It's Paul Nicholls for the latest instalment in Mark Howard's series. Here's a look at some of the new faces in the Ditcheat string.
By the 2016 Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner My Dream Boat, the once raced ACT OF INNOCENCE belied his huge odds of 80/1 when finishing a close third in the Goffs Defender Bumper at the Punchestown Festival last spring.
Trained by Gearoid O’Loughlin, he was partnered by crack amateur Barry O’Neill and raced handily from the outset. Inclined to travel enthusiastically, he challenged the unbeaten winner Sermandzarak in the homestraight before tiring in the closing stages. Beaten less than three lengths, the winner is held in high esteem by the Cullentra team, while the runner-up Yeshil has been transferred to Henry De Bromhead subsequently. The contest, formerly known as the Land Rover bumper, has been contested by a whole raft of Graded performers in recent times and the former champion was quick to acquire this gelding. Bought privately on behalf of Gordon and Su Hall, of Ginnys Destiny fame, he is an interesting addition to Team Ditcheat.
BELLIANO has been given plenty of time to settle into his new surroundings in deepest Somerset having been bought at the Cheltenham December Sale last year. A medium sized gelding with a white face, he was a six lengths winner on his debut in a four year old point-to-point at Boulta when handled by Terence O’Brien. Having made stealthy headway at halfway, he took control from the second last stretching clear to beat St Olans Well (joined Lucinda Russell) decisively in a quick time. A slick jumper, he is now owned by Bryan Drew and Paul Vogt having cost a chunky £255,000. Now five, he will go straight over hurdles and, while he is very much viewed as a chaser in the making, the Black Sam Bellamy gelding has the potential to compete at Graded level over timber.
MISS ALTEA BLUE remains a maiden over obstacles but the daughter of Great Pretender gained plenty of experience in France racing four times over hurdles. Trained across the English Channel by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, she is out of a Grade 3 chase winner in her native country. Having shaped with some promise on his first two outings at Auteuil and Compiegne in the spring, she stepped up on those efforts on her next couple of starts at the former track.
Beaten a head by Chloe Du Berlais in a fillies’ conditions event at the beginning of June, the third that day was Murcia who has won since and is now residing at Closutton. Absent until mid September, she filled the same position in a similar contest behind Gab Leenders’ Layla Lux. Bought privately afterwards for Kate and Andrew Brooks, she could be ideal for the Listed fillies juvenile hurdle at Newbury (29th November) – the stable won it with another French recruit Dixon Cove in 2022.
Nicholls has enjoyed plenty of success with former Aga Khan projects and he was keen to snap up the once race NARDARAN at the Arqana Summer Sale (€135,000) in July. A gelded son of Waldgeist who was trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, he was fitted with a tongue tie on his Flat debut in a twelve furlongs maiden for unraced horses at Saint-Cloud (Very Soft) in early June. Bidding to make all under Maxime Guyon, he was still in front early in the homestraight only to be headed soon after the two marker. Keeping on in third behind Golden Belle, he was beaten around six lengths. The winner, fourth and seventh have won subsequently. While he lacks experience, the new Ditcheat inmate is open to stacks of improvement and has a pedigree which suggests he will only get better with time. Owned by Martin Broughton and Friends, juvenile hurdles are on his agenda.
NO DRAMA THIS END was rated as one of the best four year old UK pointers last term and he was bought for £160,000 at the Cheltenham Festival Sale. A 23 lengths winner of a maiden at Badbury Rings (Soft) in February when trained by Will Biddick, the form is questionable but he proved in a different league to his eleven opponents and the winning time compared favourably to the other divisions of the maiden on the card. A grey gelding by Walk In The Park, he is owned by Max McNeill and Chris and Giles Barber and is likely to make his Rules debut in a bumper in the coming weeks.
SAUVIGNON is a half-brother to last year’s Group 1 Prix du Moulin winner Sauterne (sold for $4,200,000) and the Flat bred son of Inns of Court looks a smart recruit for Johnny De La Hey. Thrice raced over hurdles for Mathieu Pitart, he won by two and a half lengths on his first start at Lyon in April, displaying a good turn of foot to reel in El Gavilan on the run-in (third won twice since). Two lengths runner-up behind Apollon Du Luy (Listed winner since) at Auteuil (Soft) the following month, the now Willie Mullins trained Fou De Toi was third. Back to winning ways, he returned to the Parisian track (Very Soft) for the Listed Prix Stanley in June and defeated Sony Bill by a length and a half.
Patiently ridden in the five runner field, he responded well to pressure to collar the long time leader on the run-in. Stamina appears to be his strong suit and the Grade 2 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow (27th December) looks tailormade for him – Nicholls has won it twice with Adrien Du Pont (2015) and Quel Destin (2018).
Triple Grade 1 and King George winner Bravemansgame won a four year old maiden point-to-point in the spring of 2020. The Brave Mansonnien gelding was trained by Donnchadh Doyle and Paul Nicholls has returned to the same source to acquire another four year old point winner, TALK TO THE MAN.
The Walk In The Park gelding will sport the familiar blue and pink silks of Johnny De Le Hey. A £100,000 store and from the family of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere, he was a three and a half lengths winner at Loughanmore (Good/Yielding) in late April. Leading approaching the final fence, Rob James’ mount pulled clear on the run-in looks every inch a high-class performer in the making. The fourteen times champion trainer has indicated the four year old will contest a couple of bumpers this campaign and may follow a similar route to the unbeaten Regents Stroll, starting at Ascot (22nd November) next month. He is a horse with a big future.
Also in the series
- Mark Howard’s One Jump Ahead (PDF ONLY – paper copy SOLD OUT) and his 5 Updates, which feature all the latest recruits during the course of the 2024/2025 season, are available to purchase at www.mhpublications.co.uk
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