Trainers in form heading into Christmas

*Stats relate to trainers with at least 20 runners Nov 23 – Dec 20

Joseph O’Brien (Run To Form: 63.6%)

Three winners over jumps for Joseph O’Brien in the last four weeks might seem a meagre total on the face of it but the stable is in much better form than that would suggest, with another six runners being placed. These stats relate to jumps only, but it’s well worth adding that O’Brien has had seven winners on the Flat at Dundalk in the same period, underlining that it’s very much a stable in form. Interestingly, all three of those jumps winners were three-year-old hurdlers, namely Naturally Nimble, Puturhandstogether and Beyond Your Dreams, the first-named going in at 33/1 at Fairyhouse when beating Willie Mullins’ then Triumph Hurdle favourite Willy de Houelle in a Grade 3 contest. Naturally Nimble holds an entry in the Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown on Boxing Day.

Another notable performance worth highlighting came from stable star Banbridge in the Hilly Way Chase. He was trying to concede 10 lb to Energumene at Cork and was only a few lengths adrift of that rival when unseating at the last, looking sure to be placed, and has been credited with a career-best performance. Banbridge has been kept away from testing conditions in the past but has options in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase or the King George if the going isn’t too soft. Very smart staying hurdler Home By The Lee won Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle after landing the Lismullen Hurdle in 2022 and is likely to bid to complete the same double this year after winning the Lismullen again last month.

Warren Greatrex (RTF 63.3%)

Warren Greatrex had 23 winners in the whole of last jumps season but has 19 winners on the board already this term and looks well on the way to his best total for some time. Seven of those winners have come in the last four weeks resulting in a current strike rate of 23.3%. Among those are a couple of fairly useful winners over fences this week, Margaret’s Legacy who landed a gamble on his stable debut at Southwell and Herakles Westwood who won a novice handicap at Newbury on his second start over fences and looks likely to progress further.

Juvenile hurdler Quantock Hills is another to have made a good start for the yard after being recruited from France and followed up his win at Fontwell when dead-heating in the Triumph Trial at Cheltenham last Saturday, being the pick of the field on looks and looking a shade unfortunate not to win outright. Looking ahead to the Christmas period, the promising Good And Clever has a Grade 1 entry in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day. He was third in the Grade 2 bumper at the same track in the spring and beat the rest comprehensively when chasing home Paul Nicholls’ big-money buy Regent’s Stroll on his hurdles debut at Newbury last month.

Nicky Richards (RTF 56.5%)

Nicky Richards’ horses have certainly been in better shape than the trainer himself in recent weeks, though happily Richards is now recovering at home after a lengthy spell in hospital following a fall on his gallops last month which left him with multiple fractures. Of the yard’s 23 runners in the last four weeks, four have won, all ridden by Danny McMenamin, while another six have finished runner-up. The highlight of this period was the victory of smart chaser Nells Son in a handicap at Kelso worth nearly £40,000 to the winner, making it two out of two for the season.

The Kalooki Kid, a winner on his second start over fences at Doncaster, and President Scottie, who shaped well when second on his chasing debut at Haydock, are only six-year-olds and both look potentially useful over fences. Among numerous entries for the stable on Boxing Day are Senor Lombardy who should appreciate the step up in trip in the Lincolnshire National at Market Rasen and Nab Wood who was a rapidly-improving hurdler when last seen early in the year and could return in a handicap on Wetherby’s card.

Henry de Bromhead (RTF 56.5%)

Henry de Bromhead is another trainer whose horses are in better form than a current strike rate of 11.3% would suggest, with plenty of other runners hitting the frame in addition to the yard’s seven winners. In fact, it’s been something of a frustrating period with several of the most notable performances coming from runners who ran well but found one too good. Chief among those was high-class chaser Quilixios who ran at least as well as ever when second to odds-on Jonbon in the Tingle Creek Chase, while Heart Wood, having his final start in novice company, was only beaten a neck in the Drinmore Novice Chase, shaping well and looking set for another good season.

Waterford Whispers bumped into a smart winner in Ile Atlantique on his chasing debut at Navan but looks a banker to go one better before long, perhaps at Leopardstown next week, while Supreme Novices’ winner Slade Steel has been second in both his starts over fences to date. His run at Naas earlier this week was Rachael Blackmore’s first ride back from injury after nearly three months on the sidelines and she can look forward to getting back on some of her best regular mounts for the yard at Leopardstown after Christmas, including Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Captain Guinness in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase and Bob Olinger in the Christmas Hurdle.

Nigel Twiston-Davies (RTF 54.7%)

Currently fourth in the trainers’ table by prize money, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horses are not only running well but have been winning with a strike-rate of 18.9% over the last four weeks which have yielded ten wins. A handful of smart chasers have been foremost among those running well, notably Beauport, who ran away with the first running of the Berkshire National at Ascot by more than thirty lengths. Matata won by nearly as far at Cheltenham last month and shaped like the best horse before going down by a neck to Nells Son in the Kelso race mentioned above.

There was a big run in defeat too from the likeable Broadway Boy in the Coral Gold Cup who was in the firing line throughout and stuck to his task to finish second to Kandoo Kid. Next week’s Welsh Grand National will come too soon for him and he’s being aimed at next month’s Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham instead, though stablemate The Newest One could do duty at Chepstow instead. Former Rowland Meyrick winner Good Boy Bobby is entered in that race again at Wetherby on Boxing Day and returned to form when second at Haydock last time, while Clap of Thunder is a young hurdler with a positive profile who holds a few engagements next Friday.

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.