Black has heart of a Lion at Aintree
Royal is Sceau good at Sandown
John cuts opponents down to size
Un De Sceaux strolls home
Report
We start at Aintree on Saturday where in the 3m 1f handicap chase, Blacklion ( Cod, Martin, Neil), went to post, Held up towards rear, steady headway from 11th, went 2nd before 2 out, led last, clear before elbow, stayed on strongly, winning by 9l. He gets 52.5 points.
At Sandown in the Grade 1 Henry V111 novice
chase, Sceau Royal ( Cliff),
took his chance, In touch, smooth headway after
3 out, led on bit approaching last, ran on strongly, winning impressively by
11l. He gets 52.6 points.
On Sunday at
Punchestown in the 2m 4f grade 1 John Durkan memorial chase Sizing John ( Bob, Cliff,
Cod, Peej), went to post, Chased leaders in
3rd, mistake 2nd, disputed 2nd from 5th, jumped up to challenge briefly 6 out,
jumped up to dispute 3 out, soon led travelling best, shaken up to assert
before last, pushed out run-in and kept on strongly, winning comfortably by 7l
. He gets 27.2 points.
At Cork in
the 2m grade 2 chase, Un De Sceaux ( Cliff, Peej, Tony), went to post, Led, ran freely
early, 2 lengths clear at 6th, asserted before 4 out, clear after 2 out, kept
on well, eased closing stages, winning very easily by25l . He gets 26.5 points.
The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
December
Total
Cliff 201.6
329.3
Martin 103.6 305.6
Cod
148.3
267.8
Peej
104.8
226.8
Neil
139.2
193.3
Steve 77.8
182.6
Tony 65.8
65.8
Bob
60.1 60.1
News
Jessica Harrington will let the dust settle on Sizing John's
comeback victory at Punchestown on Sunday before deciding whether to run him
again over the festive period.
Un De Sceaux is likely
to bid for an historic third victory in next month's Clarence House Chase at
Ascot following his dominant comeback victory at Cork on Sunday.
The Willie Mullins-trained
nine-year-old travelled and jumped with his trademark enthusiasm throughout the
Hilly Way Chase and came home 25 lengths clear of Kerry Lee's British
challenger Top Gamble.
Alan King
has raised the possibility of Yanworth tackling the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton over
the Christmas period.
The dual Grade One-winning hurdler
has emerged triumphant on just one of his three chase starts so far this
season, most recently having to settle for second behind Willoughby Court at
Newbury.
However, the seven-year-old has yet
to tackle a trip in excess of two and a half miles over fences, so the
three-mile Kempton race, better known as the Feltham, would represent a
different test for the former top-class stayer hurdler.
Alan King has identified the Sky Bet Lightning
Novices' Chase at Doncaster on January 27 as the likely next port of call for Sceau Royal.
Nicky Henderson would have no concerns about
sending Altior straight
for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival without a prep
run. Henderson told the Punter, "The Game Spirit is probably the
last chance before Cheltenham. We have got to play it by the book and we can't
go any faster than the rule book says. He is not even being ridden yet. He is
allowed to walk at the moment.
Colin Tizzard looks set to launch a
three-pronged assault on the 32Red King George VI Chase with defending champion
Thistlecrack increasingly likely to be joined by stablemates Cue Card
and Fox Norton.
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