Cheltenham Festival
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Nicky Henderson is now leaning towards letting Riverside Theatre take his chance in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
After following his valiant second in the King George VI Chase with a smooth victory in the Betfair Ascot Chase last weekend, Henderson said there was a possibility the seven-year-old would wait for Aintree's spring Festival.
However, he said: "We were thinking about not going to Cheltenham, but we'll decide whether he runs in the Ryanair in a week's time.
"He was very good despite the ground at Ascot and he looked just as happy coming back in trip from the three miles at Kempton.
"If the ground is good, I should think he'll run."
Henderson has two possibilities for sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase in his recent Game Spirit winner French Opera and Mad Max, who has been given another breathing operation.
"Mad Max has been 'tubed' and in all probability will join French Opera in the Champion Chase," said Henderson.
"It's not the prettiest thing and I don't do it very often but if they are very good it's worth it.
"He'll need to wear earplugs now but he worked yesterday and is going well.
"I expect I will allow Barry Geraghty to ride Big Zeb, but Paul Carberry has ridden Mad Max before and likes him."
There are legions of novices at Seven Barrows stables and pretty much a contender for every Cheltenham event.
Henderson's two main fancies over fences are recent winners Master Of The Hall and ante-post Arkle favourite Finian's Rainbow.
"Master Of The Hall is going for the RSA Chase," Henderson added.
"He just seems to get better and better and I couldn't say no.
"Finian's Rainbow is a genuine two-miler. He's a lovely horse, someone will want to go quicker than him in the Arkle but he just wants to get into his rhythm."
Mr Gardner will be the representative in the Jewson Novices' Chase with Ericht bound for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper despite Henderson's reservations about the event.
He is still juggling his novice hurdlers, explaining: "Mossley is almost certainly a three-miler and he's working really well.
"I'm sitting on the fence a little bit with Bobs Worth. He goes two and a half miles but he stays and ground might be the influence with him.
"Sprinter Sacre, Spirit Son and Gibb River will go for the Supreme. Spirit Son is thoroughly professional and likeable and Sprinter Sacre will make a wonderful chaser as he has a huge amount of talent. Gibb River hasn't beaten anything yet, but don't rule him out."
A Media Luz and Grandouet remain on course for the JCB Triumph Hurdle while Henderson has a host of runners to sort out in the handicaps.
Several of interesgt are Aegean Dawn, who was highly impressive in two starts in November, and Voy Por Ustedes, the multiple Grade One winner who has joined from Alan King this season.
Henderson said: "Aegean Dawn has options of the Imperial Cup, the County Hurdle and the Coral Cup. I'm very mindful of him this year. He's in good form but coming off a completely different rating now.
"Voy Por Ustedes might run in a hurdle at Cheltenham - maybe the County - then be back over fences for Aintree."
The trainer has not decided whether Carole's Legacy heads for the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle or the Centenary Handicap Chase.
After following his valiant second in the King George VI Chase with a smooth victory in the Betfair Ascot Chase last weekend, Henderson said there was a possibility the seven-year-old would wait for Aintree's spring Festival.
However, he said: "We were thinking about not going to Cheltenham, but we'll decide whether he runs in the Ryanair in a week's time.
"He was very good despite the ground at Ascot and he looked just as happy coming back in trip from the three miles at Kempton.
"If the ground is good, I should think he'll run."
Henderson has two possibilities for sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase in his recent Game Spirit winner French Opera and Mad Max, who has been given another breathing operation.
"Mad Max has been 'tubed' and in all probability will join French Opera in the Champion Chase," said Henderson.
"It's not the prettiest thing and I don't do it very often but if they are very good it's worth it.
"He'll need to wear earplugs now but he worked yesterday and is going well.
"I expect I will allow Barry Geraghty to ride Big Zeb, but Paul Carberry has ridden Mad Max before and likes him."
There are legions of novices at Seven Barrows stables and pretty much a contender for every Cheltenham event.
Henderson's two main fancies over fences are recent winners Master Of The Hall and ante-post Arkle favourite Finian's Rainbow.
"Master Of The Hall is going for the RSA Chase," Henderson added.
"He just seems to get better and better and I couldn't say no.
"Finian's Rainbow is a genuine two-miler. He's a lovely horse, someone will want to go quicker than him in the Arkle but he just wants to get into his rhythm."
Mr Gardner will be the representative in the Jewson Novices' Chase with Ericht bound for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper despite Henderson's reservations about the event.
He is still juggling his novice hurdlers, explaining: "Mossley is almost certainly a three-miler and he's working really well.
"I'm sitting on the fence a little bit with Bobs Worth. He goes two and a half miles but he stays and ground might be the influence with him.
"Sprinter Sacre, Spirit Son and Gibb River will go for the Supreme. Spirit Son is thoroughly professional and likeable and Sprinter Sacre will make a wonderful chaser as he has a huge amount of talent. Gibb River hasn't beaten anything yet, but don't rule him out."
A Media Luz and Grandouet remain on course for the JCB Triumph Hurdle while Henderson has a host of runners to sort out in the handicaps.
Several of interesgt are Aegean Dawn, who was highly impressive in two starts in November, and Voy Por Ustedes, the multiple Grade One winner who has joined from Alan King this season.
Henderson said: "Aegean Dawn has options of the Imperial Cup, the County Hurdle and the Coral Cup. I'm very mindful of him this year. He's in good form but coming off a completely different rating now.
"Voy Por Ustedes might run in a hurdle at Cheltenham - maybe the County - then be back over fences for Aintree."
The trainer has not decided whether Carole's Legacy heads for the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle or the Centenary Handicap Chase.
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Wonder whether Geraghty will be on grandouet or a media luz in the triumph.
French Opera going to be a major player in the Champion Chase. Acts on Chelters, been very impressive and is improving at a rate of knots. Big player at 25/1.
Media Luz looks like she is settling better and is clearly very talented. If she can handle the undualtion sand hurly burly then I think will take the world of beating. 12/1 is a big price.
MAd Max - love the horse and I was gutted wehn he clouted the fence last year as I was balls deep at big prices - but his problems mean I can't have him this year.
Finans Rainbow - really can't work out whether he has ben overhyped or is indeed the real deal. Price not very attractive given he makes too many mistakes. Better priced opponents v him.
Media Luz looks like she is settling better and is clearly very talented. If she can handle the undualtion sand hurly burly then I think will take the world of beating. 12/1 is a big price.
MAd Max - love the horse and I was gutted wehn he clouted the fence last year as I was balls deep at big prices - but his problems mean I can't have him this year.
Finans Rainbow - really can't work out whether he has ben overhyped or is indeed the real deal. Price not very attractive given he makes too many mistakes. Better priced opponents v him.
Mad Max going to be fitted with earplugs as well. Punchestowns looks to be heading for Aintree.
Im surprised that he's entered Dave's Dream for the Byrne Plate instead of the Grand Annual, the horses form over the longer distance hardly matches his 2m efforts.
He must think that Tanks for that wins this then
He must think that Tanks for that wins this then
Thats a hard horse to sum up FB, going the right way but might have issues with it running around a bit in the hurly burly of this event
I sincerely hope im not relying on this event for a profit on the meeting
I sincerely hope im not relying on this event for a profit on the meeting
I have got a funny feeling about mad max you know, it will run a great race the more a trainer puts a horse down I think he's hiding something. get on 40/1 e/w I am.
Sorry to be a bit ignorant but what does it mean when he says Mad Max has been tubed!?
Being 'Tubed' means having a tracheostomy tube. Its a synthetic tube that creates an artificial opening in the wind-pipe. It means that horses with chronic wind problems that cannot have hobdays or soft palate ops (in mad maxs case alraedy had both I believe)can breathe again. Looks horid basically a metal ring hole in the mid neck that can get messy, used as a last resort but can work well.
Party Politics had one when he won the National. I cannot remember any other famous horses that were tubed.
Party Politics had one when he won the National. I cannot remember any other famous horses that were tubed.
Sounds pretty awful. Think I would just retire him if it's coming to sticking holes in his neck so he can breathe.
Nicky Henderson is all set to unleash a star-studded team at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival - including big guns Long Run and Binocular. Dave Ord visited Seven Barrows to get the lowdown from Henderson on his hopes for National Hunt racing's showpiece meeting
Binocular:
I'm pleased with him this season. He ran a very good race in the Fighting Fifth at Newbury and we were aware he'd come on for it. He was giving them all weight and just blew up at the wrong moment having come to win the race at the last. He took a blow there which didn't give him the chance to run on and AP was able to not give him a hard race when his chance had gone.
He was great at Kempton in the Christmas Hurdle, especially as I've never felt that was his track. Overturn did us a favour there setting a nice strong pace which is what Binocular needs and got in last year's Champion.
I think this year's race is more competitive and he'll have to be at his best to win it again. He'll have to be at the top of his game because it's certainly more open with more realistic contenders and we haven't met Hurricane Fly yet - and he's good.
Oscar Whisky:
He's in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle but I'm pretty sure he'll go for the Stan James Champion Hurdle. Barry has asked if I'm sure we don't need three miles with him but he has a lot of speed and if he has to go further eventually I will be happy to do so. I think at the moment I'll stick to two and the stayers looks competitive anyway. His big race of the year was the Welsh Champion Hurdle and it was great to win that and he's perfectly entitled to go for the big one now.
Zaynar:
Like Oscar, if there was a race over two-and-a-half miles next month he'd go there. Life hasn't been easy for him and he finished third in the Champion Hurdle last season. He's won a Triumph and an Ascot Hurdle too but I'm struggling with trip with him. He wears cheek-pieces, I've tried him in blinkers but felt he did too much in them, and the owners are split over 50-50 between the Champion and World Hurdle and whatever I do I'll upset half of them. He's in very good order after a little break and may just have a little racecourse gallop at Kempton next week and is in good form. It's just a question of where we go but he was only third in last year's Champion and it looks a better race this time around.
Long Run:
Since Kempton we've been able to leave him alone and freshen him up. He's exactly where we'd want him to be. I'd be very happy with him. It's been different to last year because he started the season a fresh horse. We always said the King George was his major objective but one has to accept that wasn't the Kauto Star we all know that day and Long Run still has to prove he can beat that horse when on-song.
I don't really worry over the track at Cheltenham as I can see why things didn't go according to plan on the two times he's been there. He was just feeling the end of a long season in the RSA last March and was a bit flat. He then started the year a bit fresh and to be fair a two mile five handicap when they go lickerty split just took him out of his comfort zone in the Paddy Power. He'll find the three miles two of the Gold Cup much easier and Sam, like at Kempton, can find his space, find his rhythm and they'll be fine.
He's my best (Gold Cup prospect) by quite a long way, I suspect. Marlborough (fourth in 2002) was knocking on the door a bit and I suppose he was as close as we've been to having a Gold Cup horse. We just haven't had one.
French Opera:
He was good in the Game Spirit at Newbury the other day, he was good all last year and the handicapper has forced our hand. As much as I'd love to have him in the Grand Annual I think he has to go Champion Chase. I'm not saying he's going to win it, he has some way to go before he reaches Master Minded, Big Zeb and Sizing Europe, but he's not that far behind and he looked very good at Newbury.
Max Max:
We've tubed him since his last run. That's something we don't do very often but his wind has always been a problem. If this helps him you never know and he's a very good horse. Paul Carberry gets on very well with him and he could go for the Champion Chase. He worked on Wednesday and was very good.
Punchestowns:
He's in the Gold Cup and the World Hurdle but could just wait for Aintree. He was second to Pride Of Dulcote at Newbury and won last time at Kempton. He's a very good horse, his form rates him closely with Big Buck's, he was the one horse who could give that one a race when he was a staying hurdler. He's in the race again but I doubt that would be the route we'd take but on the other hand I can't quite see him winning a Gold Cup and suspect that's not the route either.
Riverside Theatre:
He has done well. We ran him in the King George at Kempton to see if he got three miles and he obviously did and we then intended to run him in the Aon at Newbury before that meeting was lost the first time. We then decided to bring him back in trip at Ascot on Saturday and he was impressive. Despite the ground he jumped really well and at the time we were thinking not Cheltenham and to wait for the three miler at Aintree. However now, and Mr Nesbitt is away filming in New Zealand, I think he'll go for the Ryanair. I'd like to see how he comes out of the Ascot race in a week's time before making the final decision. He didn't have a hard race and has plenty of time to get over it and if the ground is good I would think he'll run. People weren't sure Cheltenham suited him in the Arkle last year but I've always said he's not a two-miler. He'll have to keep his wits about him in the Ryanair, at Ascot they went nice and steady and he got into a nice rhythm.
Carole's Legacy:
She's been a great mare and was second in the David Nicholson last season. She's also in the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase. We haven't decided where she goes yet. I'm just not sure that she might be better over fences and to be fair she's not going to win the David Nicholson because in all probability she'd finish second again to Quevega. So it's quite possible she'll go back over fences and I'd have thought that she had a very good chance.
Voy Por Ustedes:
I've put him in the Grand Annual but he may have a run in a hurdle race at Cheltenham just to get him ready for the chase at Aintree. He's settled in well.
Master Of The Hall:
He won the Reynoldstown at Ascot on Saturday and goes for the RSA Chase. He just gets better and better, improving all the time. The only blip over fences was over two-and-a-half at Cheltenham where he was going well at the top of the hill but stopped very quickly. It had nothing to do with the track, and he's since won over three at Huntingdon and Ascot. Slowing the pace down half-a-stride has helped him but it will be a very different ball game in the RSA as his last two wins have been in small fields. He's got confident again though and did everything right at Ascot. Burton Port won that race before finishing second in the RSA and Master Of The Hall is perfectly entitled to go there.
Finian's Rainbow:
He won a point-to-point in Ireland and we thought he was a stayer but his defeat in the Challow last year gave us a clue he wasn't, he looked certain to win there only to get run out of it. We have started this season looking at two miles and he has thrived. We experimented at Warwick the other day and, while he won the Kingmaker, he wasn't impressive. He'd been round twice in novice chases and barely seen another horses and in all probability something else will want to go on at Cheltenham so we wanted to get him used to jumping in behind. He didn't really find his rhythm at Warwick but is very good.
Sprinter Sacre:
He will be the most spectacular chaser next year and is the most beautiful horse, absolutely stunning. He looks like Travado and Jack The Giant and has a huge amount of natural talent and while he may get two-and-a-half in time he doesn't look or work like he needs that trip at the moment. He was very impressive at Ascot but I'm not sure what he beat.
Spirit Son:
He only had one run in France, well two but the first was voided at the final hurdle. He came over and we went to Huntingdon, where he won very easily, and then Exeter where I thought he was very impressive. He's just a thoroughly professional, likeable horse who has done nothing wrong. Barry is umming and ahhing between him and Sprinter Sacre for the Supreme but this one looks more the ready-made speedster. He was very good at Exeter in very testing ground and Barry said he'd come on for it and didn't really like the ground and would be better on a quicker surface. He just had the raw speed to cope with it.
Mossley:
I think he'll almost certainly go three miles for the Albert Bartlett. I still like this fellow, he got very bogged down at Warwick last time but that was horrible ground that day. He's a really good young stayer who likes decent ground. He'd looked good up until Warwick and I think you can forget that run.
Bob's Worth:
We've yet to decide between the Albert Bartlett or the Neptune for him. He has done absolutely nothing wrong. I'm just going to sit on the fence there a little bit over his target and the ground could sway the decision but he's been to Cheltenham twice, won both times and is in very good order.
Grandouet:
He's done nothing wrong and beat A Media Luz quite comfortably at Newbury. He was impressive there and at Ascot the next day. He's fresh and ready to go for the Triumph and I'm very pleased with him.
A Media Luz:
She has to reverse Newbury form with Grandouet but that was her second run after she basically bolted with Barry (Geraghty) first time at Cheltenham. It looked as if she would have won at Kempton when she fell at the second last on King George day and I then went to get her handicapped. They gave her 119 after that so I went to the Chatteris Fen at Huntingdon which I felt looked a weak enough race. I didn't think we could do much damage but she won very easily and when I was hoping to go up four or five pounds we went up 18. That takes her right through the Fred Winter in fairness, I don't think she'll win it with that rating but we'll enter her in it and the Triumph.
Ericht:
This is a surprise to me as I don't like the Cheltenham Bumper but he'll run there. He got beaten the first time when the winner got an easy lead and went clear but he's won his last two and I thought it was a nice performance in the Listed bumper at Newbury on Friday so he'll go to Cheltenham. His owners love the place and I'm happy to run Ericht in what isn't my favourite for young horses, it can be hard on them. He's neat, not over-big and has all the right attributes for the race. Trabolgan finished second for me but we haven't had many runners in it.
HANDICAPS:
Soldatino will definitely run in the County. Aegean Dawn and Voy Por Ustedes are other possibles.
We'll hit the top of the Grand Annual quite hard with French Opera and Voy Por Ustedes which will give it an upside down look to start with. Max Max and Anquetta will be entererd. Tanks For That will definitely go there and he's been waiting for this after finishing second to Woolcombe Folly at Cheltenham earlier in the season.
I'm waiting for Quantativeeasing's handicap mark but he could go to the Centenary along with Aigle d'Or, Osric and Nadiya De La Vega. Quantative will be in everything.
Coral Cup wehave a few in. Solix will go there, he looked like he needed further the other day. First Point and Radium are also in the Martin Pipe as well and that race, being a 0-140, I bet there's no more than seven pounds between the runners. We have 12 in there and all could get in. If we ran them all it means we'd only have 10 to beat! Radium will return to hurdles as his handicap mark over fences is ridiculous.
In the the Fred Winter Titan De Sarti and Molotof, who runs at Kempton on Saturday are possibles. I don't want the latter to do A Media Luz on me though! She's likely to go for the Triumph having shot up the ratings.
In the Byrne Group it's easily possible Quantativeeasing could end up there. You're The Top would be the other along with Aigle d'Or.
The Pertemps is Lush Life who had no chance at Sandown where he got left behind in a joke race. He won well at Cheltenham earlier in the year.
A lot are doubled up elsewhere but Horner Woods could go to the Kim Muir
Binocular:
I'm pleased with him this season. He ran a very good race in the Fighting Fifth at Newbury and we were aware he'd come on for it. He was giving them all weight and just blew up at the wrong moment having come to win the race at the last. He took a blow there which didn't give him the chance to run on and AP was able to not give him a hard race when his chance had gone.
He was great at Kempton in the Christmas Hurdle, especially as I've never felt that was his track. Overturn did us a favour there setting a nice strong pace which is what Binocular needs and got in last year's Champion.
I think this year's race is more competitive and he'll have to be at his best to win it again. He'll have to be at the top of his game because it's certainly more open with more realistic contenders and we haven't met Hurricane Fly yet - and he's good.
Oscar Whisky:
He's in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle but I'm pretty sure he'll go for the Stan James Champion Hurdle. Barry has asked if I'm sure we don't need three miles with him but he has a lot of speed and if he has to go further eventually I will be happy to do so. I think at the moment I'll stick to two and the stayers looks competitive anyway. His big race of the year was the Welsh Champion Hurdle and it was great to win that and he's perfectly entitled to go for the big one now.
Zaynar:
Like Oscar, if there was a race over two-and-a-half miles next month he'd go there. Life hasn't been easy for him and he finished third in the Champion Hurdle last season. He's won a Triumph and an Ascot Hurdle too but I'm struggling with trip with him. He wears cheek-pieces, I've tried him in blinkers but felt he did too much in them, and the owners are split over 50-50 between the Champion and World Hurdle and whatever I do I'll upset half of them. He's in very good order after a little break and may just have a little racecourse gallop at Kempton next week and is in good form. It's just a question of where we go but he was only third in last year's Champion and it looks a better race this time around.
Long Run:
Since Kempton we've been able to leave him alone and freshen him up. He's exactly where we'd want him to be. I'd be very happy with him. It's been different to last year because he started the season a fresh horse. We always said the King George was his major objective but one has to accept that wasn't the Kauto Star we all know that day and Long Run still has to prove he can beat that horse when on-song.
I don't really worry over the track at Cheltenham as I can see why things didn't go according to plan on the two times he's been there. He was just feeling the end of a long season in the RSA last March and was a bit flat. He then started the year a bit fresh and to be fair a two mile five handicap when they go lickerty split just took him out of his comfort zone in the Paddy Power. He'll find the three miles two of the Gold Cup much easier and Sam, like at Kempton, can find his space, find his rhythm and they'll be fine.
He's my best (Gold Cup prospect) by quite a long way, I suspect. Marlborough (fourth in 2002) was knocking on the door a bit and I suppose he was as close as we've been to having a Gold Cup horse. We just haven't had one.
French Opera:
He was good in the Game Spirit at Newbury the other day, he was good all last year and the handicapper has forced our hand. As much as I'd love to have him in the Grand Annual I think he has to go Champion Chase. I'm not saying he's going to win it, he has some way to go before he reaches Master Minded, Big Zeb and Sizing Europe, but he's not that far behind and he looked very good at Newbury.
Max Max:
We've tubed him since his last run. That's something we don't do very often but his wind has always been a problem. If this helps him you never know and he's a very good horse. Paul Carberry gets on very well with him and he could go for the Champion Chase. He worked on Wednesday and was very good.
Punchestowns:
He's in the Gold Cup and the World Hurdle but could just wait for Aintree. He was second to Pride Of Dulcote at Newbury and won last time at Kempton. He's a very good horse, his form rates him closely with Big Buck's, he was the one horse who could give that one a race when he was a staying hurdler. He's in the race again but I doubt that would be the route we'd take but on the other hand I can't quite see him winning a Gold Cup and suspect that's not the route either.
Riverside Theatre:
He has done well. We ran him in the King George at Kempton to see if he got three miles and he obviously did and we then intended to run him in the Aon at Newbury before that meeting was lost the first time. We then decided to bring him back in trip at Ascot on Saturday and he was impressive. Despite the ground he jumped really well and at the time we were thinking not Cheltenham and to wait for the three miler at Aintree. However now, and Mr Nesbitt is away filming in New Zealand, I think he'll go for the Ryanair. I'd like to see how he comes out of the Ascot race in a week's time before making the final decision. He didn't have a hard race and has plenty of time to get over it and if the ground is good I would think he'll run. People weren't sure Cheltenham suited him in the Arkle last year but I've always said he's not a two-miler. He'll have to keep his wits about him in the Ryanair, at Ascot they went nice and steady and he got into a nice rhythm.
Carole's Legacy:
She's been a great mare and was second in the David Nicholson last season. She's also in the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase. We haven't decided where she goes yet. I'm just not sure that she might be better over fences and to be fair she's not going to win the David Nicholson because in all probability she'd finish second again to Quevega. So it's quite possible she'll go back over fences and I'd have thought that she had a very good chance.
Voy Por Ustedes:
I've put him in the Grand Annual but he may have a run in a hurdle race at Cheltenham just to get him ready for the chase at Aintree. He's settled in well.
Master Of The Hall:
He won the Reynoldstown at Ascot on Saturday and goes for the RSA Chase. He just gets better and better, improving all the time. The only blip over fences was over two-and-a-half at Cheltenham where he was going well at the top of the hill but stopped very quickly. It had nothing to do with the track, and he's since won over three at Huntingdon and Ascot. Slowing the pace down half-a-stride has helped him but it will be a very different ball game in the RSA as his last two wins have been in small fields. He's got confident again though and did everything right at Ascot. Burton Port won that race before finishing second in the RSA and Master Of The Hall is perfectly entitled to go there.
Finian's Rainbow:
He won a point-to-point in Ireland and we thought he was a stayer but his defeat in the Challow last year gave us a clue he wasn't, he looked certain to win there only to get run out of it. We have started this season looking at two miles and he has thrived. We experimented at Warwick the other day and, while he won the Kingmaker, he wasn't impressive. He'd been round twice in novice chases and barely seen another horses and in all probability something else will want to go on at Cheltenham so we wanted to get him used to jumping in behind. He didn't really find his rhythm at Warwick but is very good.
Sprinter Sacre:
He will be the most spectacular chaser next year and is the most beautiful horse, absolutely stunning. He looks like Travado and Jack The Giant and has a huge amount of natural talent and while he may get two-and-a-half in time he doesn't look or work like he needs that trip at the moment. He was very impressive at Ascot but I'm not sure what he beat.
Spirit Son:
He only had one run in France, well two but the first was voided at the final hurdle. He came over and we went to Huntingdon, where he won very easily, and then Exeter where I thought he was very impressive. He's just a thoroughly professional, likeable horse who has done nothing wrong. Barry is umming and ahhing between him and Sprinter Sacre for the Supreme but this one looks more the ready-made speedster. He was very good at Exeter in very testing ground and Barry said he'd come on for it and didn't really like the ground and would be better on a quicker surface. He just had the raw speed to cope with it.
Mossley:
I think he'll almost certainly go three miles for the Albert Bartlett. I still like this fellow, he got very bogged down at Warwick last time but that was horrible ground that day. He's a really good young stayer who likes decent ground. He'd looked good up until Warwick and I think you can forget that run.
Bob's Worth:
We've yet to decide between the Albert Bartlett or the Neptune for him. He has done absolutely nothing wrong. I'm just going to sit on the fence there a little bit over his target and the ground could sway the decision but he's been to Cheltenham twice, won both times and is in very good order.
Grandouet:
He's done nothing wrong and beat A Media Luz quite comfortably at Newbury. He was impressive there and at Ascot the next day. He's fresh and ready to go for the Triumph and I'm very pleased with him.
A Media Luz:
She has to reverse Newbury form with Grandouet but that was her second run after she basically bolted with Barry (Geraghty) first time at Cheltenham. It looked as if she would have won at Kempton when she fell at the second last on King George day and I then went to get her handicapped. They gave her 119 after that so I went to the Chatteris Fen at Huntingdon which I felt looked a weak enough race. I didn't think we could do much damage but she won very easily and when I was hoping to go up four or five pounds we went up 18. That takes her right through the Fred Winter in fairness, I don't think she'll win it with that rating but we'll enter her in it and the Triumph.
Ericht:
This is a surprise to me as I don't like the Cheltenham Bumper but he'll run there. He got beaten the first time when the winner got an easy lead and went clear but he's won his last two and I thought it was a nice performance in the Listed bumper at Newbury on Friday so he'll go to Cheltenham. His owners love the place and I'm happy to run Ericht in what isn't my favourite for young horses, it can be hard on them. He's neat, not over-big and has all the right attributes for the race. Trabolgan finished second for me but we haven't had many runners in it.
HANDICAPS:
Soldatino will definitely run in the County. Aegean Dawn and Voy Por Ustedes are other possibles.
We'll hit the top of the Grand Annual quite hard with French Opera and Voy Por Ustedes which will give it an upside down look to start with. Max Max and Anquetta will be entererd. Tanks For That will definitely go there and he's been waiting for this after finishing second to Woolcombe Folly at Cheltenham earlier in the season.
I'm waiting for Quantativeeasing's handicap mark but he could go to the Centenary along with Aigle d'Or, Osric and Nadiya De La Vega. Quantative will be in everything.
Coral Cup wehave a few in. Solix will go there, he looked like he needed further the other day. First Point and Radium are also in the Martin Pipe as well and that race, being a 0-140, I bet there's no more than seven pounds between the runners. We have 12 in there and all could get in. If we ran them all it means we'd only have 10 to beat! Radium will return to hurdles as his handicap mark over fences is ridiculous.
In the the Fred Winter Titan De Sarti and Molotof, who runs at Kempton on Saturday are possibles. I don't want the latter to do A Media Luz on me though! She's likely to go for the Triumph having shot up the ratings.
In the Byrne Group it's easily possible Quantativeeasing could end up there. You're The Top would be the other along with Aigle d'Or.
The Pertemps is Lush Life who had no chance at Sandown where he got left behind in a joke race. He won well at Cheltenham earlier in the year.
A lot are doubled up elsewhere but Horner Woods could go to the Kim Muir
Pleased to hear an upbeat report on Grandouet...was v impressed with him last time out...sounds like he's still the stable no 1 in the triumph...
From the sporting life website - stable tour correspondent:
I'm not big and I'm certainly not clever which leads me to the first bet from the stable tour and that's the long standing Triumph Hurdle favourite Grandouet.
Things didn't really click on his first two starts for the yard but they've got to know their charge now and he's been very impressive the last twice even if the form can be knocked.
Henderson just seemed to exude a quiet confidence about the four year-old. A Media Luz is to the fore of the market as well but the fact that Henderson would have preferred her to take her chance in the Fred Winter speaks volumes.
Grandouet had been pencilled in for the Adonis Hurdle (a race in which Soldatino made his debut for the yard last year) but doesn't hold an entry with two other Simon Munir owned horses - Celtos and Molotof - there in his place.
The obvious questions were asked and met with the response that the owner already had Grandouet and didn't need a back up.
I'm not big and I'm certainly not clever which leads me to the first bet from the stable tour and that's the long standing Triumph Hurdle favourite Grandouet.
Things didn't really click on his first two starts for the yard but they've got to know their charge now and he's been very impressive the last twice even if the form can be knocked.
Henderson just seemed to exude a quiet confidence about the four year-old. A Media Luz is to the fore of the market as well but the fact that Henderson would have preferred her to take her chance in the Fred Winter speaks volumes.
Grandouet had been pencilled in for the Adonis Hurdle (a race in which Soldatino made his debut for the yard last year) but doesn't hold an entry with two other Simon Munir owned horses - Celtos and Molotof - there in his place.
The obvious questions were asked and met with the response that the owner already had Grandouet and didn't need a back up.
Thanks for taking your time in putting this stuff in BJG, cheers.
No mention of Prince of Pirates??....is he being kept for next year
Bellvano? Heard he's going for a racecourse gallop tmoz?
he sed that POP might still run in the neptune in the rp pricewise bit on tuesday that hes working well and will go for a racecourse gallop.where did u hear bellvano masterminded i reckon he,ll stick him back over hurdles for the county saves his novice status
Yep could see him winning a handicap. I think he's on a nice mark
mossley is surely far too big at 25/1 for the 3m novice. if you forgive his last run flop in the warwick muck his beating of join together(this horse is as low as 15/2) at cheltenham looks solid form.
Swamper, I think he is a nice horse but the race he was at Cheltenham was about as falsley run as you can imagine.
yeah that is my one concern carver that mossley has to show he can quicken off a strong pace in a top race. even though his cheltenham win has been questioned he still beat some fairly useful tools, two of whom have won since and join together is one of the race favourites. at the prices mossley is the one i want to be on
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