c

He’ll have a slightly later start to the season this year and go fresh to the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas. He was a very good novice chaser last year but he never got the chance to run in a good race under his best conditions, over two miles on good or good to soft ground on a speed track. I’m looking forward to seeing him in the spring when he’s got everything in his favour.

Oldgrangewood
9g Central Park – Top Of The Class
Chris Giles and Sandra Giles
33114-4
RPR 151c OR 147c

We wanted a good pace in the Old Roan Chase but didn’t get it, so we had to kick on and that made us the target for the others. I’m encouraged by his consistency though, so he’ll go to Newbury at the end of the month, where he’ll have a decent chance, after which we’ll look at all the races he ran in last year. I’m sure he’ll win when things are right for him.

Percy’s Word
6g Sir Percy – Laverre
Mezzone Family
2/230
RPR 121h OR 123h

He looked progressive going into his last outing at Bangor, but that run was a backward step on very bad going. I was a bit disappointed with him at Cheltenham last week as well, but I don’t think we’ve seen him even half at his best yet. Maybe he hadn’t quite got over his Bangor run, so we’ll give him a month off, find him some slightly better ground and he’ll go very close next time.

Proschema
5g Declaration Of War – Notable
Empire State Racing Partnership
314-2P
RPR 135 OR 131

He ran really well at Wetherby first time up but at Cheltenham at the weekend he told us that he doesn’t like really soft ground. I believe there’s a big day in him on a better surface.

Protektorat
5g Saint Des Saints – Protektion
Sir A Ferguson, G Mason, J Hales and L Hales
2130-11
RPR 160c OR 149c

He still had an awful lot to learn and was always a bit keen, so he needed his second season as a hurdler, but the benefit of that was obvious on his chasing debut over two miles at Carlisle, where he really pleased me in winning comfortably, and I was super happy with the way he won at Cheltenham last week. He jumped really nicely on the good to soft ground and we can draw on that ability whenever we want – we don’t have to go straight back there. Although he’ll get three miles in time, I’ll stick at two and a half for the moment. We’ll have a good think about where to send him next because on that evidence he could be a star in the making.

Real Stone
5g Arvico – Stoney Path
Mrs S C Welch
7-1
RPR 128h OR –

He went off at 50-1 for a maiden hurdle on soft ground at Aintree on his return, but although he’d been a slow learner at home he’d shown a bit of ability, so his win wasn’t a complete surprise. Harry [Skelton] said he was holding his hand through the race because he was so green and babyish, but then he turned up at the last with plenty left. He’s still unfurnished and has plenty of improvement in him physically.

Riggs
5g Mahler – Cousin Kizzy
Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates
642-6
RPR 114h OR 115h

He went well in a competitive Ascot novice handicap on only his third run over hurdles and there will be a lot of improvement to come. He’ll go for a middle-distance handicap in about three weeks, with ground no worry, but he’ll really come into his own over fences.

Roksana
8m Dubai Destination – Talktothetail
Mrs Sarah Faulks
2/2524-1
RPR 156h OR 153h

She’d had her doubters so it was nice to get a good victory under her belt at Wetherby last month, with what was an impressive performance to the eye, even if perhaps others in the race will improve a fair bit. Last year she was carrying a Class 1 penalty and was the best horse at the weights a couple of times without winning, but she’s always been a high-quality mare. I think you’d have to say that her best performances have been over three miles and she’s got improvement in her over that trip, so that’s the route we’ll go down. She went back to her owner for a short break to freshen her up for the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on December 19, although I’ll enter her at Leopardstown over Christmas just in case travel restrictions ease. The Long Walk is the main target, though, and if she runs well there, then maybe we’ll be drawn down the Cheltenham route, but the owner isn’t all about the festival and if we felt it was right to go fresh to Aintree then that’s what we’d do.

Star quality

Shan Blue
6g Shantou – Lady Roberta
Colm Donlon
1326-11
RPR 156c OR 152c

I always believed he’d be a really good chaser but his two runs over fences this season have been a revelation. He’s looked a natural in winning twice at Wetherby, first over two and a half miles and then over three, so at the moment we’re looking to go to the Kauto Star Novices‘ Chase, and with that in mind he’ll probably go to Huntingdon on December 6 to get him spot on for Kempton on Boxing Day. It’s a tough route to go down but from what we’ve seen so far, there will be plenty of people who won’t be all that keen to take him on.

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Shannon Bridge
7g Flemensfirth – Bridgequarter Lady
M Boothright, G Lovett and P Deffains
3P1F-0P
RPR 138c OR 132c

He’s a lazy character who takes a bit of stoking, but although his pulled-up effort over three miles at Bangor last time was disappointing, I think that may have been down to the trip, so we’ll drop him back in distance and I still think he’s got a nice race in him.

Spiritofthegames
8g Darsi – Lucy Walters
N W Lake
P0226-2
RPR 154c OR 148c

He’s a fixture in a lot of the good 2m4f handicap chases and he produced another brilliant run off his high mark in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at the weekend. He’ll miss the December meeting at Cheltenham and go back there on New Year’s Day, when I hope he can finally get the big win he deserves. 

Third Time Lucki
5g Arcadio – Definite Valley
Mike and Eileen Newbould
114-112
RPR 131h OR 129h

A very good bumper horse who really pleased me in winning his first two races over hurdles. He kind of handled the soft ground when runner-up at Cheltenham on Sunday – when he had was unsuited by having to go and chase the all-the-way winner – but he’d be a lot happier on a better surface. He’s learned a lot from his three quick runs and he hurdles well, but he’s very much a chaser.

West To The Bridge
7g Flemensfirth – Godlylady
J Tierney
P175-21
RPR 142h OR 140h

I was amazed I never won a bumper with him, but he’s always been free-going, he still sweats a bit at the start, and maybe he’s just taken time to get the hang of things. I was pleased with his Uttoxeter second over three miles on good to soft ground, which I thought was a very good start to the season, and it was no surprise to me that he won at Carlisle over two and a half on heavy, so now he’ll go to the Grade 3 stayers‘ handicap hurdle at Haydock on Friday. Hopefully this is the start of what he’s really capable of.

Wilde About Oscar
5g Oscar – Baie Barbara
Mike and Eileen Newbould
214-11
RPR 132 OR 115

He’s very talented and likes to get his sleeves rolled up. He was very green over the first few hurdles at Uttoxeter on his reappearance but got the job done well, and it was no surprise to me the way he won at Aintree next time, pulling clear by 16 lengths. I think he’d have no problem dropping back to two miles on proper soft ground and we’ll look at the Challow or the Tolworth and then pick his race for the spring. I think there’s plenty of potential there.

Wild Romance
5m Kalanisi – Aboo Lala
Masomo
2-12
RPR 128h OR –

She got on top late in a decent mares‘ hurdle at Warwick and ran a lovely race in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham last week. She was a bit green coming down the hill but then flew up it and I was delighted with the way she finished her race off. The form looks strong and I think she’s got a big future. I’m not sure where we go next but she can easily make her mark in novice mares‘ Graded company and she’ll be a real prospect when she goes over fences.

Juveniles

We’ve got ten or so juveniles and we’ve already had one winner in Cabot Cliffs (3g Gleneagles – Hallouella), who went on to be third in a Wetherby Listed race, then a good fourth under a front-running ride at Cheltenham on Saturday, and is open to a lot of improvement on a flat track, especially on really soft ground. Among the unraced ones are Ambassador, a decent stayer on the Flat; and two new recruits, John Locke (3g Mastercraftsman – Sacred Shield) and Shake A Leg (3g Excelebration – Sos Brilliante), who both look tailormade for hurdling.

Bumper horses

I’ve been very encouraged with how our bumper horses have been going. Quid Pro Quo’s (4g Beat Hollow – Thieving Gypsy) success from a good horse of Paul Nicholls‘ at Hereford delighted me, as did Cousu Main (4g Buck’s Boum – Just Pegasus) with his second at Uttoxeter, and Global Famenglory (4f Fame And Glory – Noble Pearl)who has improved a lot at home since her debut fourth at Uttoxeter. Greatest Star’s (4g Lord Du Sud – Sacree Mome) Warwick bumper is working out well; Jay Jay Reilly (4g Fame And Glory – Garden City)went nicely at Wincanton last time although he looks a 2m4f to 3m chaser in the long term; and Jersey (4g Presenting – Synthe Davis) is a beautiful big horse who is going to be a chaser but has already run well in an Ascot bumper. 

Two for the tracker

Northofthewall should make huge strides as he gains experience and goes up in trip, while Wild Romance is a classy mare who will thrive as the season goes on.

Expert view

For so long, the trainers‘ championship was dominated by Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson. Although their rivalry has been exciting and exhilarating over the years, the division has been crying out for a young gun to come and challenge at the top of the standings. Step forward Dan Skelton.

Skelton began his training career in 2013 and rapidly progressed into a leading light in jump racing, so much so that he broke the 200-winner barrier two years ago.

It was more quantity over quality that campaign with much of that total amassed during the summer months, but Skelton has since worked tirelessly to build a team of horses capable of striking on the big stage and bridge the prize-money gap with his aforementioned foes for top spot.

His team is headed by Roksana, one of just two Grade 1 winners for the yard. That came in the Mares‘ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2019, albeit after clear leader Benie Des Dieux capsized at the last flight. 

Nevertheless, she has proved on multiple occasions that she can compete at the top level and sauntered through the soft ground at Wetherby on her return. Aintree might be the best target for her in April.

Other promising hurdlers in the yard include Aggy With It, Ashdown Lad, Midnight River and Wilde About Oscar, all of whom could easily make up into bona fide Grade 1 performers. 

One horse who may already be at that level is Protektorat, who has romped home on his first two chasing starts at Carlisle and Cheltenham and jumps with unlimited exuberance, which is always great to see from a young prospect. 

He achieved a Racing Post Rating of 160 when bolting up on Friday and surely it’s just a matter of time before he gets his chance at the top level.

Similar plans may be in the offing for Northofthewall, who is yet to achieve anything like the same level of form at Protektorat but jumped beautifully before diving at the second-last at Aintree recently and is open to plenty of improvement when upped to three miles.

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We hadn’t even got on to those beginning with B, but had already spoken about a dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero, a Grade 1-winning novice hurdler who started favourite for the Supreme, the Champion Bumper runner-up and the RSA third.

If one needed reminding of the calibre of horses currently residing in Closutton, the A-team did just that. Al Boum Photo, Asterion Forlonge, Appreciate It and Allaho were the ones I was talking about in the previous paragraph, but Annamix is not too bad either and Acapella Bourgeois is rated 156. There cannot be a better crop of As anywhere else.

The talent does not stop there either, it’s only the beginning.

During these unprecedented times, there’s something so soothing about listening to Willie Mullins talk through his team. The star names rolling off his tongue, each one with seemingly more to offer than the last. He has already been Ireland’s champion trainer 14 times and it’s going to take something extraordinary from Gordon Elliott to thwart title number 15.

Al Boum Photo will be out to emulate Arkle and Best Mate next March in trying to win three Cheltenham Gold Cups. You know the drill by now; he will ring in the new year at Tramore before his date with destiny in the Cotswolds on March 19.

Mullins admits that he would love to call upon his services earlier in the campaign, but is afraid to upset the apple cart.

„As much as I would love to run him earlier in the season, our goal is the Gold Cup in March and we know how to get him there in the best possible shape,“ said the champion trainer.

Sharjah got closest to Epatante in last season’s Champion Hurdle, but Mullins looks much stronger in that department now with Saint Roi and Saldier to call upon.

Chacun Pour Soi was denied the chance to end Mullins‘ hoodoo in the Champion Chase due to a late setback, but all roads lead back to the Wednesday feature at the festival, while Ryanair winner Min is reported to be in rude health and on course for a hat-trick attempt in the John Durkan at Punchestown next month.

Mullins was responsible for the first two home in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper as Ferny Hollow pounced late to deny Appreciate It, so the novice hurdling team looks strong, while Albert Bartlett winner Monkfish captains a top-class team of novice chasers.

Unexcepted produced an exceptional chasing debut at Tipperary last month, while Lord Royal, Klassical Dream, Elixir D’ainay and Janidil are other classy recruits to the chasing game.

Burrows Saint is being aimed at the Grand National, while there are a whole host of young recruits from France. Oh, and Faugheen is still about the place too. There could be one last hurrah to come from the Peter Pan of jump racing.

Even Anne Robinson would struggle to find the weakest link here. The stage is set for another cracking campaign.

Race in focus

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is one race that has eluded us so far. We thought we had a big chance of ending the hoodoo with Chacun Pour Soi in March, but he missed the race at the last minute which was very unfortunate. We have some unfinished business with him in that race and I’m looking forward to getting back there.

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Rival to watch

I have to say I loved the way Latest Exhibition learned his trade as he went along at Punchestown. That was only his chasing debut and I think there could be huge improvement to come from him over fences. He’s a horse I like a lot and I thought he ran a big race in the Albert Bartlett to get so close to Monkfish.

Stable profile

Yard Closutton, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow
Started training 1987
Horses in yard 180
Members of staff 65
Assistant trainers Patrick Mullins, David Casey, Ruby Walsh
Head men Dick Dowling, John Codd
Travelling head lad Ben Delmer
Gallop man Paddy Dowling
Jockeys Paul Townend, David Mullins, Danny Mullins, Brian Hayes, Rachael Blackmore
Conditional Conor McNamara
Amateurs Patrick Mullins, Jody Townend, Richie Deegan, Ruth Dudfield, Aubrey McMahon
Secretary Jo Sharp
Office administrator Matthew Hogan
Accountant John Dunne
Website wpmullins.com
Twitter @WillieMullinsNH

Winners in Ireland

2019-20 166
2018-19 207
2017-18 212
2016-17 180
2015-16 185

Profit/loss to €1 stake

2019-20 -137.86
2018-19 -169.99
2017-18 -80.97
2016-17 -27.58
2015-16 +14.33

Total prize-money 2019-20

€3,935,318

Horses:

Acapella Bourgeois
Ten-year-old gelding
Network (sire) – Jasmine (dam)
Owner: Slaneyville Syndicate
Form figures: 3/00261-
Racing Post Rating: 164c Official Rating: 156c

The Porterstown Chase is worth a lot of money this year, so that could be a nice place to start later on this month. He was good in the Bobbyjo at Fairyhouse when you last saw him. He’s back in training and in good form. I might even try to find a little conditions race for him before the Porterstown if I can.

Aione
7g Coastal Path – La Horquela
Mrs S Ricci
12110-
RPR 143h OR 138h

He won’t be out until the second half of the season, so we will keep him over hurdles when he does reappear. We’ll wait until next season to go chasing.

Allaho
6g No Risk At All – Idaho Falls
Cheveley Park Stud
13-2213
RPR 164c OR 157c

The way he travels and jumps tells me shorter trips might be his thing this season. We’ll see how he copes with that line of thinking and he could end up in the Ryanair in the spring.

Star quality

Al Boum Photo
8g Buck’s Boum – Al Gane
Mrs J Donnelly
O/11/211-
RPR 178c OR 175c

Roll on Tramore! We’ll stick to the tried and tested approach and start him back on New Year’s Day in the same race he’s won for the last two years. As much as I would love to run him earlier in the season, our goal is the Gold Cup in March and we know how to get him there is the best possible shape. He’s working away and doing fast work at the moment. We’ll give him a little breather before upping it again and getting him ready for Tramore. He’s actually quite an unremarkable horse to look at. You would never pick him out from a group of horses in the field, but all I know is that he has the right type of engine you need for the Gold Cup.

Andalusa
5m Martaline – Cadix
Lansdowne Partnership
1-31133
RPR 140c OR 133c

She’s very sharp over the shortest trip and loves jumping. I’m not sure she’s a real winter-type mare, so we’ll give her a little break now as she’s been busy. You won’t see her when there is soft in the going description.

Annamix
7g Martaline – Tashtiyana
Mrs S Ricci
2/21/41-
RPR 132h, 154c

He’s in great shape and ready to go. He has always shown me so much at home and he’s showing me just as much as he always did. I wouldn’t mind stretching him out to two and a half miles. We’ll look for a winners-of-one or second-season novice chase for him. He’s ready for action.

Appreciate It
6g Jeremy – Sainte Baronne
Miss M A Masterson
3112-
RPR 138b

Looking at the way he gallops, you would have to say he looks a real jumping type. He’s a smashing chaser in the making, but it will obviously be novice hurdling for him this season. He ran a big race to finish second to Ferny Hollow in the bumper at Cheltenham and I would say staying trips will be his thing.

Aslukwoodhavit
5g Yourgunnabelucky – She’s The Lady
Roger Brookhouse
Unraced

A nice type who I’m looking forward to seeing in a bumper. You’ll see him shortly.

Asterion Forlonge
6g Coastal Path – Belle Du Brizais
Mrs J Donnelly
1114
RPR 156h OR 155h

He surprised me last season in that I didn’t think he would be able to win Grade 1s over two miles. Then, given he had won a Grade 1 over two miles at Leopardstown, we stuck to that trip at Cheltenham in the Supreme. He jumped out to his right there, but going over further might help his jumping over fences. He’s going to be a nice novice chaser over two and a half miles plus.

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Bacardys
9g Coastal Path – Oasice
Shanakiel Racing Syndicate
6/21243-
RPR 159h OR 155h

He just doesn’t seem to be a chaser, so we’ll stick to hurdles. He ran well enough again in the Stayers‘ Hurdle and deserves another go in that.

Bachasson
9g Voix Du Nord – Belledonne
Edward O’Connell
F/14/361-
RPR 149h, 165c OR 148h

The break really suited this guy. He’s come back to me very strong. We will try to find Grade 2s and 3s for him over fences, as Grade 1s are just above him. We entered him up in the Clonmel Oil Chase on Thursday and he could show up there.

Bapaume
7g Turtle Bowl – Brouhaha
Mrs S Ricci
427168-
RPR 147c OR 150c

I’m very happy with how he came out of his extended break. He’s a very good jumper and I could see him developing into quite a nice staying chaser this season.

Benie Des Dieux
9m Great Pretender – Cana
Mrs S Ricci
1/F-1112
RPR 162h, 147c OR 162h, 147c

She’s had a training setback, so you won’t get to see her until the second half of the season. It’s nothing major at all, but she’s one I want to mind rather than rush. She’s a big unit and a lot easier to keep sound over hurdles, but we will certainly be giving strong consideration to the new mares‘ chase at Cheltenham in March.

Berkshire Royal
5g Sir Percy – Forest Express
Andy Bell & Fergus Lyons
0-
RPR 78h

He was disappointing on his first try over hurdles, but, then again, it was in the Supreme. I’ve no doubt he will make his mark this season and will start off in a maiden hurdle.

Blackbow
7g Stowaway – Rinnce Moll
Roaringwater Syndicate
52/2F42-
RPR 139h OR 140h

We’ll put away his hurdling career and go chasing. If things don’t work out, he can always go back and try to win that maiden hurdle that has eluded him so far. You’ll see him over a fence sooner rather than later and he should do better at this game.

Blazer
9g Network – Juppelongue
John P McManus
40-7437
RPR 147c OR 137c

He’s been disappointing. We gave him a break after the Kerry National. He’s a horse who looks like he wants longer trips nowadays. There could be a nice handicap in him one day.

Blue Sari
5g Saddex – Blue Aster
John P McManus
12/14P-
RPR 122h

He’s good and his Cheltenham bumper form looks exceptionally good now. We’re aiming to have him back on the track for Christmas and he will be kept over hurdles.

Billaway
8g Well Chosen – Taipans Girl
J Turner
312/212-
RPR 142c OR 135c

I thought his inexperience showed at Cheltenham. We’ll get lots more experience into him before he goes back for the Foxhunter. It’s well within his capabilities to lift the nicest trophy on offer at Cheltenham for his game owner John Turner.

Bon Retour
5m Fame And Glory – Rosy De Cyborg
J T Ennis
7P3-134
RPR 134h OR 130h

A nice mare bought from France. She won at Galway and has been a little disappointing since, so we’ve given her a little break. We’ll come back over a longer trip next month. She’ll jump fences in the future.

Brahma Bull
9g Presenting – Oligarch Society
Mrs S Ricci
6/12161-
RPR 148c OR 148c

It will be the staying chase route for him. He’s in that tricky position with a rating of 148 – he’s probably not good enough for Grade 1s, but rated too high for handicaps. Hopefully, his extended break will have brought about further improvement and he’s going well at home.

Brandy Love
4f Jet Away – Bambootcha
Mike Grech
1- (point form)
RPR 90p

She’s by Jet Away, a sire I like who seems to be making a name for himself. She won her point nicely at Cragmore and will go for a mares‘ bumper now.

Brooklynn Glory
5m Fame And Glory – Clamit Brook
Swords Bloodstock Limited
11
RPR 128b

She certainly looks a cut above the average. What she did on very soft ground the other day at Cork puts her in the top league of bumper performers. There’s a good possibility she could travel across the water later in the season.

Buildmeupbuttercup
6m Sixties Icon – Eastern Paramour
J Turner
254-511
RPR 148h OR 143h

A very consistent type. She will go for Listed mares‘ hurdle at Punchestown later this month. She’s had a busy season and has been taking her connections to all the top festivals. She’s a real pleasure to own. There’s a major handicap in her.

Burning Victory
4f Nathaniel – M’Oubliez Pas
Mrs Audrey Turley
11-
RPR 140h OR 144h

We’ve had our own share of bad luck at Cheltenham, so we’ll take what happened in the Triumph. She was very novicey at Cheltenham and the experience she gained there will stand her in good stead. I fully expect her to be a Grade 1 mare this season. She could be a big player in mares‘ races. The Mares‘ Hurdle at Cheltenham will be her main target this season. She would stay two and a half miles every day of the week.

Burrows Saint
7g Saint Des Saints – La Bombonera
Mrs S Ricci
111/531
RPR 157c OR 156c

All roads lead to Aintree for the Grand National after his brilliant Irish Grand National win. That sort of test should be right up his street.

Cabaret Queen
8m King’s Theatre – La Dame Brune
Syndicates.Racing
PF00-31
RPR 149c OR 142c

She surprised me when winning the Kerry National at Listowel as I wasn’t sure she would be able to do it on that ground with that weight. Rather than running in handicaps with a big weight, we’re going to run her in Grade 2s and 3s and see if she can make an impact in those sort of events. She will be aimed at the new mares‘ chase at Cheltenham. She can come back in trip given her method of jumping.

Carfax
5g Robin Des Champs – June Monsoon
Jon Aisbitt
F- (point form)
RPR 73p

A real, big chasing type, who we’ll try to win a bumper with. You won’t see the very best of him until he goes over fences.

Captain Kangaroo
5g Mastercraftsman – We Can Say It Now
Kanga Racing & Brett Graham Syndicate
1-
RPR 127b

He looked good when winning his bumper at Clonmel just before lockdown. He’s a nice horse who goes hurdling.

Carefully Selected
8g Well Chosen – Knockamullen Girl
Miss M A Masterson
1/3111U
RPR 154c OR 152c

He’s another horse who needs to improve to get up into Grade 1s, but I think he could. He’s a real old-fashioned chaser. He was far too keen in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. We’ll come back in trip with him and that could bring about the necessary improvement to make the step up to the top level.

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Cash Back
8g Linda’s Lad – Holding
Watch This Space Syndicate
2/5112F-
RPR 157c OR 156c

Things didn’t go according to plan in the Arkle, but he had been very good over fences prior to that. He should be stronger this season and we’ll keep him to the minimum trip.

Castlebawn West
7g Westerner – Cooksgrove Lady
Mrs R Boyd, Mrs M J Armstrong & J B Anderson
4-6514U
RPR 151c OR 147c

I’ve been very happy with how he’s taking his training this season. We’ll have a look at some of the nice staying chases for him. He was in the process of running a nice race in the RSA when he came down.

Star quality

Chacun Pour Soi
8g Policy Maker – Kruscyna
Mrs S Ricci
53/1/121-
RPR 175c OR 171c

It was obviously disappointing that he picked up a small injury on the morning of the Champion Chase, but that’s the way it goes and you have to take those things on the chin. We’ll have to look at putting that right this season. We’ve got some unfinished business to take care of at Cheltenham. He’s back in training and is fit and well. The obvious place for him to start would be the John Durkan at Punchestown, but I will probably leave it until Leopardstown at Christmas and take the same route to Cheltenham as last season. He’s really well at the moment.

Ciel De Neige
5g Authorized – In Caso Di Neve
John P McManus
53/4220-
RPR 140h OR 138h
He’s yet to win, so we’ll find a maiden hurdle for him. He should be difficult to beat in one of those with his rating. He’ll go down the novice hurdle route.

Cilaos Emery
8g Califet – Queissa
Luke McMahon
1/11F14-
RPR 160h, 166c OR 158h, 163c

He was fourth in the Champion Hurdle, but he’ll resume his chasing career now. I think two miles or two and a half is fine for him and he could return in the Clonmel Oil Chase on Thursday.

Class Conti
8g Poliglote – Gazelle Lulu
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
P/1/P5F2-
RPR 129h, 154c OR 142h,147c

He will be aimed at the Grand National and will mix it between hurdles and chases in the meantime.

Colreevy
7m Flemensfirth – Poetics Girl
Mrs N Flynn
3/12125-
RPR 134h OR 135h

She’s a fine, big, strong mare. She’s the type of mare you would buy if you wanted to have a proper chaser and she goes novice chasing. She likes her racing and we’ll probably start her off over two miles and see how it goes from there. I wouldn’t be afraid to go further with her.

Concertista
6m Nathaniel – Zagzig
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
2/4331
RPR 147h OR 148h

I have to admit I was surprised I was bringing her back to Cheltenham for a second time without having won over hurdles. I thought after she ran so well in the mares‘ novice hurdle the previous year, she would win a few novice hurdles. She chose the big day to open her account over hurdles and it will be back to Cheltenham in March for the Mares‘ Hurdle.

Dandy Mag
7g Special Kaldoun – Naiade Mag
Grant Mercer & Mrs Caren Walsh
3/15450-
RPR 139h, 134c OR 135h

I wouldn’t be afraid to go back hurdling with him. He’ll mix it between hurdling and chasing.

Douvan
10g Walk In The Park – Star Face
Mrs S Ricci
117/F2/1-
RPR 178c OR 167c

It’s looking like it will be the second half of the season when we get him back out. Hopefully, we can get a few runs into him before the big spring festivals to get a gauge on where he’s at.

Easy Game
6g Barastraight – Rule Of The Game
Nicholas Peacock
2F-0112
RPR 166c OR 160c

He just wasn’t in love with track at Down Royal and wants nicer ground anyway. He’ll head to Leopardstown and then onto the spring festivals.

Eight And Bob
7g Big Bad Bob – Mare Nostrum
Act D Wagg Syndicate
0/P100-0
RPR 138h OR 136h

He does have his own ideas about racing and switches himself on and off, but there’s definitely a nice pot in him over hurdles. We think the Pertemps Final could suit him.

Elimay
6m Montmartre – Hyde
John P McManus
26/1111
RPR 148c OR 147c

She’s taken very well to fences and goes for the Listed mares‘ chase at Clonmel on Thursday. She hasn’t put a foot wrong and long may that continue.

Elixir D’ainay
6g Muhtathir – Perle Du Bocage
John P McManus
1/2/125F-
RPR 151h OR 149h

A really nice type to be going novice chasing with. His method of jumping and the speed he has means we will start him over two miles. He was far too keen when we tried him over two miles six at Leopardstown. I think we’ll keep him between two and two and half miles. He’s an easier ride over that trip. He’s a tough ride for a jockey.

Elfile
6m Saint Des Saints – Rapide
Kenneth Alexander
2/11213-
RPR 149h OR 151h

She’s a lovely mare, who looks to me like she will be even better over fences than she was over hurdles. She wants a trip and mares‘ novice chases will be right up her street this season.

Energumene
6g Denham Red – Olinight
Tony Bloom
311-
RPR 133h

He’s a real chaser in the making and won his point, but he’ll spend this season over hurdles. He’s won twice for me over two miles, but will stay further and could improve for a step up in trip.

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Et Dite
6m Limnos- Truffe
Hammer & Trowel Syndicate
1/45126-
RPR 123h

Yet to cross the line first, but through the intervention of the stewards she picked up a maiden hurdle at Punchestown. She actually had quite a disappointing season, but I think you will see a big difference in her now she goes chasing.

Eurotiep
6g Lauro – Naltiepy
Down The Hatch Syndicate
22-
RPR 114b

He has two real nice runs to his name in bumpers. Unfortunately, if he does win a bumper now the lads who own him won’t be able to celebrate properly in McEvoys.

Fan De Blues
5g Poliglote – Tire En Touche
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
2/317-32
RPR 136h, 140c OR 128h, 136c

He’s had a little setback since his good run at Killarney where he just bumped into one. He’ll continue his career over fences when he returns.

Faugheen
12g Germany – Miss Pickering
Mrs S Ricci
3P/1113-
RPR 166c OR 158c

We were gearing him up to have a crack at the Clonmel Oil Chase on Thursday, but he’s had a small setback so won’t make that. It’s nothing too serious at all, but he just needs a week off. We’ll see how he is before making a plan for him. He was initially bought to be a chaser, and always looked like a chaser, so it was brilliant to win two Grade 1s with him over fences last season.

Star quality

Ferny Hollow
5g Westerner – Mirazur
Cheveley Park Stud
2211-
RPR 141b

Paul [Townend] rode him with nerves of steel at Cheltenham. I’d imagine that gave him great personal pleasure, especially to ride him the way he did. It got us on the board and it changed our week. Given the speed he showed that day, I’d imagine Paul will be looking forward to riding him over hurdles as much as we’re looking forward to seeing him. He certainly has enough speed for two miles.

Fils Spirituel
5g Presenting – Toque Rouge
Mrs J Donnelly
15356-
RPR 129h

He’s a maiden over hurdles, but we might go over fences with him. He’s just not showing me on the track what he shows me at home. Perhaps fences will bring out the best in him.

Finest Evermore
4f Yeats – St Helans Bay
J Turner
2-111
RPR 136h

Even though she’s only four, she still looks like a stayer to me. She’s the most fantastic jumper. I think her ability to jump and stay will stand her in good stead. She’s very smart.

Five O’Clock
5g Cokoriko – Rodika
Mrs S Ricci
32/2117-
RPR 143h OR 144h

Not beaten far in the Martin Pipe and looks a real chasing type. He’s a stayer and I’m looking forward to sending him over fences.

Franco De Port
5g Coastal Path – Ruth
Bruton Street V
1/172P-
RPR 145h OR 144h

This fella shows me a lot at home. He was too free in the Coral Cup and the ground was just too soft for him at Limerick over Christmas. He’ll go chasing now and I hope I can manage his career better this season. He’s definitely better than you’ve seen so far.

Francin
7g Air Chief Marshal – Fulgence
Mrs S Ricci
3/6311-
RPR 146h OR 141h

A lovely, big horse who covers ground very quickly. You saw that at Navan in March when he came home strongly to beat a highly-rated horse in Sixshooter. We’re getting him ready for the Royal Bond, which will be his last run as a novice.

Frere Tuck
5g Secret Singer – Tete Et Corde
Cathal Hughes
1/

He won a bumper in France two years ago. He’s a real nice type who jumps well and will start off in a maiden hurdle soon.

Galopin Des Champs
4g Timos – Manon Des Champs
Mrs Audrey Turley
1-

Won over hurdles at Auteuil in May for Arnaud Chaille-Chaille. We’ve entered him in the Royal Bond, but whether he will be ready for that I’m not sure. We’ll be aiming high with him anyway.

Gars En Noir
4g Masked Marvel – Touche Noire
Mrs J Donnelly
F1-
RPR 115h

This is a very nice new arrival. We gave him a tentative entry in the Royal Bond, but that was just in case he instantly started burning up our gallop. We’ll give him a bit of time and it will probably be later in the season when you see him.

Getabird
8g Getaway – Fern Bird
Mrs S Ricci
7P/12/P1-
RPR 156c OR 151c

It will be the second half of the season before we get him going. He needs to go right-handed and we’ll look for a chase for him somewhere in the new year.

Getaway Gorgeous
6m Getaway – Impudent
Whitegrass Getaway Syndicate
21-2125
RPR 138h OR 130h

She’s been busy. We went for a handicap at Down Royal and, while she ran a great race, I should have ran her in the novice hurdle for mares. That said, the experience she gained against top handicappers will help her when she goes back against her own sex.

Gjoumi
4f Maresca Sorrento – Onvavoir
Sean McManus
1/4-
RPR 117h

You’d have to say it was a very encouraging first run for us in a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse behind Burning Victory. She’s sure to make a name for herself in mares‘ novice hurdles this season and will give her owner Sean McManus plenty to smile about.

Good Thyne Tara
10m Kayf Tara – Good Thyne Mary
N G King
163/32F-
RPR 132c

She’s back in training and very well. We’ll go down the mares‘ novice chase route with her. She’s actually well forward for one of mine and will be out soon.

Grangee
4f Great Pretender – Quelle Mome
Syndicates.Racing
1
RPR 104b

Yet another shrewd buy from Jack Cantillon. She certainly looks like a bargain now after what we saw at Galway. She will stick to bumpers this season.

Great White Shark
6m Le Havre – Trip To Fame
Malcolm C Denmark
33083-1
RPR 147h OR 145h

She won the Cesarewitch in quite emphatic fashion and I will look at upgrading her over hurdles on the back of that. There’s a possibility, given the way she won at Newmarket, it could be worth having a crack at the Stayers‘ Hurdle. We’ll try to pick and choose some easy options until the hard choices have to be made at the spring festivals.

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Harmonie Star
3f Boris De Deauville – Tulipe Star
Shanakiel Racing Syndicate
5-1111

She looked a top bumper performer in France and is a very nice recruit to the yard. She will probably emerge in the second half of the season over hurdles.

Hook Up
4f No Risk At All – Mission Accomplie
Mrs S Ricci
30-
RPR 120h

She had a good run at Fairyhouse behind Burning Victory on her first start for us. While she couldn’t get competitive when it mattered in the Triumph, she’ll be well able to hold her own in the good mares‘ novice hurdles this season.

Ifyoucatchmenow
7m Westerner – Ifyoucouldseemenow
Coldunell Limited
2/54813-
RPR 130c OR 127c

We might go back to have another go at the Grand National Trial she won at Punchestown in February, and before then there’s the Porterstown Chase at Fairyhouse coming up. We’ll have to have a look at that.

Janidil
6g Indian Daffodil – Janidouce
John P McManus
22/1115-
RPR 150h OR 149h

He goes novice chasing and he could be smart enough to go down the Arkle route. I know he ran in the Albert Bartlett, but he did all his winning prior to that over two miles.

Jon Snow
5g Le Havre – Saroushka
Mrs S Ricci
3321-11
RPR 150h OR 145h

Unfortunately he met with a setback a few weeks ago, so the winter is off the cards for him. He’ll resume hurdling in the spring.

Jungle Boogie
6g Gold Well – A Better Excuse
Malcolm C Denmark
Unraced

A nice type of horse, who might show up in a bumper soon. He’s six, so we want to get him jumping sooner rather than later.

Kemboy
8g Voix Du Nord – Vitora
Kemboy/Brett Graham/Ken Sharp Syndicate
U1/1427-
RPR 178c OR 168c

He’s entered in the Clonmel Oil Chase on Thursday and we’ll see how he works in the meantime, before deciding whether to let him take his chance. The ground is key with him, he needs a decent surface. We know how much he likes Leopardstown, so we’ll be aiming him at the Savills Chase over Christmas.

Klassical Dream
6g Dream Well – Klassical Way
Mrs Joanne Coleman
111/135-
RPR 160h OR 160h

I suppose you could say he’s something of a forgotten horse. He disappointed me last season, but he goes chasing now and I see him as an Arkle contender. If he doesn’t prove himself to be that, we can go up in trip with him.

Lady Breffni
6m Yeats – Time To Shine
Mark Dobbin
31232-
RPR 127h OR 123h

She’s got some decent form and with a nice mark of 123 she might reappear in a handicap rather than a maiden hurdle.

Lord Royal
5g Lord Du Sud – Tinoroyale
Paul Connell & Alan McGonnell
12-
RPR 143h OR 143h

He’s come back to me in great shape. He was very impressive at Clonmel, but didn’t back it up at Punchestown. We didn’t put him in the Cheltenham team after that, but it could be to his advantage as he’s good and strong now. I’m really looking forward to seeing him over fences and he could be an RSA type.

M C Muldoon
5h Mastercraftsman – Alizaya
Paul Hancock
129740/ (Flat)

A lovely horse who was rated 96 on the Flat when trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam. He’s a big unit who jumps well and you’ll see him out in a maiden hurdle before Christmas. I’m looking forward to that.

Melon
8g Medicean – Night Teeny
Mrs J Donnelly
702142-
RPR 164c OR 155c

He’s run four fantastic races at Cheltenham now and we know he acts around the track, but we just need to pick the right race for him to win one in March. He gave an exhibition of jumping with Patrick [Mullins] in the Marsh and the Gold Cup would have to be on our radar as he certainly stays two and a half miles well. It’s been a lucky race for his owner too.

Micro Manage
4g Rip Van Winkle – Lillebonne
Merriebelle Irish Farm Limited
01/1-37 (Flat)

He’ll be out over hurdles in the next month and jumps very well. He had done some fantastic work in the lead up to the Irish St Leger, but just got a little jarred on the ground.

Star quality

Min
9g Walk In The Park – Phemyka
Mrs S Ricci
51/2121-
RPR 180c OR 169c

He was very good in the Ryanair when I thought he jumped particularly well. He’s won the John Durkan at Punchestown for the last two years, so I don’t see any reason why we should veer away from the tried and tested approach with him. That’s where he will start back and, hopefully, he’ll be back at Cheltenham in March to defend his Ryanair crown.

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Monkfish
6g Stowaway – Martovic
Mrs S Ricci
22111-
RPR 154h OR 152h

A strong stayer; you saw that in the Albert Bartlett. He was very brave there and he looks an exciting staying novice chaser in the making. He jumps well too and is one to look forward to.

Mt Leinster
6g Beat Hollow – Sixhills
Roaringwater Syndicate
72134-6
RPR 148h OR 142h

We’re going to give him an opportunity to jump fences sooner rather than later. We won’t be running him on real heavy ground. He seems to jump particularly well and, if he adapts to chasing, he’s going to be a very interesting sort over two miles.

My Sister Sarah
6m Martaline – Reste Ren Or
Barnane Stud
4FB-221
RPR 146h OR 141h

She’s a strong stayer who won really nicely at Limerick. She could end up in the Mares‘ Hurdle at Cheltenham

N’golo
5g Galileo – Dame Again
Mrs S Ricci
1P11
RPR 133h

He’s improving all the time and his jumping is improving too. I thought Paul was fantastic tactically on him at Navan on Sunday. It’s as good a ride I’ve seen him give a horse. I ran him at Navan to see whether he was good enough to go for the Royal Bond and it looks as though he is now.

Ontheropes
6g Presenting – Dushion
Cheveley Park Stud
41/643P-
RPR 138c OR 137c

This guy could win a big handicap chase this season. He’s going to be a nice staying novice and he’s definitely a bit better than you’ve seen so far.

Pont Aven
7g Doyen – Behlaya
Roderick Ryan & Thomas B Breen & M D Minch
132PUP-
RPR 137c OR 132c

He goes for the 2m4f handicap chase at Punchestown next Saturday.

Rayapour
4g Mastercraftsman – Radiyya
McNeill Family
5/24122- (Flat)

He’s a four-year-old by Mastercraftsman who has run some really good races over a mile and a half on the Flat in France. He’s rated 97 at that game. He could be quite nice and I’d be very much hoping he’s up to winning a maiden hurdle.

Reality Cheque
5g Getaway – Coolaghmore Yeats
Mulcahy
F1- (point)

Won a point for Pat Doyle at Kilfeacle in January. That’s been a lucky yard for me to buy horses out of. He’s a nice chasing type who will start off in bumpers.

Robin De Carlow
7m Robin Des Champs – La Reine De Riogh
Catchherifucan Racing Syndicate
F/11P21-
RPR 146c OR 138c

She had a hoof problem which kept her out after winning a Grade 3 novice chase at Tipperary. She has made great progress and we hope to get her back to the track in the second half of the season. She beat the subsequent Arkle winner [Put The Kettle On] at Tipperary, so hopefully she’ll get a chance to prove that form was not a fluke.

Robin Des Foret
10g Robin Des Pres – Omyn Supreme
Byerley Racing Syndicate
0-20264
RPR 154c OR 148c

He’s had a busy season already, so he’s getting a break. He’ll come back when there’s some nice ground in the spring and will contest some of those valuable handicap chases.

Royal Rendezvous
8g King’s Theatre – Novacella
Dr S P Fitzgerald
P1351-2
RPR 153c OR 153c

We’ve had a small problem with him since he was second in the Galway Plate, so it will be the second half of the season when he returns. I have to admit I wasn’t entirely convinced about his ability to stay the Plate trip, but I was much happier about that after the race. We could up him in trip again and the big handicap chases beckon for him when he returns.

Ruaille Buaille
5m Salutino – Cyclone Lorraine
Ri Ra Racing Syndicate
3-21146
RPR 128h

You can completely disregard her run at Punchestown. She was unlucky at Galway before that. I have a feeling returning to two miles might bring out the best in her.

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Saldier
6g Soldier Hollow – Salve Evita
Mrs S Ricci
1531/F/1-
RPR 161h OR 159h

He’s in great shape and is entered in the Hatton’s Grace, but there’s the Morgiana a few weeks before that and he won it last year. Some of his form entitles him to be aimed at the top races and I’d love to get at least one crack at a Champion Hurdle with him.

Salsaretta
7m Kingsalsa – Kendoretta
Mrs S Ricci
9/P1111-
RPR 150c OR 148c

She hasn’t put a foot wrong over fences and is four from four. She’s entered in the Listed mares‘ chase at Clonmel on Thursday and could show up in that. She also has an entry in the big handicap chase at Punchestown on Saturday. I would say she needs soft or heavy in the going description to be at her best.

Saint Roi
5g Coastal Path – Sainte Vigne
John P McManus
3/511-1
RPR 151h OR 151h

He’s always worked very well and I would say the piece of work he did before Cheltenham was one of the best bits of work we’ve seen on our gallop all year. We were delighted to give Barry [Geraghty] his final Cheltenham winner in the County Hurdle and he came back in good shape at Tipperary. The Morgiana is the plan now and then we will look at the Leopardstown races for him.

Saint Sam
3g Saint Des Saints – Ladeka
Edward J Ware
911
RPR 110h

A really nice acquisition by Edward Ware. He’s a natural jumper as most Saint Des Saints are. I like that he showed the speed to win over two miles one furlong in France and, with his pedigree, he can improve with age. I like him.

Sayo
6g Dalakhani – Tiyi
Miss M A Masterson
P300-81
RPR 144h OR 142h

He slipped up in a Flat handicap at Listowel and ended up with a few war wounds from it. We’ve nursed him back and he’s doing fast work this week. He has ability and we’ll mix it between Flat handicaps and hurdling.

Shadow Rider
6g Martaline – Samansonnienne
John P McManus
1/ (point)
RPR 93p

He won a point-to-point nicely at Knockanard. I’d say we’ll skip bumpers and go straight for a maiden hurdle. Colin Bowe liked him and he could make his mark over hurdles.

Sharjah
7g Doctor Dino – Saaryeh
Mrs S Ricci
1B/4162-
RPR 168h OR 164h

He ran a cracker in the Champion Hurdle and for a fleeting moment I thought we might win it coming down to the last. All roads lead back there, but we know he goes particularly well at Leopardstown too, so he will have the same sort of programme as last season.

Shanning
7m Spanish Moon – Idaho Falls
Lady in Waiting & Brett Graham Syndicate
017-962
RPR 145h OR 136h

She’s been disappointing and is on a break. She’ll be back in time for the new year. If I can get her right there’s a nice handicap in her.

Shewearsitwell
5m Shirocco – Ware It Vic
Closutton Racing Club
111
RPR 147h

She’s a really sharp hurdler who should give her connections something to shout about this season. She’s in the Royal Bond and we’ll see if she’s good enough for that class. That will determine where she goes for the rest of season.

Stattler
5g Stowaway – Our Honey
R A Bartlett
132-
RPR 124b

He’s by Stowaway out of an Old Vic mare and looks a staying type. In saying that, Stowaways tend to have great cruising speed, so he could win over two miles.

The Big Getaway
6g Getaway – Saddlers Dawn
Mrs J Donnelly
2/21413-
RPR 152h OR 150h

A horse I’m really looking forward to getting out over fences. He ran a big race in the Ballymore behind Envoi Allen at Cheltenham. He’s always been a big, chasing type. He’s a horse any jockey would love to sit on over fences with his strength and size. He’s a stayer.

The West Awaits
5m Flemensfirth – Lonesome Dove
Mrs John Magnier
261-
RPR 111b

She’s a well-bred mare who should improve for going over longer trips over hurdles.

Tiger Tap Tap
5g Jukebox Jury – Tomato Finish
Mrs S Ricci
11060-8
RPR 138h OR 132h

He’s already had seven runs this year, so I’ve given him a little break. Expect him to come back and be a lot sharper than his last couple of runs. I think he’s a horse who is well handicapped. Watch out for him in a nice handicap over Christmas.

Tornado Flyer
7g Flemensfirth – Mucho Macabi
T F P Partnership
411P35-
RPR 155c OR 150c

He seems to run well early in the season and then go off the boil. I’ve changed his training methods in an attempt to keep his form throughout the season. He’s a 150-rated chaser, who could be a bit better than that. He’s knocking on the door of Grade 1 territory. I’m convinced that if we tinker a little bit with his training routine we can get a bit more improvement out of him.

Total Recall
11g Westerner – Augest Weekend
Slaneyville Syndicate
3P/8631-
RPR 164c OR 158c

He’s been a great servant to the yard and for his owners. Little did I think he would win the Thyestes last year in the manner he did. It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that he has another big handicap in him either.

Unexcepted
6g Anzillero – Eaton Lass
John P McManus
3/12P-1
RPR 139h, 153c OR 137h

He could be our Arkle horse. He has huge natural talent to jump fences and a very high cruising speed. He’s a horse who excites everybody, including myself. Mark [Walsh] came back in after the race at Tipperary and said he felt the horse was only doing a nice handy speed; he didn’t realise how far clear he was. I know it looked like he had an easy race, but when horses win in the manner he did, I’m always keen to give them a bit of time afterwards. I’d say you will see him again at Christmas.

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Vis Ta Loi
6g Smadoun – Dicte Ta Loi
Creighton Family
3/13336-
RPR 136h OR 133h

A staying novice hurdler from last season, who didn’t reach the heights we were hoping for. He’s a natural jumper of a fence though, and I’ve no doubt he will prove to be a much better chaser than hurdler.

Yukon Lil
6m Flemensfirth – Dare To Doubt
Mrs John Magnier
42/7154-
RPR 130h OR 133h

I’d imagine she’ll go chasing. She was rated 133 over hurdles, but with her pedigree she could improve on that considerably over fences.

Two for the tracker

Unexcepted is a horse who excites everybody, including myself. He could be our Arkle horse. Vis Ta Loi is a natural jumper of a fence and I’ve no doubt he will prove to be a much better chaser than hurdler.

Expert view

Despite the fact he has been a bit slower out of the blocks this year and that his trainers‘ title is probably under greater threat from Gordon Elliott than it has ever been, Willie Mullins will be as big a powerhouse in the spring as ever.

When he says he has unfinished business at Cheltenham next year, it would be wise not to ignore.

The central theme of his season is whether Al Boum Photo will prove good enough to win the Gold Cup for a third year in succession.

The tried-and-trusted method of a single prep run at Tramore on New Years Day is going to be repeated again, and the opposition this year looks to be of a similar level.

If stablemate Kemboy can return to the form he showed two seasons ago he could be the biggest danger.

Mullins is speaking of former Champion Hurdle runner-up Melon being trained as a Gold Cup horse this year, and perhaps he will finally give Min a chance to see if he can make the grade over three miles plus. The King George could be an ideal race for him.

In terms of unfinished business, Mullins is particularly referencing the setback which prevented Chacun Pour Soi from contesting the Champion Chase, but he was not really at his scintillating best last season in any case.

He remains the best two-mile chaser around in terms of sheer ability and he will be hard to stop in his quest to be the champion at that distance.

Mullins saddled Sharjah to a career-best performance in finishing second in last season’s Champion Hurdle, but the champion trainer could be much more strongly represented this time around with highly promising Morgiana Hurdle winner Saldier.

Last season’s impressive County Hurdle scorer Saint Roi is also likely to be given a chance to see if he can step up to that level.

Mullins will not be short of top-class mares again this season. The new mares‘ chase at Cheltenham is being spoken of as the target for Benie Des Dieux.

Hope springs eternal that she might be more ambitiously campaigned this year with perhaps the Stayers‘ Hurdle in mind, but it would be wise not to be optimistic.

In the novice divisions there looks to be an abundance of quality yet again. There may not be a more exciting horse than Micro Manage over two miles. He was considered an Irish Derby possible in 2019 and is a proven Group performer on the Flat this year.

Add to that last season’s Champion Bumper first and second Ferny Hollow and Appreciate It, along with well-touted French import Harmonie Star, and you are only scratching the surface.

The most precocious of the early-season Mullins novice chasers is Tipperary winner Unexcepted, closely related to Grade 1-winning tearaway Great Field and a horse in a similar mould.

2019 Supreme Novices‘ Hurdle hero Klassical Dream goes chasing this season, as does last season’s Albert Bartlett Novices‘ Hurdle winner Monkfish.

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The post Willie Mullins Stable Tour appeared first on RaceBets Blog.

Jumps trainers might not want to read on.

That is due to the awesome depth of talent Nicky Henderson – crowned champion trainer for the sixth time last term – has at his disposal.

What Henderson, who recently celebrated the 42nd anniversary of his first winner yet remains as driven as ever, details could frighten the hell out of his rivals, especially if Altior and Buveur D’Air can bounce back – and there is confidence they can – Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante continues to shine, Santini and Champ remain authentic Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders and Shishkin lives up to his billing as Seven Barrows‘ latest superstar.

There is strength in most areas, so optimism is high the yard can enjoy another productive campaign.

Don’t say you weren’t told.

Race in focus

We want to win the Grand National because we’ve never won it, we’ve won eight Champion Hurdles, so want nine, but you’re never not going to want the Gold Cup – that’s not too greedy is it?

Rival to watch

If Shishkin goes two miles, I’d expect Chantry House to go two and a half and I’m then hoping Envoi Allen goes three miles, in which case that’s the three novice chases at the festival sorted out.

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Stable profile

Yard Seven Barrows
Where Lambourn, Berkshire
Started training 1978
Horses in yard 148
Members of staff 56
Second in command Charlie Morlock
Head lad David Fehily
Assistant trainers Katie Croft, Billy Aprahamian, George Daly, Hannah Ryan
Travelling head lads/lasses Richard Nicholas, Sarah Shreeve, Jack Findlater
Jockeys Nico de Boinville, Jerry McGrath, James Bowen, Daryl Jacob, Aidan Coleman
Conditionals Joe Anderson, Alfie Jordan
PA Carolyn Harty
Accounts Marie McClure
Stable sponsor Unibet
Twitter @sevenbarrows

Winners in Britain 

2019-20 118
2018-19 141
2017-18 141
2016-17 154
2015-16 81

Profit/loss to £1 stake

2019-20 -£45.87
2018-19 -£14.75
2017-18 -£76.49
2016-17 -£113.50
2015-16 -£101.03

Prize-money 2019-20

£2,539,198

Horses:

Adjali
Five-year-old gelding 
Kamsin (sire) – Anabasis (dam)
Owner: Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
Form figures: 374/60-P
Racing Post Rating – Official rating 137c

A decent juvenile hurdler two seasons ago, he’d had a wind operation, but a problem with his breathing reared its ugly head on soft ground on his debut over fences at Hexham last month, so we’ve got to get that corrected.

Ahorsewithnoname
5m Cacique – Sea Of Galilee
D J Burke & P Alderson
431/
RPR 103b

She’s a sweet mare who recently joined us for hurdling having won a bumper and two Flat races. She’s schooled beautifully after a fortnight with Henrietta Knight, is working nicely and is all but ready.

Allart
6g Shantou – The Adare Woman
R A Bartlett
3/F115-
RPR 143h OR 145h

He was an honourable fifth to Shishkin in the Supreme and it was a shame he couldn’t run again because of lockdown, although he’d excelled to earn his Cheltenham ticket beforehand. He goes chasing and jumps brilliantly. He has plenty of speed so two miles appears ne, although he’d get further.

Star quality

Altior
10g High Chaparral – Monte Solaro
Mrs Patricia Pugh
1111/21-
RPR 183c OR 172c

The ground at Ascot was desperate for his head-to-head with Cyrname, but it was an unavoidable clash. It wasn’t being beaten that hurt, just that Altior was exhausted and took time to get over it, but I’m glad he bounced back for Newbury’s Game Spirit, which he won in style. It put him spot on for the Champion Chase. His work had been brilliant, his schooling frightening, but he developed a splint on his near-fore. There was nothing we could do except watch as Politologue, whom Altior had beaten three times out of three, won. Anyway, everything is fine and he’s looking tremendous, so hopefully can pick up where he left off back down the normal two-mile route, starting in the Tingle Creek.

Apple’s Shakira
6m Saddler Maker – Apple’s For Ever
John P McManus
1143/P6/
RPR 142h OR 141h

It’s lovely to have her back as she missed last term but had been productive when she first arrived. She then disappointed, but she’s grown and strengthened and she’s a sister to Apple’s Jade, so I’m hopeful she can follow her act.

Arcadian Pearl
5g Arcadio – Grangeclare Pearl
Biddestone Racing XVII
7-
RPR 88b

He’s taken time but is all quality and we’re getting there. He ran respectably in his bumper and will go hurdling. He’s a slick jumper.

Arturus
5g Camelot – Scandisk
J Turner
8

He’s a beautiful horse and he’s beautifully bred, being a half-brother to Hurricane Fly, but he found that testing ground at Ascot on Saturday hard work. He’s lovely and will find his feet. I don’t know if we’ll go hurdling yet, but he jumps very well.

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Ballingers Corner
5m Jeremy – Dances With Wolves
M Roberts
1- (point-to-point)
RPR 76p

A pretty point winner, she was with us in the spring and we liked her, but she’s done well for a summer at Henrietta Knight’s and is one to look forward to when she goes hurdling.

Ballycross
9g King’s Theatre – Ninna Nanna
Oscar Singh & Miss Priya Purewal
PPP/272-
RPR 140c OR 126c

He was bought for the Grand Military Gold Cup, which was abandoned at Sandown and moved to Wincanton only for racing to shut down. We thought he had a cracking chance and that race will again be the objective, although he’ll pay his way through the season with cut in the ground.

Balmuick
4g So You Think – Full Of Love
Thomas Barr
17
RPR 89h

He won in style on very good ground at Hexham in September and softer conditions at Chepstow last week just found him out.

Barbados Blue
6m Getaway – Buck’s Blue
Crimbourne Bloodstock
122/1-
RPR 125h OR 119h

A first-time-out bumper winner, she scored comfortably at Kempton in May last year but came back with a leg problem. She was going nicely in the spring, has size and scope and jumps pleasingly. With no miles on the clock, she’s exciting.

Baron Nelson
4g Mount Nelson – Toolentidhaar
M A R Blencowe
6
RPR 79b

I was a bit disappointed with him at Market Rasen, but mine maybe weren’t quite on fire then and it would be hard to judge him on that. He jumps well, goes hurdling and I like him a lot.

Beware The Bear
10g Shantou – Native Bid
G B Barlow
411P/48-
RPR 165c OR 158c

We campaigned him last season for the Grand National, which obviously never took place, but he’d shown what a grand Aintree prospect he was when winning the Ultima at Cheltenham last year. We’ll again aim for Aintree, which we always felt would suit and it was desperately disappointing we couldn’t go there in April.

Birchdale
6g Jeremy – Onewayortheother
John P McManus
11P/38-
RPR 128c OR 145c

He didn’t enjoy his debut over fences behind Angels Breath, who is sadly out for the season, but ran creditably behind Dame De Compagnie in the Coral Cup. We’ll go chasing again – he needs confidence but is schooling beautifully.

Bond’s Lover
6m Flemensfirth – Courageuse
Mrs Christopher Hanbury
1-
RPR 121h

She took time last year but won pleasingly on her hurdling debut at Newbury on heavy ground, which she loved. A nice chaser in the making, she should benefit from experience and is more the nished article, so she should have a fruitful season.

Bothwell Bridge
5g Stowaway – Raise The Issue
Thomas Barr
22-
RPR 121b

He has all the credentials and ran admirably in two up-to-scratch bumpers. He’s schooled splendidly and goes hurdling. I hope he’ll take high rank at that and make a smashing chaser in time. 

Brain Power
9g Kalanisi – Blonde Ambition
Michael Buckley
41PP/1-6
RPR 162h OR 147h

He got a nasty overreach at Kempton the other day, which needed two general anaesthetics. That run was a prep for the International Hurdle at Cheltenham, but we might struggle to get there now.

Brave Eagle
8g Yeats – Sinful Pleasure
Robert Kirkland
3/1180-5
RPR 162c OR 153c

He’s not the biggest but he’s talented and has given us and Robert enormous fun. He doesn’t really handle soft ground, especially in the top staying handicap chases, and is too consistent for his own good, so the handicapper has him absolutely hammered.

Brilliant Present
4f Presenting – Ouro Preto
Mr And Mrs J D Cotton
6
RPR 86b

Gold Present’s little sister, she nearly unseated Jerry [McGrath] at Lingfield in an all-weather bumper recently but ran on encouragingly. I’m sweet on her.

Burrows Edge
7g Martaline – La Vie De Boitron
Michael Buckley
6/23/F10-
RPR 139h OR 137h

He’s a smart hurdler who won the notoriously competitive Lanzarote last term, although he faded a bit in the Coral Cup. He wants good ground and is a prime contender for chasing.

Buttsbury Lady
5m Great Pretender – Ceilidh Royal
Mrs Rita Brown
15
RPR 104b

We know this family inside out and she caught the eye on her debut in July. She’s schooled well and goes hurdling. She has a bright future. 

Star quality

Buveur D’Air
9g Crillon – History
John P McManus
21F2/12-
RPR 171h; OR 167h

Sadly he was beaten a short head in a muddling Fighting Fifth and came back with a wedge of hurdle stuck in his hoof, which resulted in a complicated procedure to remove it, and a large part of his hoof. He went back to JP’s Martinstown Stud, where his rehab continued. All is going well and we’re thrilled. He’s cantering on the grass – a strip of watered ground that he hacks and trots on three times a day – slowly and it’s a long road back. I’m not going to guess when he’ll be ready, but the only objective is the Champion Hurdle, which he’s won twice already. Even if we do have Epatante, you might as well have two arrows. Hannah Ryan looks after Buveur and if she’s happy, I’m happy.

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Buzz
6g Motivator – Tiysha
Thurloe For Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
114-3
RPR 141h OR 137h

He ran a great race in the Welsh Champion Hurdle last month and we’ll continue in those competitive handicap hurdles.

Call Me Lord
7g Slickly – Sosa
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
73/2120-
RPR 164h OR 155h

He was as good as ever when bagging the International Hurdle at Cheltenham last season. I had queries about the trip and going left-handed, but he won decisively. We couldn’t get him in the same form in the spring though. He’s never enjoyed fences at home so will remain hurdling and I think there are smart races to win from two miles to three.

Captain Morgs
4g Milan – Gold Donn
The Albatross Club
21
RPR 105b

Unlucky not to win a bumper at Warwick first time, he put that right over hurdles at Ascot on Saturday. There’s no need to do anything fancy just yet, but hopefully he’ll hit some sixes like his namesake [England cricket star Eoin Morgan], who was watching from Dubai over the weekend.

Captain Woodie 
8g Presenting – Lasado
Middleham Park Racing LXXX
1/7/722-3
RPR 116c OR 117c 

I can’t get him right, but one day he’ll hit the headlines and get it right himself and win a decent contest. He’s capable and his patient syndicate deserves a change of luck.

Caribean Boy
6g Myboycharlie – Caribena
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
5692/31-
RPR 143c OR 144c

He’s managed only two races for us, but I like him and Kevin Mooney, who rides him at home, has always been positive. I see him staying three miles if he relaxes and he’s a novice for a bit, so I ought to be able to get a novice chase into him this month.

Casablanca Mix
8m Shirocco – Latitude
Evan-Robert Hanbury
0/1114-2
RPR 154c OR 150c

She’s a grand, fun mare who loves life and jumping, and our aim was the Topham, which we’re keen on again. She ran a super race at Chepstow on her comeback and I’m sure she has more to offer, especially if conditions are quick. 

Cascova
5g Casamento – Sina Cova
Chelsea Thoroughbreds – Cascova
120/P-
RPR 110b

He’d done everything really well at home, but his hurdling debut at Ascot was disappointing and we gave him time. The season ended before we could restart, but he’s had a good summer, is hopefully over his issues and ready for a lucrative novice hurdle campaign.

Star quality

Champ
8g King’s Theatre – China Sky
John P McManus
21/11F1-
RPR 167c OR 161c

It’s fantastic he’s living up to his exalted name and his extraordinary win in the RSA will be remembered for years. Jumping the last, he looked destined for third, but the hill and an inspired Barry [Geraghty] galvanised him and he made up a ridiculous amount of ground in the last 100 yards to win. We were doing some jumping after his summer break and he made a slight whistle, which only Nico [de Boinville] detected, but [vet] Geoff Lane confirmed it, so he’s had a wind operation. It makes me wonder in that patch in the RSA when he dropped back, was he just looking for a pitstop? Barry doesn’t disagree and, having got that second wind, he flew home. We’ll also tidy up his jumping as to win the Gold Cup you’ve got to be immaculate, so there are two reasons he can improve – his wind and jumping. The chances are he’ll go to Ireland for the Savills Chase, then have another run in Britain before we hope he can be a true champ at Cheltenham.

Champagne Mystery
6g Shantou – Spanker
Trevor Hemmings
22/122P-
RPR 146c OR 139c

A capable horse who makes the pace, he was impressive at Aintree last season but the handicapper took a dim view. His jumping let him down at the festival, but he was hampered.

Champagne Platinum
6g Stowaway – Saffron Holly
John P McManus
1/55437-
RPR 141c OR 137c

He looked set for the top over hurdles but lost confidence chasing, although ran respectably in the Kim Muir when he probably didn’t stay. You wouldn’t want to come too far back in trip though, and his novice chase status is a bonus, while his schooling has been superb.

Chantecler
9g Authorized – Snow Goose
David White & Dean Gibbs
55/3117
RPR 122h OR 121h

He came to us wonderfully well handicapped and managed to win two. With a bit of luck, he can win another.

Chantry House
6g Yeats – The Last Bank
John P McManus
1/113-
RPR 148h OR 147h

A handsome horse, he won twice over hurdles before his excellent third in the Supreme. He goes chasing, probably over two and a half miles, and he’s extremely exciting. I’m hoping he’s a star of the future.

Chasamax
5g Jeremy – Peratus
International Plywood (Importers) Ltd
323-P2
RPR 116h OR 115h

I was pleased with his performance when he finished second at Ludlow two weeks ago and he’s obviously on the upgrade.

Chives
6g Sulamani – Ceilidh Royal
Mrs Rita Brown
Unraced

We know this family closely and he was well educated in the spring, so hopefully he won’t take long to come to hand.

Claimantakinforgan
8g Great Pretender – Taquine D’Estrees
Lady Dulverton
1352/13/
RPR 150c OR 148c

One of our leading novice chasers the year before last, he had to take a season out. However, he was close to the best as a novice hurdler and retains that potential over fences.

Clarendon Street
7g Court Cave – Carrigeen Kalmia
Owners Group 028
4/215/
RPR 127h OR 129h

He was promising over hurdles but endured some niggly – not serious – problems. He’s returned in excellent shape and could go chasing, although he lacks experience and another run or two over hurdles might help. If all holds together he has a fine future.

Colonial Dreams
8g Westerner – Dochas Supreme
C N Barnes
6251/86-
RPR 138h OR 136h

He hasn’t found fences easy at home and we’ve stayed over hurdles. He’s high enough in the weights but can continue to be competitive in decent handicaps and hopefully win one.

Corrany
6g Court Cave – Time For An Audit
Trevor Hemmings
7/39222-
RPR 129h OR 126h

I’ve always rated him. He needs good ground and I’d like to win over hurdles before we go chasing.

Countister
8m Smadoun – Tistairly
John P McManus
5/30/78-9
RPR 138h OR 135h

Has some classy form, but didn’t sparkle last season and it was the same at Ascot on Saturday. She’d been working well and giving us better vibes, but disappointed and I’m not sure why.

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Craigneiche
6g Flemensfirth – Itsalark
Robert Kirkland
131-
RPR 126h OR 127h

He did well last season, winning a bumper and over hurdles, but little hiccups held him up and racing was halted when he was ready. The summer has done him the world of good and he appears a smart chaser in the making.

Crystal Gazing
5m Sulamani – Crystal Princess
Seven Barrows Limited
147-542
RPR 112h OR 115h

A nice mare who wants a sound surface and probably ran her best race at Ludlow recently. She’s available to lease and have some fun with before returning to her owner’s stud.

Dame De Compagnie
7m Lucarno – Programmee
John P McManus
521/511-
RPR 147h OR 148h

She’s smashing and won at Cheltenham last December before stepping up – very professionally – in the Coral Cup. The plan is to go chasing but we haven’t schooled her over fences as she came in a little later. We’ll see how we go, but either way she’s quality.

Diamond River
5g Imperial Monarch – River Clyde
Jockey Club Ownership (SW 2020) Limited
32-15
RPR 105h

I hope he can give his patient owners some fun and he’s had some good schooling with Henrietta Knight, so should progress over hurdles.

Dickie Diver
7g Gold Well – Merry Excuse
John P McManus
214/
RPR 145h OR 141h

He was a good novice hurdler and was fourth in the Albert Bartlett in 2019, but niggly issues kept him off last season. I’m dying to see him over fences and he desperately wants soft ground.

Docte Dina
6m Doctor Dino – Artofmen
Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group
5/14-
RPR 101h

She has lots of potential and I hope she’ll take top rank in mares‘ novice hurdles after an encouraging hurdling debut at Ludlow before Christmas.

Downtown Getaway
7g Getaway – Shang A Lang
T F P
217/P10-
RPR 138h OR 136h

He’s a grand, big horse who has shown plenty. He’s had problems and isn’t the easiest to train, but there’s no doubting his ability and it’s time for chasing. 

Duke Of Chalfont
4g Alianthus – Bonne Mere
A Speelman & M Speelman
5
RPR 95b

I thought he ran all right at Lingfield in an all-weather bumper and Sean Bowen, who rode him, was pleased too.

El Kaldoun
6g Special Kaldoun – Kermesse d’Esutruval
Middleham Park Racing CIV
6/5260-1
RPR 121c OR 120c

It was marvellous to see him win over fences at Hexham last month and he did it well. He jumped great and Jerry [McGrath] was positive. He should be able to do that again.

Elusive Belle
6m Elusive Pimpernel – Soviet Belle
Robert Waley-Cohen
201/325-
RPR 139h OR 136h

She ran respectably last season in quality company. The plan is to go chasing and I think she could be extremely proficient as she schooled neatly in the spring. She’s ready to go.

Emir Sacree
6g Network – Altesse Sacree
G L Porter
222F/
RPR 121c

Closely related to Sprinter Sacre, he was second three times in France and is quite forward and likeable. We might wait for some cut in the ground.

Star quality

Epatante
6m No Risk At All – Kadjara
John P McManus
119/111-
RPR 163h OR 162h

She stepped up after the Gerry Feilden to win the Christmas Hurdle impressively and did the same in the Champion Hurdle, which was a joy to watch. She was ridden at home by Sophie Candy, who got to know her closely and the trust they had in each other was instrumental. The Fighting Fifth is the obvious starting point for her followed by the Christmas Hurdle again. She’s probably not a chaser, but she doesn’t need to be when there’s every chance of winning another Champion.

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Falco Blitz
6g Falco – Ignited
Axom LXXVII
12415-5
RPR 131c OR 132c

I like him a lot, but he made a couple of mistakes and jumped to the left on his debut over fences at Ascot on Saturday. He’ll come on for that and could develop into a decent novice chaser.

Father John
5g Secret Singer – Oudette
Middleham Park Racing Xi
1-
RPR 102b

He’s had niggly problems and his novice hurdle campaign never materialised last season, but he’s stronger and more mature for that now. He’s done loads of schooling and will get there.

Fix Sun
5g Al Namix – Quelly Bruere
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
21/112-0
RPR 131h OR 136h

Won twice last season and nearly made it three, but we never felt we had him spot on and he should improve a lot from his recent outing at Cheltenham.

Flinteur Sacre
5g Network – Fatima III
John P McManus
21-
RPR 128b

He’s Sprinter Sacre’s brother and has looked the part from day one. He won with ridiculous ease at Kempton in February, did plenty of schooling in the spring and is ready for hurdling. He has a bit to live up to but is exciting. His lad Sarwar Mohammed tells me he’s just like riding Sprinter, but that might be heart ruling head! 

Floressa
5m Poliglote – Dona Rez
Just Four Men
2/12129-
RPR 141h OR 141h

Gorgeous and classy, she was a Listed winner last season and is better than her performance at the festival. She pulled some muscles in her back and missed a race at Wetherby on Saturday, which was frustrating, but she’ll soon be okay and we’re condent she’s a leading lady in waiting. 

Follow The Bear
8g King’s Theatre – Mrs Dempsey
G B Barlow
1112P-4
RPR 132c OR 135c

He’s a delightful character and I’ll be disappointed if he can’t go far as a chaser. He’s an accurate jumper and strong stayer who prefers good ground.

Fox’s Socks
5g Crillon – Queva De Sarti
J Palmer-Brown
42-
RPR 101b

I like him and he should have won a jumpers‘ bumper at Wolverhampton. He’s coming along and loves his jumping.

Fraser Island
4g Australia – Ponty Acclaim
A D Spence
1320-0
RPR 120h OR 126h

A neat horse who did well last term, he’s more robust now and can continue to progress. I was disappointed with him at Chepstow last month, but some of mine were needing it more than I thought.

Fred
5g Cokoriko – Veribelle
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
22/3311-
RPR 139h OR 144h

He had a fruitful campaign and is a bonny, bouncy sort who I don’t think wants testing conditions. The plan is to go chasing.

French Crusader
7g Kapgarde – Largesse
Robert Kirkland
52/121/2-
RPR 141h OR 139h

He’s talented, as his second to Epatante last season demonstrates, but not easy to train. He could stay hurdling or go chasing and, if everything is right, could be very good.

Fugitives Drift
5g Yeats – Shebeganit
HP Racing Fugitives Drift
3/312-11
RPR 137h OR 137h

He’s two from two this autumn and it was possibly to his advantage he didn’t run again in the spring as he had an enjoyable early summer on some lovely grass at Fiona Marner’s. 

Fusil Raffles
5g Saint Des Saints – Tali Des Obeaux
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
11P0-11
RPR 158h OR 152c

Chasing has helped him regain what he showed as a four-year-old, when he won a Grade 1 at the Punchestown festival, and he’s unbeaten in two over fences, including a polished display at Cheltenham last time. He could go into graded company, possibly at the next Cheltenham meeting, and I’m keen to go two and a half miles, but it doesn’t appear essential at the moment.

Galan Des Planches
4g Crillon – Quaty Des Planches
The Ten From Seven
56
RPR 91h

He’ll get there. He was sixth at Stratford last week and is just taking time to get the hang of things, but he’ll be all right and I like him.

Gallyhill
5g Getaway – Tanit
Claudio Michael Grech
1- (point-to-point)
RPR 90p

We loved what we saw in the spring from this handsome big point winner, and he’s had a good summer with Henrietta Knight. You won’t see him until the ground is properly soft. 

Galurin
4g Sunday Break – Rirta
Million in Mind Partnership
5-62
RPR – OR –

He’s our new horse for Million in Mind, who have been such loyal and enthusiastic owners. He shaped favourably in French bumpers and the biggest thing will be keeping a lid on him as he’s quite buzzy, but he looks like he’ll go well. Hurdling is almost certain.

Giants Table
5g Great Pretender – Bold Fire
Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford
1/ (point-to-point)
RPR 92p

He’s a grand sort and time won’t have done him any harm. He’ll start in novice hurdles but is a staying chaser of the future – hopefully a magnificent one.

Gipsy De Choisel
4g Great Pretender – Beautiful Choisel
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
1
RPR – OR –

He won his only start in France and is a grand looker. I’m relishing seeing him in novice hurdles as he’s very nice.

Global Society
5g Shirocco – Oligarch Society
Johnnie Lightfoot
2221P4-
RPR 122h OR 128h

He looked to be going places when he won at Doncaster but ran away with Nico on the way to the start at Kempton and was out of control in the race too. I’m hopeful what was ailing him is in the past after a good summer at home.

Glynn
6g Winged Love – Barnish River
Owners Group 039
1/1-
RPR 131h

He was brilliant at Doncaster on his hurdling debut but didn’t sparkle afterwards and then racing was curtailed when we were ready again. He’s had an excellent summer and has enormous potential. I’m not in a rush to go chasing. 

Go Chique
4f Crillon – Similaresisoldofa
Middleham Park Racing CX
15
RPR 98h

A lovely looker, she won a Southwell bumper in style and I’m optimistic she can build on her hurdling debut.

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Go Sacre Go
4g Network – Altesse Sacree
G L Porter
P-
RPR – OR –

From the family of Sprinter Sacre and immature like him, he’s a stunning youngster who may need time, but he’s grown and developed outstandingly over the summer.

Goodbye Stranger
3g Kapgarde – Romaneda
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
Unraced

He came via the same French connections as We Have A Dream and could start in a bumper or juvenile hurdle. He ticks the boxes, but we don’t know much about him.

Gold Present
10g Presenting – Ouro Preto
Mr And Mrs J D Cotton
P/39F2/9-
RPR 158c OR 150c

He’s an old favourite who is consistent and classy and takes in all the big meetings. He’s had a wind operation, so I’m looking forward to seeing him back, particularly on good ground.

Dark horse

Gran Luna
4f Spanish Moon – Coppena
Surrey Racing (GL)
1-
RPR 93b

We saw plenty right from the start with this filly and she landed what I think was a strong bumper at Newbury before the sales bumper at the track, which we’d been eyeing, was cancelled due to the coronavirus. My hopes are high she can reach the top in mares‘ novice hurdles and show how talented she is.

Grand Mogul
6g Presenting – Oligarch Society
Mrs Christopher Hanbury
4/1/P6-1
RPR 130h

I thought his win at Chepstow last week was great and sometimes when horses arrive from Ireland they can just take a year to acclimatise and that performance was completely different to anything we saw last season. He was very professional and jumped beautifully.

Gunnery
7g Le Havre – Loup The Loup
Mrs Fitri Hay
21016-6
RPR 122h OR 128h

Likeable and capable, he’s rated quite highly over hurdles. We couldn’t run at Chepstow last month because of the quick ground but goes to Plumpton on Monday.

Haul Away
7g Stowaway – Lisacul Queen
Robert Kirkland
147/4-42
RPR 125c OR 123c

A four-time hurdle winner, he has the credentials for chasing and we’ve just done a wind operation, which will hopefully help.

Heross Du Seuil
3g Rail Link – Tulipe Du Seuil
Mrs J Donnelly
1

A recent arrival who won a bumper in France, he’s a gorgeous horse from Defi Du Seuil’s family. He could start in a juvenile hurdle before Christmas and his schooling has been a pleasure to watch, but bumpers are an option. He’s one to note.

Hijack
5g Fame And Glory – Etoile Margot
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – Fame
5113-20
RPR 129h OR 130h

He was productive last season, winning two novice hurdles, but his jumping got caught out a little on lively ground at Cheltenham last month. He likes softer conditions, which he’ll get now.

Hooper
4g Rip Van Winkle – Earth Amber
Pump & Plant Services Ltd
6-12
RPR 116h

He won at Stratford but was second at Market Rasen last time, which was annoying as he probably shouldn’t have been beaten. He’ll put that right soon.

Hurling Magic
6g Doyen – Distelle
Owners Group 035
2/ (point-to-point)
RPR 89p

He was going pleasingly a year ago but had a problem and we put him away, which won’t hurt him. He’s a fine prospect and I’m looking forward to him.

I Am Maximus
4g Authorized – Polysheba
Claudio Michael Grech
1
RPR 125b

It’s great to have Mike Grech back in the yard and this is a lovely horse who was impressive at Cheltenham on his debut recently, but we’ll go quietly as he’s all about the future. I doubt we’ll go hurdling this season as he’s only a baby and we want to mind him, but he’ll be very good.

Igor
7g Presenting – Stravinsky Dance
Mhankin Cnoell Menholding Rwaley-Cohen
216640-
RPR 131h OR 130h

He produced some solid displays over hurdles but is an out-and-out chaser and could be good over fences. He stays and copes with soft ground.

Indian Glory
5m Fame And Glory – Real Papoose
International Plywood (Importers) Ltd
9-
RPR 85b

She’s better than her Huntingdon run and is going well now.

It Sure Is
5g Shirocco – Stay At Home Mum
Mrs J Donnelly
248-
RPR 125h OR 125h

He’s a gorgeous horse who is better than he’s shown as things didn’t work out last term. He’s done well over the summer and goes chasing.

Janika
7g Saddler Maker – Majaka
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
4/14442-
RPR 167c OR 162c

His Haldon Gold Cup victory last year was sweet as it’s not easy to find opportunities for him. He’s had his soft palate cauterised and we’ll try to stick to two and a half miles, maybe mixing hurdles and fences if he continues to come up short in Grade 1s.

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Jen’s Boy
6g Malinas – Friendly Craic
Middleham Park Racing CV
42-222P
RPR 123c OR 115c

We switched him to fences in the summer and he barely put a foot wrong, finishing second three times, but he pulled some muscles at Cheltenham last time, which was his final run for a while anyway as he’s a top-of-the-ground. He’ll be fine and we’ll see him in the spring.

Known
6g Fame And Glory – Aasleagh Lady
The Rose And Thistle Partnership
4453-3
RPR 120h OR 119h

The handicapper responded accordingly to his third in a typically hot Newbury novice hurdle and he’ll take a step forward from his outing at Ascot on Saturday. Wants two and a half miles and fences in time.

L’Ami Serge
10g King’s Theatre – La Zingarella
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
81/7/27P-
RPR 162h OR 152h

It was great to have him back last season. He’s been a smashing horse and showed he retained his ability when going close in Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle. We probably need to think about two and a half miles when it’s testing. I’d love to see him shine again this term.

Laughing Luis
6g Authorized – Leitzu
John Sillett
71519/3-
RPR 125h OR 125h

He was progressive over hurdles two seasons ago but got a leg and is slowly coming back. I’m hopeful he’ll pick up where he left off.

Lecale’s Article
6g Malinas – Brookville
Mrs J Donnelly
1/ (point-to-point)
RPR 93p

He’s a big, strong horse, a prepossessing future chaser. He’d delighted us at home but suffered a tendon injury so he’s been off. I suppose we’ll start over hurdles on some genuine winter ground.

Lelantos
4g Presenting – Western Focus
Middleham Park Racing Xci
3
RPR 95b

He ran a promising race in his bumper at Hexham and will have learned a lot.

Lilly Pedlar
5m Yeats – Mathine
Hot To Trot Jumping
7/5-
RPR 92b

She’s big but lean and might always be. She schooled plenty at the backend of last season and is ready for hurdling.

Lust For Glory
7m Getaway – Maisie Presenting
Annabel Waley-Cohen And Family
05/2042-
RPR 119c OR 134c

We’ve always had a high opinion of this attractive mare. Her future is over fences, but the one caveat is that good ground is terribly important.

Marie’s Rock
5m Milan – By The Hour
Middleham Park Racing XLII
111-
RPR 136h OR 144h

She missed her big day in the mares‘ novice at Cheltenham after a stress fracture, which wasn’t serious. She’s summered well, has an enormous engine and is exciting. We’ve tinkered with her soft palate and hopefully she’s top class.

Mengli Khan
7g Lope De Vega – Danielli
M A R Blencowe
33-1641
RPR 155c OR 148c

He’s got some first-rate form in Ireland and looked as good as ever last time. We bought him for Michael Blencowe, who has some youngsters with us but wanted a ready-made runner to have some fun with while we wait for those babies. Buying off Gordon Elliott may seem slightly strange, but the change of scenery might help.

Might Bite
11g Scorpion – Knotted Midge
The Knot Again Partnership
P/UP37-5
RPR 173c OR 152c

We’ve had some magical days with him, including his crazy RSA success, King George triumph and heroic Gold Cup second, although the wheels came off last season. Saturday at Ascot, however, was miles better – terrific – and we were thrilled with him. It was the old Might BIte enjoying himself. He got tired on that ground, but was entitled to. The plan was one run and then head down the cross-country route because he loved that last term. 

Mill Green
8g Black Sam Bellamy – Ceilidh Royal
Mrs Rita Brown
343/1P6-
RPR 140h OR 141h

He was progressive over hurdles but has the make and shape of a chaser. He stays two and a half miles, so he could get three and be a useful sort.

Mind Sunday
4f Never On Sunday – Mind Master
Walters Plant Hire Ltd
00-
RPR 64b

I don’t know a lot about this big, scopey filly. She didn’t excel in two runs in Ireland but her connections there thought a lot of her.

Miss Farage
5m Sans Frontieres – Maid Of Might
Turf Club 2018
3-112
RPR 113 OR 116h

She’s been doing well and won a bumper and maiden hurdle. I’m optimistic she can progress further.

Mister Coffey
5g Authorized – Mamitador
Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford
1/12-
RPR 127h OR 128h

He was impressive at Newbury, but his next start at Huntingdon was a catastrophe and he took off with Nico. I’ve no idea why and he didn’t have a chance to redeem himself. He wants another run over hurdles – over two miles – and then he could go chasing. 

Mister Fisher
6g Jeremy – That’s Amazing
James and Jean Potter
8/72114-
RPR 160c OR 155c

We’ve always held him in the highest regard and he won twice over fences before coming fourth in the Marsh at Cheltenham on soft ground, which was a fine run as he’s better on good. He looks fantastic and can progress again. I think he’ll start at two and a half miles, although three miles could be on the agenda soon. He’s in fabulous form and was electric schooling two weeks ago.

Monte Cristo
4g Montmartre – Rylara Des Brosses
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
62141-8
RPR 124h OR 136h

Another who needed his first run, having a big blow at Aintree after getting to the third-last on the bridle. We’ve not seen the best of him.

Morning Vicar
7g Beneficial – Mary’s Little Vic
The Parishioners
317/2F-2
RPR 132c OR 129c

I was delighted with his run at Uttoxeter as he’d had a bad fall at Newbury over Christmas. He did everything right at Uttoxeter but was just caught and beaten, which happens.

My Whirlwind
5m Stowaway – Garranlea Maree
John P McManus
1/ (point-to-point)
RPR 86p

She’s beautiful but things didn’t go her way last season, so we left her. She’s back looking absolutely fabulous. She starts hurdling but is a chaser in time.

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Nanabelle
4f Archange D’Or – Lias City
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
115-0
RPR 121h OR 125h

Won twice in France and running her at Market Rasen in February after she’d only just arrived was a mistake. She needed her run at Cheltenham two weeks ago, but we had to get her started.

No Ordinary Joe
4g Getaway – Shadow Dearg
John P McManus
Unraced

He excited us in the spring as he prepared for the sales bumper at Newbury. He’s a cracking prospect and could start in a bumper, but he jumps for fun. He has a fantastic future.

Ok Corral
10g Mahler – Acoola
John P McManus
11P/091-
RPR 157c OR 153c

He wasn’t easy to train as a youngster but has improved with age and won January’s Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster, which was his prep for the National. I hope we can have a really good go at Aintree this time. I looked forward to watching the virtual Grand National in the spring, which I thought he was sure to win having starred in one of the most renowned trials. But, would you believe it, he refused, and that to me was about the biggest insult in the whole of last season!

On The Blind Side
8g Stowaway – Such A Set Up
A D Spence
2/4P231-
RPR 152c OR 145c

He’s hard to place and is high enough in the handicap but he probably prefers small fields. He won an all-weather bumper at Newcastle in February, but racing ended before we could see if it got his confidence back.

One Handsome Dude
5g Canford Cliffs – Allegrina
Steve & Jolene De’Lemos
340/0-
RPR 99b

He had a few bumper runs and has thrived over the summer, so I hope he can make a name for himself over hurdles.

Overpriced Mixer
3g Harbour Watch – Chincoteague
Owners Group 051
1
RPR 110h

That was an amazing performance at Kempton two weeks ago when he jinked going to the last and the saddle slipped. Nico did well to stay on top before the horse picked up again and won well.

Palladium
4g Champs Elysees – Galicuix
A Meade, G Van Geest, E Kelvin-Hughes
211P-7
RPR 135h OR 135h

He did well as a juvenile last winter but I was disappointed with him at Market Rasen. I thought two and a half miles would suit him down to the ground.

Paris Dixie
5m Champs Elysees – Last Of The Dixies
Owners Group 037
0331/2
RPR 110h

She ran a bold race at Chepstow last month having been off for a long time. It was a very good comeback performance and we’ll have some fun with her.

Paros
3g Masterstroke – Soft Blue
Middleham Park Racing CXXV
1-

He impressed at Dieppe in May. He seems an ideal juvenile and exciting type for the Middleham Park team. I imagine he’ll want some cut.

Patroclus
4g Shirocco – King’sandqueen’s
Walters Plant Hire and James & Jean Potter
2- (point-to-point)
RPR 90p

A powerful, striking future chaser, he’ll be hurdling first and has pace, so I hope he’ll enjoy a constructive season. I absolutely love him.

Pipesmoker
5g Authorized – Pisa
Lady Dulverton
232-
RPR 135h OR 137h

Mindful of his novice status, we ran him in grown-up races last season, but he was eyecatching and his maiden tag is a huge bonus. He’s had a fabulous summer and it will be disappointing if he isn’t among my leading novice hurdlers.

Pistol Whipped
6g Beneficial – Holiday Time
A Speelman & M Speelman
1P/1F50-
RPR 141c OR 134c

He shaped with promise over fences last term and can improve as he’s developed considerably during the off-season. We’ve removed a sarcoid [skin tumour] off his wither and it’s taken six weeks to clear up, which is frustrating as he should be out now.

Post War
9g Nayef – Antebellum
The Duke Of Bedford & Dr Jerome Poupel
36/13/6-
RPR 114c OR 123c

He’s big and had time off before his debut over fences at Newbury, which was encouraging. I’ve no doubt he’ll make a useful staying chaser on soft ground if he remains in one piece.

Precious Cargo
7g Yeats – Kilbarry Classic
Thomas Barr
16/123F-
RPR 151c OR 145c

He’s huge. He did well over fences last term and has enjoyed an excellent summer in the field. I’d like to think he’ll improve. I think he wants soft ground and possibly three miles even though he’s won over two. I adore him.

Pym
7g Stowaway – Liss Rua
Mrs Patricia Pugh
0/211PP-
RPR 151c OR 150c

Honest and uncomplicated, he shone when switched to fences but didn’t fire on bad ground in the Reynoldstown and the RSA was probably a bit tough. He came out of all that in fine fettle and can step up again.

Rather Be
9g Oscar – Irish Wedding
Eventmasters Racing
12/B59P/
RPR 153c OR 143c

A talented novice chaser in 2017-18, he bumped into a problem which forced us to draw stumps, but he’s in full work and remains a smart prospect. It would be great to get him back to his best.

Rathhill
7g Getaway – Bella Venezia
John P McManus
14/00-
RPR 138h OR 133h

He made a wonderful start for us but then disappointed in the Tolworth and it’s been the same story since with issues and interruptions. However, he has potential as a chaser and has been schooling and schooling and schooling, and it’s gone magnificently. He could be a top-class horse and I believe in him big time, even if other people don’t.

Star quality

Santini
8g Milan – Tinagoodnight
Mr & Mrs R Kelvin-Hughes
132/112-
RPR 175c OR 172c

He’s never put a foot wrong. It wasn’t an earth-shattering start to last season at Sandown, but the plan had been to get to the Gold Cup via the Cotswold Chase, which he was great in. I’m proud of what he did for an inexperienced horse in the Gold Cup when he jumped beautifully but probably lacked a gear. He looks tremendous, bigger than ever, and I hope there’s improvement en route to the Gold Cup, although I don’t think that will involve lots of races. We’ll try to start in Haydock’s Betfair Chase and then I suspect it’ll be the Cotswold Chase, but there’s only one day that matters and it’s in March.

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Scarpia
6g Sans Frontieres – Bunglasha Lady
Mrs T Brown
24-
RPR 107b

He ran with credit in bumpers, although his Fakenham run was trainer error as that’s not a great track for a scopey individual. He’s schooled nicely so we’re looking forward to hurdling. 

Settie Hill
7g Cape Blanco – Claire Soleil
Michael Buckley & Lord Vestey
92/1U1/3-
RPR 139h OR 140h

He’s fragile but talented. He could be a smart hurdler if we get a clean run, but he has the build for fences when the time comes.

Star quality

Shishkin
6g Sholokhov – Labarynth
Mrs J Donnelly
1/F111-
RPR 162h OR 159h

He made considerable physical progress last summer and was impressive at Newbury after falling there. He was then even better in the Sidney Banks and showed tremendous pace, so we plumped for the Supreme, which he was lucky not to be carried out in. Nico managed to get him back in the race and it was a phenomenal performance considering that. He’s got the lot and you could see him as a Champion Hurdle horse, but the Arkle’s his objective. He schooled over fences for the first time two Thursdays ago and I’ve only seen two other horses do what he did. They were both big, both ran in the Supreme, won the Arkle and won the Champion Chase, but I’m not going to say any more! What Shishkin did was unreal.

Son Of Camas
5g Creachadoir – Camas
Sullivan Bloodstock Limited
0113P-
RPR 131h OR 133h

We’re fond of him and he’s a big future over fences – he could be top class. He’s had a wind operation over the summer and could improve for time and going two and a half miles.

Steal A March
5g Mount Nelson – Side Step
The Queen
4414-
RPR 117h OR 115h

He’s potentially very nice. He jumps accurately and should stay well. Chasing is likely to be on the menu, but there might be unfinished business over hurdles first.

Storm Of Intrigue
8g Oscar – Storminoora
Oscar Singh & Miss Priya Purewal
10/3/
RPR 129h

Last seen in a hot novice hurdle at Newbury, he’s had niggles but everything is going the right way now. He’s a gorgeous big type and seems all over a chaser. I love him.

Style De Garde
6g Kapgarde – Anowe De Jelois
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – Style
R2203/3
RPR 138h OR 132h

He’s had a slightly chequered career, but there’s no doubt he’s got ability and he’ll do well if everything stays in place.

Sunrise Ruby
6m Sholokhov – Maryota
Blunt, Breslin, Duffy, Slattery
3/225-11
RPR 127h OR 128h

She should have won last season but has made up for lost time by winning twice this autumn. She’s undoubtedly going the right way.

Terrefort
7g Martaline – Vie De Reine
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
21/432P/
RPR 164c OR 157c

He was a revelation for us as a novice chaser with Grade 1 wins in the Scilly Isles and Mildmay, but things have not panned out since and last season was a write-off when he shook up a leg and contracted a disease that resulted in him losing his nearside [left] eye. Many horses deal with that and he’s got a marvellous temperament, so I think he’ll cope and we know he’s got the ability.

The Bomber Liston
4g Yeats – True Britannia
John P McManus
3
RPR 103b

He ran at Ffos Las the other day and everything went wrong, but he’s a lovely horse for hurdling.

The Cashel Man
8g High Chaparral – Hadarama
Mrs Fitri Hay
11210-4
RPR 121c OR 142c

The most amazingly consistent horse on the Flat and over hurdles, he made his chasing debut last month and probably didn’t need three miles first time out, but it was somewhere to go and he jumped well. He did nothing wrong and just tired.

Theinval
10g Smadoun – Kineeves
Mr & Mrs Sandy Orr
936/FP5-
RPR 154c OR 140c

He’s a tremendous performer and one of the most consistent horses we’ve had, although he doesn’t want to be in front too early. He loves fast ground so we hope to have this lovable character out for the better races.

Timberman
5g Califet – Millrock Lady
J Turner
25-
RPR 119h

He ran well on his debut but then disappointed over hurdles last season and racing ended before we could restart. Putting him in the field has been to his benefit and he jumps terrifically, so the outlook is bright.

Time Flies By
5g Getaway – What A Mewsment
John P McManus
1235-
RPR 131h

Being a maiden over hurdles will stand him in good stead and I hope he’s an exciting youngster for the top novices. He does everything right and could go far.

Top Notch
9g Poliglote – Topira
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
10P/113-
RPR 169c OR 159c

He’s just a star. He’s won every season he’s been here and is a delight to have around. His first target will be to win the Peterborough Chase for the third time and we could give him a prep over fences or hurdles. 

Valtor
11g Nidor – Jossca
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
0/1532-0
RPR 159c OR 150c

A grand servant who went with zest for a long way at Ascot on Saturday, but he’s a lazy horse at home so might take more getting ready than some, especially at his age, although that means he’s eligible for veterans‘ races, which might open some good doors.

Vegas Blue
5m Getaway – Bella Venezia
Crimbourne Bloodstock
115-1
RPR 123h

She bolted up at Huntingdon last month, which she probably should have done last season. She’s another exciting Getaway mare for her team.

Verdana Blue
8m Getaway – Blue Gallery
Mrs Doreen Tabor
151/4-22
RPR 163h OR 155h

Wetherby on Saturday was frustrating, but she ran a good race and travelled strongly. She just doesn’t find her gear change on that soft ground, but stayed on and jumped well. Conditions were also against her at Royal Ascot and in the Ebor, but she still ran fantastically. She’s back safe and sound so we’ll crack on and discuss plans with Michael and Doreen Tabor.

Versatility 
6g Yeats – Stravinksy Dance
Barrow Boys 2
1349-U5
RPR 124c OR 121c

He’s had two runs over fences this autumn and is getting there. He’s a good, solid soldier who keeps improving. He’ll run again soon.

Voyage De Retour
8g Craigsteel – Taipers
Mrs Robert Bingley
6/3-8
RPR 118h

He’s had all sorts of problems but the Bingleys are the most lovely people so I’m desperate for him to do well. He should improve for his recent run at Lingfield and can win a novice hurdle soon.

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Welsh Saint 
6g Saint Des Saints – Minirose
Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group
F21310-
RPR 139h OR 138h

His run in the Pertemps Final was disappointing but he’d been encouraging otherwise. He switches to fences as he’s always been a sound jumper. He’s back bigger and stronger.

Whatswrongwithyou
9g Bienamado – Greenfield Noora
Seven Barrows Limited
178/P57-
RPR 146c OR 137c

He’s a consistent sort who runs at the major festivals. He relishes soft ground but wants further than two miles now.

Whitlock
5g Dutch Art – Barynya
Lady Lloyd-Webber
8
RPR 84h

He disappointed at Ludlow recently when I thought he’d go close. He dropped out horribly quickly, but I like him a lot.

Will Carver
5g Califet – Rock Angel
Owners Group 064
F41- (point-to-point)
RPR 87p

He’s a wonderful prospect from the point sphere. He looks the part and could be exciting for his big team of supporters.

Unraced horses

As usual we have a host of mouthwatering youngsters at Seven Barrows and they include Dusart, a big, athletic half-brother to our dear friend Simonsig who has a superb temperament and a great way of going. Like Simonsig, he’s owned by Ronnie Bartlett.

Robert Kirkland has Italian Legend, who gives us the right vibes and hopefully it won’t be long before he runs. He’s got pace and jumps well.

Percussion, an attractive gelding for the Casablanca Mix team who is straightforward to deal with, and Valsheda, a spectacular, big boy with a delightful temperament who’ll carry the Santini silks of Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes, are other five-year-olds to note.

Doddiethegreat was weak in the spring but has matured and strengthened into a horse of immense upside. I don’t know much about him but hope he’s as talented as Honeysuckle for owner Kenny Alexander.

I love Firestep so much I recently bought his three-year-old half-sister. He’s owned by Charlie Dingwall and some pals and does everything right.

The Queen’s Rapid Flight jumps beautifully and would have run in a backend bumper if there’d been a backend, although lockdown was probably in Mot A Mot’s favour as he was a big, weak baby. He’s bigger and stronger now and has loads of potential for Dai Walters and James and Jean Potter.

Thomas Barr’s Blairgowrie is probably in the same camp. He looks magnicent so we’ll push on when the ground is suitable.

I couldn’t resist buying Major Sting, who is stunning, as I’m still a fan of Scorpion – Might Bite’s sire – and his granddam Will I Or Wont I is a sister to Amtrak Express, who was our first winner after we moved to Seven Barrows in 1992 under a certain Charlie Vigors.

Moonlight Flit, a Getaway, will be in the Thurloe Thoroughbreds colours and looks a bit special, while At Poets Cross is related to the talented At Fishers Cross and is a promising youngster who was going nicely in the spring. He’ll represent the Henry Ponsonby brigade, which also has Commodore Miller, a three-year-old who could come to hand earlier than some and appears the part, and a fabulous unnamed Blue Bresil to dream about.

Surrey Racing’s sharp Surrey Quest might be an ideal candidate for the sales bumper at Newbury in March, for which they would have had Gran Luna last season but for Covid-19.

Unique Financial Partnership can look forward to the handsome Russian Ruler, who is by Shishkin’s sire Sholokhov from Special Tiara’s family, and Clean Getaway, an exceptional model who might not take long, which could be the same for Hyland, a striking Turgeon for the Speelmans.

Altior’s unnamed Milan half-brother is imposing and talented and appears the finished article for Sue Magnier, who has a knockout Fame And Glory four-year-old with Pat Shanahan, while Jared Sullivan and Chris Giles own a Yeats four-year-old with no end of potential.

The Middleham Park team have a trio of exciting three-year-olds, including a cracking Kapgarde gelding, an outstanding Universal and a Blue Bresil with wonderful presence.

I was over the moon to get a Walk In The Park three-year-old for Michael Blencowe, who also has an athletic Mount Nelson to make a note of. 

The programme for mares seems to get better and better and we have some gorgeous types, including Santini’s High Chaparral half-sister for JP McManus and the Queen’s Hamilton’s Fantasy, who was ready in the spring and can hopefully make up for lost time, while I imagine we’ll start Amazing Presence, who is owned by Sharon Kinsella and Jane Allison, in a bumper. She’s lovely.

Barely Famous is from the family of Bond’s Lover and our old ally Captain Conan and I know she did some nice work in Ireland in the spring. We can’t wait to run her, probably in a bumper for the Hanburys.

Parisian Blue is the latest Getaway filly for the Crimbourne Bloodstock axis that had such fun with Verdana Blue. She could go hurdling but has shown enough to suggest she’d win a bumper, and I hope that’s the case with Miss Fisher, the Potter family’s Libertarian half-sister to Mister Fisher. She’d have run in a spring bumper and run very well.

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Rosemary Tennant has had horses with us for many years and hopefully we can have some fun with Meadowsweet, who has shown a considerable amount.

Fantastic Lady is an attractive and professional half-sister to Casablanca Mix for the same connections and jumps so well we might not bother with a bumper.

Marmalaid is an adorable new three-year-old and I can’t wait to see what she’s capable of for Dominic Burke and Peter Alderson, while Tweed Skirt is beautiful and if she’s as good as she looks we could be in business.

We also have some three-year-old geldings who could be anything for sale, starting with Rudy Caprice, a fantastic-moving son of Sholokhov.

There’s a fine Flemensfirth, a Doctor Dino who has been a pleasure to deal with and a grand Getaway, who could come to hand quickly, which may also apply to a quality Sinndar.

Two for the tracker

Son Of Camas should be a high-class novice chaser and Pipesmoker is a novice hurdler to follow.

Expert view

The problem with trying to pick horses to follow out of Nicky Henderson’s yard is trying not to be too obvious.

The likes of Shishkin, Epatante, Champ and Santini all pick themselves, while the pre-season talk about Sprinter Sacre’s half-brother Flinteur Sacre has almost conferred upon him superstar status without him ever jumping in public.

My three from the yard will hopefully slide a little bit further under the radar, starting with Glynn, who is probably going to have to go handicapping having won his sole start in a maiden hurdle at Doncaster in January by a ridiculously easy 11 lengths.

The fifth, sixth and seventh, all beaten in excess of 30 lengths, all finished second next time and there’s little doubt Glynn has the potential to turn into a very useful hurdler this season.

That success was over just shy of two and a half miles so it will be interesting to see where he goes in terms of trip, but he certainly didn’t look short of speed.

Marie’s Rock feels like the one who got away last season as I had some fancy prices about her for the mares‘ novice hurdle, but she suffered a minor stress fracture and missed the race – although she might have been in trouble anyway considering how well Concertista won.

It’s good to hear that Henderson is still excited by her though, and her change of gear, so evident when she ran clean away from her rivals in a Listed novice at Taunton when last seen, is going to be a potent weapon.

She has a long way to go if she is to give Henderson a first win in the Mares‘ Hurdle at Cheltenham (and Britain only a third), but don’t be surprised if she lines up with a chance come March.

Precious Cargo made a promising start to his chase career last term and may well have a good handicap prize in him. Although arguably beaten when he came down two out in the novice handicap chase won by Imperial Aura at the festival, it would be foolish to think the trip got to him given his pedigree.

He had jumped beautifully from the front until then in a really competitive race full of well-handicapped novices, so I wouldn’t worry about that fall. That was also his first attempt in a handicap and in a big field over obstacles and, given his size and the fact he has run only four times over fences, you would expect him to really come into his own this season.

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The post Nicky Henderson Stable Tour appeared first on RaceBets Blog.

There’s a real sense of unfinished business echoing around Sandhill Stables as Philip Hobbs goes into his 35th year of training. 

Hobbs went into the Cheltenham Festival with an enviable squadron but, as all racing’s greats experience, suffered a week of misfortune. Sporting John never fired in the Ballymore, Thyme Hill experienced Friday traffic problems more at home on the M25 than the final furlongs of the Albert Bartlett, and Martin Pipe fancy Pileon was denied by the slimmest of margins.

Even more frustrating was the season’s star Defi Du Seuil. He looked destined to be crowned two-mile champion with powerhouse rivals Altior and Chacun Pour Soi ruled out at the last minute – but the dual festival winner had a rare off day behind Politologue.

Much of the world may have changed since then but the Hobbs yard is still brimming with talent sure to scoop plenty top-notch prizes.

Thyme Hill looks a hot second-season hurdler entering the staying division, while the inevitable Defi Du Seuil versus Altior clash is a mouthwatering prospect. 

Elsewhere, in Sporting John, St Barts and Pileon, the Hobbs team have plenty to look forward to in novice chases and the amount of quality new young recruits is also worth noting. 

Traditionally the Hobbs runners tend to thrive in November with a sparkling 79 winners in the month in the past five seasons, so be sure to get his leading young prospects in your tracker immediately. 

But the winter months are just the start as you can expect the boss and his quality team in Somerset to have another fantastic fleet heading to Cheltenham next March.

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Rival to watch 

It’d have to be Paisley Park as he’s looked the best in the three-mile hurdling division which we’re going into with Thyme Hill.

Race in focus 

We’ll hopefully have Deise Aba going to the Welsh National which looks like it would suit him well. Steely Addition may go but he’ll need to improve first.

Stable profile

Yard Sandhill Racing Stables
Where Bilbrook, near Minehead, Somerset
Assistant trainers Johnson White, Ben Robarts
Travelling head lad Sean Mulcaire
Travelling head lasses Laura Parker, Zoe Moore-Williams, Julia Batho
Head girls Carol Burnett, Lisa Jackson
Jockeys Richard Johnson, Tom O’Brien, Micheal Nolan, James Best
Conditionals Sean Houlihan, Ben Jones
Amateurs David Maxwell, Jack Martin, Isaac Buncle, Tom Dixon
Secretary Jo Cody-Boutcher
Assistant secretary Diana Hobbs
Started training 1985
Horses in yard 111
Members of staff 37
Stable sponsor Philip Hobbs Racing
Website pjhobbs.com

Winners in Britain

2019-20 75
2018-19 106
2017-18 63
2016-17 111

Profit/loss to £1 stake

2019-20 -136.50
2018-19 +£5.63
2017-18 -£161.95
2016-17 -£92.03

Prize-money 2019-20

£1,139,200

Horses:

Allenby
Five-year-old gelding
Presenting (sire) – Raya Light (dam)
Owner: Mrs Diana L Whateley
Form figures: 8-4
Racing Post Rating: 101 (hurdles)

He ran a nice first race over hurdles for us when he was fourth at Chepstow last month and hopefully he’ll improve for the experience. He runs at Exeter on Tuesday.

Beau Du Brizais
8g Kapgarde – Belle Du Brizais
Mrs R J Skan
257-4F2
RPR 140c OR 132c

He ran very well at Wincanton the other day and is a reliable horse who has been a bit of a star really. He might well go back to Wincanton for the Badger Beers on Saturday.

Camprond
4g Lope De Vega – Bernieres
JP McManus
81621- (Flat)
RPR 97f

He’s a very nice horse and he’s schooled really well. He won two races on the Flat at Saint-Cloud before he joined us. He’ll probably run quite soon and is going nicely so we’re looking forward to him.

Canastero
4g Getaway – Lucky Pigeon
Mrs R J Skan
4-3300
RPR 59h

He had some good form in bumpers, although he was disappointing over hurdles at Uttoxeter and at Hereford on Monday. There’s no real reason for that but hopefully the experience will benefit him for next time.

Cape Milano
5g Milan – Shatani
Mrs Judith Luff
3-
RPR 104b 

He ran well in a bumper on his only start and will be running in his first hurdle race before too long.

Dan’s Chosen
5g Well Chosen – Miss Audacious
The Philip Hobbs Racing Partnership II
3- (point-to-point)
RPR 84p

He was third in his only point-to-point in Ireland last December where he was beaten just shy of four lengths. He’s a strong chaser for the future but will start off straight over hurdles this season.

Star quality

Defi Du Seuil
7g Voix Du Nord – Quarvine Du Seuil
JP McManus
1-21114
RPR 171c OR 169c

He’s in good form and we’re very happy with everything he’s done so far since he’s come back. He disappointed in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham but there was no obvious reason for it – nothing showed up after the race. I suppose he was a bit flat on the way to the start and during the race itself. He’d been very good before then and looks to be doing really well now. He’ll probably start off in the Shloer Chase [November 15] at Cheltenham and then we’ll decide what to do after then. He’ll stay further – as we know he can – but his future targets will depend on what happens on that first start back.

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Deise Aba
7g Mahler – Kit Massini
Trevor Hemmings
4/P4115-
RPR 146c OR 141h

He was progressive last season with two wins and he looked really good at Sandown before running well when fifth in the Kim Muir. His target this year is the Welsh National and he’ll have a run before that, but where that is I’m not sure. Chepstow’s very much the big target for him. 

Dolphin Square
6g Shantou – Carrig Eden Lass
David Maxwell Racing
121412-
RPR 140h OR 137h

He’s a lovely horse who looks to be going in the right direction. He had another good campaign last season, winning three times, and we still think he’s improving. We’ll start him off in a handicap hurdle but he could go novice chasing later in the season. He has the speed for two and a half miles although he’s most effective at three miles. 

Dostal Phil
7g Coastal Path – Quiphile
JP McManus
2021/1P
RPR 134h OR 130h

He had some solid form over hurdles last season and won impressively at Fontwell on Boxing Day. It’s very likely he’ll start in novice handicap chases and we’ll go from there. He’s a big, strong horse and certainly could go quite a bit further than two miles, but we’ll start him off between two and two and a half miles.

Earth Moor
6g Ask – Merrylas
Mrs Catherine Penny
1/1201-5
RPR 137h OR 135h

He had his first run of the season at Stratford last week and jumped well but I thought he might’ve finished a bit closer. Hopefully he’ll benefit for the run. He copes with soft ground and is suited by two and a half miles. He’s rated 135 which I think is fair for him and he’ll go novice chasing.

Ecu De La Noverie
6g Linda’s Lad – Quat’Sous D’Or
David Maxwell Racing
23153-4
RPR 147c OR 139c

Another for David Maxwell who has some nice form and ran well the other day at Wetherby. I think he’ll probably go hunter chasing now so won’t run again until January.

Espion
6g Coastal Path – Toutamie
Michael And Norma Tuckey
5/531-0
RPR 127h OR 128h

He was much too keen when he ran at Uttoxeter, which he hadn’t been before. He pulled too hard and it was probably a mistake going nearly three miles in soft ground first time back, particularly as he pulled hard. He’s entered at Sandown on Sunday. We think he’s on a good mark and he’s a chaser for the future.

Dark horse

Everglow
5g Presenting – Cent Prime
Phil Munnelly
23-52
RPR 119h

I thought he ran very well at Chepstow last time. He was still rather green and ended up making a lot of the running which possibly wasn’t ideal, but we hope he’ll improve as he gets more experience. He’s got some good bumper form and is a nice horse who jumps well at home. He’s an exciting prospect this season and I hope he can go on to better things. He’s run well over two and a half miles but I’m sure he’ll stay further in time too.

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Flinck
6g Fame And Glory – Princesse Supreme
Ronnie Bartlett
3115-37
RPR 130h OR 130h

He’s run twice over hurdles already this season. I thought it was a good run the other day at Cheltenham but possibly the trip was far enough for him. He’s been schooling well over fences so that’ll be his job now.

Forever Des Long
5g Blue Bresil – Fetuque Du Moulin
Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates
0032-8
RPR 117h OR 122h

After his trip to Hexham he had heat-stress and as a result was quite distressed too. But he’s perfectly all right now and hopefully we can put that behind us next time.

Gala Ball
10g Flemensfirth – Nuit Des Chartreux
Robert & Janet Gibbs
2/21/014-
RPR 153c OR 147c

I think he’s rated very high in the handicap for an older horse. He’ll probably run at the Ladbrokes Trophy meeting next as he always seems to run well at Newbury.

Golden Sovereign
6g Gold Well – Fugal Maid
Liam Quinn
4/2711-P
RPR 127 OR 129

He jumped well the last day but was a bit disappointing up at Aintree. He wants soft ground and three miles.

Gosheven
7g Presenting – Fair Choice
The Grocer Syndicate
535/3/43-
RPR 128h OR 122h

He’s been a very unlucky horse. He’s had lots of minor things go against him – he hurt his knee and then had a year off with his tendon. But he’s a horse with a fair amount of ability and some of his form is quite good. I imagine we’ll have one more run over hurdles with him before we decide whether to go chasing.

Gumball
6g No Risk At All – Good Time Girl
Terry Warner
2600-31
RPR 154c OR 150c

We were really happy with his win at Uttoxeter last time. He jumped extremely well and learned a lot from his first run to win easily. We’ll look at the two-mile novice chase at the Cheltenham November meeting next.

Hope You Do
3g Boris De Deauville – Une Tournee
JP McManus
1-

He’s schooling well and his work has been good too. We’re really happy with him at this stage. Hopefully he could be a nice type for the season.

Imperial Presence 
9g Presenting – Penneyrose Bay
Sir Christopher & Lady Wates
5F-7119
RPR 154c OR 149c

He’d had two good wins this summer but we thought the ground was plenty soft enough for him in the Old Roan last time. He’ll now go on a winter break.

Jatiluwih
6g Linda’s Lad – Jaune De Beaufai
David Maxwell Racing
1/11128-
RPR 152h OR 148h

He had a good season for us over hurdles last season and his big target is the Foxhunter at the Cheltenham Festival. We hope he can be David Maxwell’s best chance in the race to date. We’ll keep him out until January and aim to quality for it by winning two open point-to-points.

Jerrysback
8g Jeremy – Get A Few Bob Back
JP McManus
1223/03-
RPR 152c OR 143c

He was third in a competitive Listed handicap at Christmas and we were aiming him at the Irish National. His ideal conditions are three miles on a right-handed track, although he’ll probably go further. We’ll look to get him going in the next few weeks when conditions suit.

Kalooki
6g Martaline – Karuma
Andrew Cohen
25/4112-
RPR 141h OR 141h

He was progressive over hurdles last season and a runner-up in a Grade 2 on his last start. This season he’ll be going novice chasing. He’s been a little bit keen so hopefully he can learn to settle better when he goes over fences. His first run might come at Newbury later this week.

Keep Rolling
7g Mahler – Kayles Castle
Mick Fitzgerald Racing Club
1V7/P43-
RPR 117 OR 118

He won his bumper well at Warwick in December 2018 but has been a bit unlucky so far over hurdles. I think as he settles better he’ll improve. He’ll also want further than the two miles he was running over last time, but because he’s keen we need to make sure we’re not going over too far a trip. Hopefully we can win a race with him over hurdles before he goes chasing.

Kepy Blanc
4g Kapgarde – Villemanzie
David Maxwell Racing
2-

I think he’s a very nice horse and he’s schooled well. He finished second in his one hurdle race in France and we hope he can go on to decent things. He’s a nice one and he’ll be out within a month or two.

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Langley Hundred
3g Sholokhov – Theregoesthetruth
The Englands And Heywoods
Unraced

He’s a nice young horse who does everything so well at this stage. He’s still only a three-year-old so we’ll take our time with him.

Larkbarrow Lad
7g Kayf Tara – Follow My Leader
The Englands and Heywoods
1/2157-4
RPR 130c OR 130c

We gave him a wind operation last season which has made a difference. He goes novice chasing this year and ran well on his first start over fences at Exeter. He runs on Tuesday and hopefully there’s more to come this season.

Le Ligerien
7g Turgeon – Etoile De Loir
David Churches
32110-3
RPR 137h OR 133h

We’re a bit unsure as to whether he runs in another hurdle race or goes straight into a novice chase. He’s probably at his best going left-handed over two miles on heavy ground. However, there’s a valuable handicap hurdle at Haydock – over 2m3f – that we’re looking at for him on November 21. We might wait for that as he’s won at the track before.

Luttrell Lad
4g Beat Hollow – Fairly Definite
Owners For Owners Luttrell Lad
2
RPR 105b

He finished a very promising second in a bumper at Stratford on his first start for us in September. He’s got a nice pedigree, being closely related to Duke Of Lucca, and we hope he’s going to progress.

Masters Legacy
5g Getaway – Gently Go
Mrs Pam Bosley
211-
RPR 137 OR 136

He’s not very experienced and is still a bit green, although he’s won two of his three career starts. He showed some good form in his runs at Taunton last year and he’ll continue to run in 2m4f handicap hurdles but he won’t be out for a bit.

Melekhov
6g Sholokhov – Yorkshire Girl
Owners For Owners: Melekhov
1/421/25-
RPR 128h OR 126h

He showed good ability but has had a few health problems. He seems back on track now and he’ll probably run soon. He’ll be aimed at handicap hurdles over two and a half miles on better ground.

Musical Slave
7g Getaway – Inghwung
JP McManus
158132-
RPR 144c OR 137c

He progressed with each run over fences last season and was last seen running a good race at Uttoxeter. That was his first start over three miles and he stayed on well. He’s a likely improver. He’ll run in handicap chases this season and we hope there’s more to come.

No Comment
9g Kayf Tara – Dizzy Frizzy
JP McManus
55/35FF-
RPR 144c OR 137c

He had two nasty falls in his last two chases so we might just give him a run over hurdles to get him back under way. He’s still not won a chase yet even if his form over fences is decent. Prior to his falls his jumping had been quite good and he has plenty of ability. I’m not sure where we’ll start yet.

Oakley
7g Oscar – Tirolean Dance
Tim Syder
33270-3
RPR 141h OR 137h

He placed three times over hurdles last season and ran creditably in the Betfair Hurdle and County Hurdle. Two miles is his trip as he shows plenty of speed. We might just keep him in competitive handicap hurdles at the moment but he’ll probably be going chasing later in the year.

Off The Planet
5g Presenting – Kings Diva
The Brushmakers
5-7
RPR 101b

Having run in a bumper at Ascot last Saturday, we’ll look at a novice hurdle for him next.

Orbys Legend
4g Milan – Morning Legend
Highclere Racing
2- (point-to-point)
RPR 88p

He was second in his only point-to-point in Ireland and he’s a horse with a very good temperament. He works well and his schooling has been good. We’ll look to have him out in the next week or two, probably in a bumper. 

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Potters Venture
6g Arcadio – Starventure
Alan Peterson
F/43/31-
RPR 128 OR 125

He’s potentially a nice horse for us and he won very easily in a competitive maiden hurdle at Chepstow last November. However, he had a little issue with his tendon afterwards and that’s why he hasn’t run since. He won’t be out until December, but his mark of 125 looks fair and we hope there should be more to come from him. 

Dark horse

Pileon
6g Yeats – Heath Heaven
Tim Syder & Martin St Quinton
1/4112-4
RPR 92c OR 142c

He was fine after his run at Cheltenham. He slipped pretty badly going to the first fence, then he got left by himself which was a long way off ideal. He’s relatively inexperienced and was gawking around at the back so Richard Johnson decided to hunt him around. He’ll benefit a fair bit for that experience. He had a great campaign last season, although it was unfortunate he was beaten a short head in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival as his part-owner is Martin St Quinton, who is chairman. He’s a nice horse to go novice chasing.

Ronde De Nuit
3f Doctor Dino – Nuit De Guerre
JP McManus
4- (Flat)

She’s a nice filly and one we’re looking forward to in juvenile hurdles. She finished fourth on her only run in a maiden over a mile and three-quarters on the Flat at Angers. She should be out in a month or so all being well.

Smarty Wild
6g Fair Mix – Blaeberry
Michael And Mrs Norma Tuckey
01446-3
RPR 135h OR 132h

He’s a four-time winner over hurdles and is a big, strong horse who should improve this season. He’s schooled very well and we’ll look to start out in novice handicap chases. He finished third at Ascot on Saturday and we thought he ran well. Two and a half miles is his trip and he should make a nice chaser.

Star quality

Sporting John
5g Getaway – Wild Spell
JP McManus
1/1117-
RPR 150h OR 149h

He’s a really exciting horse to go novice chasing with this season – quite possibly we could run at Exeter next Wednesday as he’s won most of his races there. He’s been going well. He looked extremely promising when winning his first three starts over hurdles last season but could only finish seventh in the Ballymore. He was slightly lame on one of his hind legs after the race but within a few hours he was all fine again. We’re really looking forward to seeing what he can do this season.

Springtown Lake
8g Gamut – Sprightly Gal
Tim Syder
P/7P219-
RPR 152c OR 142c

He looked really good when he won at Warwick by 20 lengths in February and then finished ninth in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival. Ideally, he’s better fresh on softer ground and going left-handed. We’ll run him before if there’s a suitable race but we may wait until the Grand Sefton over the National fences in December.

Dark horse

St Barts
6g High Chaparral – Lindeman
Mr & Mrs R Kelvin-Hughes
14/6131-
RPR 127 OR 125

He appreciated the step up to three miles when he won at Ascot last time, which I thought was a good performance. I hope he could be a big improver this year from a rating of 125. He’ll go straight over fences and will probably run within a week or two, starting over a trip between two and a half and three miles. He looks a nice one to stay further in the future and handles testing ground well. He could be a very decent horse in the making.

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Steely Addition
8g Craigsteel – Blond’s Addition
Step By Step
141/4P-P
RPR 153c OR 140c

He had a pretty moderate run the other day at Chepstow but we hope to get him to the Welsh National. He has form on testing ground but I’m not sure he wants it too deep. He stays well and will be aimed at handicaps over three miles.

Stellar Magic
5g Arctic Cosmos – Inter Alia
Allan Stennett
1- (point-to-point)
RPR 88p

He won his only point-to-point in Ireland in February. He’s at least a month off a run but it’s all going well with him at this stage and he looks a nice young prospect.

Sternrubin
9g Authorized – Sworn Mum
Terry Warner
3264/2-F
RPR 148h OR 140h

He was very unlucky last time at Cheltenham as he was running really well before he fell. Hopefully he’s back on track even at his age.

Surtitle
4g Presenting – Anabaloo
Dominic & Valda Burke
Unraced

He’s a very nice horse who has worked well at home and has a good pedigree, being from the family of Oscar Whisky. He’s not run for us yet so time will tell how good he is.

Strong Pursuit
10g Flemensfirth – Loughaderra
Tim Syder
P2/1/3P/6-
RPR 145c OR 132c

He’ll probably start off in the veterans‘ race at Sandown on Sunday. Three miles and soft ground would be ideal for him.

Star quality

Thyme Hill
6g Kayf Tara – Rosita Bay
The Englands And Heywoods
23/1114
RPR 152h OR 151h

We decided not to run at Wetherby so we’ll look at starting him in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, and then we could go to the Long Walk at Ascot next. The plan with him is to stay over hurdles and we’ll aim him at all the top races over three miles. Paisley Park is the main name, but apart from him it doesn’t look a very strong division and that’s why we’re keeping him over hurdles. He had a great campaign last year although he was unlucky in the Albert Bartlett – but we were happy because he’d run very well. He’s schooled very well over fences so we can do that when we want to, but not this season. 

Tidal Flow
7g Black Sam Bellamy – Mrs Philip
Brocade Racing
2/3121-3
RPR 152c OR 146c

He’s doing well and he got dropped 2lb for his third at Newton Abbot the other day. I think he’ll probably want further than 2m5f and he’d like soft ground too. I also think he’s better suited to running against smaller fields. We hope there’s further improvement to come from him over fences this season. He’ll have an entry in the Future Stars‘ at Sandown on Sunday.

Truckers Pass
6g Kalanisi – Lady Knightess
Brocade Racing
2/22-2
RPR 125h

He’s been a very unlucky horse as he’s finished second three times for us, and the form of his races has worked out particularly well too. He probably wants to be going left-handed and we’ll be running again before too long. Hopefully he can lose his maiden tag soon – he certainly deserves it. He’ll probably run at Fontwell on Friday or Chepstow next Monday.

Westend Story
9g Westerner – Sarahall
Mick Fitzgerald Racing Club
1/04/4FU-
RPR 138c OR 134c

He’s been unlucky not to get round on his last two runs at Newbury and Exeter. The last day was the race that caused Richard Johnson to break his arm in an accident. I think he has a decent rating and things just haven’t gone his way over fences yet. Hopefully he can win a chase before too long.

Wildfire Warrior
5g Flemensfirth – Lady Of Fortune
Mrs Diana L Whateley
24-
RPR 106b

He ran very well in two bumpers at Warwick, finishing second and then fourth. He’s schooled well over hurdles and we’ll look to start him off in a novice hurdle over two and a half miles before too long. He’ll run at Exeter on Tuesday.

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Young William
4g Yeats – Full Of Fruit
Tim & Charlotte Syder
Unraced

He’s related to Pileon and will be out in a bumper in a few weeks. He seems to be going well at this stage and is one to look forward to.

Zafar
5g Kamsin – Zambuka
Govier & Brown
2239/
RPR 117h OR 125h

He missed last season but has a decent level of ability and we hope should win soon. He’ll probably be running over hurdles in about a month and all is going well with him at this stage.

Zanza
6g Arcadio – What A Bleu
Louisville Syndicate Elite
16F60-4
RPR 133c OR 138c

I thought he ran fine at Newton Abbot the other day but was just rather outpaced. We’ll stay chasing with him and he probably would like to go slightly further in trip, run on a bit softer and on more of a galloping track. All of those factors would help him. 

Zoffee
4g Zoffany – Mount Crystal
Alan Peterson
221P-21
RPR 128c OR 132c

We were very pleased with his win at Exeter the other day. He’ll be having a break soon because he’s not a soft-ground horse. He’s still young so hopefully he can continue improving.  

Unnamed
4f Black Sam Bellamy – Miss Chinchilla
The Philip Hobbs Racing Partnership II
Unraced

She’s not named yet but we like her and as she’s a four-year-old it won’t be long until she makes her debut. We did a fair bit of work with her last season and she goes well. She’s a half-sister to six winners and will be a nice one for the future. She’ll start in a mares‘ bumper.

Two for the tracker

Pileon as we think he’s a nice novice chaser for the season and St Barts as we hope he can improve up the ranks.

Expert view

Not a lot went right for the Hobbs team at the Cheltenham Festival and it must have been particularly frustrating to see many people’s banker of the meeting, Defi Du Seuil, run so poorly in the Champion Chase.

Politologue might have emerged victorious in that contest, but there’s little doubt about who was the best two-mile chaser in Britain last season. Defi Du Seuil had thrashed all comers, including Politologue, when winning the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, Sandown’s Tingle Creek, and the Clarence House at Ascot, and the fact he failed to fire in the big one shouldn’t take away his previous dominance of the division.

He will stay further, but this year’s two-mile chasers don’t look an outstanding bunch and there didn’t appear to be a superstar among last year’s novices either. Defi Du Seuil will be the one to beat again.

Sporting John was another who ran below form at the festival when beaten 30 lengths behind Envoi Allen in the Ballymore – he was reportedly slightly lame after the race but fine by the evening. 

Chasing will be on the agenda for Sporting John this season and it will be interesting to see how he takes to it. Hobbs-trained runners usually improve significantly as they gain experience over fences, so he may not be one to back on his chasing debut. But it will be a surprise if he isn’t back at Cheltenham in March with a big chance.

The one thing that connected Defi Du Seuil and Sporting John going into last year’s festival was that both had their prep runs on testing ground. Maybe they had harder races than appeared on the eye and that may have taken the edge off their Cheltenham performances.

Thyme Hill was one Hobbs runner who did run well at the festival when fourth in the Albert Bartlett, and he might have finished closer had he not found trouble on the run to the final flight. He had been kept fresh since winning the Challow Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas and maybe that explains why he was able to reproduce his best form on the big day at Cheltenham.

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There may be more quantity in Jessica Harrington’s Flat artillery, but don’t underestimate the quality that rests in her jumping battalion.

The 2020-21 campaign promises to be a fruitful one for the Commonstown team as they go to war with a squad of roughly 50 National Hunt performers, boasting a mix of proven Graded operators and up-and-coming youngsters.

The prolific Magic Of Light is back and apparently better than ever as she builds towards her bid to go one better than her second in the 2019 Randox Health Grand National.

Three-time Grade 1 winner Supasundae also returns to the fray and will aim to collect another top-level hurdling prize this term, while the fellow Potts-owned Sizing Pottsie and promising hurdler Jungle Junction have the potential to make their presence felt in high-quality events.

The impressive victories for Crosshill and Ever Present, who provided Harrington with a Punchestown double last Wednesday, could be a sign of things to come with the younger brigade of potential stars coming through.

Stable facts

Yard Commonstown Stud
Where Moone, County Kildare
Started training 1989
National Hunt horses in yard 50
Assistant trainer/head groom Eamonn Leigh
Assistant trainer Kate Harrington
Travelling head groom Niall Amond
Assistant travelling head Esme Cooke
Yard managers Nigel Byrne, Matt Crosse, Adrien Bolger, Martina Kearns, Rory Nolan
Jockeys Robbie Power, Paddy Kennedy, Sean O’Keeffe, Finny Maguire, Cian Cullinan, Mikey McGuane
Secretaries Sue Wilson, Sean Crowe, Ally Couchman
Office managers Emma Galway, Richie Galway
Twitter @Jessica_Racing

Winners over jumps in Ireland