Headlines
Dino Romps to Ascot Victory
Trewlawne Graduates at Haydock
Ballyburn begins chasing nicely
Bob has Bright days ahead
Iberico Lord’s It at Kempton
Rain drowns rivals a Wetherby
Report
At Ascot on Friday in the 2m Introductory hurdle Celtic Dino (Bob), went to post, Jumped well, disputed lead, led after 2nd, ridden after 2 out, kept on well and went clear run-in, winning by 4 ¼ l. He gets 23.34 points.
On Saturday at Haydock in the 2m 5f graduation chase Trelawne (Martin), took his chance, Led, headed 5th, led again 9th, jumped right 11th, good jump 4 out, soon 3 lengths ahead, reduced lead then mistake last, soon ridden, kept on well, winning gamely by ½ l. He gets 29 points.
At Puncestown in the 2m 3f beginners chase, Ballyburn ( Peej, Martin, Steve), wen to post, Took keen hold early, jumped well, made all, faced challenge but going easily 2 out, soon nudged along and went clear, winning impressively by 17l. Peej gets 22.38 points, Martin, Steve 11.19
In he 2m 1f grade Morgiana hurdle Brighterdaysahead (Bob) went to post . Jumped left on occasions, led and clear with one other, not fluent 4th, hit 3 out, ridden when headed approaching last, rallied when led again run-in, ran on, gamely, winning by ¾ l. She gets 56.5 points.
On Sunday at Punchestown on Sunday in the 2m 3f grade 1 John Durkan Memorial chase, Fact To File (Cliff, Neil) went to post, in touch with leaders, prominent after 5th, not fluent and lost position 8th, headway and pressed leaders going okay when short of room on inner after 3 out, led and ridden from last, faced challenge but kept on well towards finish, winning by ½ l. He gets 29.5 points
On Monday at Kempton in the 2m 2 beginners chase Iberico Lord (Cod), took his chance, Didn't always jump with fluency, in touch with leaders, left in third before 6th, went second going okay after 4 out, led going best after 2 out, winning cosily by 1 ½ l. He gets 25.26 points.
On Wednesday at Wetherby in the 2m novice hurdle Let It Rain ( Steve), went to post, Soon raced in second, led going easily before 3 out, not fluent 2 out, clear when not fluent last, soon pushed along briefly, winning comfortably by 8l. She gets 22.46 points.
John Torpey Memorial Trophy
November Total
Bob 129.59 129.59
Steve 121.09 121.09
Neil 96.4 96.4
Cod 48.01 48.01
Martin 40.19 40.19
Cliff 29.5 29.5
Peej 22.38 22.38
Stats Per String
Runners Winners
Bob, 7 4
Cliff 4 1
Cod, 8 2
Martin, 9 2
Neil 8 3
Peej 5 1
Steve 7 4
The Weeks Losers
Wade Out, Rocheval, Grey Dawning, Capadano, Kitty’s Light, Golden Ace, State Man, Son Of Anarchy, Galopin Des Champs, Spillanes Tower, Fast Or Slow
News
Sir Gino remains "very possible" for Saturday's BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle while stablemate Constitution Hill is not guaranteed to have recovered from an unusual cause of lameness in time to be trained for the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle. Nicky Henderson gave an update on his two stable stars after a battery of tests had been run on Constitution Hill, concluding that bruising on his pastern was touching a nerve, an issue which the trainer said came as a novelty to his vet.
Shark Hanlon says Hewick will be trained for a defence of his Ladbrokes King George VI Chase crown, although he warns the nine-year-old may not be seen on a racecourse until the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup if the weather fails to cooperate.
Ante-post favourite Gaelic Warrior, an impressive winner of last season's Arkle, did not feature among 16 acceptors on Tuesday for next month's King George VI Chase at Kempton. The six-year-old, who would have been stepping up to three miles for the first time over fences on Boxing Day, was a general 11-4 chance to provide Willie Mullins with his third King George.
The trainer will not be represented in the race after scratching all eight of his entries, including dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and Il Etait Temps, a three-time Grade 1 winner last season.
Sunday's Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle (2.40) is shaping up to be another Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott showdown as Lossiemouth and Teahupoo were two of four left in the race at the forfeit stage on Tuesday.
Dan Skelton is under no illusions the challenge two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Langer Dan faces as he prepares for his seasonal reappearance in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Friday. A dual winner of the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, the eight-year-old is entering new territory as he now runs off a career-high rating of 160, but Skelton is ready for the challenge ahead.
Langer Dan is the highest-rated horse running in Friday's contest and is 9-4 joint-favourite with the Olly Murphy-trained Strong Leader, who ended last season by winning the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree. Skelton has reported Langer Dan to be in "grand" form and said: "Everyone thinks that all we do is concentrate on the Coral Cup, but in truth he's not as easy a horse in the autumn and winter like he is in the spring. I've done as much work as I can with him and I don't think necessarily the bulk of work we've done is an issue. I think it's just a bit of race sharpness."
Connections of Broadway Boy believe he will "take all the beating" if he replicates last year's form in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday. The six-year-old, who is the 6-1 joint-favourite with the sponsors alongside Victtorino, finished third on his reappearance last month after a productive first campaign over fences, during which he stepped out of novice company to land a handicap chase at Cheltenham in December.
Willie Mullins revealed on Wednesday that Gaelic Warrior would be campaigned as a Champion Chase horse this season following his removal from the King George – a race for which Mullins will discuss supplementing Fact To File with the Gold Cup favourite’s owner JP McManus.
Gaelic Warrior was the ante-post favourite for the King George before being scratched from the race on Tuesday, with the champion trainer not keen to run him over three miles on his first start of the season.
Last season's hugely impressive Arkle winner will instead be kept to two miles for the foreseeable future and. following his planned reappearance at Leopardstown over Christmas, he could race at Ascot in January before a tilt at March's Champion Chase, for which he is disputing favouritism with Jonbon at a general 4-1.
What looked like a sub-standard British challenge for next month's King George VI Chase is set to be boosted by the participation at Kempton of L'Homme Presse, who could still be joined in the line-up by Betfair Chase runner-up Grey Dawning and his Dan Skelton stablemate Protektorat.
L'Homme Presse, last seen finishing fourth in the Gold Cup for trainer Venetia Williams, is said to be on course to make his seasonal reappearance in the Boxing Day highlight, while Skelton will make a last-minute decision on the involvement of Grey Dawning, who was initially ruled out of the Grade 1 after finishing second on his first start of the campaign behind Royale Pagaille on Saturday.
Weekend Entries
Friday
Newbury
12.15 Let It Rain
12.45 Caldwell Potter, Willmount
1.55 Caldwell Potter, Captain Teague, Masaccio, The Juke Box Man, Willmount
3.05 Strong Leader, Langer Dan,
Saturday
Newbury
12.07 Le It Rain
1.15 The New Lion, Regents Stroll
1.54 Inthewaterside
2.25 Salver, Norman Fletcher
3.00 Broadway Boy, Nassalam
Sunday
Fairyhouse
12.30 Willy De Houelle
1.35 Belloccio
2.05 Firefox
Carlisle
12.55 Caldwell Potter
1.25 The New Lion
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 Steve
Leg 11 Steve
Leg 12 Cliff
Leg 13 Neil
Leg 14 Cliff
Leg 15 Bob
Leg 16 Bob
Leg 17 Peej
Leg 18 Bob
Leg 19 Neil
Leg 20 Peej
Grand Slam Extra picks must return sp of 2/1 or more to score points
First winner bonus available, In the UK - Brighton, Cartmel, Perth, Southwell, , Worcester
In Ireland - Ballinrobe, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Bellewstown, Laytown, Downpatrick, Listowel, Kilbeggan
