Edwardstone has emerged as a likely rival to Jonbon and Energumene in the BetMGM Clarence House Chase at Ascot.
Alan King’s stable star has chased home the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon on several occasions over the past couple of seasons and is being readied to take him on once more on Saturday week.
Having fallen when bidding for a second win in the Tingle Creek at Sandown in early December, Edwardstone made his first ever start in a handicap over fences in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park over the festive period.
Edwardstone (left) in action against Jonbon at Cheltenham in November (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
The 11-year-old had to make do with the runner-up spot, but was giving 20lb in weight to the winner Soul Icon and King is happy to step him back up in grade in what could be a mouthwatering affair.
“It was a very good run at Kempton under that weight and he actually worked this morning and we were very happy with him,” said the Barbury Castle handler on Wednesday afternoon.
“All being well, I think he’ll go to Ascot a week on Saturday. It’ll be a tough race, but there’s a lot of prize-money and if he can pick a bit of it up, so be it.
“I just feel that as a novice he thrived on his racing, so we felt that we’d do something similar with this year.”
Dual Champion Chase hero Energumene will be a tough obstacle for Edwardstone and Jonbon (Tim Goode/PA)
Edwardstone’s most recent victory came when readily accounting for his rivals in the Game Spirit at Newbury in February last year and a defence of his crown could be on the cards next month, potentially against another Henderson hotpot in the shape of Sir Gino.
King added: “We’ll go one race at a time, but I’d have thought that’s quite likely.”
As for Jonbon, he won for an 11th time in 13 starts over fences when making it back-to-back Tingle Creek wins in early December, while the Willie Mullins-trained Energumene memorably came off second-best in an epic battle with Jonbon’s former stablemate Shishkin in the 2022 Clarence House.
A dual winner of the Champion Chase at Cheltenham, he proved his ability remains very much intact after a season on the sidelines when landing the Hilly Way Chase a day after Jonbon’s Sandown win.
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Egbert showed endless reserves of stamina to stay on strongly and win the Betfred Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock.
Showing the benefit of his seasonal debut at Exeter, Alan King’s seven-year-old demonstrated a real liking for the extreme test.
He made no impression in the Scottish Grand National last season but with another year on his back, he looks like being a major player in some top staying contests later in the season.
However, he did only look booked for a place at best when Jacks Parrot streaked clear and seemingly had the race in the bag.
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s five-year-old, racing off bottom weight, appeared sure to collect at the second last.
However, the petrol gauge was soon running on empty and given a sniff, Egbert (16-1) and Gavin Sheehan stormed past to win by four and a quarter lengths, with 10 lengths back to the favourite Famous Bridge in third.
Sheehan told Racing TV: “He was brilliant. I couldn’t have him in the ground and I was going to pull up with a circuit to go.
“He kept on plugging on and he got a new lease of life turning in for some reason and he came alive for me.
“From there, I thought we could nick a place, but the further along we were going, the better he was getting.
“At the last he was good and brave, and all the way to the line I was getting more and more confident.
“He ran over four-one last year. He’s got all the ability, it’s whether he’s on song on the day. I enjoyed that today and I’m sure he did.”
Sheehan then doubled up on Jamie Snowden’s Milldam (5-2) in the Betfred Hat-Trick Heaven Handicap Hurdle.
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The Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton is a likely next port of call for Edwardstone after emerging unscathed from his fall in the Tingle Creek on Saturday.
Alan King’s stable star was running in the Sandown feature for the third year in succession, having claimed a brilliant victory in 2022 before finishing second to Jonbon 12 months ago.
But while his old rival Jonbon produced another dominant display to successfully defend his crown, Edwardstone crashed out four fences from the finish.
“He seems fine and has ridden out this morning, all seems grand,” King said of his stable star.
“It was just one of those things. He was still travelling at that stage, but there’s no point thinking what might have been.”
For the second year in a row, the Desert Orchid Chase will be run as a handicap following a change to the race conditions, but King is not overly concerned.
He added: “I would imagine if we’re happy, he’ll go Desert Orchid. There are not many options for him and if he has to carry top-weight, he’ll carry it.”
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James Doyle will be reunited with Trueshan in Saturday’s Prix du Cadran, with regular rider Hollie Doyle required at Newmarket for Nashwa.
Alan King’s eight-year-old is bidding for a third victory in the two-and-a-half-mile Group One and was partnered by James Doyle for the first of those in 2021 when Hollie Doyle was suspended.
Trueshan is arguably the horse with which Hollie Doyle made her name having won 11 times on him, including this race last year, the Goodwood Cup and three Long Distance Cups at Ascot on Champions Day.
Could TRUESHAN win the Group 1 Prix du Cadran for the third time at @paris_longchamp ? 🏆
The 8yo son of PLANTEUR has 3 Group 1s to his name and looks set to line up in the Prix du Cadran following his second place in the Doncaster Cup. pic.twitter.com/SBA4lVhX8G
However, due to being the retained rider for Nashwa’s owner Imad Alsagar, she will be in action in the Sun Chariot Stakes rather than at ParisLongchamp.
King said: “Trueshan is very well, he was scoped today and he works tomorrow, provided it all goes well he is on target for the Cadran again.
“We just need to tick a few boxes before saying it is definite.
“James Doyle will ride, we’ve had him on standby for some time as we had an idea Hollie might not be available.
“He’s won on him before so it was logical when we were looking at it.”
Kyprios returns to the ParisLongchamp winner’s enclosure (PA)
Kyprios is also among the eight remaining entries, with just one contender trained in France.
Aidan O’Brien’s star stayer won the contest in remarkable circumstances in 2022 when, despite hanging across the track in the home straight, he came home 20 lengths clear.
After injury restricted him to just two outings last season, Kyprios has won each of his run races this year. O’Brien has also left in Continuous, who has the option of running in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and Point Lonsdale.
John and Thady Gosden’s Sweet William finally bagged a big prize at Doncaster last time out and could run, with Sir Mark Prescott’s Miss Cynthia and Andrew Balding’s Coltrane also in contention.
The only home-trained potential runner is Christophe Ferland’s Double Major.
William Haggas is searching for a third successive win in the Prix de Royallieu with Sea Theme.
Sea Silk Road after winning at ParisLongchamp (Ashley Iveson/PA)
Sea La Rosa and Sea Silk Road have provided Haggas with Group One victories in a race that has not been won by a French-trained runner since 2017.
Henry de Bromhead’s Term Of Endearment, David Menuisier’s Caius Chorister and O’Brien’s Port Fairy are among 16 left in.
There are 11 left in the Prix Dollar, including Brian Meehan’s Jayarbee, the Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat and Ed Walker’s Almaqam.
Haggas’ Maljoom and Karl Burke’s Holloway Boy are among 13 in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein, while St Leger runner-up Illinois is one of 11 in the Prix Chaudenay.
There are supplementary entry stages for all races on Wednesday.
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Trueshan is likely to bid for a third victory in the Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp after finishing second in his defence of last week’s Doncaster Cup.
Alan King’s popular stayer has enjoyed another productive campaign, with victory in the Coral Marathon at Sandown followed by a fourth place finish in the Goodwood Cup.
Trueshan was ultimately no match for the three years younger Sweet William on Town Moor on Friday, but his trainer was pleased with performance and is now targeting a return to Paris for a two-and-a-half-mile Group One prize he first landed in 2021 before regaining his crown last season.
“We were away so I didn’t actually get to see it live, but I was very happy with the run (at Doncaster),” said the Barbury Castle handler.
“I haven’t seen him since, I’m back home today, but everyone seems very happy with him and I would imagine we’ll go for the Cadran.
“I think the winner (Sweet William) was probably pulling up in front, but there was no disgrace in Trueshan’s performance. It’s rock-solid form really, isn’t it?
“I would imagine Cadran is where we’ll go and I just hope Kyprios doesn’t go there!”
Alan King at York (Mike Egerton/PA)
King will be keeping his fingers crossed Trueshan gets his favoured ease underfoot on Arc weekend, adding: “We were lucky the race was on the Saturday last year as we had nice, good ground and by Sunday it was proper good to firm.
“He seems to enjoy his trips over there, so all being well that’s where we’ll go.”
While his trainer is keen not to look beyond his next assignment, there is no suggestion the Cadran will be Trueshan’s swansong.
King said: “We’ll see how the Cadran goes. He’s obviously entered at Ascot on Champions Day and he’s also in the Prix Royal-Oak, but we’ll take it one race at a time.
“He’s not been over-raced this season and seems very fresh and well, so we’ll see.”
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Trueshan served notice that he can still be a force in major staying events by stamping his class on the Coral Marathon at Sandown.
Alan King’s popular veteran has been a regular performer in all the top long-distance races over the past five years, winning a whole host of prestigious prizes – including a Goodwood Cup, a Doncaster Cup, two editions of the Prix du Cadran and three successive renewals of the Long Distance Cup.
And while the eight-year-old was beaten on his first two starts of the current campaign and missed the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot for the fourth season running due to unsuitable ground, he made the most of an ease in class with an emphatic display in Esher under his regular pilot Hollie Doyle.
Trueshan puts in an excellent staying performance in the Coral Marathon under a well executed ride by @HollieDoyle1 for the Alan King yard! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/n9hT79iok0
After travelling with his usual zest for much of the two-mile Listed contest, 11-8 favourite Trueshan moved to the lead halfway up the home straight and the result was never really in doubt thereafter, with Night Sparkle getting closest but still beaten comfortably by two lengths.
Paddy Power reacted to the victory by cutting Trueshan’s Goodwood Cup odds to 14-1 from 25-1, but as usual, all future plans for King’s stable star will be ground and weather dependent.
King said: “I was actually out for lunch with a few owners, including Mr (Andrew) Gemmell. We just got back home and watched it and I’m thrilled.
“I hadn’t been disappointed with his two runs this year. He had to carry a penalty in the Sagaro Stakes and the Henry II and what a lot of people don’t seem to get is that a 7lb penalty for those two milers is a huge ask – I think it’s seven lengths over two miles.
“He hasn’t run badly at all, he probably needed a run or two to come on, but I was just so relieved to run him today because he’s been simmering away since Ascot and I thought if we didn’t run today, then we really are in trouble, so it’s lovely.
“On Wednesday morning I nearly wasn’t going to declare him, but Andrew Cooper (clerk of the course) said ‘I think you’re going to get your rain’, which I couldn’t see in the forecast, but thankfully he was right and they got six or seven millimetres this morning.
“I’ve got three and a half weeks until Goodwood and we can leave him alone next week now he’s had the run and build up to that.
“He ran very well in the Goodwood Cup a couple of years ago when he was third behind Kyprios and Stradivarius, so we’ll train him for that and see what happens.”
Hollie Doyle after winning the Coral Marathon with Trueshan (Steven Paston/PA)
Trueshan’s long-time rider was delighted to see one of her “favourites” return to winning form for the first time this season and paid tribute to King for the way he is able to maximise the eight-year-old’s longevity.
“It annoys me because he always used to get beat at Nottingham and everyone thinks he is gone, but he always comes back at some point and I never lose hope and never lost faith in him,” said Doyle.
“He’s obviously one of my favourites and I’ve been riding him for a good few years now and it’s great that racing fans can latch on to a horse like him.
“I think he was very grateful to be carrying 9st 2lb today instead of having a 7lb penalty on his back. I think he carries more weight on his back at home and he’s had a nice time of things.
“It was quicker ground than he’s used to and I just let him roll earlier than ideal probably, in case he got caught flat-footed, but he hit the line hard.
“Last year, I think people were questioning him and he went and won a Doncaster Cup after doing things completely the wrong way and then went on to win the Cadran and I think Alan does such a superb job with him. I know he gets some stick for pulling him out but he always does right by the horse.
“Hopefully he can pounce at the back-end of the season in the Cadran again and you have Doncaster and maybe Goodwood, so hopefully there is plenty more days in the sun.
“I know he’s been beaten a couple of times this year but he’s just been feeling so good and been carrying a bit more condition than usual, so once that comes off, he will be away!”
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Alan King reports all is well with Trueshan ahead of his seasonal reappearance in the Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot, but admits carrying a Group One penalty will make things tough for his valiant veteran.
The eight-year-old has to concede weight all round as a result of following up last September’s Doncaster Cup triumph with an elite-level success in the Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp later the same month.
Having finished only fourth behind the reopposing Coltrane on level terms in this race 12 months ago, King’s concerns are understandable, especially as that old rival and the Hughie Morrison-trained Quickthorn are currently rated 1lb superior on official ratings.
However, Trueshan’s home work and the recent rain in Berkshire do give more cause for optimism.
“I do think he probably needs a personal best, as there are two horses rated above him and he has to give them 7lb,” said King.
“He’s in great form and Hollie (Doyle) rode him work at home on Saturday morning. I’m not sure she has ever ridden him work at home, but she came in and she was delighted with him.
Trueshan ridden by Hollie Doyle (left) winning the Doncaster Cup (Tom Goode/PA).
“The forecast is encouraging and he’s ready to start. Conceding weight to Hughie’s horse and Coltrane will be tough, but it’s a nice starting point.”
Last year, Trueshan kicked off his campaign with a narrow reversal to Rajinsky at Nottingham, but the abandoned Further Flight Stakes was never on the table this season, with the gelding given a wind-op this spring.
King added: “We had done his wind a week or so before, so we couldn’t have taken him to Nottingham anyway.
“We did it last year and the soft palate is something you can probably do annually with some horses. Although I had no inclination there is a problem, we just had it done again.”
Coltrane followed up an emphatic victory in last season’s renewal by finishing a fine second to Courage Mon Ami in the Ascot Gold Cup and benefits from his Lonsdale Cup victory over that horse at York falling just before the end-of-August cut-off point for penalties here.
Andrew Balding’s seven-year-old must put a below-par effort in the Dubai Gold Cup behind him, but regular rider Oisin Murphy is hoping the fitting of cheekpieces will inspire a return to form.
He told Sky Sports Racing: “Coltrane disappointed in Dubai but horses can do that. He’s been a great servant and had a terrific year last year, obviously winning this race.
“He’s been working well and he’ll wear cheekpieces, which might just help him take the bridle. I’m looking forward to getting back on him and as long as he stays healthy and is enjoying it, there’s no doubt he can get back to the level he was at.”
John and Thady Gosden’s Sweet William progressed through the ranks last term, completing a hat-trick in handicap company at Glorious Goodwood before finishing a rock-solid second to Absurde in the Ebor at York and then chasing home Trueshan at Doncaster.
“He’s in great form,” said Gosden senior. “He’s the ultimate character and he’s a lot of fun. He just got pipped off in the Ebor and we’re looking forward to running him in the Sagaro.
Sweet William winning at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA).
“He stays well and he’s one of those enigmatic horses who is fun to train. He’ll handle soft no problem, as he did at Goodwood that day.”
Quickthorn was given an enterprising ride by Tom Marquand when making all to win last season’s Goodwood Cup by six lengths from Emily Dickinson and Coltrane.
The line-up is completed by David Menuisier’s Caius Chorister, who was last seen scoring in Group Three company at Saint-Cloud in October on very soft ground.
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Alan King is keen to let Edwardstone “do the talking” as he prepares to take on old foe Jonbon and red-hot favourite El Fabiolo in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.
Having saddled the currently sidelined Energumene to claim back-to-back victories in the day two feature, Willie Mullins will have high hopes of making it a hat-trick with El Fabiolo, who won the Arkle at last season’s Festival and is six from six over fences overall.
The horse rated his biggest threat is Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon, who has won four of his five starts since finishing best of the rest behind El Fabiolo 12 months ago, but was turned over at prohibitive odds by Elixir De Nutz in the rescheduled Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham in late January.
Edwardstone, winner of the 2022 Arkle for Alan King, was no match for Jonbon in either the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham or when defending his crown in the Tingle Creek at Sandown earlier in the season, but bounced back to winning ways with a brilliant display in last month’s Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
While respectful of the opposition, King, who won the 2007 Champion Chase with Voy Por Ustedes, feels his charge is as good as he ever was at the age of 10 and is looking forward to the challenge.
“He’s absolutely fine, he did his last bit of strong work yesterday and schooled this morning, all seems well,” said the Barbury Castle handler.
“Most of the hard work is done, he’ll have a little breeze at the weekend but nothing too strenuous.
“Touch wood we’ve had a beautiful, clear preparation. He’s not been overly-raced and he’s certainly working as well as he’s ever done, so we’re happy.
“No disrespect to the horses we beat at Newbury, but this is a different ball game. I have great respect for the two favourites and we’ll just let Edwardstone do the talking.”
El Fabiolo winning at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival (Niall Carson/PA)
El Fabiolo, Jonbon and Edwardstone are three of eight horses still in contention for the Champion Chase following the confirmation stage.
Mullins is also set to saddle Gentleman De Mee, with Henry de Bromhead’s Captain Guinness – runner-up to Energumene in last year’s renewal – also set to make the trip from Ireland.
Jonbon’s Clarence House conqueror Elixir De Nutz (Joe Tizzard), Boothill (Harry Fry) and Funambule Sivola (Venetia Williams) complete the octet.
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Tom Cannon is confident Edwardstone can play a major role in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase if reproducing his resurgent Game Spirit heroics at the Cheltenham Festival.
Alan King’s star chaser bounced back to his very best to produce a blistering front-running display at Newbury earlier this month, a victory that gave the Barbury Castle handler his second win in the Grade Two event alongside Sceau Royal.
It was Edwardstone’s first triumph since the 2022 Tingle Creek and having snapped a six-race losing run, the 10-year-old is now the general 8-1 third-favourite for the Champion Chase behind Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo and regular adversary Jonbon.
Edwardstone produced a superb performance to win the Game Spirit!
Cannon said: “He must have put himself right in the mix. Hopefully he will be a bit closer to Jonbon given a change of tactics and anything more than that is a bonus, I think.
“If he turns up in the same form as he did at Newbury, we know he acts round Cheltenham so we keep our fingers crossed to get there in A1 condition and anything after that is in the lap of the gods.”
Edwardstone gave Cannon one of the biggest days of his career when waltzing to Arkle glory at the Festival in 2022, but there was disappointment 12 months later when sent off 15-8 second-favourite for the Champion Chase, tailing home in fifth and beaten 64 lengths by an imperious Energumene.
However, the jockey feels Edwardstone is heading for his second bite of the Champion Chase cherry in much better form and has been extremely encouraged by the feel his partner has given him throughout the current campaign.
Jockey Tom Cannon after winning the Arkle aboard Edwardstone in 2022 (Mike Egerton/PA)
“He probably wasn’t going into it in as good a form as he is this year, last year. So if he can continue the form he is in now, hopefully he will be thereabouts,” continued Cannon.
“He’s been a different horse since he has come back in this year. The first race at Cheltenham in the Shloer Chase he felt back to himself and the couple of times he had run at Cheltenham the season before he had never really picked the bridle up.
“In the Shloer, he picked the bridle up and pulled my arms off like he used to and then obviously ran very well in the Tingle Creek. Two-mile-four wasn’t to his liking at Kempton, but back to two miles at Newbury seemed to suit him, so you have to look forward to it (the Champion Chase).
“If we can get into a nice rhythm, then the best horse will win at the end of the day.”
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Edwardstone cruised to victory in the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
The 11-10 favourite under Tom Cannon, Alan King’s gelding made all of the running in the four-runner Grade Two.
His significant lead looked to lessen slightly with half of the race completed, but the gap soon widened again and was further increased when Boothill fell in the home straight.
Amarillo Sky did not finish either, leaving Funambule Sivola to trail home as the only other finisher some 40 lengths behind.
Edwardstone was a very comfortable winner (Adam Davy/PA)
King said: “It’s been the plan for some time (to make the running. I thought after Kempton when we disappointed him over two and a half (miles) and kept bringing him back, we would come here and pop out and try that.
“He was racing within himself and I think Tom was happy and able to get a breather in coming to cross-fence and away he went again. It has given me an awful lot of satisfaction.”
Edwardstone was notching his first victory since landing the 2022 Tingle Creek Chase and Coral responded to his sparkling success by cutting him to 8-1 from 14s for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
King confirmed that race would be next, saying: “Jonbon and El Fabiolo are the main horses but I think we will be taking them on – I certainly won’t be going to the Ryanair.
“As long as he comes out of this all right, he will go for the Queen Mother and I have huge respect for both Jonbon and El Fabiolo. Jonbon has beaten us twice this season and Willie’s horse looked awfully good last week.
“It’s exciting and I think we’re in the mix now, hopefully. Those tactics worked today but might not be the thing to do at Cheltenham, but we will worry about that nearer the time.”
King credited a return to ways of the past for the upturn in Edwardstone’s fortunes.
The Barbury Castle handler explained that his string were now working three times up the hill at home, a return to the schedule the likes of Voy Por Ustedes and My Way De Solzen would adhere to prior to big-race assignments.
King added: “I think it’s the best mine have been all season. I was lying there on holiday a few weeks ago after a few of mine hadn’t been running terribly well and I was thinking ‘what the hell is wrong’.
“I know I haven’t got the firepower I used to have, but bad horses used to win and that wasn’t happening.
“We’ve only been doing two and we trained plenty of winners doing two up the hill, but not as many as we used to and a lot of horses were finishing second and I just felt that from the back of the last, they weren’t finishing the way they used to.
“We’ve drilled these horses the last few weeks. It’s how I used to do it. Voy Por and My Way all used to do three.
“I think the results are speaking for themselves. Let’s hope it continues.”
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Making Headway proved well named as he made all the running to secure his spot at the Cheltenham Festival by taking the Betfair Racing Podcasts Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s six-year-old has been highly tried since scoring at Carlisle on debut, finishing second in a Grade Two at Haydock before heading to the highest level at Aintree on Boxing Day.
He finished fourth on that occasion and back in calmer waters, he was sent off the 6-4 favourite in the hands of Henry Brooke as he showed his quality to land a decisive one-and-a-quarter-length success.
“We were a bit worried when Nicky Henderson and Jonjo O’Neill’s horses were being backed, but we’ve always liked him and he’s so straightforward and wants further,” said Greenall.
“It’s hard to do that from the front and he’s looking about and it’s tough for Henry to know what speed he is going. It didn’t look to be that quick, but Josh text me to say they were going 29 to 30 miles per hour – on heavy ground, that is probably quick enough.
“As soon as they have come to him and given him some company, he has gone on again and he had his ears pricked crossing the line.”
Stable star Iroko provided the Greenall and Guerriero team with their first Cheltenham Festival success in last year’s Martin Pipe and that is one of the options available to their latest star novice.
Greenall added: “We will get him entered in the Coral Cup and the Martin Pipe and I think a step up in trip will bring about a better performance. Hopefully the handicapper will base the race on him and his mark shouldn’t alter.
Oliver Greenall has always rated Making Headway (Mike Egerton/PA)
“Iroko had that season juvenile hurdling and was a lot more streetwise and that would be my only concern about going to Cheltenham with Making Headway.
“We were probably in two minds before today whether we would go to Cheltenham because he is a rawer type – Iroko being more of a French type running in those good juvenile hurdles – but to be fair to this lad, when he went up in grade at Haydock and Aintree he looked flat out but jumped very well, which I think is a sign of a very good horse, so he would have that in his favour.”
One horse not heading to Cheltenham is Dan Skelton’s Royal Infantry, who impressed when landing the concluding Betfair Exchange Beacons Bumper.
The 9-2 chance landed the Listed event in cosy fashion to tee-up a trip to Aintree instead of Prestbury Park in the spring.
Skelton said: “The hint is the races he has won have been at flat tracks. He will get his chance to go round Cheltenham, but I just think subjecting him to that in four and a bit weeks, we can probably do a bit better by him at the moment.
“I’m not saying I wouldn’t run him there if it wasn’t the right thing to do. But Let It Rain is going to go there and she gets a 7lb allowance.”
Also set to be kept to low-key assignments is Paul Nicholls’ Makin’yourmindup, who got his chasing career up and running in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
“He’s a lovely, big horse who has taken plenty of time and stays forever,” said Nicholls.
Makin’yourmindup got off the mark over fences (Adam Davy/PA)
“He will be next year’s horse to run in all of those staying marathon races.
“He doesn’t want to run too quick and we will run him another one or two times. It will probably be similar types of races and I’m not going to be taking him to silly races because he probably lacks a bit of pace to run at Aintree or Cheltenham and in those better races.
“There will be races for him when there is cut in the ground and maybe something like the nice novice handicap at Ayr. He has to go left-handed, we’ve worked that one out and going right doesn’t suit him, but he’s a lovely prospect and he’s learning all the time.”
Alan King described the Betfair Serial Winners Fund Handicap Hurdle as Emitom’s “Gold Cup” as he registered his second Newbury triumph.
The 10-year-old had to battle hard to see off 3-1 favourite Kyntara, with King believing the game veteran is unlikely to compete in the Pertemps Final at Prestbury Park next month.
Emitom winning the Betfair Serial Winners Fund Handicap Hurdle (Adam Davy/PA)
“He was brave and since we’ve had him, he’s only disappointed me once,” said the Barbury Castle handler.
“We probably over-faced him in the valuable race up at Haydock – it was too competitive and he never really went a yard.
“We gave him a little break and he bumped into a proper horse of Jonjo’s at Ludlow (Saint Davy) and we were very happy with him leading into this.
“He likes Newbury and this was his Gold Cup. He’ll want plenty of time and had a tough old race today, so we will give him a month and we haven’t really looked beyond today.”
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Edwardstone bids to get his season back on track in the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
Winner of the Arkle at Cheltenham and the Tingle Creek at Sandown two years ago, Alan King’s stable star kicked off this season by chasing home the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon in successive races.
As a result, Edwardstone was stepped up in trip for last month’s Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton, but faded tamely after racing keenly and came home a well beaten last of four finishers.
King believes the decision to hold up the 10-year-old in a bid to conserve his stamina may have backfired and he is looking forward to seeing him return to two miles on Saturday, albeit in testing conditions.
Alan King (right) with Edwardstone and his connections (Steven Paston/PA)
“All is well, he seemed to come out of that run (at Kempton) in good form and he’s done plenty of work since,” said the Barbury Castle handler.
“I need to get him out and the ground is the same for all of them. He’s got form on heavy ground, I’m not saying he’s at his best on it, but he has gone on it and I’m very keen to run him.
“Kempton was disappointing and we don’t really know why, whether we disappointed him by taking him back, I’m not sure, but I’m inclined to put a line through that and we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”
Edwardstone is entered in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival but King added: “I’m not even thinking about Cheltenham, I want to get Saturday out of the way and then we’ll see.”
His biggest threat this weekend appears to be Boothill, who won a couple of lucrative handicaps at Ascot in the autumn before falling as favourite for Kempton’s Desert Orchid Chase over the Christmas period.
Trainer Harry Fry has been pleased with his nine-year-old since, but will check on the ground before confirming his participation on Saturday.
He said: “He seems in good form with himself, he was thankfully none the worse for his fall and has schooled well since.
“It was obviously frustrating at Kempton, but we get to go again and this has always really been the plan. We are just mindful though that conditions could be testing enough, so we’ll just see when we get there how it’s riding and go from there.
“We took him out earlier in the season on heavy ground at Sandown in the Tingle Creek, so that’s the only slight reservation I have.
“He’s got form on soft, but heavy is a different ballgame.”
The Venetia Williams-trained Funambule Sivola is out to secure a third successive victory in this Grade Two contest, but will need to bounce back from a disappointing run of form.
With Calico and Editeur Du Gite declared non-runners, the field is completed by Joe Tizzard’s Amarillo Sky, who makes his first competitive appearance since finishing fourth in last year’s Clarence House.
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Whispering Royal will attempt to put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture when he lines up in the Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle at Huntingdon on Friday.
A useful cast of six have assembled for another competitive running of the juvenile event, with Paul Nicholls’ French import Kabral Du Mathan heading most bookmakers lists ahead of his first outing for the Ditcheat team.
Whispering Royal has already tasted defeat at the hands of the same connections’ Liari earlier in the season, but stepped up markedly on that Wincanton third when a taking winner at Doncaster last month.
Alan King’s youngster now has the chance to follow in the footsteps of recently-retired Barbury Castle stalwart Sceau Royal, who won this contest in 2016, while also going a step closer to booking his ticket to Prestbury Park in the spring.
“It looks like a hot race on paper, as it always is,” said Ella McNeill, National Hunt racing manager for owners Chelsea Thoroughbreds.
“Alan has been really pleased with him at home and he’s a horse that takes his racing really well. He’s been running since the beginning of the summer on the Flat and I hope we go there with a nice chance.
“I think he prefers the better side of soft so hopefully it keeps drying out and doesn’t get too tacky, but I think we will really know what we have got on Friday.
“He obviously won really nicely at Doncaster in the middle of December and I think this is the perfect next race to see what we have really.
“I think most of the horses in there will be looking at the Boodles (Fred Winter) at the Festival so it is nice timing in terms of it being six weeks until Cheltenham. We will see if we can go there after this.”
Gary Moore has won this with Kotmask and Perseus Way in the past two years and will be relying on wide-margin Fontwell scorer Soigneux Bell to bring up the hat-trick.
“He schooled well over hurdles, but then the first time I ran him over them he was disappointing and he was disappointing the next day at Huntingdon,” said Moore.
“When he won at Fontwell I was much happier, and I think he is just starting to come together.
“He needs to improve a lot to win this on Friday, but I did have this race earmarked out for him.
“He seemed much happier on the softer ground the other day as it was his first time on it over here since coming over from France. Hopefully he will continue improving.”
Although that was Soigneux Bell’s first victory in the three starts over obstacles at Fontwell, Moore is yet to totally give up on the four-year-old taking his place at the Festival in March.
He added: “I hoped this lad was going to be a Triumph Hurdle horse, but I don’t think he is that at the moment. He would have to win well on Friday and prove me wrong.
“There are some nice handicaps at the end of the season for juveniles and that is the route he is likely to go down.
“If the owners want to go to the Cheltenham Festival then he would run in the Fred Winter (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle), but he would need to go up in the handicap to get in that.”
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Alan King has identified the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton as a possible next port of call for Edwardstone following his admirable defence of the Tingle Creek on Saturday.
The nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Sandown showpiece last season and returned to the Esher track to defend his crown over the weekend.
Edwardstone had plenty on his plate as he looked to turn the tables on Jonbon following their clash in last month’s Shloer Chase at Cheltenham – and while he again came off second best, he did at least close the gap on Nicky Henderson’s star chaser.
King immediately ruled out an appearance over three miles in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, but the Barbury Castle handler is keen to step his charge up in trip on his next start.
Alan King (right) with Edwardstone and his connections (Steven Paston/PA)
“He ran very well and has come out of it well and we’ll probably look to step him up to two-and-a-half in the new year,” he said.
“He’s definitely not going for the King George, but there is the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton in January. We’ll have a look at that and, whether he goes there or not, I think his next run will be over two-and-a-half, as it will give us an idea what we’re doing with him.”
With the Queen Mother Champion Chase already shaping up to be a straight shootout between Jonbon and his formidable Irish rival El Fabiolo, the Ryanair Chase could end up being Edwardstone’s Cheltenham Festival target if he can prove his stamina in the meantime.
King added: “You’ve obviously got Jonbon and the horse in Ireland and you wouldn’t really look forward to taking those two on.”
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Edwardstone returns to the scene of some of his finest triumphs to defend his Betfair Tingle Creek Chase crown on Saturday.
Alan King’s nine-year-old has won on this card for the past two seasons, securing his first Grade One when picking up the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase in 2021 before returning 12 months ago to take home first prize in the feature event of Sandown’s pre-Christmas meeting in emphatic style.
That nine-length success over Greaneteen is the last time Edwardstone has got his head in front, with four subsequent outings bringing little to cheer about.
However, having blown away the cobwebs behind Jonbon in the Shloer Chase, he will now bid to continue his Sandown love affair, with King confirming his Peterborough Chase declaration at Huntingdon on Sunday is only a back-up plan in case wet weather curtails the action in Esher.
The trainer said: “He goes to Sandown and I only put him in at Huntingdon in case Sandown is abandoned. They have got a lot of rain coming in there tomorrow and it is possible.
“He’s going there and the horse is going to have to do the talking now.”
King had previously seen Voy Por Ustedes finish second in both 2006 and 2007 and then saddled Kumbeshwar to chase home Sprinter Sacre in 2012 before finally getting his hands on the Tingle Creek trophy 12 months ago, but he admits Edwardstone faces a stiff task defending his crown against Jonbon.
Edwardstone in action at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)
He added: “Of course it’s (nice) to go there (as defending champion) but we didn’t have Jonbon to contend with last year.”
Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra was back in third when defending his Shloer Chase crown at Cheltenham and now has to bounce back to the form that saw him down Altior in December 2020 and also finish runner-up in the Champion Chase the following spring.
Meanwhile, Harry Fry had suggested Boothill would wait for the Clarence House Chase at his beloved Ascot for his return to deep waters, but a rethink sees him take another crack at Jonbon on the back of two taking victories this term that justify leaving handicap company.
The eight-year-old was eight lengths adrift of Jonbon when second in last season’s Henry VIII and Fry said: “I think he deserves another go in Grade One company again.
“On ratings, he’s got a bit to find with the likes of Jonbon, and on the form of the Henry VIII last year, but he seems in great order with himself and you’ve got to be in it to stand any chance of winning it.”
Haddex Des Obeaux is the lowest rated of the field on official figures but was an ultra-progressive performer last term and was in contention to make a winning return at Cheltenham last month before falling at the last with the race in the balance.
He now faces an acid test of his ability, thrust into Grade One company, but Gary Moore hopes there is still more to be seen from the likeable six-year-old.
“It’s a massive day for him and if he can do himself justice, then I would be very happy about it,” said Moore.
Haddex Des Obeaux is upped in class at Sandown on Saturday (Nigel French/PA)
“I’m fully aware it is not going to be easy for him but he does love soft ground and jumping, so he’s got that on his side, as far as I’m concerned.
“He will have 100 per cent come on for his outing at Cheltenham and he can only improve.
“I go there with an open mind and if you aren’t in them, you can’t win them. If we run into place money, then so be it.”
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