Mark Howard Cheltenham Festival Eyecatchers: Horses to add to your tracker

Henry De Bromhead recorded 2 winners from 24 runners, plus seven horses were placed, during the course of the week, taking his Festival tally to 25 winners. BECKETT ROCK, who hails from the family of Festival winners Column of Fire and Tully East, ran promisingly to finish sixth in the Coral Cup on Wednesday.

Successful in a conditions hurdle at Clonmel in January, he was well held in a big field handicap over two miles at the DRF the following month. However, the Kayf Tara gelding has returned to form since stepped up to middle distances finishing runner-up at Fairyhouse less than three weeks later.

Sent off 28/1 and racing off a mark of 140 on Wednesday, the six year old raced in midfield until making headway coming down the hill. Tightened up on the final bend, Darragh O’Keeffe’s mount stayed on well and was third quickest inside the final furlong, according to Race Iq, and has every chance of staying further.

Around half a dozen lengths behind Jimmy Du Seuil, he looks capable of winning a decent handicap before embarking on his chasing career next term. He could be one for the Fairyhouse’s Easter Festival.

Predictably, the Irish dominated the bumper on Wednesday, Willie Mullins winning the Grade 1 contest for a record breaking fourteenth time with the Jody Townend ridden mare Bambino Fever.

Indeed, the Emerald Isle were responsible for the first three home with the Robert Stephens trained Caballero Cliff faring best of the British.

Less than two lengths behind him in fifth was the previously unbeaten EL CAIROS, who was unfortunate not to gain a bronze medal at least.

The David Maxwell owned and ridden runner was repeatedly baulked by the eventual third Shuttle Diplomacy in the home straight – a combination of that, plus being amateur ridden, almost certainly cost him a place.

The son of No Risk At All, who was purchased for €200,000 after winning an Irish point for Sean Doyle, had impressed when scooting clear in a bumper at Newbury in November hitting a top speed of 37.84mph and covering two of the last three furlongs in 12.15 and 12.03 seconds, according to Race Iq.

He had reportedly worked well at Lingfield under Jamie Moore in the lead up to the Festival and is blessed with a good turn of foot.

Better ground in the spring will be an advantage and he is shortlist material for either the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree (5th April) or a trip to Punchestown at the end of next month.

Three of Ben Pauling’s eight runners during the four days were victims of the shambolic starts which were widespread throughout the week. Diva Luna fared best of his representatives finishing a highly creditable third in the Mares’ novice hurdle on Thursday.

However, another of the stable’s novices, JIG’S FORGE, performed better than his sixth position suggests in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle on the final afternoon. The ex-pointer was ultimately beaten nearly 20 lengths by Jasmin De Vaux in an event Pauling so nearly won twelve months earlier with sidelined stable star The Jukebox Man.

Bought out of Ross O’Sullivan’s yard for £75,000 less than a year ago, he was a ready winner over two and a half miles on his Rules bow at Ffos Las in November. His two defeats since have both been over three miles, including on Friday. On both occasions, the Westerner gelding had travelled strongly until weakening after the penultimate flight.

Fourth in the Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster in January, the 125/1 outsider was still very much in the thick of things approaching the second last this week. Fading in the homestraight, his future lies over fences next term, but the six year old would be of interest if reverting back to the intermediate trip in the closing weeks of the season.

Alternatively, his latest two defeats have been on sounder surfaces compared to the testing ground win at Ffos Las. Either way, he is a nice prospect as he went through the Albert Bartlett like a quality horse.

It is fair to say it was a trying week for Gordon Elliott and everyone involved at Cullentra. The triple Grand National winning handler had to wait until the 28th and final race of the Festival to get off the mark.

Four of the stable’s runners filled the runners-up, including NDAAWI who ran a cracker on his seasonal reappearance in the County Hurdle. Not seen since trailing in last in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last Autumn, it was the second time the former Andrew Balding trained inmate has been placed at the Festival.

Third in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle last year off 134, the gelded son of Cracksman raced off a six pounds higher mark here. Racing prominently, Jack Kennedy’s mount led briefly turning for home and, while the five year old couldn’t cope with the well handicapped dual Grade 1 winner Kargese on the run to the last, he stayed on and was only a length and a half in arrears of Willie Mullins’ mare.

Yet to race beyond two miles one over timber, he was placed in the Galway Hurdle last summer and might be worth a try over further. Seventh in the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting in June, he could be one for the two and a half miles handicap hurdle at Aintree (4th April) – Elliott won it with Three Musketeers in 2019. Having only raced seven times over obstacles, he is open to further improvement, especially over a longer distance.

PUSH THE BUTTON is without a win in five runs this term and, as his form figures suggest (5P206), he has not been the most consistent during the current campaign.

However, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ gelding was spotted making good late headway in the concluding Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle and will benefit from a return to three miles this spring. Runner-up in another valuable event over that trip at Windsor’s Millions Festival in January, the Kingston Hill gelding was racing off a four pounds higher mark here and partnered by Finn Lambert (116).

Towards the rear for much of the race, he stayed on strongly after the final flight and was third fastest in two of the last three furlongs, according to Race Iq, covering them in 13.32, 14.05 and 15.84 seconds. Only the first two home were quicker.

Those with good memories will recall the Ian Williams trained Party Business finishing fifth behind Banbridge in the same race in 2022 en route to winning the Grade 3 handicap hurdle over three miles at Aintree on Grand National day (5th April) on his next start. Unexposed over the trip, he is suited by flat tracks and remains relatively lightly raced.

Mark Howard’s Aintree Grand National meeting preview is published on Tuesday 1st April and is available to purchase via www.mhpublications.co.uk

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