Alex Hammond looks back on Fact To File's John Durkan win and the Betfair Chase clash, prior to previewing the key upcoming action at Newbury in her latest blog.
Let’s look back before we look ahead. If you’d backed Grey Dawning for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, would you still retain some hope?
I haven’t backed Grey Dawning for the Gold Cup, I'd like to make that clear first. But if had, I’d be concerned that he had the sort of seasonal return that can leave its mark.
However, initial thoughts were that won’t be seen for a while now and all roads lead to Cheltenham. Dan Skelton is a superb trainer, and he’ll have learned plenty from Haydock and the job now will be to freshen him up and get him to peak in March, although I see there's talk of a possible King George bid so he's obviously recovered well on the face of it.
Either way, my main worry would be his stamina for a Gold Cup test. The trip takes some getting and it may just stretch him. If you have backed him, I don’t think my comments will have filled you with joy, I’m not writing him off, but he’s not for me.
How impressed were you with Fact To File at Punchestown on Sunday?
What a race! If the John Durkan didn’t get you off your sofa and shouting at the TV, then nothing will.
This was racing at its most raw. Great horses, trying their hearts out and giving their all. Simple but sensational. You don’t need hype, you don’t need additional entertainment, you just need brilliant racehorses eyeballing each other in an enthralling finish. I’m tearing up here!
Fact To File is the new sensation and he was brilliant at Punchestown. He’s a warrior and he beat warriors. He’s always been considered a chaser in the making, which is why Willie Mullins skipped hurdling altogether, and at the age of seven will no doubt keep improving.
I know you’re not asking this question, but Galopin Des Champs is still my Gold Cup pick at this stage. When he’s back up in trip, he’ll be a formidable opponent again and is still only eight years old, rising nine.
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The Champion Hurdle division could really take off this weekend… where do you stand with the two-milers at present?
Life is never straightforward with something that eats whilst you sleep and has many moving parts that are prone to going wrong. Constitution Hill has proved he’s mortal with his latest setback. Talented but fragile? I’m not sure about that but it doesn’t sound desperately serious.
I spend a huge amount of time (and money) at physiotherapists and hydro therapists with my Labrador, so I can’t imagine how many folk are involved with CH. Let’s hope it's smooth sailing from here on and we see him before Cheltenham. Trainer Nicky Henderson said the Christmas Hurdle is still realistic.
He’s now out to 4/1 with Sky Bet for the Champion Hurdle. Lossiemouth is 9/4 favourite despite missing last weekend with a stone bruise and is in the Hatton’s Grace this coming Sunday, not sure if she’ll start off in that.
State Man is 100/30 after his runner-up spot in the Morgiana to Brighterdaysahead (8/1 for the Champion and 7/4 fav for the Mares’), with Sir Gino currently 11/2.
That leads us neatly onto the weekend and the decision to stick to hurdling for Sir Gino. He now heads to the Fighting Fifth in Constitution Hill’s absence and is even-money favourite to take the Grade 1 prize. I can see that it was too good an opportunity to miss for connections, but it doesn’t clear anything up for us with his longer-term future still undecided.
I don’t stand firmly in any corner in the two mile hurdling division right now but it’s competitive and open if nothing else, which is what we all want to see. It could be time for someone else to put their hand up for top honours though.
Newbury often feels like the start of the ‘festive season’ – give us one for the wish-list on Friday’s quality card.
I’m can’t wait to be at Newbury on Friday and Saturday for this superb meeting and the rain has finally come (and some) so we’ll get some proper jumping ground.
The prospect of seeing some lovely young horses at this fabulous venue is exciting and one of the most notable on Friday is the eye wateringly expensive purchase Regent’s Stroll in the opening “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle. Trained by Paul Nicholls, the five year old has won both his starts in bumpers and makes his hurdle debut here. He’s from the family of Denman, a horse synonymous with this meeting having won the Berkshire Novices’ Chase and two 'Hennessys' at this fixture, and cost £660,000 in July at the previous owner’s dispersal sale.
He’d been bought as a three year old by Nicholls and bloodstock agent Tom Malone and Nicholls was understandably keen to keep hold of him when he was reoffered for sale in the summer. Thankfully for the trainer, an ownership group which includes Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and John Hales clubbed together to keep him in the yard.
They will be disappointed if they aren’t rewarded as he transitions to hurdles but his long-term aim will be the Gold Cup. Shades of Denman ,anyone? Well, he’s not flashy at home and three miles over fences will be where he comes into his own, but it should be a privilege to see his career progress, and this will be the next rung on the ladder.
What are your early thoughts on this year’s Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase?
That you can make a case for several of the runners!
Colonel Harry is Sky Bet’s 5/1 favourite and a likeable horse who represents last year’s winning team of Jamie Snowdon and Gavin Sheehan. This horse has followed a similar career path, as you’d expect from the same stable, and in fact he runs off the same handicap mark as his predecessor.
Henry de Bromhead’s Senior Chief is a 6/1 shot along with Victtorino for Venetia Williams. I'm a fan of the latter who won his first two chasing starts in the UK at Ascot last winter but lost his way subsequently.
Thanks to that regression his mark is now just 1lb higher for the second of those successes and I hope there’s more to come from him with his yard in sparkling form.
He’s won after a break in the past and conditions hold no fears. That’s a quick look at the race and will have had a much deeper dive into the form before Saturday.
Published at 1405 GMT on 27/11/24
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