Views from connections ahead of Saturday action at Kelso

Morebattle favourite has everything Under Control

Under Control can put herself in line for a £100,000 bonus when she heads to Kelso for the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old signed off last season by downing stablemate – and subsequent Greatwood and Betfair Hurdle winner – Iberico Lord at Sandown and although misfiring when favourite for the Gerry Feilden in November, she bounced back to form when second to Ashroe Diamond in a Doncaster Grade Two in January.

She holds a plethora of entries for the Cheltenham Festival and has the chance to scoop the sponsor’s six-figure incentive on offer if following up victory in the Scottish Borders at Prestbury Park later this month.

That was something achieved by The Shunter in the very first year this race was run as a handicap and although set to carry a hefty weight burden, Under Control rates as one of the classiest operators in the field.

“She ran a blinder at Doncaster and was beaten by a good mare there,” said owner JP McManus’ racing manager, Frank Berry.

“Nicky has been very happy with her and although she has a lot of weight to carry, we are hoping for a good run. She did well to get back to Doncaster and run well and everything has gone well since.”

On the bonus, he added: “We’ll work it (Cheltenham) out after Saturday, once we’ve seen how she goes. If she doesn’t run well on Saturday, she will have no business going anywhere else.”

Benson provided Sandy Thomson with a popular local victory in this contest 12 months ago and, having advertised his well-being since the turn of the year, is another aiming not just for back-to-back Morebattle triumphs, but to tee-up a second shot at the Cheltenham bonus.

“His last two runs have been really good and two miles at Musselburgh last time would be sharp enough for him,” said Thomson.

“Obviously, he has a lot of weight to carry, but he seems well and he carried that weight at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day, so we will go and give it a shot.

“He was very new to us last season and we know a lot more about him now – and hopefully we have trained him accordingly. Whether we get the same result (as last year), who knows? But we’re very happy with where we have him.”

Plenty of this year’s Morebattle contenders arrive looking to extend a winning run – including the hat-trick-seeking pair of Kerry Lee’s Black Hawk Eagle and Donald McCain’s Geromino.

However, they still have some way to go to match James Moffatt’s Bingoo, who arrives at Kelso unbeaten in three and rapidly climbing the ranks.

“He’s in good order with himself,” said Moffatt. “We’re dropping back in trip a bit, but hopefully there is a very strong gallop up in front, which we should get – I think there’s three or four front-runners in it.

“We’re just going to take our chance and it’s well worth a punt at that sort of prize-money.”

Another in good order is Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole’s Rewired, who has followed up some encouraging performances last term by winning both outings this season.

Newland believes now is the time to give his charge a shot at a valuable prize and said: “He’s done really well and certainly seems in a very good place.

“He came out of his race at Taunton well and is in good form and we’re very happy with him.

“He possibly doesn’t want too much rain, but I just thought he deserved a chance at a slightly better race, really. The owners are excited and we are excited to have a go at it.

“I think if you had asked me if we would be going for this off this mark, I wouldn’t have been as confident, but he’s become a very sharp, quick hurdler and that is helping him. Let’s hope there is more to come.”

Skycutter got off the mark for new trainer Dan Skelton at Carlisle last month and will bid to go two places better than the stable’s L’Eau Du Sud did 12 months ago, while Brian Ellison won this with Cormier two years ago and will saddle Scottish Champion Hurdle fifth Salsada, who returns from 315 days off.

Kelso ‘perfect timing’ for National fancy Monbeg Genius

Jonjo O’Neill views Saturday’s bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso as an ideal stepping-stone to Aintree for his leading Grand National contender Monbeg Genius.

The eight-year-old has not been seen in competitive action since finishing third in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in early December, subsequently missing planned engagements in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow and the Classic Chase at Warwick.

There was concern his season could be curtailed after assets linked to owners Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman were made the subject of a restraint order, but the British Horseracing Authority subsequently confirmed Monbeg Genius would not be affected and he is able to travel to the Scottish Borders this weekend as he looks to enhance his National claims.

“He’s had a few little issues, nothing serious but they were enough to make us miss the Welsh National and the Classic Chase at Warwick. He’s back on track now and hopefully all goes well,” said O’Neill.

“This looks a nice race for him, the conditions suit and it’s perfect timing with Aintree in mind – and he’s in good form, so we’re as hopeful as we can be.

“It’s a great race and the rest of the card is brilliant, fair play to Kelso for putting on a card like this.”

Monbeg Genius won three of his five starts as a novice over fences last season and also finished third behind Grand National hero Corach Rambler and leading Gold Cup contender Fastorslow in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

He again holds an Ultima entry but appears unlikely to turn up at Prestbury Park in less than a fortnight’s time.

O’Neill added: “He wouldn’t go to Cheltenham now. If everything goes according to plan, it will be straight to Aintree. He’s been left in just in case he tips up early or something on Saturday.”

It is 14 years since the Jackdaws Castle handler claimed Grand National glory with Don’t Push It, who memorably provided perennial champion jockey Tony McCoy with his first and only victory in the race.

O’Neill feels Monbeg Genius ticks plenty of boxes in terms of the world’s most famous steeplechase, even if his stamina needs to be taken on trust.

He said: “You can’t be confident a horse is ever going to stay the National trip until they try it, because there’s no other race like it, but he’s the type to do it if there is one. He’s a grand, simple horse, who just gallops and jumps.

“He might get to the Melling Road and run out of air, as they say, but you take your chance.

“He’s a different type to Don’t Push It, he had a touch of class, whereas this lad is a grand, honest to God horse who just might lack a bit of class, but what he lacks in class, he puts in through energy and he jumps well. You need a good horse now to win the National.

“We were disappointed when he didn’t win the Ultima last year, but it didn’t work out too bad did it!”

Monbeg Genius’ rivals include the admirable veteran Aye Right, trained in partnership by Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford.

The 11-year-old has been placed on each of his three starts so far this term and another bold bid is anticipated from his connections.

“He’s in good form and he likes Kelso. It’s not quite level weights, but he’s much better off at the weights against other horses than he normally is, so it will be interesting,” said Graham.

“I’m quite excited about it, no doubt there’ll still be one too good for us – there’s always something!

“I think he has only run two bad races and it’s fairly obvious he likes to dominate the race and make a good pace. We won’t be changing anything on Saturday, as we’ve tried other things like holding up out the back and he does not have much speed at the end of a race, but is fairly relentless through it.”

Nick Alexander saddles his five-time course winner Elvis Mail, while Olly Murphy is looking forward to giving Thunder Rock another opportunity to prove his stamina over this three-mile distance.

He said: “I’m not so sure he stays three miles, but we want to give it one last go, hopefully on a bit of nicer ground in a smallish field.

“He’ll be dropped in and ridden to run well. If he stays the trip, I think he’ll run well and he’s overpriced, but we’re kind of having a go more so than knowing he’ll definitely stay.

“The way he finishes off over two-and-a-half, you’d think he definitely would stay the trip, but I don’t think he has the couple of times we’ve tried thus far. Maybe he’s a year older and a year stronger and maybe he might do now, and I don’t think the ground is going to be too bad up there.”

Minella Drama (Donald McCain), La Renommee (Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole) and Cooper’s Cross (Stuart Coltherd) complete the field.

‘Home game’ giving plenty of hope to Cannock Park team

Paul Robson is keen for Cannock Park to make the most of home advantage in the bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso on Saturday.

The six-year-old has enjoyed a fine season so far, winning a Bangor bumper and a maiden hurdle at Cheltenham before finishing a fine third behind Jango Baie as a 40/1 shot for the inaugural running of the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.

With Nicky Henderson’s Jango Baie again in opposition, Robson is fully aware his stable star his work cut out to turn tables, but is delighted the rematch is taking place on his local track.

“Cannock Park is in great fettle and seems very well in himself,” he said.

“There’s no pressure as he’s been beaten by Jango Baie in the past and the betting suggests he’ll get beaten again. We’re going there very hopeful, but without any pressure.

“He (Jango Baie) is still going to have to come and get us as it is probably the first time we’re going to have our ground. If you go down through the horse’s pedigree he wants top of the ground, we’re going to get it on Saturday and Craig Nichol (jockey) knows Kelso like the back of his hand.

“Jango Baie has got to come six hours up the road and we’ve got 20 minutes to go down the road, so I’m absolutely thrilled we’ve got a race of this magnitude at Kelso.

“Whether six hours travelling will equate to the 12 lengths he beat us at Aintree, probably not, but he did get beat the last day so it’s not as if he’s super human. We’ll have a crack at him anyway.”

Jango Baie was impressive at Aintree, but was no match for Ben Pauling’s Handstands in the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon last month.

Pauling is represented this weekend by Personal Ambition, who has his sights raised after notching a second win from three starts over hurdles at Doncaster early in the new year.

Pauling said: “He’s in great order and this has been the aim for a long time. The ground will be fine and two-mile-two is ideal, so I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets on.

“He won first time over hurdles at Warwick as he liked, beating Jingko Blue of Nicky’s, who I think is a decent horse and has since won a handicap at Sandown very nicely.

“We then went to Sandown for a Grade Two novice where he got stuck in the mud and nothing really went his way, then he went up to Doncaster and did it as he liked, so I think he’s fairly unexposed.

“He’s in very good form and seems to be going the right way, so hopefully he can put up a good show.”

Stuart Crawford’s Brucio is an interesting contender from Ireland, having followed up a low-key win at Catterick with a wide-margin handicap victory at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.

Crawford said: “She seems in good form at home, hopefully she’s in as good a form as what she was going to Leopardstown.

“We were torn between going for the Morebattle and going for the novice race on Saturday and if the handicapper is right, she probably is better off in the novice. She’s carrying less weight and she’s higher rated than most of her rivals in it.

“Things have just fallen right for her and hopefully she can put in another big run this weekend.”

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