Sky Sports Racing's Alex Hammond looks forward to the Winter Million weekend at Ascot and Windsor in her latest blog.
1. Harry Cobden has landed the JP McManus job for next season - how do you see that working out in the long-term?
I think this is a winning formula for all concerned. Harry Cobden has an excellent temperament for a job with the status and pressure of this one, as he has proven with his time riding as number one for Paul Nicholls. The Nicholls job is a high pressure one given the status of the stable over the years and particularly given the challenges of recent times when the Somerset stable has been rebuilding and reviving. It’s a tough enough job when they are flying high but during his tenure as first jockey, it must have presented its own challenges. He will be a different proposition than say an AP McCoy with his intensity, but the will to win is as strong albeit in a different package.
His farming interests away from racing are a useful distraction too, so as a character he seems ideally suited to the position. His riding speaks for itself. He is a complete natural and is beautiful to watch on a horse. His age is also a bonus because the possibility of longevity in the role will offer some stability to McManus and his many trainers. Cobden doesn’t strike me as a divisive character and his laid back nature should help him slot seamlessly into the role. As far as January transfer windows go, this is a great signing!
2. Last week wasn't an easy one given the weather and unfortunate events at Kempton on Saturday - can the sport bounce back in a big way with Windsor and Ascot taking centre stage?
The Winter Million weekend is really establishing itself in the mid-winter calendar and the high quality of the three days of racing at Windsor, Ascot and back at Windsor are helping it become a destination for racegoers. When Ascot came on board to make this a weekend that works for racegoers to attend all three days it showed that racing can come together for the greater good and it deserves to be a tremendous success. I’ll be there all three days for Sky Sports Racing and I can’t wait. So much quality and the two venues are always a joy to visit.
The weather experienced last weekend is beyond our control and the sad fatalities at Kempton will be scrutinised to see if anything could have been done to prevent them. I don’t know what the answer is to the latter tragedies but there are some smart people involved in assessing the deaths and hopefully lessons can be learned. As is often the case with situations like this, there is no common factor, but it is awful to see and the sport can’t be, and won’t be, complacent.
3. Where will your money be going in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot?
Willie Mullins threw a spanner into everyone’s works when he entered Il Etait Temps and to be honest, I won’t be looking beyond him if he goes to Ascot on Saturday. Sky Bet has priced him up as 8/15 favourite and that is a fair reflection of his status in the race. Last year’s winner Jonbon was nine lengths behind Il Etait Temps in the Tingle Creek, and I can’t see that being reversed even given Nicky Henderson’s incomparable record in this race (he’s won the race seven times).
In Thistle Ask and Gidleigh Park you have horses with less experience over fences, so more room for improvement but they, along with JPR One have work to do to turn things around on official ratings. Dan Skelton’s Thistle Ask is on a sharp upward trajectory, and he hasn’t reached his ceiling yet, so is an exciting opponent to the favourite. Gidleigh Park’s trainer Harry Fry is already having a better season this over last, and he’ll be hopeful the horse can win again at this festival having won the Lightning Novices’ Chase at Windsor twelve months ago.
4. Sunday's Fitzdares Fleur De Lys Chase is the big one at Windsor - how do you see it playing out?
Last year Protektorat made easy work of winning the race and he’s back again at the grand old age of 11. The track has a different configuration to last year having since reverted to the old figure of eight track, so it will be interesting to see how he adapts to that. He wasn’t the highest rated last year, that honour went to Ahoy Senor who pulled up, but he is top rated this time round. He’s an aggressive front runner so we know what he’ll set out to do.
Handstands interests me for trainer Ben Pauling. He’s just turned seven and he brings some smart novice form to the table. He beat Jango Baie in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles last season but must sharpen up for his well beaten fourth place in the Betfair Chase last time out. The drop back to this 2m6f trip looks tailor made for him though. Speaking of the trip, Matata should have more to offer having proven that two and a half miles suited well when winning at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. He’s not been the easiest and his keenness has been his undoing in the past but if all goes to plan, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with. Salver is also unexposed over fences, and he drops in trip which shouldn’t be a problem, particularly if we get rain before Sunday.
5. Give us another name or two to consider this week.
Earlier on in the week Panic Attack is set to run at Newbury in Wednesday’s Listed mares’ chase. She’s no betting proposition but I’m looking forward to seeing her in action.
The Lightning Novices’ Chase is often an influential contest and this year’s renewal looks decent. Be Aware has taken well to chasing and is Sky Bet’s 13/8 market leader for Dan Skelton. He was no match for Lulamba in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown last time but there’s no Lulamba in the field on Friday. He had to give weight to the winner that day and set decent fractions, so it was a classy performance.
Wade Out is a horse I’ll be keeping a close eye on if he lines up in the novices’ limited handicap chase on Friday. The Olly Murphy trained seven year old is two from two since going chasing this season. He’s not an easy ride though but suits Sean Bowen’s tenacious style well.
Wilful put in a slick jumping performance to win a premier handicap hurdle at Ascot over Christmas and whilst he has a chunky rise in the weights to overcome his efficiency will stand him in good stead in Friday’s Sovereign Handicap Hurdle for which he’s a 10/1 shot.
On Sunday Bass Hunter will hopefully continue his climb up the ranks in the closing bumper. It’s great to see trainer Chris Gordon with a smart horse like this and he is bringing an unbeaten record with him to Windsor having won bumpers at Newbury and Ascot.
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