2017/18 Jumps Issue 11 - two big-point winners

Headlines

Roi Bagues Ascot Points

Un De Sceaux lands Clarence House

Report

At Ascot on Saturday in the 2m 7f grade 2 mares hurdle, La Bague Au Roi )( Martin), took her chance, Jumped well, raced wide, tracked leading pair, tracked clear leader 2nd, closed 6th led before 4 out, clear next, stayed on strongly, winning  very easily by 16l. She gets 43 points

She is big prices for both the mares and stayers hurdle at the festival currently, and is value for either at her current odds

In the 2m grade 1 Clarence house chase, Un De Sceaux ( Cliff, Peej, Tony), went to post, Wore ear plugs, tracked clear leader, closer 3 out, led on bit before 2 out, 3 lengths ahead and going strongly when left clear 2 out, kept up to work run-in, wining by 7l. He gets 51.2 points.

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                    January    Total

Martin                       126           556.1

Cliff                          68.4          507.9

Steve                     91.4              451.04

Peej                    51.2                441.9

Cod                                          318.9

Tony                    104             297.7

Neil                      17               280.7

Bob                    56.6              168.8

News

Alan King is considering stepping Elgin back up in class for a tilt at the Betway Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on February 17.

The Grade Two prize is one of two races the Barbury Castle Stables handler is weighing up for the six-year-old, along with the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury seven days earlier.

Kim Bailey is happy to send Charbel straight for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after sidestepping Ascot on Saturday.

Nicky Henderson has issued an upbeat bulletin on Altior as he stepped up his preparations for a return to action.

Last year's star two-mile novice has yet to run this season after undergoing a breathing operation in November, but the eight-year-old remains the ante-post favourite for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The Seven Barrows handler has upped Altior's work regime in recent days and reports all to be going well.

Henderson said: "He did more, but he didn't gallop. He went a mile and a bit up the grass and everything was first class. Everything was 100 per cent this morning with him."

Tom George is looking forward to getting The Worlds End back on track in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday. "The Worlds End is in good form. We are aiming towards the Cleeve Hurdle, weather permitting," said the Slad trainer.

Defi Du Seuil is likely to return to action at the Dublin Festival at Leopardstown next month.

2017/18 Jumps Issue 10 - 52 days to Cheltenham

Headlines

Henry Stars in Lanzarote

Patience is rewarded at Kempton

Report

At Kempton on Saturday in the 2m 4f listed chase, Waiting Patiently, (Bob, Cliff), went to post, Waited with in 5th place, smooth headway on inside before 3 out, 2nd going well before 2 out, led 2 out, quickened clear before last, winning  impressively by 8l. He gets 17.2 points

In the 2m listed handicap hurdle, William Henry ( Steve), took his chance, Chased leaders on inside led and went right last, stayed on strongly run-in, ridden out, won with bit in hand by 9l. He gets 74.4 points.

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                    January    Total

Martin                       83           513.1

Cliff                          17.2         456.7

Steve                     91.4              451.04

Peej                                          390.7

Cod                                          318.9

Neil                      17               280.7

Tony                    52.8             246.5

Bob                    56.6              168.8

News

Gordon Elliott's exciting prospect Samcro is set to be kept to novice company this season despite being entered in the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle.

The unbeaten six-year-old will instead run in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival, taking place at Leopardstown on February 3 and 4.

Samcro took part in a public gallop at the track on Tuesday morning. 

"I was speaking to Gordon this morning and he said he was leaning toward this race (Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle) with Samcro," said Davy Condon, Elliott's assistant. "He did a nice bit of work this morning over a mile and a half and he seems in really good form.

Buveur D'Air and Defi Du Seuil are possible opponents for Faugheen, in the Irish Champion hurdle, although Nicky Henderson has indicated Sandown's Contenders Hurdle is a more likely target for the current champion Buveur D'Air.

Douvan is back in light training but Willie Mullins believes it is too early to say whether the star two-mile chaser will run this season.

William Henry is likely to run in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, said his owner Dai Walters.

Nicky Henderson's eight-year-old was a fine winner of the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday, for which he has gone up 6lb in the handicap.

Walters won the Coral Cup with Whisper in 2014 and is happy to try for a repeat success with William Henry.

He told The Punter: "He did really well in the Lanzarote and we were very happy with him. "We'll probably keep him hurdling this season and go back chasing next year. I've not really had chance to speak to Nicky, but he will most probably go down the same road as Whisper at Cheltenham."

2017/18 Jumps Issue 9 - big names continue to fall by the wayside

Headlines

Cheltenham is Next Main Destination

Mount Mews wins at Doncaster

Report

On Sunday at Naas in the 2m 4f grade 1 novice hurdle, Next Destination ( Tony) took his chance, Settled behind leader and disputed 2nd, 3rd at 7th, headway to dispute lead from 3 out, led from next and extended advantage going best before last, ridden run-in and kept on well near finish winning by 1l. He gets 52.8 points

On Tuesday at Doncaster in the 2m 3f novice chase, Mount Mews ( Bob), went to post, Jumped well, raced in 2nd place from 1st, upsides 6th, led 8th, effortlessly drew clear run-in, winning  easily by 7l. He gets 22.4 points.

  

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                    January    Total

Martin                       83           513.1

Cliff                                          439.5

Peej                                          390.7

Steve                     17               376.64

Cod                                          318.9

Neil                      17               280.7

Tony                    52.8             246.5

Bob                    39.4               151.6

News

Last year's winner Sizing John will chart a direct route towards the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

Jessica Harrington's eight-year-old was in the frame to run beforehand in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 4 — a race he won 12 months ago.

But his trainer told the Punter: "He's going to go straight to the Gold Cup. I'd rather go there fresh and well. He's in good form, he looks good and he's been back cantering this week." Harrington said: "Nothing came to light that you could hang your hat on. I just think the race came too soon. It didn't look like he had a hard race (at Punchestown), but these things can be deceptive — both him and Djakadam (John Durkan runner-up) ran flat at Leopardstown last time."

Philip Hobbs' juvenile champion Defi Du Seuil is among the initial entries for the Betfair Hurdle as 59 hopefuls have been put forward for the Newbury highlight. William Henry also has an entry

Trainer Willie Mullins believes the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown next month is "back on the radar" for Faugheen.

Mullins has yet to establish the precise reasons behind the gifted 10-year-old's meek reverse in the Ryanair Hurdle over Christmas.

But Faugheen impressed his trainer in a canter on Monday morning and could now return to Leopardstown on February 3 in a race he won two years ago.

Mullins told the Punter: "It (Irish Champion Hurdle) wasn't there before, but it's come back on the radar with what I've seen (on Monday morning).

"I was very taken with the canter and our vet checked him over immediately afterwards and said he was fine.

"During the week it looks like I'll be able to put him back into full work."

Stablemate Yorkhill was also a disappointment over the festive period, having finished well beaten in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase on his first start over three miles for Mullins.

Last season's JLT Novices' Chase winner will now drop back in trip, with a Cheltenham Gold Cup campaign seemingly off the agenda.

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Mullins said: "I've no doubt he would stay (three miles) if he had a better temperament. He's bred to stay.

"But at the moment we're looking at shorter trips for him. I think his next run will be at a shorter trip over fences.

Cloudy Dream is likely to be back in action next month as connections aim to find him a suitable opportunity to return to winning ways

2017/18 Jumps Issue 8 - Happy New Year

Headlines

Apples is a Real Gem

Dance Waltzs home at Leopardstown

Yanwoth lands

Wholestone is Rock Solid at Cheltenham

Report

We start at Leopardstown last Thursday where in the 3m grade 1 Christmas hurdle, Apples Jade ( Cliff, Peej, Steve), took her chance,

Soon disputed lead, led from 3rd, joined next, headed 5th and raced in 2nd, on terms at final hurdle, soon narrowly headed, stayed on well final furlong to lead near line, winning by ½ l She gets 26.5 points.

On Friday in the 2m 3f mares hurdle, Let’s Dance ( Peej, Tony), took her chance, Held up, soon raced in 7th, closed to track leaders approaching final hurdle, 2nd travelling smoothly approaching straight, on terms over 1f out, soon led and stayed on best to assert closing stages, winning by 8l. She gets 16.9 points

On Monday at Cheltenham in the 2m 4f novice chase, Yanworth ( Bob, Martin, Neil, Steve) took his chance, Held up, not fluent 8th, headway 10th, slow 13th, not fluent 3 out, went 2nd before next, led last, went a few lengths clear but soon began to idle, pressed inside final 100 yards, edged right and holding rival close home, winning by a neck. He gets 17 points.

In the 2m 4f grade 2 hurdle Wholestone ( Martin), took his chance,  Mid-division, headway on inside 7th, led before last, drifted right, mistake last, clear flat, stayed on well, winning by 3 ¼ l. He gets 66 points.

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                 December   January    Total

Martin           245                   83           513.1

Cliff                311.8                               439.5

Peej                 268.7                             390.7

Steve              254.84          17             3376.64

Cod                 199.4                            318.9

Neil               217.4               17          280.7

Tony               193.7                            193.7

Bob                 112.2           17            129.2

The Editor was trainer of the month in December

News

Bristol De Mai is being treated for stomach ulcers following his disappointing run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Sizing John will undergo further blood tests on Tuesday to see if anything comes to light to explain the eight-year-old's poor performance in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase.The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, who had racked up a sequence of four Grade 1 wins before finishing only seventh behind Road To Respect, was reported to be "clinically abnormal" following a veterinary examination at Leopardstown after jockey Robbie Power said the horse finished distressed.

Owner Rich Ricci hasn't given up hope of Faugheen taking up his spot in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

The 2015 Cheltenham hero was pulled-up in the Ryanair Hurdle eventually won by Mick Jazz at Leopardstown last Friday, having been sent off the 2/11 favourite on the back of a brilliant comeback win at Punchestown the previous month.

Ricci told the Punter  "Paul (Townend, jockey) said that he just didn't feel right from the start. He was a bit listless and didn't have the same enthusiasm.

"He was fine after the race, we've got him home and he's normal. I'm hoping in the next day or two that something comes out and he's been incubating a cold or something.

"Paul did the right thing in pulling him up."

Samcro  will miss the Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle on Sunday after producing a scope not totally to the satisfaction of connections.

Dual winner Un De Sceaux heads 14 entries for the Royal Salute Whisky Clarence House Chase at Ascot on January 20. Waiting Patiently is an interesting entry from Malcolm Jefferson's yard, 

The Punter is sad to note the Passing of Nicholls Canyon at Leopardstown