Cheltenham preview
What the trainers say about Punter Horses
Henderson
He is the most successful trainer of all time in the Unibet Champion Hurdle with eight successes - See You Then (1985, 1986, 1987), Punjabi (2009), Binocular (2010), Buveur D'Air (2017, 2018) and Epatante (2020).
Epatante is bidding to become the third horse to regain the Champion Hurdle this year following on from Comedy Of Errors (1973 & 1975) and Hurricane Fly (2011 & 2013). The JP McManus-owned eight year old mare was third to Honeysuckle in the 2021 Unibet Champion Hurdle and has won her two starts so far this season, taking the Grade One Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November (when she dead-heated with Not So Sleepy) and the Grade One Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
Henderson told The Punter “Epatante might well go to Kempton (to exercise in the build-up to The Festival) and she is in very good form. We are very happy. Everything says she is really good. We set off at the beginning of the season and JP said we have two objectives this year - the Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdle. That is what we wanted and we nearly got it. We got one and a half which was great.
Champ, also owned by JP McManus, is seeking a second Festival victory, having won what is now the Grade One Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in 2020. This season, the 10 year old made a winning reappearance in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December before going down by just over three lengths to Paisley Park in the Grade Two Welsh Marches Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day, 29th January. His Festival target is the Grade One Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.
Henderson said: “He was maybe a little underwhelming on Trials Day. I didn’t think he jumped quite as well as he did at Ascot. He did little wrong. Full credit to Emma (Lavelle) and her team to get that horse (Paisley Park) back especially when he gave us a 20 length head start. “If I can get him back where he was at Ascot, and I think he can, he has got to be thereabouts. He wasn’t as sharp as he was at Ascot. Ascot was his first run in quite a long time as he didn’t really have a race in the Gold Cup so actually his last real race was the Game Spirit at Newbury last season. He might have bounced a little bit but he was a better horse at Ascot than he was on Trials Day.
The Seven Barrows representative for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup will be Chantry House, who also races in the iconic silks of JP McManus. Winner of what is now the Turners Novices’ Chase at The Festival last season, the eight year old has won two of his three starts so far this season, most recently collecting the Grade Two Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day.
Henderson, who is seeking a third victory in chasing’s Blue Riband following Long Run (2011) and Bobs Worth (2013) said: “He wasn’t earth shattering last time out but we have reason to think we have got a little bit up our sleeves. “If you go back, he hadn’t really had a race since Aintree (last season). He had a solo spin in a two horse race around Sandown. He had a two mile gallop in the King George but the King George didn’t work at all. We put the cheekpieces on him at Cheltenham. We talked about putting them on in the King George but AP (McCoy) who is a great help and comes down a lot and watches the horses school and talk to the boys, and Nico just wondered whether he needed them.
“They thought that while we were going three miles they are going to jump off and go and the first half mile would test his experience and ability to cope with a lot more runners around him. It was not like novice chases where they are all looking after each other.
Constitution Hill, Jonbon
“They are both chalk and cheese. Constitution Hill would stand there all day and he would lie down for you. That is the way he behaves through life. He is completely the opposite to Jonbon, who is quite a hyper horse. He is in good form and they (Constitution Hill and Jonbon) worked on Saturday. They would both get two and a half miles. They don’t need to work together and it would ruin the whole party wouldn’t it if we knew the answer. I don’t want trials here and that is not the point of working horses together.
“I don’t want them ripping up trees and having dust ups here as they would do too much. They are very good. It is probably a help Jonbon is in the first race and we will have ways and means of keeping the adrenalin and atmosphere out of him as he will be the one that is on his toes. We will protect him. That is the way he is whereas with Constitution Hill nothing would worry him as he is very straightforward. They are both good rides in a race. Jonbon can be a bit keen but there is no danger of Constitution Hill being keen. Cheltenham will suit them both, it should do.
“Jonbon had a race last time at Haydock and I was pleased with him. He quickened up in horrible ground. By running Constitution Hill again I was never going to find a competitive race. There wasn’t anywhere else to go where you were going to get more than four or five runners (like in the Tolworth).
Dusart - Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. “There is no doubt it will help him going the other way round. I think a lot of people were surprised I went right-handed again (at Exeter) after his first effort. His first effort was rather bad luck as it was one of those days at Leicester where there were not really any fences down the back straight. So they galloped down the back straight and came up over the little hill around the bend, down the hill and then suddenly there was a fence. It was the last thing the poor horse was expecting. It was a good lesson.
“Nico was very pleased with him at Exeter. It wasn’t that he needed a horse on the outside, he just needed company. He has been schooling a lot. Ronnie (Bartlett, owner) was down last week. He has got to learn to go straight with his jumping. He was as straight as a gun barrel, once with a horse on his left, once with a horse on his right and once on his own. Never did he move off a straight line.
“I had him in here, there and everywhere this week but everybody told me not to. He is a good horse. Bravemansgame is going to be one of Britain’s bankers. Britain needs bankers and most of them are in the city! You have got to take him on and I think that is his race.”
Mister Fisher – Ryanair Chase
“Considering the ground I thought Mister Fisher ran a good race last time out. He would go for the Ryanair if the ground was decent enough.”
Willie Mullins
Allaho
Ryanair Chase, 4-5 He's in great shape and it looks like the Ryanair for him. I'd be very disappointed if he doesn't run a big race.
Appreciate It
Unibet Champion Hurdle, 4-1. He looks to be in great form at home. I had him away for a gallop last week and I was very, very pleased with him – he galloped very well. But it's a big challenge for any horse to take on Honeysuckle, who looks the real deal.
Asterion Forlonge
Gold Cup, 25-1. The day he gets his jumping together, he's going to be a player, but I'm hoping rather than expecting he'll get things right one day. He goes for the Gold Cup.
Capodanno
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, 13/2. Turners Novices' Chase, 25-1. He fell at the Dublin Racing Festival and hurt his shoulder but he's back riding again and is fine.
Elimay
Mares' Chase, 3-1. We put cheekpieces on her at Naas and I thought she jumped very well in them so chances are we will keep them on her. We may be more positive with her as well.
Energumene
Champion Chase, 3-1. He's a young horse coming up through the ranks. He ran a terrific race at Ascot and we're looking forward to running him in the Champion Chase. We know he's not far away from wherever Shishkin is but it's going to be hard to turn the form around with Shishkin, who made a couple of mistakes at Ascot as well, so he has an advantage and if he has a clear round he could be hard to beat. We could change things around with Energumene but it's going to be very tough. He'll go on any ground.
Galopin Des Champs
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, 5-6. Turners Novices' Chase, 5-4. He was so good the first day and he was very brave the last day. I think Paul learned a lot about him then. He could go in either race and I do want to have a chat with Paul, but I'd be happy enough to go in the Turners. I think he has the ability to do that. He jumps well, he's sharp and I don't think he needs to go three miles.
Kilcruit
Supreme, 9-1. He jumps well enough and everything seems right for him – he handles the track well. You'd think a horse who finished second in the bumper should go for the two-and-a-half-mile race but I’m not sure that it would suit him, so we'll go the two-mile direction this year.
Sir Gerhard
Supreme, 3-1. Ballymore, 13-8. He's done everything right – until the last day, when we made the running with him, which I thought didn’t suit him. He was so professional when he was in behind at Leopardstown the first day. He jumped like a handicapper and I have no doubt that whatever race he runs in, getting a lead he will be fine. Even if he doesn't get a lead, I think he will be better as I think he learned a lot the last day. He has plenty of speed, he jumps well and I'm looking forward to getting him over there. He could go in either race – you could toss a coin for whichever race he goes in, because that's the sort of ability I hope he has.
Gordon Elliott
Galvin Gold Cup
He said: “Galvin has done nothing wrong all year. I think there’s maybe a question you could ask of every horse in the race. With Galvin you could maybe say he lacks a gear, but his work since Leopardstown has been very good. He’s been working with a few quicker horses and working well – we’re very happy with him. We know he stays, he’s won round Cheltenham, he relaxes, he jumps. If he’s within firing distance at the second-last, you know he will come home strong.”
Queens Brook galloped well.in her final piece of work, she goes for either the mares hurdle or Coral Cup
Dan Skelton
Protektorat (Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup)
He looks fantastic. We have been able to prep him specifically for two weeks’ time. I’m very happy with this horse. We made the decision in our own heads after Aintree that we would wait for the Gold Cup. As it was he could have gone to Lingfield as it wasn’t terrible ground. He could have gone to Trials Day in the Cotswold Chase but because we hadn’t built up for it we were never going to do it.
We didn’t want to use a small amount of positive by running in a race this side of New Year before the Gold Cup because I felt the negativity of running in one far outweighed the potential positives. Of The Festival winners I’ve had, only one has run in the same calendar year and that was Roksana who needed a run to get ready.
The other three winners I’ve had at Cheltenham ((Festival) never ran in the same calendar year. I think you have them prepared for it. It is such a big occasion you have got to have them ready and fresh. I don’t know how he compares to the very top Grade One chasers because we have not taken them on.
Nube Negra (Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase)
He is an outstanding looking horse. His coat is almost there - it is days away from being perfect. A black horse like him is going to look magnificent on the day. A little bit more sun and his coat will be absolutely spot on. His work at home is always very good but you would expect that from a two miler. He went to Warwick last week and we didn’t ask him for anything more than a day out and he did just that.
He has to be fresh. The most important thing about this horse is that you have him super fresh. If you have him off the back of a run within a month it is too close. He puts so much into his runs. He puts it all in and he just empties the tank. The Tingle Creek we were heading to fresh then we saw the Shloer Chase was going to be on decent ground and I thought, ‘how could I not have a go at it?’ I’m delighted we did as it gave us a winner at the November Meeting which is a big deal.
Maybe he would have won the Tingle Creek fresh, maybe he wouldn’t have. I don’t know. We will perhaps get a clear run at it another year. The better the ground the better the result. I think we have got a very fast horse that handles the track. We know we have got to have him fresh, and he is that. Shishkin is very good, Energumene is very good and if you listen to Willie (Mullins) then Chacun Pour Soi is better than Energumene.
Shan Blue (Ryanair Chase)
He would have won the Charlie Hall with a clear round. ‘But’ is a massive word in sport and he didn’t. He hurt his neck in that fall as you would have expected as it was a pretty horrendous fall. We gave him plenty of time. I spoke to Colm (Donlon, owner) in great depth and detail about all the options available to us in the immediate aftermath after falling and what our future targets could, should or would be.
We decided then and there we would give him the time until the spring and let him get as well as he could. The only race that was in the back of our mind was the King George but we thought maybe we will get another go at that another year so we didn’t force him after Wetherby. We decided when he got into the spring if he was happy and healthy we would go down the Grade One route. I know his mark of 148 looks pretty salivating to be honest with you but he is a Grade One horse.
For as many people that are saying, ‘why aren’t you taking advantage of his mark in a handicap?’ the same amount of people would say that is a pretty chicken route to take with a horse that was going to win by a long distance in a good graded race where the form has worked out. He looks incredible. I’ve been particularly happy with this horse. It just shows you if you take your time and plan them out and plot them out you can get them looking like this.
Langer Dan (Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle)
Hopefully Galopin Des Champs Mark II doesn’t turn up in the Martin Pipe. He is the smallest of our team but what he lacks in height he makes up for in determination. He had a small little setback in the autumn. It wasn’t a catastrophic injury but it just meant we had to give him a little bit of time off. I spoke to Colm that we will leave him to the spring as that is where we want him. I had to run him the other day at Taunton because I needed to get a run into him.
I would have loved to have gone to a more galloping track, or run over two and a half (miles) but there wasn’t anything that fitted perfectly. I would have loved to see him finish further up the field as how can you say finishing last is a great result. It is more about how he has been since. I said to Colm we need everything to go well. It hasn’t been a rush against time but every day has had to be perfect and touch wood it has.
The way he has come out of Taunton gives him a real chance. He has come out the race really well and his coat is just starting to turn now. Give him two weeks and he will be blooming in his coat. His fitness is there now. It has just got to come together on the day. His mark is acceptable and it gets him in the race. He stays the trip well and Lorcan Williams will ride him again. I’m chuffed to bits with him
Paul Nicholls
Bravemansgame (Brown Advisory Novices' Chase)
“He is a fantastic looking horse that has done everything right. We got put in our place last year by Bob Olinger well and truly but he still ran well. He was second at Aintree and I think there he had had one run too many. “He was quite weak and still a shell but he has improved enormously for a summer at grass this season. I think he will be even better next season when he is even stronger. “He has won four from four. He won that handicap very nicely at Newbury the other day and is rated 164 which is a high mark for a novice. He does everything nicely. He jumps well, relaxes nicely and has plenty of speed. He is a super horse.
Frodon (Ultima Handicap Chase)
“He won what I said was his Gold Cup at Down Royal first time out. I said that day we would be really ready and perhaps Galvin and Minella Indo had targets later in the season. He won that nicely. “It didn’t quite work out in the King George where they went a bit quick and the ground was a bit soft and he didn’t run a particularly good race at Leopardstown last time. “He probably wants better ground now. When he ran at Down Royal in October, it was nice ground. He doesn’t really like soft ground as much.
“He is off 164 which is the same mark he won his last handicap off two years ago on the same course (Old Course) as the Ultima.
“He went to Wincanton and worked this morning but he didn’t particularly like the soft ground. If it was soft on the first day, I’d wait for Sandown or even consider Aintree if it was good. His wind has always been a little bit of an issue hence why Bryony (Frost, jockey) wasn’t overly pleased with it at Leopardstown the other day and on really soft ground it just catches him out. “If we don’t go next week, which as I said is in the balance depending on the ground, he will go to Sandown for the Oaksey Chase which he won last year. Then he will have a holiday and come back next season when I will have him really ready for Down Royal in October.
Stage Star (Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle)
“He runs in the Ballymore on Wednesday and it looks like we have our nicest team of horses there that day. “He was a good bumper horse last season. He won at Chepstow and he was second to Knappers Hill twice when he ran really well. “He has won all three novice hurdles this season starting at Chepstow, then he won at Newbury at the November meeting and then back there in the Grade One Challow Hurdle. “Harry (Cobden) was really impressed with the way he did things that day and you never know how good he might be. He had a piece of work at Wincanton 10 days ago and went very nicely with Monmiral. He needs to step up again on the form that he has done but he can do no more than keep winning.
Threeunderthrufive (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase)
“He got beat at Chepstow first time but he has now won his last four. He just needed the first run at Chepstow and he jumped a bit ‘novicey’. “He has won at Exeter, Cheltenham, Doncaster and Warwick and we have placed him nicely to win those races. “He is going to run in the Brown Advisory alongside Bravemansgame at the request of the owners (McNeill Family) as they are quite keen for Adrian (Heskin) to stay on him.
“He is in the Ultima on the first day, but the owners have another horse in that, and is still in the National Hunt Chase and if I had a free hand I would have a look at that. “Whatever race he runs in, he is tough and genuine and probably a little bit under the radar. It would be no surprise if he won a big race. He stays and he jumps and that is what you need."
McFabulous (Coral Cup)
“He is rated 150. I see he has got 11st 8lbs and I reckon bottom weight might be 11st 1lbs or 2lbs. A lot of these handicaps will be condensed so 150 is not so bad. “I would have liked to have gone chasing with him this season but he had an accident in the yard earlier in the season which set us back, hence why we couldn’t run until Christmas. I thought ‘let’s go run him in the Coral Cup’. That is two miles five and it is the absolutely perfect trip. He went to Wincanton this morning and worked beautifully. I’d say he is just beginning to come right. He will go to the Coral Cup then we may give him one more run at Sandown, then he will be novice chasing in the autumn.
The Punter Predictor
How many winners will each string Have ?
Cod
Frodon Ultima Handicp
Journey With Me Ballymore
Galopin Des Champs Turners
Neil
Frodon Ultima Handicap
Honeysuckle Champion Hurdle
Elimay Mares Chase
Steve
Frodon Ultima Handicap
Honeysuckle Champion Hurdle
Bravemansgame Brown Advisory
Chantry House Gold Cup
Cliff
Honeysuckle Champion Hurdle
Chantry House Gold Cup
Put The Kettle on Champion Chase
Peej
Honeysuckle Champion Hurdle
Bravemansgame Brown Advisory
Galopin Des Champs Turners
Allaho Ryan Air
Chantry House Gold Cup
Bob
Threeunderthrufive National Hunt Chase
Statto 10 year trends
Day 1
Supreme Novices Hurdle
At least two wins this season - 10/10
Top 3 in the betting - 8/10 (but favourite only 3/10)
Mullins or Henderson-trained - 7/10
The Arkle
Won LTO - 10/10
Age 6 or 7 - 10/10
Mullins or Henderson-trained - 8/10
Top 3 in betting 8/10 (Fav 7/10)
Ultima Hcap Chase
Prev run at Cheltenham - 10/10
Won over at least 3 miles - 10/10
GB-trained - 10/10
Champion Hurdle
Won this season - 10/10
2-4 runs this season - 10/10
80 days or fewer since last run - 10/10
Top 3 in the betting - 7/10 (Fav 6/10)
Mullins or Henderson-trained - 6/10
Mares Hurdle
Top 3 in betting - 9/10
Irish-trained - 9/10 (Mullins 6/10)
Fred Winter
Official Rating 127+ - 9/10
1 or 2 hurdles wins - 8/10
NH Chase
Ten chase runs or less - 10/10
Four+ runs this season - 9/10
Top 5 in betting - 9/10
Day 2
Ballymore Nov Hurdle
Run in last 80 days - 10/10
First or second LTO - 10/10
5 or 6 year-old - 10/10
50%+ win rate this season - 10/10
3-5 hurdle runs - 10/10
Won a bumper - 10/10
Top 3 in betting - 8/10
Brown Advisory Nov Chase
7 or 8 year-old - 9/10
Prev run at Cheltenham - 9/10
3-5 runs this season - 9/10
Hurdle rating 143+ - 9/10
Top 3 in betting 8/10
Mullins or Henderson-trained - 5/10
Coral Cup
Won in a field of 12+ - 10/10
2-4 career hurdles wins - 10/10
5-8 year-old - 9/10
Official Rating 138+ - 9/10
Champion Chase
Previous top 3 at Cheltenham - 10/10
5+ Chase wins - 10/10
9-23 Career runs - 10/10
Prev run at Festival - 9/10
Top 3 in betting - 9/10
Henderson, Nichols, de Bromhead - 9/10
X-Country
Won over 3m - 10/10
Prev run at Cheltenham - 9/10
IRE or FR-bred - 9/10
Top 3 in betting - 7/10
Grand Annual
11st 6lbs or less - 9/10
Three chase wins or fewer - 9/10
At least 50 days without a run - 7/8
De Bumper!
Won LTO - 10/10
5 or 6 year-old - 10/10
1st or 2nd last 2 runs 10/10
Irish-trained - 8/10 (Mullins 5/10)
Top three in betting - 4/10 (Fav 2/10)
Day 3
Turners Novice Chase
Prev run at Festival - 10/10
3-5 runs this season - 10/10
Won over 2.5m+ - 10/10
IRE or FR-bred - 10/10
Top 3 in betting - 8/10
Irish-trained - 7/10
Pertemps Handicap Hurdle
Carried 10st 9lb+ - 10/10
No more than 5 hurdle wins - 10/10
Irish-trained - 6/6
Ryanair
7-9 year-old - 10/10
Prev run at Festival - 10/10
Top 3 in betting - 9/10
Stayers Hurdle
6-9 year-old - 10/10
No run last 45 days - 10/10
Plate
Carried less than 11st 4lb - 10/10
less than 10 year old - 10/10
Official Rating 140+ - 8/8
Mares Nov Hurdle
Irish-trained - 6/6 (Mullins 5/6)
IRE or FR-bred - 6/6
First three LTO - 6/6
Top three in betting - 5/6 (Fav 3/6)
Kim Muir
Official rating 137-143 - 10/10
Carried 11st 4lb+ - 10/10
Won a hurdle - 10/10
JJ Codd - 4/13!!
Day 4
Triumph Hurdle
Last run in previous 7 weeks - 10/10
County Hurdle
5-8 year-old - 10/10
Mullins/Skelton-trained - 6/7
Albert Bartlett
Less than 80 days since last run - 10/10
Three runs plus this season - 9/10
First three LTO - 9/10
Gold Cup
Previous run at Cheltenham - 10/10
Prev run at Festival - 9/10
Run in last 80 days - 9/10
1-4 runs this season - 9/10
No more than 7 chase wins - 9/10
Chase rating 164+ - 9/10
Hurdle rating 142+ - 9/10
Top 3 in betting - 6/10
Foxhunters
IRE or FR-bred - 10/10
Won this season - 9/10
Top 3 in betting - 5/10
Mares Chase
Only one run - Irish-trained horses filled the first three last year
Martin Pipe
Official rating 138-145 - 9/10
Last run in previous 7 weeks - 9/10
Top three in betting - 2/10 (Fav 0/10)
The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
March Total
Peej 25.26 942.43
Steve 00 741.43
Cliff 00 596.78
Cod 00 568.75
Bob 00 508.22
Neil 00 462.57
Martin 48 400.19
The next grand slam leg is Cheltenham, closing date for one horse, not in any other string is Sunday 13 March
Grand Slam
Leg 1 Neil
Leg 2 Tony
Leg 3 Tony
Leg 4 Cliff
Leg 5 Neil
Leg 6 Peej
Leg 7 Tony
Leg 8 Steve
Leg 9 Steve
Leg 10 ???
First winner bonus available, In the UK - Brighton, Cartmel, Perth, Southwell, Stratford, Thirsk, Worcester
In Ireland - Ballinrobe, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Bellewstown, Laytown, Downpatrick, Listowel, Kilbeggan
News
Richard Bandey is excited at mapping out a programme for Mister Malarky following his excellent effort at Doncaster. The nine-year-old showed he still retained plenty of ability and enthusiasm when second in the Grimthorpe Chase. There’s the three-mile handicap chase at Aintree on National day, there’s the bet365 at Sandown and we’re even looking at the Scottish National.
“There are a few other options we will chuck in the mix and have a good think about it and work out where we go. That was back to one of his best four career runs. He’s still got a bit of fire in his belly. We’ll just keep him happy and keep him sweet.”
Weekend Entries
Sandown Saturday
1.50 Knappers Hil
2.25 Langer Dan, Hacker Des Places
3.35 Midnight River
