2016/17 Jumps Issue 13 - three more Cheltenham hopes ruled out

Headlines

Air Fly’s in at Sandown

Top Notch’s another Victory

Frodon lands Future Champion Chase

Douvan Doddle at Punchestown

Report

We start at Sandown on Saturday where in the 2m hurdle, Buveur D’Air ( Lee, Martin, Peej, Steve), went to post, held up in 3^rd, took 2^nd after 2 out, cruised in to the lead 150 yards out, winning hard held by 1 ½ l. He gets 13.2 points.

In the 2m 4f grade 1 Scilly Isles Novice chase, Top Notch ( Martin), took his chance, held up in touch, went 2^nd when mistake 14^th, going well 3 out when pressing leader, led last, shaken up , soon clear winning impressively by 5l. He gets 46.2 points.

On Sunday at Mussleburgh, Frodon ( Micky), went to post, poached 5l lead at start, made all, mistake and shaken up 3 out, kept on strongly, winning unchallenged by 9l. He gets 23 points.

At Punchestown in the 2m grade 2 chase Douvan ( Not Steve), went to post, tracked leader, led after 1^st, made rest, eased clear and in command from 2 out, winning easily by 6l. He gets 16.1 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy

              February       Total

Steve                 13.2                626.3

Micky              39.1                  606.1

Martin             75.5                604.4

Tony                16.1               536

Lee                  29.3                 528.4

Neil                 16.1                  521.5

Cod                 16.1                513.7

Peej                 29.3               492.3

Cliff                16.1               472.7

Bob                  16.1              443.2

News

Willie Mullins has been dealt a hammer blow with the news that both Faugheen and Min will miss the Cheltenham Festival

Faugheen won the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the 2015 Festival, but an injury sustained after winning the 2016 Irish Champion Hurdle ruled him out of defending his Cheltenham crown.

The nine-year-old has suffered a couple of minor problems this term, meaning his intended comeback was delayed until the Irish Champion Hurdle last month. However, another issue saw him pulled out of the race 24 hours before the event and while Mullins initially thought Faugheen had a muscle problem, the setback has proved more serious. "We had hoped Faugheen had just tweaked a muscle, but we've had it checked out and it's a stress fracture," said Mullins.

Min also missed an intended outing in the Irish Arkle at the end of last month and Mullins has confirmed the Grade One winner will also be an absentee in the Cotswolds next month.

He added: "Min has a bruise. Hopefully both will still make the track this season."

Mullins continued: "It's a real shame with Faugheen, we needed everything to go right and obviously it hasn'

Top Notch will attempt to register back-to-back Grade One victories in next month's JLT Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Paul Nicholls has declared Clan Des Obeaux an unlikely runner at the Cheltenham Festival after his disappointing display at Sandown on Saturday

Paul Nicholls' decision to run Politologue at Kempton tomorrow rather than in Warwick's Kingmaker Novices' Chase on Saturday has saved Sam Twiston-Davies from a mad dash to Newbury.

Twiston-Davies was going to need a helicopter to take him from Warwick to get to Newbury for the ride on Ballyandy in the Betfair Hurdle, but that can now be shelved.

It looks shrewd placement, as ever, from champion trainer Nicholls, as the John Hales-owned grey only faces one rival, Dan Skelton's Pain Au Chocolat, in the Matchbook Traders Conference Graduation Chase