Monday Talking Points: Tristin Davidson and Peter Chapple Hyam under the spotlight
Peter Chapple-Hyam is on the verge of a career first and Matt Brocklebank predicts it could be a good week for the Newmarket maestro.
Let the good times roll again
It's a while since Peter Chapple-Hyam had a proper decent horse to go to war with.
He's only had one Group One winner since Authorized beat Dylan Thomas and Notnowcato in the Juddmonte International, Marcel's 2015 Racing Post Trophy (now Vertem Futurity) success the last time the Newmarket man could toast a top-level triumph.
There may not be any obvious signs of a sensational return to the top table, but one or two green shoots are appearing, and it's hoped the tide continues to turn in his favour.
Providing the history books are not playing tricks, there is no record of Chapple-Hyam training for Prince Khalid Abdullah, whose loyalty John Gosden, Sir Michael Stoute and Sir Henry Cecil down the years has seen around 4,000 horses in his famous pink, white and green silks representing Chapple-Hyam's fellow Newmarket stalwarts.
But that is about to change when Classical Times next appears on a racecourse.
She's already had a good season, winning a Listed race at Haydock back in May, and she's since finished third in Group Three company at Newcastle when last seen in June.
Having changed hands from Allan Belshaw to Khalid Abdullah some time during the interim, she was due to return at Ascot on Saturday before the deluge of rain resulted in her being withdrawn from the Bengough Stakes won by Projection.
Her only entry at the time of writing is the Group One QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes and while that seems a slightly unrealistic target, we shall look forward to her next outing with interest.
Another powerhouse owner putting faith in Classic-winning trainer Chapple-Hyam is Phoenix Thoroughbred supremo Amer Abdulaziz.
The dispersing of horses from Jeremy Noseda's yard earlier this year saw a certain Deja land up with Chapple-Hyam and the son of Youmzain duly made a winning start when nosing home under Paul Hanagan at Chester last month.
The horse, clearly still green on just his third career start, has been handed an initial mark of 84 for that and holds and entry in Friday's bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap at Newmarket, for which he is widely available at 33/1. Chapple-Hyam won the race with 40/1 chance Farquhar in 2014 and had the second (Goathland) at 16/1 in 2015, so there could be some juice in that price.
As for today, Chapple-Hyam has runners at Windsor and Pontefract. Medalla De Oro - sixth in last year's edition of the Old Rowley Cup Handicap - perhaps the pick of them in the Konig Ludwig Handicap at the Thames-side venue.
He loved the soft ground when winning at Epsom at the end of August and connections were probably hoping for easier conditions when aiming at a big pot in Ireland last month. The horse remains open to further improvement in this sort of company and, with a perfect 2-2 record so far at Windsor, shouldn't be overlooked on his return to home soil.
With a spot of luck, it could be a good week for Chapple-Hyam.
Annus mirabilis
Tristan Davidson is not a new name in the training ranks; he officially sent out his first runners under Rules in May 2011.
But 2018 has seen the Cumbrian-based handler produce the kind of results which would make even the most established training operation envious.
The signs were there towards the end of the last National Hunt campaign, Davidson a perfect 1-1 over the sticks in March, and 1-2 during the month of April.
Since then, the trainer has barely missed with the shots he's fired in both codes, achieving strike-rates of 4-7 over jumps and 6-13 on the Flat since the start of June.
So his first runner of October should come under close scrutiny. Step forward Rubenesque, who lines up in today's Try A Trifecta On The Bluff Cove Handicap at Pontefract.
The Getaway mare has contributed already, in both spheres, winning a maiden hurdle at Cartmel in June and returning with a nine-length victory on the level at Carlisle in August.
She's been placed in all three subsequent outings (one of which was back over timber) and bids to improve on last month's second when favourite for a similar race over a marginally shorter trip at the same West Yorkshire track.
She meets the winner, So Near So Farhh, on similar terms and the fair weather forecast may just see the ground dry out a little which is bound to be in her favour.
Win, lose or draw, her trainer must be hoping this year goes on forever and it will be interesting to see if he can carry a little bit of the summer momentum into the far more competitive months during the heart of the jumps season.
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