Anthony Honeyball believes the Sky Bet Peter Marsh Handicap Chase is a race that ‘might just suit’ Blackjack Magic, who will bid to make it another weekend to remember for his trainer by securing a second Premier Handicap of the season in the Haydock Park feature on Saturday.
After saddling Blackjack Magic to glory in the 62nd Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton in November the Mosterton handler will now attempt to plunder another major pot with the Black Sam Bellamy gelding in the £100,000 prize at the Merseyside track.
Last weekend saw Honeyball get 2024 off to a flyer after sending out stable stalwart Sam Brown to land the final of the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase series, which was re-routed to Warwick from the card that was lost to the weather at Sandown Park the previous week.
And with the 2021 and 2022 winner of the race Royale Pagaille heading the weights it means that as it stands Blackjack Magic will race from a pound out of the handicap which is something that has fuelled Honeyball’s optimism even further of celebrating another notable victory.
Honeyball said: “It was lovely to see Sam Brown win and it was a real big boost for the yard. He has had lots of ups and downs, but he has had some great days.
“I thought his run over two and a half miles at Cheltenham was encouraging the time before and we came out of that race thinking going back up to three miles that he should have some kind of chance.
“As for this weekend I think we are going to run Blackjack Magic up at Haydock Park, if it is on, as we feel the Peter Marsh is a race that might just suit him.
“These sort races can be tough old races at Haydock, but I’m liking Royale Pagaille being in there as it means we are only a pound out of the handicap.
“He will keep running in these nice handicaps and hopefully he can win another nice pot like this.”
Although Blackjack Magic could only finish fourth in the Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase at Ascot on his most recent start last month, Honeyball believes it was still a solid performance on the back of what he has described was a ‘surprise’ success at Wincanton on his seasonal return.
Honeyball said: “He surprised us in the Badger Beer as we didn’t quite know what to expect. It just goes to show it is sometimes worth rolling the dice.
“He had lots going for him at Wincanton as the form of his Uttoxeter race at the end of last season had worked out well. My judgement to put him in the race was good, but my judgement as to how he would get on was a bit off.
“I thought he ran quite well at Ascot. It was another good test for him as Ascot is a tough track, but he does jump well, and it was a good experience for him.
“He didn’t get the room he got at Wincanton. At Wincanton, he got into a cracking rhythm, and he was just left alone for quite a lot of the race.
“At Ascot he was caught quite wide, although the winner came wider than him, and it was a bit more of a war that day.
“I think he would have been either second or third at Ascot had he not nearly fallen. He did well to stand up in the end, and I was quite pleased how he picked himself up and just kept on running all the way to the line.”
A trip to Ascot for the bet365 Handicap Chase appears more likely for Honeyball’s other Peter Marsh contender Kilbeg King, who was today given entries in both the Brown Advisory Novices Chase and the National Hunt Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
He added: “I think I’m likely to send Kilbeg King to Ascot for the handicap chase over two miles and five furlongs. It will be a tough race, but it makes a lot of sense to run him there before then going back there for the Reynoldstown (Novices’ Chase).
“If he won at Ascot and lost his maiden tag over fences in a race like that then great, but if not he has had that experience around Ascot before we step him back up to three miles for the Reynoldstown.
“If he doesn’t take to Ascot we can go back to Kempton Park with him next month as we know he goes around there after running well in the Grade One (Kauto Star Novices’ Chase) on Boxing Day.
“I’ve put him in the Brown Advisory and National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as well, but if we do all the other things he might not go there and we might look at Punchestown where he won last year.”
As for Sam Brown a second outing in the Randox Grand National at Aintree in April appears unlikely according to Honeyball, who admits he will consider various options for the Black Sam Bellamy gelding.
He added: “When they are rated 152 at 12 years old it is hard to know what to do. This race from fairly early on was his target, and he was fortunate to qualify for it through an abandoned leg of the series at Haydock Park so it has been a funny old ride there.
“I don’t think the Grand National will be on the agenda, but we could run him in an early qualifier for the veterans’ series again.
“The Midlands National might be a possibility, but he probably doesn’t want the combination of that trip on heavy ground.
“There is also a race up at Kelso coming up which he could run in as that is likely to have a small field so we have a few options for him.”
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