Cheltenham Friday review and replays

Cheltenham Friday Eyecatcher

Age might not be on the side of Our Power who will be turning 10 come the New Year, but his first effort in 377 days off the track was a commendable one which suggests he has a nice prize or two still left in him.

Although he would have likely finished third, opposed to second, had Chianti Classico not returned lame, it was still a performance that suggests he retains plenty of ability. Most of his best form has come on right-handed tracks so don’t be surprised if he was to pop up in a smart staying handicap chase at somewhere like Kempton or Ascot in the second half of the campaign.

Pond House flag flying high

There might not have been a Gold Cup candidate emerge from the Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Coming Soon Handicap Chase, but King Turgeon announced himself as a lively Randox Grand National contender after completing a hat-trick for the season in the £100,000 feature.

The three and a quarter mile test was very much Plan B for the David Pipe trained son of Turgeon after Storm Darragh put paid to last weekend’s Becher Chase up at Aintree, however it proved to be a worthwhile back up plan for the improving six year old.

All eyes before the race were on last season’s Ultima winner Chianti Classico, who was sent off the 2-1 favourite to show himself as a genuine Gold Cup contender off a mark of 157, but it was not to be for the Kim Bailey-trained runner.

Having forced the pace from the outset King Turgeon looked set to be booked for a place at best after being passed by both Chianti Classico, who he was receiving 24lbs from, and Our Power turning for home to face the final two fences.

But the admirable grey was not done for, and after gathering a second wind, he powered on past Chianti Classico up the run before pulling clear to score by three lengths from Our Power, who moved past Chianti Classico in the closing strides.

Pipe said: “He has put in a career best there. He is only six years old, and he is by Turgeon, and they are slow to come to hand. It is fantastic for the owners, our yard, our sponsor W&S Recycling and everyone.

“It was fantastic as both horse and jockey (Jack Tudor) were very good. The couple of mistakes he made, which we didn’t expect, probably helped him a little bit.

“It let the others get on with it. It is a galloping track here and the ground is riding slow enough. He has battled on really well and he has obviously matured again through the summer. He is improving at a fast rate of knots.

“I think he had to battle last time at Aintree, but he has got a great attitude. It is great for the Somerset Racing syndicates and I suspect some of them would have had heart attacks!

“It is great for Pond House and that is the bottom line. It is lovely to have some young horses coming through and we have got some others as well. The hard work has been done by the team at the yard and this is for everyone as it is difficult to win here at any meeting.”

After the race King Turgeon was trimmed into 33/1 for the Grand National by both Paddy Power and William Hill, and Pipe suggested that could now be his main aim.

He said: “He has always been a very good jumper and my plan was to win the Grand Sefton at Aintree which he did and everything after that was a bonus.

“We will have to look at different plans again as he is going to go up in the weights and he could be a Grand National horse one day.”

As for Chianti Classico, he was reported by Gold Cup-winning trainer Bailey to be lame following his brave performance in defeat.

Bailey said: “He is lame. My travelling head girl is in the stable with him. He is lame behind and he is not weight-bearing so we will have to wait and see.”

A grey day in veterans' race

Numitor helped opera singer, and trainer, Heather Main hit all the right notes after gamely holding onto victory in the Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase Series Handicap Chase.

The Wantage handler celebrated her first success at the home of jump racing after the admirable 10 year old backed up his last time out success at Wincanton under a determined James Bowen.

In a race few got into the 10/1 chance was positioned front rank throughout the extended two and a half mile contest alongside eventual runner-up Copperhead.

Setting his stall for home between the final two fences Numitor looked to have things in safe keeping, however he was left crying out for the line during the final climb to the line. But despite the best efforts of Copperhead it was not enough to reel in Numitor, who held on gamely by a neck.

Main, who recently returned from visiting family in America, said: “It is amazing as we were sure he would handle the track as he didn’t handle Sandown, but sometimes you have to take a chance.

“I’ve had my nephew, Henry Main, win here in a pony race, but this is our first win here so it is really special.

“We bred his family, and we have his brother, who is four and is nearly ready to run, and we have his sisters.

“We were very lucky to get Paul Jacobs (owner) on board. He is so helpful, and he really knows a lot about racing. We put our heads together and make the difficult decisions.

“I’m sure you heard me screaming out. I was really nervous about Cheltenham as it is quite a specialist course and he had never run here before. When I saw him up there my heart was just pounding. That is the plan, the final he won at Haydock Park last season."

Baie brilliant on chase bow

Jango Baie looked every inch a Grade One winner in waiting over fences after putting in an accomplished display on his seasonal return in the SSS Super Alloys Novices’ Chase.

Having already secured top class honours over smaller obstacles last season in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle up at Aintree the Tiger Groom gelding appears to be on course to match those efforts over fences if his first performance over them is anything to go by.

Racing front rank throughout the extended two and a half mile test in the hands of Nico de Boinville the 7/4 chance put in a round of jumping that most seasoned campaigners would be proud of before sweeping past favourite, and long time leader, Caldwell Potter over two out.

Once in front victory was never in doubt for the five year old, who after being fleet footed at the last bounded clear up the run in to score by six and a half lengths much to the delight of triumphant trainer Nicky Henderson.

The winning trainer said: “It was a good performance. It was perfect. I don’t really like running novice chasers first time here over fences as I’ve frightened a good few.

“You go back to Might Bite. I brought him here for a novice chase as he was brilliant at home, but God we frightened him and I had to put him back over hurdles for a year.

“He then came back and was a good chaser. It was half on my mind today. It is one of those little foibles that I think it is tough on them. He did look like a seasoned professional. He is not the biggest horse, but he has got a lot of scope.

“Nico has asked him some good questions. He gave him the confidence to be honest with you. I said at the beginning of the season that I hoped our novice chase team was going to be our strongest department.

"Tony (Barney) has three horses in training which are Jingo Baie, Jingko Blue and De Tellers Fortune, who won at Taunton yesterday. They have all won first time over fences within a few days of each other. They have been very good schooling."

As regards to future targets Henderson will now have to flick through the programme book again before devising another plan with Jango Baie.

He added: “He has got speed and he really did quicken nicely at the end there and still went away. We thought that Jingo Blue might be the one to go for the Scilly Isles. Maybe this fellow might go a little bit further. There are still a couple of others to come in the three mile route, but we have got to spread them out a bit. I do think two and a half miles is perfect for him though, but we won’t be getting in that handicap chase at the Festival with him.”

While Caldwell Potter, who cost his current connections 740,000 euros, could only finish third on this occasion his trainer Paul Nicholls was far from disappointed with the effort of the Grade One winning hurdler.

Nicholls said: “He jumped brilliantly and Harry (Cobden) was thrilled with him. It is all about the future. My instant reaction was that he might want to come back in trip on testing ground where he can go a good gallop and use his jumping.

“His jumping was brilliant which was a massive plus and we can build on that. He is a relatively inexperience horse. He needs to learn and we needed to get experience into him.

“Some of the best two milers I ever had weren’t particularly quick, but they galloped for two two miles and jumped for two miles. Harry said that he would be better on slower ground."

Paddy Power reacted by cutting the winner to 16/1 from 33/1 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (3m) at the Festival in March.

Long wait but Draw has his day in the sun

Olly Murphy already has one smart stayer in Strong Leader among his ranks, but Long Draw could soon be after he took another step up the ladder in the Citipost Handicap Hurdle.

After four successive seconds the improving five year old turned silver into gold when making his first attempt at three miles a winning one.

Travelling strongly throughout in the hands of current jump jockeys championship leader Sean Bowen the 3/1 second favourite moved on into a lead he would not relinquish approaching the last.

Despite having stamina to prove the Affinisea gelding dug deep up the run in before crossing the line five lengths clear of runner-up Gowel Road.

Murphy said: “I thought what he had shown me in his last few starts that the extra few furlongs would help and this track, instead of the Old course, was going to play to his strengths as well. We were sweet enough on him and he won well.

“I’ve been afraid of going three miles with him. I hate going three miles with them at five years old as they have a long old career and once you go three miles you can’t go back.

“I wasn’t mad at running in this race today as I had hoped I would go three miles with him in the spring, but there we go he has improved for the step up in trip.

“I don’t see any reason why he can’t take more steps up the ladder. I used to write horses early off in their careers and I used to be no good at giving them time as they would be out the door and off to the sales.

“I didn’t run him in a bumper and he got stuffed in a Southwell maiden hurdle one day and he then scraped home at Ffos Las off a mark in the 90s, but you have got to give them time.

“Alan Peterson (owner) is unwell in hospital so this is a nice tonic for him and hopefully it will give him a pick me up.”

And while Long Draw has a way to go match the Grade One winning exploits of Strong Leader there is every chance he will appear on Murphy’s team for the Cheltenham Festival in March.

He said: “I want to get him qualified for the Pertemps Final. I was going to give him a winter break and I whispered in the horse’s ear ‘I’ll give you a break after today’, but we will go for a Pertemps qualifier now and try and get him qualified for that and maybe have a go at that.”

Cheeky Donoghue Stumps rivals

Keith Donoghue was calmness personified aboard Stumptown who continued his recent resurgence with a cheeky success in the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase.

Arriving on the back of a brace of wins over the banks course at Punchestown the Gaving Cromwell-trained seven year old made his first start over the unique cross country track at Cheltenham a winning one in the extended three miles five furlong test.

Content to bide his time aboard the the 4/1 chance Donoghue steadily worked his mount into contention before breaking away in a group of four rounding the home turn.

Jumping the last in third Donoughue then squeezed his mount between Escaria Ten and Latenightpass up the run in all while appearing to be still hard on the bridle.

Although needing to be shaken up once in front Stumptown did more than enough to hold off Mister Coffey by a length.

Cromwell said: “He loves it (the cross country races). It is a huge asset to have Keith in these cross country races as he is very good at them and he gets a good tune out of the horses.

“I’d have to see the race again as I was watching it down in the chute, but going past it looked cheeky enough as it was.

“It did seem to all go plain sailing. There was not much a concern as he has been around Punchestown a few times and he is very good at the banks, but this is a bit of a different discipline here with the hedges. We were just hoping he was going to take to it and he has taken to it very well.

“At the Punchestown Festival we thought we would give it a go with him as he had hit the max with the handicapper so we thought we would give this a go and it seems to have brought around a new lease of life into him.

“It is unbelievable how well he has taken to it as he has grown legs with it.

While a return to the cross country track beckons at the Cheltenham Festival a trip to Aintree for the Randox Grand National is also now likely to come onto the agenda for Stumptown.

Cromwell said: “We thought we would go the cross country route and see. He is just getting that little bit older and we thought this might sweeten him up.

“He seemed to enjoy it so I’d say he will potentially come back here for the cross country at the Festival.

“I think that (the Grand National) is definitely on the agenda.”

Mirabad makes all

Conditional jockey Luke Scott described riding his first winner at Cheltenham as a ‘feeling that is unrivalled’ after steering Mirabad to a runaway success in the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle.

Without a win on his four previous rides at the track the five pound claimer emphatically changed that when taking the bull by the horns aboard the Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole-trained five year old.

Having stormed into a big advantage early on the 10/1 chance still held a commanding advantage as the field turned for home.

And those in behind that expected the Gleneagles gelding to fall into a hole were bitterly disappointed with Scott pushing his mount out to victory by five and a half lengths.

Scott said: “That was amazing. I didn’t expect him to stay there to be honest. For a horse that has such a high cruising speed I was almost inconveniencing him trying to settle him behind.

“Once I got him into a rhythm out in front I still expected to stop turning in, but when I looked at the screen and saw I was 10 or 15 lengths clear I thought I’ve still got plenty underneath me and he just kept going.

"He is a lovely horse, but he just holds a bit back for himself so you never know what is under the bonnet.

“He has won on softer ground in France so I don’t think it is a massive issue, but he just rattles off that decent ground and he is able to use his speed to good effect.

“There were a couple of hairy moments there today, but he is very quick from A to B.

“It was an amazing feeling. You dream of riding winners here all your childhood and to be given the opportunity to ride one with a decent chance in one of these better handicaps is amazing. It is a feeling that is unrivalled.”

Not only was the victory well received by the triumphant jockey, but it was a win that also excited his successful connections.

Simon Such, part owner, said: “That is our Champion Hurdle done and dusted in December. Wayne (Jones) is the nominated owner, but there are four of us in it.

“I owned The New One many years ago and we had heartbreak in the Champion Hurdle when Our Connor came down in front of us one year.

“This isn’t a Champion Hurdle by any means, but today is a great day for us and we have had some really good fun.

“We knew he wouldn’t stop over this trip and we thought the stiff track would help him as well.”

Mile high for team Skelton

Loftier targets will now come onto the agenda for Country Mile, who got his career back on track when winning by a distance akin to his name in the British EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

After making a winning debut over hurdles at Ayr the Dan Skelton-trainedson of Ocovango had to settle for second best behind Roadlesstravelled in the Grade Two Newton Novices’ Hurdle up at Haydock Park last time out.

However, despite being sent off a 5/1 chance the five year old won like an odd-on chance with Harry Skelton barely having to move a muscle to steer him to success in the two mile one furlong prize.

Anchored at the rear of the field through the early stages of the race behind run away pacesetter Palacio the Stephen Bough-owned gelding breezed into contention still in second gear approaching the last.

And after meeting the last as if it was the first Country Mile effortless pulled clear up the run in to score by seven and a half lengths from Wingman with 8/11 favourite That’s Nice trailing home last of the quartet.

Skelton said: “I was fairly impressed, but we have always thought he was a very good horse. The horse he was beaten by the other day is a fair animal, and I thought we were coming to win at Haydock, but he left a leg down at the last and pitched Harry forward and he then couldn’t get going on the ground.

“That was just a very good performance, but I would say he is much better on that ground that is the number one thing.

“He is a bit raw. His jumping could be better and there are lots of bits and pieces to tidy up.

“The other two have ridden sensibly behind the leader and to come upsides Wingmen that easily you have got to be a fair steed. It has taken me by surprise, but I’m delighted to be surprised."

Although Country Mile was introduced at 40-1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle by Paddy Power the Grade One winning trainer insisted he wants to see another similar performance before making big plans.

Skelton added: “We will see what the handicapper does. I did tell you all after Valgrand looked impressive, and you all told me he was going to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, that we needed to see it again and he got beat the next day.

“That is surprising and when they are surprising you have to confirm it, so let’s see it a second time before making plans. If the handicapper bumps us up to 135 it is still shy of what you need to win a Grade One and we could look at the County Hurdle, but I’d say he will make a fair chaser in time.”

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