Andrew Asquith, John Ingles and Tony McFadden tackle the big questions ahead of this weekend's action.
What's your reaction to news that Constitution Hill won't run in the Champion Hurdle?
Andrew Asquith: I thought it was a big overreaction from the bookmakers to make him favourite for the race after his Southwell romp on Friday evening. Yes, he was very impressive, but jumping is the name of the game, and you can’t hide the fact he’s fallen on three of his last four starts over timber. It must be something mentally with Constitution Hill, as he was one of the best jumpers of a hurdle I’ve seen in a long time earlier in his career, so I think connections have made the right decision. It will be interesting to see how high he can go on the Flat this year – I think it’s very exciting.
John Ingles: Mainly relief. Had he run in the Champion Hurdle, the amount of scrutiny he and his connections would have come under would have been even greater than what we saw at Southwell. The gamble might have paid off, of course, but in the end the risks clearly outweighed the potential reward of persevering over hurdles compared with the opportunities now open to him on the Flat. I wasn’t expecting anything like the performance he produced at Southwell, and the horse himself couldn’t have made a stronger case for a permanent career change.
Tony McFadden: I was hoping he would be given the opportunity to regain his Champion Hurdle crown - so long as he was impressing with his schooling - but I can't criticise connections who would have been dealing with enormous pressure. At least the style of his win at Southwell suggests he can make a mark in good races on the Flat, so it will be interesting to see how high he climbs the ranks in that sphere.
The Cheltenham Festival handicap weights were released on Tuesday. Who catches your eye?
AA: I like the claims of Mustang Du Breuil in the McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – more commonly known as the Fred Winter – from what looks a very workable mark of 129. He created a good impression on his British debut at Doncaster, winning with plenty in hand, and I think it says plenty of the regard in which he’s held that he took on his elders in the Dovecote at Kempton last weekend. He could have run in the Adonis on the same card and, interestingly, he was very strong in the market that day. Mustang du Breuil ran with plenty of credit to finish third, staying on in the closing stages like one who will appreciate the stiffer nature of Cheltenham, and a well-run, big-field handicap should bring out the best in him given his strong-travelling nature.
JI: There might be better handicapped horses at the Festival but I like the claims of Konfusion in the Ultima for Sue Smith and Joel Parkinson who are having an excellent season. The stable won this with Vintage Clouds not so long ago but Konfusion is a better jumper than he was and Vintage Clouds was a veteran by the time he won it, whereas Konfusion is only eight and still progressing judged on his last run when third in the Peter Marsh from a mark 30lb higher than when he started the season. The one thing he does have in common with Vintage Clouds is that he’s a front runner, and that’s no bad thing in a big-field handicap chase around Cheltenham.
TM: Koktail Divin presented the handicapper with a tricky question after winning his beginners' chase at Leopardstown by 21 lengths. He's been allotted a BHA mark of 150 - 1lb higher than his Irish rating - but Timeform's handicapper took a higher view of the performance. Koktail Divin looks well treated for the Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase and has unsurprisingly attracted support since the release of the weights. He also has the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase as an option.
It's a competitive renewal of the Premier Novices' Hurdle at Kelso on Saturday. Who gets your vote?
AA: Starmount looked a good prospect when making a winning start under Rules at Wetherby and he shaped better than the bare result fast-tracked to Grade 1 company in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on his next start. A big error at the usual fourth-last didn’t help his claims, while neither did the omitted hurdles in the straight due to the low sun. Starmount looked a graded performer in the making when streaking clear back at Wetherby last time, and this step up in trip is sure to suit this winning pointer, so he’d be the choice for me.
JI: Dan Skelton and Ben Pauling have both won this before and it may well be that Le Beau Madrik and Starmount from those two yards fight this one out. Le Beau Madrik holds Festival entries and is two from two over hurdles after winning both his starts at Newcastle, but he has to give weight to Starmount whose latest win at Wetherby got a big boost when Kaka’s Cousin, who he beat 15 lengths there, was a useful winner at Kelso last time. Starmount steps up a couple of furlongs in trip here, and that’s very much in his favour too given he’s a half-brother to Stage Star.
TM: Le Beau Madrik has to carry a penalty but he's made an excellent start over hurdles and has won both outings with a fair bit in hand, which offers hope he can cope with this step up in class. He must be held in some regard by the Skeltons as he holds entries for a couple of Grade 1s at the Cheltenham Festival.
Can you give us a handicapper of interest this weekend?
AA: I like the claims of Jet To Vegas in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso. It hasn’t quite worked out for him over fences so far this season, though he still matched his useful hurdles form in that sphere, and it is worth remembering how impressive he was when winning the Premier Novices’ Hurdle on this card 12 months ago. Jet To Vegas was electric at his hurdles that day and could also be marked up further for racing close up with the strong pace, finding plenty in the closing stages. This return to two miles shouldn’t pose a problem, given he has plenty of natural speed, and if he hurdles like he did at this track this time last year, he could make a mark of 135 look lenient indeed on his first start since undergoing a breathing operation.
JI: The first two from last month’s Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase, Dartmoor Pirate and New Order, meet again back at Doncaster in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase over a bit further and there are good grounds for thinking that result will be reversed this time. The Great Yorkshire was strongly run which suited Dartmoor Pirate who came from well off the pace, whereas New Order shaped better than the result having been much closer to the speed and then left in front some way out. New Order also meets Dartmoor Pirate on 5 lb better terms now, so can gain a deserved first win of the season.
TM: The Timeform Large P is used sparingly, only assigned to horses deemed capable of much better form, but Savante, who contests the mares' handicap chase (16:43) at Navan, has been awarded the symbol. She didn't make an impact on either of her starts in beginners' chases but showed much-improved form when only narrowly denied in a listed handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. She runs off a 5lb lower mark back over fences and stands out in a much less-competitive event.
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