2016/17 Jumps Issue 15 - Plenty of Points

Headlines

Card Wins on Cue at Ascot

Yanworth Lands Kingwell Hurdle

Ballycasey Stars At Gowran Park

Ball D’Arc Rolls home

Report

We start at Ascot last Saturday where in the 2m 5f Grade 1 Ascot Chase, Cue Card( Cliff, Lee, Martin, Neil), went to post, tracked leader, challenged 4 out, led 3 out, easily drew clear from 2 out, winning hard held by 15l . He gets 26.3 points.

At Wincanton, in the 2m grade 2 hurdle Yanworth ( Bob, Lee, Peej, Steve), took his chance, tracked leaders, not fluent 2 out, soon upsides leader,1l down at last,  ridden to lead after last, kept on strongly to win by 1l. He gets 26.3 points.

At Gowran Park in the 2m 4f grade 2 chase, Ballycasey ( Neil), went to post, settled behind leader, raced wide most of , disputed lead at 4^th, led narrowly next, headed after 6^th, improved before straight where niggled along, ridden after 2 out, stayed on well to lead run in, winning by 4 ½ l. He gets 32.6 points.

On Sunday at Navan in the 2m 1f novice chase Ball D’Arc ( Cliff), went to post, chased leader, took closer order in 2^nd from 4 out, left in lead 3 out, stayed on well, eased run in, winning by 19l. He gets 34.8 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy

              February       Total

Micky              172.2                  739.2

Lee                  204.4               709.8

Steve                 86.9                700

Martin             123                  651.9

Neil                 96.2                  601.6

Cliff                98.4                555

Peej                 76.8               539.8

Tony                16.1               536

Cod                 37.3                534.9

Bob                  63.6              490.7

News

Colin Tizzard hopes to have Thistlecrack back on a racecourse around Christmas time after a season-ending tendon injury saw him become the latest high-profile name to be ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival

2016/17 Jumps Issue 14 - Lots of points gained this week

Headlines

Politilouge

River Flows to success at Newbury

Altior

Ballyandy wins Betfair Hurdle

Barcardy’s is aRum do

Report

We start at Kempton last Friday, where in the 2m 4f graduation chase, Politilouge (Steve), went to post, made all, clear from 3 out, winning by 11l. He gets 26.2 points.

At Newbury on Saturday in the 2m 7f grade 2 chase, Native River ( Micky), took his chance,

Made all, pressed 4 out, ridden after 2 out, 1 length advantage last, quickened clear flat, ran on well, winning by 3 ¼ l. He gets 43.8 points.

In the 2m grade 2 chase, Altior ( Not Tony)took his chance, Jumped well, led to 4th, with leader, regained narrow lead 6th, drew clear on bit from 4 out, Winning impressively by 13l. He gets 21.2 points.

In the grade 3 handicap hurdle, Ballyandy ( Lee), went to post, Held up in touch, headway 3 out, led narrowly going well before next, ridden and kept on under pressure flat, held on well, winning by ¾ l. He gets 107.6 points.

On Sunday in the 2m 2f Grade 1 Deloitte novice hurdle, Barcardys ( Micky), went to post, Held up towards rear, 9th at 2nd, headway and pushed along from 2 out, 3rd approaching last where 2nd and jumped left, challenged run-in, led from 100yds out, stayed on well winning by ¾ l. He gets 68.2 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy

              February       Total

Micky              172.2                  739.2

Steve                 60.6                673.7

Lee                  158.1               657.2

Martin             96.7                625.6

Neil                 37.3                  542.7

Tony                16.1               536

Cod                 37.3                534.9

Peej                 50.5               513.5

Cliff                37.3               493.9

Bob                  37.3              464.4

News

Patrick Mullins believes Bacardys could be competitive in either the Neptune or the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at next month's Cheltenham Festival

Timeform, the Halifax-based ratings experts, has Thistlecrack top of its weight-adjusted ratings on 186 for the feature £575,000 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, narrowly ahead of last year's runner-up Djakadam and stablemate Cue Card (184+) who has been scratched from the Ryanair Chase.

The 29 confirmations also include Hennessy Gold Cup hero Native River (178p)

With his form being franked all the time, Moon Racer has still not yet been ruled out of the Stan James Champion Hurdle picture, according to trainer David Pipe

Cue Card heads a field of six for the Betfair Ascot Chase at the Berkshire track on Saturday. Cue Card has quite a bit in hand of his rivals at the ratings and they include Irish Cavalier, who had the Tizzard star back in third when winning the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in October. However, he has failed to live up to that form in two races since then.

Kim Bailey remains undecided which route he will take with promising novice chaser Charbel at next month's Cheltenham Festival.

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

2016/17 Jumps Issue 12 - lots of points again

Headlines

Brave Clouds cast Gloom over Cheltenham

Dance Waltz’s Home at Leopardstown

Melon Harvests Points

Petit Mouchoir Lands Irish Champion

Un De Sceaux lands Clarence House

Mag has Just Enough Vroum at Doncaster

Report

We start at Cheltenham last Saturday where in the 2m Grade 1 Clarence House Chase, Un De Sceaux ( Cliff, Lee, Martin, Tony) went to post, tracked leaders, led 10^th, landed awkwardly 2 out, kept on well from last, ridden out to win by 5l. He gets 51.5 points

In the 3m 1f grade 2 chase Many Clouds ( Cod), went to post, jumped well, tracked leaders, led 4 out, ridden when strongly challenged 2 out, stayed on very gamely from last, headed and regained lead on run in, all out, winning by a head.  He gets 63.4 points. Sadly he collapsed and died afterwards. He has been a long standing feature in these columns .

At Doncaster in the grade 2 mares hurdle, Vroum Vroum Mag ( Bob, Cod, Lee, Micky Peej, Tony), took her chance, tracked leaders effort 3 out, 2^nd between last 2 , ridden to lead narrowly last, 150 yards,  all out, winning by a head . She gets 21.2 points.

At Leopardstown on Sunday in the 2m maiden hurdle, Melon ( Micky), took his chance, chased leaders, not fluent 4 out, improved in to 2^nd 3 out, travelling well to lead approaching last, eased clear and mistake, winning easily by 10l. He gets 22.6 points

In the 2m 4f grade 2 novice hurdle, Let’s Dance ( Peej), took her chance, settled behind leader until left in front briefly at 6^th, where slightly hampered, haeded before next, led again 2 out and extended advantage travelling well before last, pushed out run in , winning easily by 6l. She gets 33 points.

In the 2m Grade 1 Irish Champion hurdle, Petit Mouchoir ( Neil), took his chance, disputed lead and led 1 st, made rest, pressed closely after 3 out, going well after 2 out, pushed out before last, where slight mistake, ridden and kept on flat, winning by 1l. He gets 103.8 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy

              January       Total

Steve                 37.5              613.1

Micky              22.6                  567

Martin             51.5               528.9

Tony                103.9               519.9

Neil                 128.6                 505.4

Lee                  67.7                 499.1

Cod                 69.6                 497.6

Peej                 49.2                 462.9

Cliff                108.1                 456.6

Bob                  28.9                 437.1

Congratulations to Neil who is January trainer of the month

News

Nicky Henderson has announced Buveur D'Air is to revert to hurdles for an intended crack at the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Douvan will face a maximum of five rivals in the BoyleSports Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown on Sunday

Clan Des Obeaux is set to spearhead Paul Nicholls' challenge on the Betfred TV Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

Willie Mullins issued an upbeat bulletin on Faugheen having been forced to rule him out of the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle on Sunday.

Bristol De Mai will put his Gold Cup credentials on the line in the Betfair Denman Chase on Saturday week

Yanworth has been ruled out of Saturday's Betfred-sponsored Contenders Hurdle at Sandown with a minor problem

Native River, favourite in some bookmaker lists for the Randox Health Grand National, was not among the 110 entries on Wednesday

Cue Card is the main attraction among 14 entries for the Betfair Ascot Chase on February 18