Lydia Hislop: Road To Cheltenham | Part Five

This is the full version of the Road To Cheltenham. Below are separate sections if you prefer to read it that way:

• Click here for Ryanair Chase update
• Click here for Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup update
• Click here for Unibet Champion Hurdle update
• Click here for Stayers' and Mares' Hurdle updates
• Click here for novice chasers update
• Click here for novice and juvenile hurdler updates

The biggest ante-post impact of the week came in the form of a statement from Willie Mullins on Sunday evening. With news that Douvan would miss the remainder of this season, a top-heavy market too heavily reliant on twin absentees for almost a month now finally splintered.

Strictly on such terms, this overshadowed anything that happened on the racecourse – despite the fact that recent exploits included a super-ager mash-up at Cheltenham, a poised Peterborough Chase success and several significant novice-hurdling performances, some of which appear undervalued.

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

The cloud of dissatisfaction that’s enveloped Douvan in one form or another for some time at last condensed into something more tangible last week. Sadly for all associated with the horse – and objective racing fans alike – that proved to be a problem serious enough to rule him out of the entire season.

“I haven’t been happy with Douvan over the past few days,” Mullins admitted in a statement to the Racing Post last Sunday. “He appeared to have recovered from the problem that ruled him out of the Tingle Creek but he has been intermittently lame since we started doing more with him during the week.

“I’ve spoken to his owner Rich Ricci and because of the calibre of horse Douvan is, we’ve decided to take a conservative approach. Consequently, he won’t be running this season.”

This announcement was lightly presaged earlier that day by exchange interest in stablemate Min for Leopardstown’s 2m1f Grade One next week, but nonetheless this was a promptly announced, definitive statement with more far-reaching significance than mere Christmas targets.

Combined with connections’ belated assertion that they were not happy with Douvan last season, this latest development throws his racing career into serious doubt. This is serious stuff if Mullins has even counted him out of April’s Punchestown Festival as early as mid-December.

If Douvan does come back, there must now be an increased likelihood that he will never again be as good as he was and certainly that the heights of his anticipated career trajectory will never be reached,

While fully acknowledging The Faugheen Precedent and The Quevega Caveat, both of which principles dictate that it ain’t over ’til it’s over with Mullins-trained inmates, I fear this announcement also means we will never be able fully to define Douvan.

If his last significant racing act proves to be pulling up with a stress fracture of the pelvis in the midst of arguably the greatest test of his life, his legacy will be reliant on Sizing John-based extrapolations. That’s a crying shame.

In the wake of this news, both Min and Politologue were the major movers in this ante-post market – to 7/2 and 9/2 respectively. Obviously, it’s now much more probable that this column’s anti-assumption, life-comes-at-you-fast 8/1 punt on Min is going to pay off – at least in the sense that he’s now much more likely to line up here rather than in the Ryanair.

However, we’re not out of the woods yet. There’s plenty of time for Min to prove between now and March that a longer trip might be more desirable – a minimal threat, in my opinion – and there’s also the possibility that Mullins will shuffle his pack. You are familiar with the concept that is Yorkhill?

Not a word has been uttered about this horse of late but he’s contractually obliged to loom menacingly over many a division and a fistful of Cheltenham Festival races until as late as his trainer can muster.

Who knows where he’ll run in March? Gold Cup, as connections have loosely alleged? Ryanair? Champion Chase? Champion Hurdle? He’s entered over two and three miles, fences and hurdles over Christmas… For what it’s worth, I think two miles would see Yorkhill to best effect – hence my caution about Min. So, we shall see. Eventually.

Altior still heads this market at 13/8 best and his trainer Nicky Henderson has this week reportedly offered the view that it will be the Game Spirit or no prep-run at all prior to the Champion Chase. The latter is perhaps the likelier scenario.

Whatever happens, come March his preparation will have been far from ideal and that can help Min traverse his seven-length inferiority from the 2016 Supreme. Remember, he was also reported by Ricci to have “got hurt” that day at Cheltenham and last term was noted by Ruby Walsh to be “an easier horse to ride over fences”. Every little helps…

A couple of days before the Douvan news emerged, Paul Nicholls revealed in his Betfair blog that he will potentially reschedule Politologue to appear in next week’s Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton rather than wait for January’s Clarence House Chase at Ascot.

“Politologue has come out of his race at Sandown in such good form,” Nicholls explained. “After talking to his owner John Hales, I am going to enter him in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton where we feel he would have a very good chance of winning.

“Then he could have a little break before a warm-up for Cheltenham in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury. That is a route we have taken successfully with several of our best two-milers.”

This would mean the anticipated clash with Un De Sceaux is off the cards but the Nicholls-trained improving grey could instead encounter Champion Chase titleholder Special Tiara at Kempton and then a returning Altior at Newbury.

Douvan’s exit might also mean Fox Norton’s mooted departure from this division is not a done deal, even if the form of last year’s race – in which he was a narrow second to a winner who’d given everyone the slip – should certainly require improving upon if Altior and Min line up.

Finally, I must pay tribute to 2014 Champion Chase hero Sire De Grugy, who was retired after finishing down the field in a handicap chase at Cheltenham last Saturday. The spirit indeed was willing but the flesh was weak.

Of his “horse of a lifetime”, owner Steve Preston commented: “I think his aches and pains have now got a bit too much for him. He has had lots of injuries over the years.

“He has had an arthritic condition since he was six but he never did anything but give 100 per cent. This is just wear and tear now. He deserves to have a great life. It’s time for him to retire.”

Rider Jamie Moore’s homage was arresting. “He was very hard and he had a lot of bottle,” Moore said of the five-time Grade One winner he describes as his “best friend”. “He obviously had a lot of ability but he did try for you. I think he achieved as much as he possibly could. He does mean so much to me.”

Surely there can be no more satisfying tribute than to have “achieved as much as you possibly could”. It accurately applies to so few, equine and human. I wish this bonny horse a fulfilling and happy retirement at the Moores’ yard – a place whose reputation he rightfully elevated and where he is so loved.

Check out Sky Bet's latest prices for the Queen Mother Champion Chase

Ryanair Chase

In case anyone thought any different, Henderson confirmed that the Ryanair is the end-season target for Top Notch. Speaking after his likeable chaser had straightforwardly registered his second Grade Two success of the season in the Peterborough Chase, he also identified February’s Ascot Chase as the likely stepping-stone to the Festival.

“I think two and a half miles is his trip,” he said. “But if it wasn’t for Bristol De Mai, who has the same owners, I’d be gagging to go at the King George with him.”

Simon Munir and Isaac Souede are prepared to run their horses against each other so it would have added a further dimension to Boxing Day’s main event (on this side of the Irish Sea, at least) had Henderson pushed for that option.

In the rescheduled Peterborough, staged at Taunton rather than Huntingdon, Top Notch travelled like a better horse than his three-and-a-quarter-length verdict over stablemate Josses Hill suggests. Henderson was inclined to put this down to the “sticky enough” ground. Some credit also has to go to the runner-up, who left behind his dismal seasonal debut with a persistent display here. He heads for the Desert Orchid, interestingly.

He consistently out-jumped Ptit Zig – not something the latter should include on his resume – who was the first to struggle yet responded gamely to pressure. He rallied for a respectable third ahead of Vaniteux, who ran his best race yet for new trainer David Pipe in first-time blinkers. A handicap target at either Cheltenham or Aintree seems logical, with perhaps the flatter track making more sense.

Twice a narrow second at the Festival in the Triumph and JLT – and fifth to Annie Power in the Champion Hurdle in between – Top Notch is a proven high-class Cheltenham performer. The 10/1 offered by Ladbrokes is on the generous side – even if I ultimately suspect he’ll come up short – given two or three of the horses shorter than him in the market are perhaps uncertain runners.

Min’s participation must now be unlikely in the wake of Douvan’s departure from the Champion Chase and either a weakened renewal in prospect for that race or a bold show in the King George could see Fox Norton jump ship, too. The late Alan Potts, the latter’s owner, prized the Gold Cup above all other targets, whether or not the bird in his hand was the titleholder.

Yorkhill is also shorter than Top Notch for this race with many bookmakers. You can see why, give he holds the 2017 JLT verdict over that horse but for punters he remains the Sir Percy Blakeney of all imponderables. Mullins also already has the favourite and last term’s winner Un De Sceaux for this race.

At 25/1, you can have Caspian Caviar Gold Cup runner-up Clan Des Obeaux and veteran chaser Cue Card, the 2013 Ryanair winner.

The former would have been a well-beaten third had Starchitect not devastatingly suffered a fatal injury when in the throes of recording a huge career-best at Cheltenham last Saturday.

Top-weight Clan Des Obeaux was also outpaced in that handicap early on, making it difficult to envisage him having the speed for this Grade One on likely better ground. A step up to three miles beckons and his mark looks viable in that context.

Colin Tizzard has pinpointed the Ryanair as potentially one of three remaining targets in the long and illustrious career of Cue Card, after which the trainer plans to “have him as my hunter”.

He and owner Jean Bishop have decided to bypass a “red-hot” edition of the King George for “three nice spring races”. Those races are the Ascot Chase, the Ryanair or Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival and finally (presumably) the Bowl at Aintree.

“He’s a lovely horse and he’s nearly as good as he’s ever been,” said Tizzard. “There’s no need for us to back off. He’s a racehorse.”

In between all those ante-post prices can be found Gigginstown’s likely players for this event. Disko, who might have fared better in last term’s JLT under more positive tactics, is a 16/1 shot but might well end up in the Gold Cup given his most immediate target is said to be the King George.

Gigginstown have hit the Ryanair framework six times: Mossbank was second in 2008, First Lieutenant second in 2013, Don Cossack third in 2015, Valseur Lido and Road To Riches second and third in 2016 and Sub Lieutenant was second last season. They are yet to win it.

Valseur Lido himself is set to return in The-Race-Formerly-Known-As-The-Lexus, having been sidelined with a condylar cannonbone fracture since finishing fourth in that race last term.

“It healed perfectly and he’s sound but he had a small problem with a trapped epiglottis, which is why he hasn’t run yet,” Eddie O’Leary said. “He was all set to run at Down Royal… but we had to get that sorted. He’s over that now and might be under the radar.”

If lining up in Leopardstown’s Christmas Grade One chase, he would be set to join fellow members of the Gigginstown massive, Road To Respect and Outlander.

The former won the Plate at last year’s Festival aged just six from a mark of 145 and could well emerge as his owners’ preeminent force in the race sponsored by Michael O’Leary’s company. He’s a fair-looking 16/1.

It is currently a truth universally acknowledged that Road To Respect is better going left-handed, even though two of his three career-bests have been recorded on right-handed tracks. That said, he did adjust left at his fences when appearing to be out-stayed by Outlander when the latter won Down Royal’s Grade One Champion Chase last month.

Check out the latest Sky Bet prices for the Ryanair Chase

Timico Gold Cup

On the same day that Cue Card was ruled out of the King George, Whisper was ruled in – despite trainer Henderson’s evident reluctance because he deems stable companion Might Bite to be “yards and yards and yards in front of him”.

He complained that the official handicapper’s entirely proportionate 12lbs rise for Whisper’s narrow loss to the well-treated Total Recall in the Ladbrokes Trophy, more than nine lengths clear of the third, was “absurd” and “the most almighty clobbering”.

But perhaps the most grating element of the reassessment soon became obvious. “We were thinking we’d put him away for the National,” Henderson admitted. “But [the handicapper has] taken him out of that as well.”

As a result, Whisper has “nowhere to go”… so he’s going to Kempton for the King George. His Newbury defeat very much earned the right to attempt such Grade One targets, even if last season’s RSA Chase suggests his trainer’s relative ranking against the winner is largely justified.

The right-handed track might also be of concern, even though he beat Clan Des Obeaux there in the match that gained him that costly 4lb penalty in the Ladbrokes Trophy. He has looked neither as fluent nor as comfortable when racing that way round compared with his best performances.

The Grand National, on the other hand, could very much suit and it’s to be hoped that Henderson rethinks that decision, too. Connections of Blaklion will certainly hold that hope, given Whisper’s participation would be likely to add up to less weight for their horse at Aintree.

Henderson also revealed that he may not need to give Might Bite a racecourse gallop prior to his Boxing Day engagement, so pleasing has his preparation been to date.

“He’s not a horse who needs a huge amount of work. I know Nico [de Boinville, his rider] was very, very pleased with his work on Saturday,” he reported.

“He seems a much sharper horse this year. He looks feisty and well and is working much better than he did last year… The place [Kempton] suits him and everything is right, so all we’ve concentrated on is getting ready for the King George.”

Sizing John definitely misses the King George but trainer Jessica Harrington hasn’t yet confirmed he will contest What-Was-The-Lexus either.

Whereas Disko ships to Kempton for Gigginstown, Outlander joins Road To Respect and Valseur Lido in that Leopardstown event where Eddie O’Leary says he expects them to encounter both Sizing John and the elusive Yorkhill. At least someone can read Mullins, then…

The absence of Sizing John enables Fox Norton to represent the late Alan and Ann Potts at Kempton, where a strong showing could lead to that horse heading Gold Cup-wards, too. His stablemate Thistlecrack, the titleholder, “schooled well this week” according to trainer Tizzard.

“We might have been a bit kind to him [before Newbury] but we were always catching up and always thought we needed a race for the King George,” he asserted, in revisionist vein. “He’s come out of it and looks completely different. He’s tightened up.”

Finally, 2015 Gold Cup winner Coneygree may be back on the track sooner than initially imagined after pulling up with a breathing issue in the Ladbrokes Trophy last month.

“He’s had his wind op and we’re looking to have him back on the track around the end of January, beginning of February,” trainer Mark Bradstock said. “If the Cotswold Chase came a bit quick, which it might, we could look at something like the Denman Chase.”

Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup: Sky Bet odds: 4 Sizing John 6 Might Bite 7 Yorkhill 10 Bristol De Mai, Thistlecrack 12 Bar

Unibet Champion Hurdle

The International Hurdle had everything fans could have wanted from a top-class race – except a decent pace. Dawdle (in relative terms) it might have been, resulting in plenty of argy-bargy and merely four-and-a-quarter lengths between the first six home at the line, but it was exactly what Cheltenham needed after the distress of the Caspian Caviar.

Ten-year-old My Tent Or Yours, three times runner-up in the Champion Hurdle and even second to Champagne Fever in in the 2013 Sky Bet Supreme, had never actually won at Cheltenham prior to Saturday. Meeting relative spring chicken, nine-year-old The New One, and young pretender Melon on 6lbs favourable terms proved enough to correct that factual oddity and to register his first success since a jumpers’ bumper at Kempton back in February 2014.

Tent, as Henderson has always affectionately called him, has got sensible in his old age and it was notable how well he settled despite the sedate gallop. As his trainer reminisced afterwards, he used to have to race in every contraption known to man in an effort to get him to calm down. Wiser now, he did everything Barry Geraghty required of him.

Given the age he is, nobody was making any large claims afterwards about how he’ll fare come his fourth attempt on the Champion Hurdle in March. Sea Pigeon won the two-mile crown aged 11 in 1981 but it’s since remained a young horse’s game with nine-year-olds Rooster Booster in 2003 and Hurricane Fly in 2013 the oldest winners since.

Nonetheless, it was great to see Tent taking the opportunity presented to him. His trainer had said beforehand that he was more forward for his seasonal debut than many a previous campaign and the ground was suitably no worse than tacky good-to-soft (verging on soft) on the spectrum.

As Geraghty later remarked, had any one of the first three missed the last hurdle with an error, it would have been race over. Having claimed the stands’ rail – to which his jockey holds the title deeds – Tent came up well when asked at the last before steadily quelling The New One up the final hill.

Of course, it was the 6lbs the runner-up had to concede that made the difference – as his protective trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies chafed afterwards, despite knowing the rules when he signed up for the race.

It’s no longer in good taste to joke about connections’ perennial Champion Hurdle ambitions after this horse’s tremendous weight-carrying fourth in the Greatwood reminded us in palpable terms just how good he is.

Aside from also celebrating victory, there can have been no better way for Sam Twiston-Davies to return from injury than to ride the horse he grew up with. Although The New One characteristically adjusted right at some of his hurdles, he kept himself in the game with an absolute belter of a leap at the last before fighting all the way up the final hill.

He looks in better form currently than, for example, last term. It will be interesting to see whether Team Twiston-Davies are again bewitched by the beautiful light emitted by the Champion Hurdle and persuaded away from the Stayers’ Hurdle project, previously agreed as the 2018 Festival target in a hard-fought pact Sam made with his dad last season.

Melon ran with credit at the weights – his best performance yet – considering this was only his fifth hurdle start and he got involved in some bovver either side of the penultimate flight when shuffled back on the approach and then persisting with holding the inside rail on landing. As a result, things got physical with Old Guard.

That and the fact Melon was least willing of the seven-strong field to accept a steady pace compromised his finishing effort in the final sprint. Yet this was nonetheless encouraging for what is likely to be a more suitably conducted race back at Cheltenham in three months’ time.

Whether that race will be the Champion Hurdle or the County rather depends on stablemate Faugheen and Mullins’ band of understudies.

Ch’Tibello ran well on his first start since being ruled out of the 2017 Champion Hurdle with an infected foot. An improved horse last season, he travelled well before jockey Harry Skelton trespassed onto Geraghty’s standside territory and was brought up short.

Swinton and Summer Hurdle winner John Constable performed well in a grade that stretches him. My hat is doffed to Old Guard, who was agitated to hold his position from an early stage but kept trying to the extent he even regained fifth approaching the line.

My Tent Or Yours, Melon and Ch’Tibello are all entered in the two-mile Grade One Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.

Check out the latest Sky Bet Odds for the Unibet Champion Hurdle

Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle

After a quiet couple of weeks, this division will spark back into life over the next ten days with two Grade One events on either side of the Irish Sea.

This column’s ante-post selection Supasundae squares up to titleholder Nichols Canyon – among others, of which more later – at Leopardstown whereas the likes of The World’s End, Sam Spinner and Thomas Campbell are set to make their first attempt at open Grade One company in the Long Walk this Saturday at Ascot.

Unowhatimeanharry, Lil Rockerfeller and L’Ami Serge potentially await in a race run for the first time in honour of three-time winner, the much missed Reve De Sivola.

To reiterate, prior to The New One’s best-at-the-weights second in the International, Twiston-Davies had said that this would be the target unless anything happens to upset one or both of the major players in the Champion Hurdle market.

OLBG Mares’ Hurdle

Another ante-post certainty could be revealed as an oxymoron next week with news that at the first opportunity since trainer Gordon Elliott stated that Apple’s Jade would “keep… to mares’ races”, she’s again taking on the boys – and stepping up to three miles for the first time to boot.

“She runs there because I’d rather that than run her over two miles,” explained Gigginstown’s Eddie O’Leary. “The plan remains the mares’ hurdle at Cheltenham and we’d probably go straight there after Leopardstown.”

However, were Apple’s Jade to again beat Nichols Canyon and Supasundae in the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle as she did in the Hatton’s Grace, receiving a 7lbs mares’ allowance in the Stayers’ Hurdle would become much harder to ignore.

Last year’s OLBG Mares’ Hurdle third Limini also holds an entry for that three-mile race but is reportedly set to make her seasonal debut in the mares’ event at the same meeting.

Momella paid a handsome compliment to this column’s Ballymore selection On The Blind Side when winning a mares’ handicap hurdle at Cheltenham last Saturday against more experienced rivals.

She is likely to be entered in both this race and the Festival’s two-mile novice event for mares, the Trull House Stud Dawn Run. However, trainer Dan Skelton favours bypassing both contests in favour of a 2m4f Fairyhouse Grade One later that same month.

Novice chasers

Kalondra must be considered a JLT candidate after accounting for all three rivals in Cheltenham’s 2m5f Ryman Novices’ Chase last Saturday. In a race that started steadily, he travelled well and readily out-speeded the rest between the final two flights.

He was conceding weight to all bar fourth-placed Jameson after winning at Sedgefield but had been brushed aside by nine lengths by Modus at Wincanton last time.

Trainer Neil Mulholland will make plans according to how the handicapper reacts but suspects his charge will be rated in the mid-150s and indicated that the Festival may not necessarily be on the agenda at all. Jockey Noel Fehily suggested that two-and-a-half miles suits ideally, so a switch to the RSA Chase would appear unlikely.

Coo Star Sivola again ran creditably in second, Lizzie Kelly having opted against making the running on him, but Movewiththetimes just doesn’t seem to be improving his jumping technique.

Up at Doncaster the same day, Keeper Hill won the three-mile Grade Two December Novices’ Chase despite not entirely convincing with his jumping. He’d previously been beaten nine lengths by Benatar at Plumpton and here accounted for Ladbrokes Trophy fourth Braqueur D’Or, who was below his best with his jumping becoming shaky latterly.

At Fairyhouse, Moulin A Vent took another good step forward in his chasing career when galloping to a relentless 18-length victory over consistent Monbeg Notorious in the 2m7.5f beginners’ chase. Back in fourth, Bonbon Au Miel shaped better than his 58-length defeat would suggest; he may not have stayed on his seasonal debut.

Earlier on the same card, Castlegrace Paddy made a winning chase debut in the two-mile beginners’ event, readily accounting for the more fancied Bravissimo and Brelade who would both appear to need further.

At Cheltenham the previous day, Sizing Tennessee put two non-completions behind him with a six-length verdict over Duel At Dawn. The winner had looked set to take the notable scalp of Black Corton when falling at the second last on his previous visit to Cheltenham and barely took off when unseating his rider at the second obstacle on his next start at Ascot.

Here, he threw in a mixed round of jumping – some good leaps and some mistakes – and he’s already a nine-year-old but trainer Tizzard believes he could yet develop into a RSA or NH Chase candidate.

“We never thought he had an issue with his jumping until this year when he fell at the first meeting here,” Tizzard said after this success. “He just galloped into the second at Ascot and he was definitely unnerved after that. When we were schooling him, he was guessy – even on a good stride.

“We’ve done plenty of schooling in the last week but he was still a bit guessy out there today. But he’s got a big, powerful engine and he’ll probably run a couple more times.

“On good spring ground he’ll be an RSA Chase horse. That and the four-miler are the races to be looking at with him. He just wants practice – practice is everything. He’ll be a big player in the spring.”

Other performances to note from that day are Chirico Vallis’s wide-margin success for Mulholland at Bangor – good to see after his heavy fall at Ludlow on his previous start – and, more takingly, his former stable companion Peter The Mayo Man’s six-length defeat of Stowaway Magic at Doncaster.

That winner is now housed at Nicholls’ yard and threatens to be a better chaser than he was a hurdler, as impressed rider Nick Scholfield testified.

“Peter The Mayo Man is very smart,” he said. “He met some short and he met some long and that will stand him in good stead in a better class of race. Chasing is definitely going to be his game – his jumping was super.”

Finally, Eddie O’Leary has reported that Petit Mouchoir – a dual Grade One-winning hurdler last season and third in the Champion Hurdle – suffered “a small fracture” after winning on his chase debut at Punchestown in October. “We put a pin in it and he’s back cantering well. Hopefully we’ll have him right for the Irish Arkle in February,” O’Leary said.

Novice hurdlers

Next Destination assumed the mantle of Albert Bartlett favourite following his success in Navan’s Grade Two novices’ hurdle last Sunday – albeit, curse of the modern Cheltenham Festival, he’s also clear second favourite for the Ballymore in many books.

He clearly has a good blend of skills: both the dour stride of a thorough stayer and the ability to get out of trouble quickly. David Mullins had no need to panic – and did not – when his mount got the third-last wrong as he was quickly back on terms approaching the next and, jumping that well, he could afford to bide his time approaching the final flight after which he drew clear.

Afterwards, jockey Mullins mentioned Next Destination’s “gears” and also that he ”has the right mentality for a trip”.

Owner Malcolm Denmark famously won what is now the Ballymore with Monsignor in 2000 – that heady era when there were only two choices for non-juvenile novices. Which Festival race trainer Mullins has in mind for this horse will become clear later on in the season – probably about 48 hours beforehand.

Next Destination made Cracking Smart appear slow here and trainer Elliott was quick to concede that his novice – a substitute on the day for the sainted Samcro – needed to step back up in trip. Inconvenienced when owner companion Poli Roi veered across him at the penultimate hurdle, Cracking Smart was only fourth approaching the last but stayed on determinedly to claim second.

Jetz also shaped as though a more extreme test is needed and appeared to be holding his head slightly high, as if some tweaking is required. Poli Roi got tired very quickly in this heavy ground, having jumped untidily and yet managing to swing into the lead two out.

Later that same day at Navan, Blow By Blow got off the mark at the third attempt over hurdles after again being sent off favourite. Formerly trained by Mullins to beat Moon Racer in the Grade One Punchestown bumper in April 2016, this horse missed last season and had twice been beaten this – including when given absolutely every opportunity at Fairyhouse on his previous start.

Slightly more patient tactics were employed on this occasion and he stayed on best after the last to lead near the line over 2m7f of heavy ground in by far the slowest time of the day. Elliott nonetheless mentioned the Albert Bartlett.

The other Grade Two of the week was staged over 2m1f at Cheltenham and conducted at a farcical crawl, meaning literal interpretations of the form are dangerous. Western Ryder, who had finished one place behind Next Destination when fifth in last term’s Champion Bumper at the Festival, won the race in forthright fashion – holding a relatively prominent position readily and jumping reliably.

“He loves a fast-run race,” observed trainer Warren Greatrex, so hopefully he should run well if ever he encounters one over hurdles. “In the spring we’ll be looking more at two and a half miles – and it might be that we wait until we come back here to do that.”

That suggests this horse – unbeaten in both completed hurdle starts and proven on a sound surface – has the Ballymore as his Festival target. 25/1 is widely available.

Runner-up Lalor had beaten Western Ryder into third in last term’s Grade Two bumper at Aintree but was receiving 6lb from the winner here. He’s improving steadily over hurdles. Third-placed Summerville Boy was never going to be seen at his best held up in a steadily run race. He needs further.

The following day at Doncaster, five-year-old mare Countister initiated a double on the card for Henderson. Cap Soleil had previously thumped her by seven lengths on her UK debut but she won this readily, jumping efficiently and ridden confidently to win by seven lengths herself.

She beat De Rasher Counter, a raw-ish ex-Pointer, and Clondaw Castle, attempting to concede 13lbs to the winner, who was extensively raced on the Flat in France prior to joining Henderson.

She’s a 12/1 shot for the Dawn Run behind year-younger stable companion Apple’s Shakira – 5/1 favourite for that race but for whom the talk has always been the Triumph. (More on her in the juvenile section.)

Of greater interest for this Festival event is Laurina, who romped away with a Tramore mares’ maiden hurdle by 15 lengths. Apart from almost tripping over the first, she jumped well and eased into a clear lead on the home turn, putting her rivals instantly in trouble.

She clocked the best time of the day, hinting that this performance might have been underestimated in some quarters and the 12/1 on offer about her is relatively appealing given she hails from a stable always long-suited in talented mares. She holds a Grade One 2m4f entry against geldings at Naas next month.

“She has good form in France and she was showing us that at home,” said rider Paul Townend. “She’s a bit of a tank for a mare – it’s like sitting on a gelding. She galloped through the ground well. Although she fell first time out [in France, when trained by Guillaime Macaire], if no one had said it you’d never think she’d fall.”

Juvenile hurdlers

There was a trio of juvenile races to note within a three-hour period last Saturday. The first was overwhelmingly expected: an unextended three-and-a-half-length Cheltenham success from ante-post Triumph favourite Apple’s Shakira at odds of 1/10.

This full sister to Apple’s Jade continues serenely on her programme of education, now having won the same two Cheltenham races as Defi Du Seuil and Katchit, both of whom went on to win the Triumph in 2017 and 2007.

But Henderson is still minded to provide her with more experience to ensure she is fully equipped for her likely test in March – a race in which she will face horses with a more extensive body of work than this thrice-raced filly currently boasts (albeit this has become less of a critical factor since the Fred Winter was created and the Triumph field became more concentrated).

To that end, he is eyeing next Wednesday’s Grade One Finale Hurdle at Chepstow in the hope that it will provide the bigger field and proper racing exposure he envisages. Here, she simply outclassed two fair rivals – both previous winners – in Nube Negra and Knight Destroyer.

Later in the day at Doncaster, the filly’s stable companion We Have A Dream brought back memories of Peace And Co in almost all respects when winning the Grade Two Summit Hurdle.

Owned by Munir and Souede, trained by Henderson and delivering success via a wide margin – all the echoes were there except for the stand-out time that Peace And Co also recorded. Instead, We Have A Dream came home in the slowest time of the four hurdle events on the card.

Nonetheless this was a highly authoritative success over a capable rival in City Dreamer, whose jockey must have briefly imagined he could pounce on the winner, and a promising newcomer in Je Suis Charlie. Yet taking Newcastle winner Act Of Valour palpably underperformed, struggling as early as approaching the third last and ultimately well beaten.

In between these events last Saturday, over at Fairyhouse Stormy Ireland also announced herself as a player in this league with a one-horse show in the juvenile maiden hurdle.

Prominent from the outset, she was about a length ahead at the first and three on landing before easing into a different county by the fourth flight. There were 58 lengths between her and the toiling runner-up at the line. A breakdown of her performance on the clock also confers much credit.

It was her first start for Mullins, having twice previously finished second over hurdles in France, and 16/1 errs on the generous side for the Triumph – even if David Mullins described her afterwards as “a small filly”. Like Apple’s Shakira, she would have the option of running in the Dawn Run instead of taking on geldings in the Triumph.

Selections:

• Advised 30/11/17: Min 8/1 Champion Chase with Paddy Power/Betfair
• Advised 06/12/17: Supasundae 20/1 Stayers’ Hurdle with Bet365 and Paddy Power/Betfair
• Advised 06/12/17: Mengli Khan for the Supreme 15/2 with Betfair
• Advised 13/12/17: On The Blind Side for the Ballymore each-way 10/1 with various firms

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