Brave among the very best novices around
Bravemansgame might have won only a class 3 novice handicap with a prize fund of £20,000, but his performance at Newbury was the highlight of the card, not only as a pointer towards the Cheltenham Festival, but as a performance in its own right.
He defied a BHA mark of 159 – Glory And Fortune won the featured Betfair Hurdle off of just 143 – and while he was taken on by just three rivals, the two that put in a serious challenge in the straight had both won last time out. In form terms, this was right up there with the best performances by a novice chaser this winter.
Last seen winning the Grade 1 Kauto Star at Kempton at Christmas, Bravemansgame had reportedly been left with something to work on in the build-up to Cheltenham, kept fresh, which was certainly apparent in his constantly keen demeanour beforehand.
He got a ride as well that clearly looked designed to get him working. He dictated, largely jumping well. However, Harry Cobden chose to let his rivals lay down a challenge in the straight before he asked his mount to put the race to bed approaching the last, treating it like a well-rewarded gallop (see full replay below).
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Bravemansgame is obviously among the most likely British-trained contenders for one of the championship races at the Cheltenham Festival, though Galopin des Champs is ahead of him in the market for the Brown Advisory. There's little between them in terms of the level reached so far and both have plenty more to offer too, the gap between them in the market a shade wider than it should be.
National on the table for De Rasher Counter?
There were unquestionably Cheltenham Festival winners on show at Newbury on Saturday. But though it was wonderful to see them looking so well, having Native River and Altior, both retired, give a lap or two of honour between the Denman and the Game Spirit shone a rather negative light on those that were actually running.
Framing races in the context of the Cheltenham Festival is wonderful for the 'narrative', but it needs at least one serious contender to prevent the supposed trial from becoming something of an irrelevance.
The Betfair Denman Chase saw five go to post, only two of them entered in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and two not entered at Cheltenham at all. Clan des Obeaux, a genuine Gold Cup contender in his prime and a bona-fide Grade 1 chaser still, though with Cheltenham no longer on the agenda, was sent off at evens and impressed with his well-being beforehand.
However, he was another disappointment for his yard, which is currently running well below its usual strike-rate, Bravemansgame notwithstanding.
Even more of a flop was Gold Cup entry Imperial Aura, who failed to complete for the fifth start in a row. He went from cruising to running on empty in a couple of strides after fluffing four out, all the more worrying that there was nothing obviously amiss when examined by the vet after the race.
The other three shaped with more encouragement. The other Gold Cup entry Royale Pagaille ran with credit, taking second, in a race that didn't place enough emphasis on stamina. He's not a forlorn hope for Cheltenham, but a lot more rain than is currently in the forecast would boost his claims.
The Denman was won in convincing fashion by Eldorado Allen, trying near-three miles for the first time and clearly fully at home over it. He jumped, travelled and from three out had too much speed for his rivals, this clearly a career best.
He would need to be supplemented were he to take his chance in the Gold Cup, though that may be an option. He has an entry in the Ryanair and was runner-up to Shishkin in the 2021 Arkle, so has Cheltenham form; that said, the race that came into my mind for him immediately afterwards was the Bowl at Aintree.
The winner apart, the most interesting performance in the Denman came from the long-absent De Rasher Counter. Seldom seen since winning the 2019 Ladbrokes Trophy, he looked as if the outing would bring him on after 16 months off, but he only got tired after jumping two out. De Rasher Counter is entered in the Grand National, which is a test that might suit him well, his mark likely to be competitive too.
Nothing too flashy about tough cookie Funambule Sivola
The Game Spirit was never going to be much of a Champion Chase pointer, given Shishkin and Energumene (as well as Chacun Pour Soi) had already laid their cards on the table in recent weeks. However, it provided a good opportunity for Funambule Sivola to take a further step up the ladder and added another good pot to what is proving a resurgent season for his trainer Venetia Williams.
Funambule Sivola's win (and Royale Pagaille's second) took the trainer over the million-pound prize money mark for the first time since 2013/14 and she looks set for her highest position in the trainers' championship table since Mon Mome won the Grand National.
Funambule Sivola is typical of so many of her best horses, working his way up the ranks, not a horse that would make you go wow in the paddock – in truth, he looked a bit drab on Saturday – but one that has been well placed to win more than his share of races. It's notable that Venetia Williams' strike rate this season is at Nicholls-Henderson levels and she sits where she does in the table from far fewer runners than some of those around her.
Whether Funambule Sivola will make much impact if he takes his chance in the Champion Chase is doubtful, though there are limited alternative options for him, certainly at two miles. He was able to see off the challenges of Sceau Royal, trying hard, and Hitman, just trying, readily enough, but he'll be at a different level at Cheltenham.
Betfair Hurdle lacking a little oomph
The Betfair Hurdle itself, a 0-147 handicap, at least went to a horse with a Champion Hurdle entry, though quotes of around 40/1 seem a fair reflection on Glory And Fortune's prospects.
The most interesting runners beforehand appeared, as often with this race these days, to be novices, but neither Broomfield Burg nor JPR One delivered.
JPR One is a smashing looker and ought to make a cracking novice chaser in time, but he's a bit of a weakling at the moment and failed to see out his race, faced with his toughest assignment to date. The heavily-backed Broomfield Burg, a year older and more the finished article than JPR One, looked to have a strong challenge in him at the second-last but that came to nothing once he was asked to pick up.
All in all, it was a low-key afternoon for his trainer Nicky Henderson, on a card where he has so often produced the main talking point.
He didn't have a runner in the two main chases or the Listed bumper, Brown Advisory entry Gallyhill, 450k-worth of gorgeous, unfortunately jumps like a camel, while the decent Flat recruit King Ottakar looks the part, but is no hurdler judged by his clumsy debut in the novice.
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