The Nicky Henderson-trained Burton Port emerged from the racing wilderness to post a tremendous effort on his first outing for 15 months when making stable companion and Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Long Run pull out all the stops in a thrilling Grade 2 Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury on Friday, writes Elliot Slater.
Whilst Long Run failed to impress in hanging on by just half-a-length and was consequently eased out to 5/2 (from 2/1) favourite to retain his crown at Cheltenham on March 16, Burton Port came out of the contest with immense credit and proved he retains all his old ability, a fact not lost on horse racing betting tips as well as the layers, who slashed his ante-post odds for the festival highlight from a pre-race 33/1 to best racing odds of just 12/1, (as short as 8/1 in places), after finishing strongly to almost catch the champion despite jockey Barry Geraghty reporting that he blew up twice in the contest, the second time on the run to the last fence!
Both Henderson and Burton Port’s owner Trevor Hemmings were thrilled with the performance of the eight-year-old who had been absent since running a fine second to Diamond Harry in the 2010 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, after which he sustained a leg injury, but according to his trainer the son of Bob Back has been working in even better fashion of late than before his enforced lay-off.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is most definitely next on the agenda for the winner of seven of his 15 career starts that include two Grade 2 novice victories as well as a brave second to Weapons Amnesty in the Grade 1 RSA Chase back in March 2010. Geraghty will be back on board Burton Port for the big race with Long Run set to be partnered as always by his owner’s son, Sam Waley-Cohen.
Connections of the Nick Williams-trained chaser Reve de Sivola unfortunately received the news all owners dread to hear when informed that their talented seven-year-old has sustained a slight tendon injury that means he will most likely be out of action for the next 12 months, writes Elliot Slater.
Any thoughts of taking part in next month’s Cheltenham Festival went straight out of the window following the discovery of the injury which happily is not considered too serious at this stage, but which does require an immediate break in training until the autumn at the very earliest. Time is usually the best healer with tendon injuries and with such a classy horse as the Paul Duffy-owned seven-year-old, for punters who bet on racing he could very well be worth the wait.
A very smart hurdler two seasons ago when runner-up to the high-class Peddlers Cross in the Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival, either side of Grade 1 wins at Newbury and Punchestown, Reve de Sivola showed a smart level of form once switched to larger obstacles and beat Wishfull Thinking on only his second outing over fences. Third to Hell’s Bay in the Grade 2 Dipper Novices Chase in January last year, Williams’ charge ran a fine race to be third to Bensalem at the Cheltenham Festival last March in the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chasse, a race many racing betting tips expected him to tackle once again next month.
After a quiet time of things on his fist two starts this term when unplaced at both Chepstow and Cheltenham, the gelded son of Assessor put up a much improved effort at Ascot in December, staying-on strongly in the closing stages to finish third to The Minack in the listed Owen Brown Silver Cup Handicap Chase.
Black Caviar picked up her 19th consecutive win at Flemington with success in the Group One Lemington Stakes.
The latest victory equals the record number of consecutive wins that is shared by both Desert Gold and Gloaming.
Peter Moody’s six-year old was made to work hard for her win this time around though, with two-time Group One winner Hay List chasing her down in second place. It was the first time in the mare’s career that she had to find something off the bridle and she duly obliged with a length and three quarters victory. Those looking at the betting online will have been impressed.
The win on Saturday was three seconds under the course record set by Special in 1988 but her sectionals were outstanding, she ran one furlong in just under 10 seconds.
Connections had planned to run their mount in the Futurity Stakes next Saturday at Caulfield but that now looks unlikely after a tough test in her second run in the past seven days. Fans of horse betting should bear this in mind.
Black Caviar’s next outing could now be at the Dubai World Cup Meeting at Meydan, with Royal Ascot also a long-term target in the Golden Jubilee Stakes. The only thing that could prevent her from a trip to the Middle East is if travelling is a concern. If this is the case, the record for the most consecutive wins in Australia could be broken in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on March 23.
One other possibility at the Royal Meeting, if she makes it, is a clash with Frankel over 1m. Although she has never gone over 7f, it is a match the racing public are crying out to see.
Willie Mullins looks set for a tremendous Cheltenham Festival with the likes of Hurricane Fly and Quevega being likely odds-on shots to follow up last year’s triumphs at the meeting, but the County Carlow-based handler has plenty of other guns to fire and his Sweet My Lord looks very interesting in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockey’s Handicap Hurdle on the final day of the four-day showcase fixture, writes Elliot Slater.
Mullins sent out Sir Des Champs to win the race in 2011 and Sweet My Lord looks very much as though he has been laid out to attempt to follow in the hoof prints of his talented stable companion. After showing progressive form as a novice hurdler a couple of seasons ago the six-year-old was all the rage for last season’s Totesport Trophy and was sent off at just 8/1 to land the feature Newbury contest. Unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan and the son of Johann Quatz was hampered a total of three times in the race, eventually trailing home well down the field. People making an online 2012 Cheltenham bet need to remember this.
With that torrid experience behind him Mullins’ charge has shaped with plenty of promise this term, following a pipe-opener at Naas in October by winning in determined fashion at Cork a month later. Fourth of 25 in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle qualifier at Leopardstown’s Christmas fixture, he then ran another rock solid race in coming home fourth of the massive 30-runner field (beaten just two-lengths), in the valuable Boylesports.com Handicap Hurdle back at Leopardstown in January, a performance that screamed ‘Cheltenham’ all over it.
Currently rated 14/1 second-favourite for the two-and-a-half-mile contest, those odds could appear generous if Mullins has been firing in the winners in during the first three days of the meeting after which bookies won’t want to be taking too many chances with such as Sweet My Lord who could easily go off a single figures favourite.
It was impossible not to be impressed by the ridiculously easy manner in which the Nicky Henderson-trained Sprinter Scare destroyed the opposition in the Grade 2 Betfair Super Saturday Chase at Newbury, making good horses look slow in comparison and sending out a warning shot to the connections of any horse that dare to believe they can beat him in the Racing Post Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 13, writes Elliot Slater.
Taking on quality horses with a great deal more chasing experience, the handsome six-year-old was always pulling double under Barry Geraghty who allowed his mount to take him into the lead at halfway ahead of stable companion French Opera. Anyone looking at the Cheltenham Festival betting would have been highly impressed.
From then on the only dangers were in front not behind, but the gelded son of Network generally fenced like an old hand and had his rivals well beaten before the third from home. Coasting home on a tight rein with Geraghty looking around him for most of the Newbury run-in, Sprinter Sacre came home a ridiculously easy six-length winner from French Opera, (who ran with plenty of credit on this seasonal reappearance), with I’m So Lucky a further two-and-three-quarter-lengths back in third. Those who Bet on Horse racing at Betfair.com need to bear this in mind.
The 2/5 favourite broke the long-standing Newbury track record for the 17 furlong contest, an indication of just how impressive he was, but also suggesting that the ground at the Berkshire track was faster than the official going description of ‘Good to Soft’. Bookmakers wasted absolutely no time in slashing the ante-post odds for Caroline Mould’s rising star to win the Arkle Chase from a pre-race 9/4 to a best post-race offer of just 6/4, making Sprinter Sacre one of the shortest priced market leaders for the tremendously competitive two-mile novice chase championship event for some years.
Connections of Synchronised are still yet to decide whether to run their nine-year old in the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 12.
The Jonjo O’Neill trained gelding picked up the biggest win of his career in December in the Grade One Lexus Chase. Although he has been renowned as a specialist on heavy ground, the going at Leopardstown was good on his last run where he finished ahead of Rubi Light and Quito De La Roque in a high quality field. Those looking at the latest horse racing betting online should remember this.
It has been reported that O’Neill does have doubts about Sychronised’s participation in the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup, but Frank Berry, the racing manager for JP McManus who owns the horse, revealed that Synchronised will run in the race if he looks fit and well at home next week.
“At the moment the intention is for him to run, but it all depends on how he works next week,” he added. “We obviously want to run him back at Leopardstown. He puts a lot into his races and he did that over Christmas.”
Synchronised also has entries into two of the biggest races on the national hunt calendar later in the year. In March he could run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup against defending champion Long Run and two-time winner Kauto Star at the Festival. Then in April, he has an entry for the most famous steeplechase in the world in the Grand National over 4m4f.
It would be unlikely that the nine-year old would run in both races so a decision in the near future will be made about the direction connections will go with their horse this season.
Gordon Elliott, one of Ireland’s leading National Hunt trainers, has had the John Smith’s Grand National very much at the forefront of his mind for his talented stayer Chicago Grey ever since his charge defeated Beshabar in a memorable renewal of last season’s National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, writes Elliot Slater.
In stepping up from three to the four miles of the stamina sapping Cheltenham contest with ease, Chicago Grey definitively proved to connections that he has what it talks to prove a significant force in the Aintree marathon, especially if encountering decent ground, something considered essential to him running to his best mark. Things haven’t gone completely to plan in the period since his tremendous Cheltenham success and so far this season the gelded son of Luso has taken time to recover the kind of form that entitles him to be amongst the more prominent horses in the ante-post market for the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’. Fans of Stan James should remember this.
Currently on offer at 25/1 to win at Aintree, Chicago Grey was still in touch when unseating Philip Carberry at the second last on his seasonal bow at Cheltenham in October then ran a rather disappointing race when a distant third behind Weird Al in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby a couple of weeks later.
Returning to duty back at Cheltenham just a fortnight later, Elliott’s gelding looked a tired horse throughout the Grade 3 Rewards4Racing Handicap Chase and was never going well, eventually finishing a distant seventh. Anyone looking at BetVictor should bear this in mind.
A much improved display last time out after a break of 10 weeks when a respectable third to Zaidpour over an inadequate three-miles in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park at the end of January, gave definite signs that Chicago Grey is returning to the kind of form that saw him triumph at Cheltenham last year and that could make him a force to be reckoned with at Aintree on April 14.
If Newbury can beat the freezing conditions on Saturday and run their Super Saturday meeting, reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Long Run will receive his final preparation race before the blue riband event next month.
Things have not quite gone to plan for connections of the seven-year old this season, he has been beaten on both his racecourse starts this campaign, coming home second to Kauto Star on both occasions. First in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, on his opening start following the summer break, and then in the King George at Kempton where Long Run was defending the crown he won in 2010. People Betting on 2012 Cheltenham should bear this in mind.
Long Run is set to partner jockey Sam Waley-Cohen in the Grade Two Denman AON Chase at the weekend where he will line up against the Sir Alex Ferguson-owned What A Friend, Burton Port and Tidal Bay.
It was reported that Long Run impressed trainer Nicky Henderson in his racecourse gallop on the all-weather on Tuesday and has looked good since his latest defeat in the King George back in December. Fans of Betfair Cheltenham racing should remember this.
One entry who is unlikely to appear in the Denman Chase on Saturday is Carruthers. It appears that connections will now go straight to the Cheltenham Gold Cup with this season’s Hennessey Gold Cup winner at Newbury. The Mark Bradstock-trained runner did disappoint in his latest appearance in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow where he was struck in the first bend of the race which had a negative knock on effect on his performance that day. He was later pulled up by jockey Mattie Batchelor in a race won by Le Beau Bai.
Gordon Elliott’s smart three-mile chaser Jessies Dream looks set to make his belated seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown on February 12 when tackling a host of classy performers in what is building up to be a high quality renewal of the Grade 1 Irish Hennessey Gold Cup, writes Elliot Slater.
Last seen in action failing by just a neck to overhaul Bostons Angel in the Grade 1 RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last March, Elliott’s nine-year-old has endured a series of niggling injuries that have kept him from competing so far this term. Now satisfied that he has the David Johnson-owned gelding back to his best, the County Meath-based trainer is looking forward to getting a run into his talented performer before deciding on which option to take at Cheltenham this time around, with the Gold Cup still being on the agenda for the horse who on his day is a very smart performer. Those following the up to date Cheltenham Gold Cup betting will be keeping an eye on his efforts.
Bookmakers currently rate Jessies Dream a best priced 25/1 shot for the showcase chasing contest, while he is offered at similar odds for the Ryanair Chase over a five furlong shorter trip than the Gold Cup itself. Elliott appears highly optimistic that the son of Presenting will give a very good account of himself at Leopardstown and is looking forward to seeing how his charge performs under regular jockey Timmy Murphy against the likes of old rival Bostons Angel, the likely favourite Quel Esprit, and the very useful Quito De La Roque, who are amongst a mouth-watering line-up to one of the best Irish chases of the season.
A winner of five of his 12 career starts and placed a further four times in good company, there is a suspicion that the best may not yet have been seen of Elliott’s lightly race charge who could yet emerge as the main Irish hope for honours in next month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Newmarket-based Robert Cowell enjoyed his best ever season in 2011 mainly thanks to the flying Prohibit who won the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot having begun his season at the turn of the year making a name for himself in Dubai, writes Elliot Slater.
Twelve months later Cowell has struck again in Dubai with a sprinter, in the very same race that saw Prohibit get off the mark last term, despite being a relative outsider in the horse racing betting. And all concerned with Monsieur Joe are hoping that history can repeat itself and that the former Walter Swinburn-trained five-year-old can go on and enjoy a successful campaign later in the year back in Britain. Certainly the portends look good after the son of Choisir showed the benefit of his seasonal bow at Meydan four weeks earlier by travelling well in behind the pace-setters before being produced by William Buick with a perfectly timed effort to cut down Inxile in the last 50 yards and score by a neck in a thrilling finish to the £67,000 Classifieds Handicap Trophy.
Cowell inherited the Helen Checkley-owned gelding after Swinburn decided to call time on his training career, and Monsieur Joe’s new handler could not have been more delighted than to repay the confidence shown in him by the owner by landing such a valuable contest. Although he ran a number of fine races under Swinburn’s guidance during the previous two seasons, he was never a popular choice among racing betting tips so the Meydan winner was scoring for the first time since York in August 2010 but had gone close on a number of times including at Meydan last season when only just edged out of a big prize in a five-furlong contest last March.
No firm plans have been made for Monsieur Joe but he seems certain to stay in the Gulf state for a while longer and will doubtless try his luck a time or two more in pursuit of even more prize money at the richly endowed racetrack.