Paddock Notebook: Horses to follow from Cheltenham and Ascot

CABALLO DE GUERRA, 2m 4yo class 2 conditions hurdle, Cheltenham, 25/10/25

In hindsight, it was probably asking a bit too much of Caballo de Guerra to take on considerably more experienced rivals at level weights in this conditions contest. It is though a pointer towards the regard in which he's held, and it's certainly possible that he will be competitive at graded level further down the line.

Ultimately, he wasn't up to the task. However, he shaped with plenty of promise, travelling smoothly for a long way and beaten only approaching the last. In finishing fourth, he built on the form shown in a class 4 novice at Kelso on hurdling debut earlier in the month. There looks to be plenty more to come.

Caballo de Guerra might have been outclassed in the closing stages, but he wasn't outclassed on looks, plenty of quality, size and substance to him. He can drop back into novice company after this tough assignment and ought to take a lot of beating under a penalty in the north.

CREST OF FORTUNE/BLENKINSOP, 2½ m 4yo+ class 3 novice handicap chase, Cheltenham, 25/10/25

The novice handicap chase that opened the second day of the Showcase meeting looks a race that is sure to throw up winners. It attracted a field of 14, nearly all unexposed or untried over fences. It was run at a proper gallop, the field well strung out early on the final circuit, and although it went to one of the more experienced runners, Zurich had looked an improved performer on his return and stepped up further going back up in trip.

Crest of Fortune took second late on behind Zurich. He's a smashing chasing type, only a five year old and producing a first effort that bettered anything he did in a light campaign over hurdles last season. He had run his best race over hurdles at three miles and a return to further will be on the cards before long. He looks sure to go one better before long, either in handicaps or a novice or beginners chase.

Blenkinsop is three years older than Crest of Fortune and not so obvious a chaser on looks, but he had a long break after running in the Sefton as a novice hurdler in 2022/23, so doesn't have that many miles on the clock. He didn't run until well into the second half of last season, too late to go chasing, so this was really the first run of his second proper campaign. It was a highly promising one, considerately handled, Blenkinsop not for the first time looking the stayer he would be expected to be.

DOCTOR BLUE, 2m 4yo+ Grade 2 Novices' Hurdle, Cheltenham, 24/10/25

Running a hurdling debutant in a Grade 2 novice at level weights with previous winners isn't a conventional route to take, even with a horse as promising as Doctor Blue. Add to that that he was ridden by a conditional jockey unable to claim his 3 lb allowance, plus he was one of just two runners in the field to be making their first start of the season and you get some idea of the task facing him at Cheltenham.

Doctor Blue did everything bar win. He didn't have the easiest of passages, either, short of room as the tempo lifted two out. Responding well to pressure, despite drifting left up the hill, he got to the front with 50 yards to go only to be run out of it in the final strides.

Doctor Blue is a really taking, athletic sort with a pedigree for a jumper that's more speed than stamina. He was useful in bumpers last season and his hurdling debut put down a marker that suggests he will be at least that good over hurdles. He looks sure to win races this winter.

LAST RODEO, 2½m 3yo+ class 3 handicap hurdle, Cheltenham, 24/10/25

Last Rodeo shaped considerably better than the distance beaten in the competitive handicap that opened Cheltenham's season. He was travelling comfortably in mid-field when he was badly hampered at the fifth, dropping to the rear as a result. Last Rodeo's race was effectively over, but he continued to travel smoothly and made some ground approaching the straight to finish in mid-division.

Last Rodeo was having just the fourth run of his career over hurdles and his first since winning a maiden at Lingfield in February. He improved with each of his three outings in maiden hurdles, all of them on soft ground, Lingfield his first run beyond two miles. He was up again in trip at Cheltenham, but will stay further than 2½ miles and may well benefit from a return to soft ground.

Last Rodeo had an opening BHA mark of 118, which does require a bit of improvement, though his profile suggests that is likely. He was running in a 0-140 (topweight off of 137), so was contesting a significantly better-quality race than he needed to, sent off at 33/1. He has plenty to recommend him with a run under his belt.

LEADER CRIK, 2½ m 4yo+ class 2 novice hurdle, Cheltenham, 24/10/25

Sometimes a notebook pick needs to be 100% paddock driven, and that's certainly the case with Leader Crik. His debut over hurdles was encouraging, without blowing one away – he was sent off at 11/1 and ended up beaten 25 lengths, but he has the frame to make into a smashing chaser in time, very tall but rather unfurnished still, alert, though with hints of greenness in his demeanour.

Leader Crik went to Cheltenham with just one previous racecourse appearance, finishing second in a maiden point in April. He's made more visits to the sale ring than the track, having changed hands as a foal and a store before joining current connections for £160,000 shortly after his point run.

Leader Crik has an interesting French pedigree, one which suggests he might benefit from dropping back to two miles for the time being. His dam is a half-sister to Oh Crick, who won the Grand Annual and Red Rum, and Othermix, whose best efforts came in defeat, a second placing in both the Cambaceres and the novice handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Oddly enough, Leader Crik's sire Beaumec de Houelle was a winner of the Cambaceres, the top three-year-old hurdle in France. The horse that finished second to him at Auteuil? Pic d'Orthy, no less.

LOUSTIC DU CHATEL, 2m 4 + 5yo, class 2 NH Flat, Ascot, 01/11/25

It's understandable that anyone watching the bumper at Ascot on Saturday, peering into the gloom, might take the view that the form is questionable at best. After all, Loustic du Chatel was well away from the start, extended his clear lead considerably running downhill towards Swinley Bottom and had gone over 30 lengths clear going through three out on the hurdles track.

The margin at the line had been reduced to 11 lengths, but Loustic du Chatel never looked in danger of being caught. While it might have looked as if he slipped the field and the result couldn't be taken at face value, he did appear to put quite a bit of effort into going so far clear climbing to the straight, the reduced margin more his tying up than the others closing on one that had got away.

Loustic du Chatel's appearance also gives reason to take a more positive slant. He was the pick of the field on Saturday, a tall gelding who should have a decent future as a novice hurdler in due course. Given he's only four, a longer campaign in bumper may well come first. The Listed event back at Ascot at Christmas may well be a suitable option.

NO QUESTIONS ASKED, 2m3f 4yo+ class 3 novice handicap chase, Ascot, 01/11/25

There's no denying that some of the form around over jumps at the moment is decidedly short on depth. This is particularly true in the novice chase division where the enhanced 'chasing excellence' races have been chasing runners. The novice handicap at Ascot on Saturday was no better, just three starting, the race effectively a match.

That said, the ex-hunter Viroflay was strong in the betting and went as if in good heart, jumping soundly in front. That No Questions Asked could brush him aside in the manner that he did on chasing debut augurs well for his season ahead. No Quarter Given tanked through the race and soon put things to bed after leading two out. He jumped markedly left at the last, which lost him some momentum, but he still ran out a convincing winner.

No Questions Asked is very much a chaser on looks and his performance at Ascot was a marked advance on what he did as a hurdler. He ran to a level that would make him competitive in a graded novice and it may well be that a race of that nature rather than another handicap is next on the agenda.

RELIEVED OF DUTIES, 2m 4yo+ class 2 novice chase, Cheltenham, 24/10/25

Relieved of Duties was his stable's second string on paper in this valuable two-mile novice chase, sent off at 12/1, but he shaped much the better of Gordon Elliott's pair, chasing home one of the joint-favourites Alnilam. He did well, having been given a very patient ride, still 12 lengths behind the winner three out, making good progress to go second in the straight before his effort flattened out.

This was still quite a step up from the form of his chasing debut win, in a beginners chase at Fairyhouse earlier in October. Relieved of Duties managed one win from seven starts over hurdles, but he's a good-bodied sort, very much a chaser on looks, so it's no surprise that his form has already surpassed the level he reached as a hurdler last season.

Relieved of Duties has been raced solely around two miles so far, but he's bred to stay a fair bit further. His dam won a chase over 19 furlongs and was placed cross-country at two and three quarter miles. Her three winning siblings were all successful at three miles plus. He's got the potential to go quite a bit further.

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