Tony McFadden provides the Timeform ratings reaction to some notable performances at Kempton and Leopardstown.
Sir Gino (163p from 158p)
Sir Gino missed the second half of last season after suffering a serious infection, but he showed all ability remains intact when making a successful return from a year off in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
Sir Gino, who was reverting to hurdling having posted such an impressive performance on his chasing debut in the Wayward Lad at the same course 12 months earlier, travelled strongly and jumped fluently on his way to handing the Champion Hurdle winner Golden Ace a six-length beating (replay below).
Victory extended Sir Gino's unbeaten record, taking his tally to seven, and the performance has been rated by Timeform as his best yet over hurdles, matching the high-class level of form he had shown in the Wayward Lad.
By Timeform's reckoning, only stablemate Constitution Hill has put up a better performance in the Christmas Hurdle since Faugheen posted a top-class display for his first win in the race in 2014. With State Man (167) sidelined and doubts surrounding Constitution Hill's (166x) future as a hurdler, Sir Gino is now a leading player on ratings for the Champion Hurdle.
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The Jukebox Man (167p from 159p)
A muddling pace helped contribute to a tight, exciting finish to the King George, but it also meant the winning performance rating wasn't as high as many would have predicted beforehand.
Even so, it was still a clear career-best effort from the lightly-raced The Jukebox Man who went into the race as one of the lowest rated in the field, largely as a consequence of lack of opportunity given a setback meant he missed the second half of last season.
He went into the race with the Timeform 'small p', to show that improvement was anticipated, and he duly took that step forward to edge out Banbridge and Gaelic Warrior in a finish of noses.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup will present a much sterner test of stamina but The Jukebox Man looks a leading contender, especially as his lightly-raced profile offers the potential of even more to come. Galopin des Champs, who was an encouraging third while being some way from his best on his return in the Savills Chase, remains Timeform's highest-rated chaser on 175.
Narciso Has (138p from 132p)
French import Narciso Has had come up short on his first start for Willie Mullins when trying to concede 3 lb to the filly Mange Tout in a Grade 3 juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse last month, but that was a promising effort against a rival with more experience, in what looked the strongest race of its type at that point of the season.
Narciso Has, therefore, headed into the Grade 2 at Leopardstown with strong claims on form and he ran out a dominant winner, improving on his Fairyhouse effort to score by 11 lengths (replay below).
The way he sustained a big move off the home turn was impressive and he is now the highest-rated juvenile in the division, though old rival Mange Tout (132p) is likely to be in receipt of 7 lb when they next meet so should come out with similar claims once her sex allowance is factored in.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsTalk The Talk (148p from 139p) and Skylight Hustle (146p from 134p)
Talk The Talk had quickened up well to take the lead before coming down at the final flight in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle and he has been awarded the highest rating in what is admittedly still a wide-open division.
His departure left the race at the mercy of Skylight Hustle who came home five lengths clear of Carrigmoornaspruce to build on the positive impression he had created when a wide-margin winner of a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse.
There was also a significant novice hurdle at Aintree the previous afternoon, with Idaho Sun (140 from 129p) springing a surprise to beat Mydaddypaddy (139p from 140p) in the Grade 1 Formby. Idaho Sun, a talented bumper performer and winner of his first two starts over hurdles, looked vulnerable when Mydaddypaddy loomed up a couple of furlongs out, but he found plenty for pressure to score by three and a quarter lengths and inflict a first defeat on the favourite.
Mydaddypaddy, who had created a big impression in winning a bumper and a couple of races over hurdles, probably wasn't suited by the removal of the flights in the straight which put more emphasis on galloping and placed less importance on jumping, which along with speed seems one of his big assets. He could still do better under more favourable circumstances.
Haiti Couleurs (160 from 154)
Haiti Couleurs had a rare off day in the Betfair Chase, in which he was pulled off after travelling with little enthusiasm, but he proved better than ever to bounce back in the Welsh Grand National.
Haiti Couleurs had signed off a highly successful novice chase campaign with victory in the Irish Grand National and he defied a 13 lb higher mark to add the Welsh equivalent to his haul, producing a high-class performance by Timeform's reckoning.
His performance is the best in the race since Native River defied top weight in 2016, though further improvement is required if he is to emulate that one by going on to win a Cheltenham Gold Cup. Haiti Couleurs is still about a stone shy of the best staying chasers around, such as Galopin des Champs and Inothewayurthinkin, though the standard setters do have some questions to answer, whereas he's a horse on the up.
Thistle Ask (160+ from 149)
Thistle Ask has been one of the big success stories this season and made it four out of four since joining Dan Skelton when landing the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Handicap Chase by a wide margin.
Thistle Ask had a Timeform rating of 116 prior to his stable debut at Kelso towards the end of October but has increased that figure by more than three stone and is now rated 160+ following a spectacular victory at Kempton.
Admittedly, his task was made easier by main rival Ryan's Rocket departing down the back straight while going well, but it was still impressive how easily Thistle Ask drew clear having been aided by a superb round of jumping. He's made astonishing progress in just a couple of months and will be well worth his place in a Grade 1, for all divisional leader Il Etait Temps' rating of 174 shows that much more is still required.
Last season's Champion Chase winner Marine Nationale is rated 167 but may well have improved on that figure had he not nearly unseated his rider at the second fence on his reappearance in the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown.
He lost momentum and ended up further back than ideal as a consequence, so deserves credit for proving so competitive and losing out by only half a length to the front-running Solness who was winning a third Grade 1 over a course and distance that clearly suits.
Teahupoo (161 from 158)
There was only a nose between Teahupoo and the fast-finishing Ballyburn in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse last month but Teahupoo was a decisive winner over an extra three and a half furlongs at Leopardstown in a well-run race that tested stamina.
Ballyburn typically raced keenly and failed to reproduce the pick of his form at shorter trips, whereas 2024 Stayers' Hurdle Teahupoo underlined his stamina reserves by powering to a seven-length victory over Bob Olinger, comprehensively reversing form with the horse who had denied him in the latest edition of the Stayers' Hurdle.
Teahupoo has been on the scene for a few years but he's only an eight-year-old and the Gordon Elliott stable has been in flying form, so it doesn't seem fanciful to suggest he posted a career-best effort at Leopardstown. He is back at the head of the staying hurdle division, and the only hurdlers - at any distance - rated higher than him are State Man (167), Constitution Hill (166x) and Sir Gino (163p).
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