Things you may have missed this weekend including Sparks Fly, Sharjah and Rochelle

Mixed time for Mullins; take note of Captain

Let’s all join hands and admit it together: we’ve had a quick look at Sharjah’s antepost price for Cheltenham. And if you genuinely haven’t done that yet, I’ll spare you the ignominy - he’s a best-priced 20/1 for both the Arkle and the Turners. There, I hope everyone feels cleansed.

Willie Mullins endured mixed fortunes over the weekend with Easy Game winning the G2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park for a third time (Envoi Allen was third, remember him?) and “Champion Hurdle contender” Zarak The Brave pulling up as Fils D’oudairies won Sunday’s G3 Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle on Tipperary’s mixed Sunday card.

Later on at Tipperary, the loveable Sharjah made it two from two over fences with a 12-length victory in the G3 O’Dwyer Steel Dundrum Novice Chase, and he looks like he absolutely loves the game (replay below).

Faugheen was 12 when third to Samcro in the famous Ricci silks in the 2020 Turners at Cheltenham, after winning Leopardstown’s 2m5f Grade 1 in the February, and you certainly wouldn’t put it past this classy individual (10 rising 11) to follow a similar path. The long-range Festival prices mustn't be spat at, though can obviously be resisted, just to be clear.

Tipperary second Captain Conby, sixth in last season’s Coral Cup, has the distinct look of one getting some early-season experience over fences before being laid out for a major spring handicap or two – making a note of Dusty Sheehy's chestnut now could save on some homework further down the line.

Shoes brushing up hurdling technique

Sticking with the twig-hoppers for a moment and you may have missed that a sapling planted close to the felled tree at Sycamore Gap was on Sunday removed from the Unesco world heritage site on account of it potentially disturbing what is a significant archaeological setting. This will rumble on.

In unrelated news, Goodie Two Shoes won a maiden hurdle at the fourth time of asking, comfortably opening her account at Killarney on Sunday having still looked in need of the experience when disappointing favourite-backers back over timber at Down Royal the time before.

Joseph O'Brien's filly had previously won a nice Flat handicap at Gowran and is now rated 100 in that sphere so isn’t one to be underestimating as the National Hunt season starts to take shape. Though she’ll clearly be kept away from the worst of the winter ground.

Strong support for Chapple-Hyam newcomer

"Peter's back."

It's a Whatsapp message I must get at least once a year and to cut a potentially long story short it usually signals that a Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained horse has been punted through the morning, with a big run seemingly expected.

Anyone who can vividly recall the days of Rodrigo De Triano, Dr Devious, Dutch Art, Winker Watson and Authorized would love to see Chapple-Hyam get more chances with more top-quality horses, but the BHA states he only has 25 in training and, as everyone knows, competition is as fierce as ever.

Classic glory may never come back around for Chapple-Hyam but he remains one of the great characters operating out of Newmarket and knows a good one when he sees one.

In Rochelle, there is clearly hope for the future, despite the filly being unable to land a fairly considerable gamble (100/30 favourite from 20/1) in Saturday's seven-furlong maiden at Newmarket.

Closely related to a bunch of winners, she didn't quite have the turn of foot to match Roger Varian's fellow newcomer True Cyan late on but travelled stylishly under James Doyle and clearly knew her job, just missing out on second by a nose. The strength of this race is up in the air though it's worth noting Saffron Beach won it in 2020, when Primo Bacio was back in the pack, while Al Husn was beaten in it a couple of years ago too.

Peter's back...

Magnificent seven for fab filly

Sparks Fly, we salute you; David Loughnane, take a bow; Laura Pearson, all power to your elbow!

In mid-July we flagged four horses who had already won six handicaps this year, since when Quinault made it seven with victory at Ascot and this Saturday saw the remarkable Sparks Fly add to her haul with a neck victory at Haydock.

Having been rated 59 when it all began at Windsor in April, Sparks Fly was heroically defying a 39lb higher mark at the weekend (98), looking beaten entering the final furlong on her return from a break before somehow finding extra close home to fight back in the heavy conditions and deny William Haggas's Millebosc.

Her only previous run at Listed level ended in a whooping behind Midnight Mile at York in July, but Sparks Fly definitely deserves another crack, especially when the mud is flying.

Fun in the sun with Fables?

You'll no doubt have spotted Ace Impact won the Arc with more than a little to spare, and that Highfield Princess dug out another top-level victory in the Abbaye despite not travelling with anything like the same zest she was showing at her 2022 peak.

They both now have paid-up tickets to the Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita through the Challenge Series programme, should connections wish to feel the "cool November Californian breeze" as BC supremo Drew Fleming so temptingly put it in the ParisLongchamp paddock on Sunday, but the Arc hero won't be heading that way if he even runs again.

Now, I know Highfield Princess wasn't beaten far when fourth at Keeneland last November, but I'd have one or two reservations about backing her at short odds over the famous downhill five furlongs at the 'Great Race Place'.

She could still travel to the States, or to Hong Kong in December, according to trainer John Quinn, but the horse I'd be interested in for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint finished just on her heels in third at ParisLongchamp.

Aesop's Fables has taken his time but may only now be starting to fulfil his sprinting potential and the fitting of blinkers could be the making of him.

He's not in the BC betting just yet but the pre-entries aren't out for another fortnight and I just wonder if he's made a late play to get his name on the Ballydoyle team-sheet for a meeting we know 'The Lads' remain particularly sweet on.

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