Many Clouds

Decent debut that. Looks a real nice prospect.

Soft ground around Carlisle is a good test too.

nice introduction by STFD, if all goes well should be in the line-up in march, and i'd say the same comments about many clouds. would agree about the feltham and surely the rsa would then be the obvious target if he were to run and win.

Are you sure Ekbalco? I thought he could be an RSA horse too but trainer has suggested Cheltenham won't suit, though for the life of me I can't see why.

Puffin Billy will return in either the Gerry Feilden Hurdle at Newbury on November 28 or the StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on November 30


Having looked one of the best of his generation in the first half of last season, he was beaten by Melodic Rendezvous at Exeter in February and was only fifth in the Supreme Novices Hurdle after a rushed preparation before being well beaten back at Cheltenham in April.

Sherwood had the option of sending him chasing but the Newbury race, now known as the bet365 Intermediate Hurdle or the Newcastle Grade One will be where he starts off.


"He schooled for the first time this week and I was very happy with him," said Sherwood.

"The options for him are the Gerry Feilden, in which off 146 he'll be on a nice mark, or the Fighting Fifth which we put him in yesterday. It will be one or the other.

"For a horse with his rating there are not that many options.

"It might not be ideal to take on the Champion Hurdle horses first time back but if it came up heavy there (Newcastle) and we saw that there might not be many runners, which there usually isn't, then we'd have to give it a lot of thought."

Stablemate Many Clouds is another with a choice of options, and will continue his education over fences at either Haydock or Newbury in the coming weeks.

Sherwood's promising novice made a faultless introduction to life over fences at Carlisle when beating Pertemps Final winner Holywell very easily.

That was over two and a half miles and there is a Grade Two race over that trip at Newbury's Hennessy meeting on November 29, or a two-mile-seven novices' chase at Haydock on November 22.

"I haven't discussed it with Mick Meagher (owner Trevor Hemmings' racing manager) yet but there are two options for him," said Sherwood.

"There's a two-seven race at Haydock on the Friday of the Betfair meeting or a two-and-a-half-mile race at Newbury for him a week later.

"I haven't done a lot with him since Carlisle as it was a long trip.

"I was very pleased with the way he attacked his fences at Carlisle, as early on at home if he couldn't see a stride he tended to just throw himself at them.

"He was very neat, though, and I thought it was the perfect introduction. It proved what we always thought, that whatever he did over hurdles he was always 100 per cent a chaser."

Does look a little cracker of a race tomorrow and I've backed Shotgun Paddy for the RSA.  It will be informative.

Can't believe VC have gone 5/1. I missed it, but taken their 9/2, and had a saver on Shotgun Paddy.

Clearly being priced up on who the trainers are Shockster.

That's a solid run from MC in 2nd. A stronger pace would have suited and a couple of minor collisions during the didn't help but he'll be winning again.

Not for the first time a horse trained by Emma Lavelle looks excellent first time out but then fails to build on it.

Happens to often imo Duffy, makes her horses difficult to bet from an ante-post perspective.

Many Clouds will be aimed towards the Reynoldstown Novices' Chase at Ascot on February 15 after his fine effort at Haydock last week.


Oliver Sherwood's six-year-old impressed on his chasing debut at Carlisle and did nothing wrong in defeat when second to Black Thunder in a hot race on Merseyside on Friday.

Sherwood must now find another race for him before the Ascot Grade Two.

The Berkshire handler said: "I was absolutely over the moon with him, apart from the fact he got beaten.

"He jumped great and improved from Carlisle and he has really matured this season. Last year he was just a big baby but he's sharpened up mentally.

"He's taken the race well. I'm chuffed with him.

"There's no immediate plan. I'm not keen on the Feltham at Christmas as I don't think Kempton would suit him, so I'll look for a race over two and a half miles or three over Christmas.

"The race I really want to run him in is the Reynoldstown at Ascot as I think that will really suit him, so we'll build back from that."

I'll be very disappointed if he does not win today. A shame he did not go for the Feltham.

Did anyone catch a post-race interview with Oliver Sherwood? Just wondered if he will be heading to the Reynoldstown at Ascot next.

Shotgun Paddy wins a handicap off 145 today. He was 14 lengths behind MC at Haydock. Things are slowly falling into place, especially with the stable going well, Deputy Dan winning the Grade 2 at Haydock also.

No explanation and no need for one. He ran really well, just got beat by the better horse today. When he beat Many Clouds 2 1/2 it was over 23f and MC got interfered with during the race. Over 24f with a stronger pace i'd bet MC to reverse form.

It was a slow pace though and 23f. At the line there was 2 1/2 lengths between with MC closing the gap. Off a stronger pace over 1f further, plus a more demanding track on stamina, I think he would.

My love for this horse and your positive comments (sintonian and cassanova) have persuaded me to have a little bet on him. There won't be a better jumper there I don't think, so that should count for a lot.

In a word, Yes. Unless they want to see what level he's at after his next run and supplement. Owner is not short of a few bob. He may have had a set-back, though, or perhaps they just want to skip Cheltenham. Disappointing.

He is in Casanova!

and another good advert. really getting excited now.