Ben Linfoot picks out the good moves and bad moves on Super Saturday at Newbury as Bravemansgame and Clan Des Obeaux delivered a high and a low for Paul Nicholls.
Good move - Nicholls vindicated by the BMG
After a very poor start to the year, scratching around for few winners, operating at a 5% strike-rate the last few weeks, Paul Nicholls had an even brighter spotlight on him than usual when he saddled up BRAVEMANSGAME in the Betfair Cheltenham Roarcast Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Newbury.
The first runner from Ditcheat since Greaneteen was beaten 74 lengths in last Sunday’s Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown, Britain’s best staying novice chaser was given an eyebrow-raising assignment in having to give lumps of weight to some talented horses in Grumpy Charley and Pats Fancy.
Giving 16lb to each of that pair was not easy and this was a bold call from Nicholls amidst a barren spell, but he was rewarded with a super performance from Bravemansgame. Again, his slick jumping was a feature of the win, an almost flawless display in that department bar not seeing a stride four from home. Even there he was quick-footed and clever.
Now as short as 2/1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival (Coral and Ladbrokes are a standout 7/2 without the NRNB concession) he’ll go there unbeaten over fences, with four steeplechasing victories to his name, and if Galopin Des Champs is pointed at the Turners over half a mile shorter he’ll likely be one of the shortest-priced British-trained runners of the week, along with Shishkin.
It’s a rarity for a Grade One Festival winner to prep in a handicap these days, with only Bobs Worth and Unowhatimeanharry having done so in the last 18 years.
At the turn of the century it was commonplace, an era when graded opportunities were fewer. From 1997-1999 Make A Stand, Karshi, Lady Rebecca, Call Equiname, Looks Like Trouble and Anzum all won Festival Grade Ones on the back of running in handicaps. From 2000-2004 Sausalito Bay, Edredon Bleu, Flagship Uberalles, Kates Charm, Hussard Collonges and Iris’s Gift did the same.
It feels a bit like a throwback, then, and there’s something immensely likeable with how Bravemansgame goes about his business. Mentioned in the same breath as Denman early in his career, he’ll now go for the same Cheltenham Festival race that horse won by 10 lengths in 2007 and on this evidence we could see a similar outcome.
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Bad move – Cheekpieces effect wearing off for Clan
While Nicholls will have felt a wave of relief after the victory of Bravemansgame, the pang of dread won’t have taken long to return as the stable form question marks resurfaced following the lifeless display from CLAN DES OBEAUX in the Betfair Denman Chase.
He jumped well and he tried hard, but he didn’t travel with any zest and this wasn’t his true running. Indeed, this was below the form of his second in this race last year and Nicholls has a job on to get him back in the groove for Aintree and the Grade One Betway Bowl in April.
Harry Cobden didn’t look entirely happy at a relatively early stage here and it was no surprise to hear Nicholls declare he's eyeing up a headgear switcheroo with his horse the next time we see him.
It was last spring where he responded emphatically to the application of first-time cheekpieces and Nicholls got a couple of Grade Ones out of him at Aintree and Punchestown. The sheepskin hasn’t had the same effect this campaign, but Nicholls still has those first-time blinkers up his sleeve.
It’s a tried-and-tested path he’s been down before, as best displayed by the second half of Silviniaco Conti’s career. He was revived by cheekpieces, won three more Grade Ones in them, but when the desired effect wore off his form took a nose-dive before winning one last Grade One in first-time blinkers.
Nicholls is now eyeing the same trick with Clan. And while today he didn't fire, the blinkers plan looks very much a good move.
Good move – Jonbon form gets another booster
I get the feeling JONBON might end up being a little weak in the market for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ as the Cheltenham preview circuit gets into full swing.
After all, the Festival opener looks a hot renewal with stablemate Constitution Hill heading a market that also includes Dysart Dynamo, Sir Gerhard, Pied Piper and Kilcruit.
Douvan’s brother punched his ticket for the Supreme with a fairly unimpressive visual display at Haydock last time, but he gave weight away to his rivals and overcame adversity to seal the win.
But it’s his earlier form at Ascot that has had several outings in the last week – firstly when the second home Colonel Mustard gave us some sort of formline to Sir Gerhard when third to that rival at Leopardstown last Sunday, secondly when fourth home Elle Est Belle won the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon on Thursday, and thirdly when fifth home I LIKE TO MOVE IT got to within a short head of winning the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury (in which Ascot third Knappers Hill was sixth) this afternoon.
Glory And Fortune was just too strong for Nigel Twiston-Davies’ runner at Newbury, but I Like To Move It ran an absolute cracker as he tracked the pace set by Jetoile, who dropped out to be last, before fighting his way to second amongst a bunch of horses that were dropped out in the early stages.
Indeed, fourth home Lord Baddesley picked his way through for a 66/1 fourth after being 10 lengths off the pace early on.
In all likelihood this probably wasn’t a direct pointer to anything at the Cheltenham Festival. Glory And Fortune has little chance of troubling the judge in the Champion Hurdle, while Twiston-Davies has a terrible record in the County Hurdle – a best placing of ninth from eight goes – so it’s hard to fancy I Like To Move It, especially before seeing what the handicapper does.
But Jonbon’s form is looking more solid after a few not so insignificant form boosts, which might be worth bearing in mind if the market goes cold on his chances over the next few weeks.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsBad move – Gold Cup bid looks ambitious for the other E. Allen
This time last year there was only one E. Allen racing fans wanted to talk about. Envoi Allen had just won his 10th race in a row under Rules and the unbeaten chaser was already odds-on for what is now the Turners Novices’ Chase.
Not an awful lot has gone right for that E.Allen since then, so much so he’s 16/1 and as short as 10s for the Ryanair. After the Betfair Denman Chase this afternoon, the other E. Allen, ELDORADO ALLEN, is the same odds for the same race and there’s talk of supplementing him for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, as well.
Eldorado Allen might have improved for his first go at the trip, and there’s no knocking his performance at Newbury today. He jumped really well, bar a mistake at the 12th where he was briefly headed, and his two-and-a-half-mile speed helped him win the race for the line.
But the question marks over those in behind makes this likely untrustworthy form. Clan Des Obeaux, as discussed, simply didn’t run his race, Royale Pagaille needed it a good bit softer to deliver his best, De Rasher Counter was on the comeback trail after 489 days off and Imperial Aura again collected letters rather than a number with a fifth consecutive non-completion.
He might’ve run and won over three miles for the first time today, but I’ve a feeling Eldorado Allen still has his stamina for this sort of trip to prove.
Going for a Ryanair – a Ryanair that looks pretty weak bar the hot favourite Allaho – looks a smarter move than coppering up for an ambitious Gold Cup bid.
