Jagwar is likely to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival after leading home a one-two for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero at Prestbury Park on Saturday.
The JP McManus-owned gelding claimed his third win from four starts over fences in the novices’ handicap chase which kicked off Festival Trials day, reeling in his front-running stablemate Billytherealbigred after the final fence.
While Jagwar will now be aimed Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase on day three of the Festival in March, Billytherealbigred could sidestep the showpiece meeting and head elsewhere.
Guerriero said: “It was a shame one of them had to get beat and we never thought they’d be first and second to be honest, but there you go.
“Jagwar will go to the Festival, I don’t think Billy will get in because he gets a big allowance for his age. I don’t know yet, but we’ll probably look for something else with Billy.
“I would say Jagwar will go straight to the Festival. We’ve always thought a lot of him and it’s just taken time, but he’s starting to come together now. His jumping has got a lot better and he looks a lot more professional, so hopefully we’ll start to see the best of him now.
“Billy goes in really bad ground, so if we can find a nice pot for him somewhere on bad ground, he’ll take a lot of beating I think. We’ll try to do a bit of pot hunting and entry watching and try to find a pot for him somewhere.”
White Rhino with connections after winning at Haydock (Ashley Iveson/PA)
Another Greenall-Guerriero inmate with big-race plans is White Rhino, who was last seen unseating Henry Brooke in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The nine-year-old had impressed in winning his two previous races over fences and will look to bounce back at Ascot next month.
“He’s going to go to the Reynoldstown in a couple of weeks and then hopefully to Cheltenham for the National Hunt Chase,” Guerriero added.
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Connections fully expect Potters Charm to rebound at the Cheltenham Festival after an unexpected Trials Day defeat.
The six-year-old was contesting the Ais Novices’ Hurdle on Saturday and came into the race with an unbeaten record under rules, having won a bumper and four prior hurdle starts.
Amongst those runs over obstacles were two at Cheltenham, including a Grade Two event, and then the Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.
He was the 8-15 favourite on his return to Prestbury Park as a result, ridden as usual by trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies’ son Sam.
The race had not always been on the gelding’s agenda, but he made a late diversion to the track when the entries list left the contest looking a straightforward task for a horse of his calibre.
That decision was not wholly rewarded, however, with Potters Charm feeling below his best from the off and eventually chasing home Fergal O’Brien’s Sixmilebridge to finish the runner-up by eight and a half lengths.
His trainer expressed his regret in having run him when not fully match fit, but the horse is none the worse and will now turn his attention to the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
“He’s come out of it fine, he’s trotted up sound and he’s just a little bit quiet,” said Willy Twiston-Davies, younger son and assistant of Nigel.
“We didn’t train him for the race specifically, Sam said going into the first hurdle he was worried.
“He didn’t get the feel he got at Aintree, when he was tanking down to the first, he said he was fast asleep.
“I suppose it’s a lesson learnt, but we’ve got plenty of time now until Cheltenham.
“He never travelled and seemed like his normal self, but he still ran a good race considering.
“We’ll put a line through it, we’re very adamant it wasn’t his true running and you’ll see a different horse at Cheltenham.”
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Nico de Boinville may be known for his ice-cool temperament – but even the steeliest man at Cheltenham may have raised a sweat after surviving a final-flight blunder with the mighty Constitution Hill in the Unibet Hurdle.
There was a collective gasp as the Frankel of the jumping world clambered his way over the last, evoking memories of his triumph in the 2023 Champion Hurdle when the last obstacle had threatened to be his nemesis.
However, the worry barely lasted a second – maybe even less – as the unbeaten champion remained unflustered, found a leg and quickly slipped into gear to strut his way to the winning post, maintaining that impeccable record.
His pilot was inclined to blame himself, but then how could you ever hint at criticising your horse of a lifetime and one who it seems was finding it all too simple during his Prestbury Park exhibition.
“My heart was in my mouth at the last, but he was just doing it so easily,” said De Boinville.
“He was either on a long one or was just going to fiddle away (jumping the last) but has kind of done something in the middle. It wasn’t ideal to make the mistake but in a better-run race he will be a lot happier, it’s over and done now.
“It was just boredom and he wasn’t paying attention. He’s done well to find a leg I’d say, he’s got me out of trouble. He could have come up if he wanted to, but I just didn’t have him alive enough, he was half-asleep.
“It was just like a nice piece of work for him and he really did pick up after the last without asking him too much. It’s taken zero out of him, it was very easy for him, he’s on a different level.
“To have him back at Cheltenham is great and it’s great everyone came out to see him today. I’m delighted with him and angry with myself more than anything.”
Constitution Hill at the last (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Thankfully Constitution Hill’s trainer did not witness the blunder that threatened to cruelly deny his stable star’s lap of honour against a field of significantly inferior opposition.
But when he does watch the replay he may join those that were in attendance in the Cotswolds in letting out a sigh of relief.
“He was very long in the Champion Hurdle, but the good thing is I haven’t seen it, you could tell me anything happened,” said Henderson.
“It’s a pity because he is such a good jumper and he doesn’t get it wrong often. It might prove a sensible thing to do every now and then and it gets it out of the way before next time.”
In contrast his owner was perfectly aware of what happened, as he now looks forward to the bigger assignment that awaits in March and the challenge of regaining his Champion Hurdle crown.
Nico de Boinville debriefs the press (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
“I loved every second!” said Michael Buckley with tongue firmly in cheek. “There is nothing not to love about the trainer and the horse, but not that jump.
“That isn’t the sort of race that will see him at his best and the better the horses (he is up against) the better he is.
“It was fun though and it was good for the horse – it’s better than doing some work at home.”
Rather sympathetic to the position De Boinville found himself in was Barry Geraghty, the man who bought Constitution Hill as a foal and nurtured his early days before passing on the baton to his former guv’nor to polish the most precious of racing’s gems.
Barry Geraghty was at Cheltenham to watch Constitution Hill (Mike Egerton/PA)
Geraghty said: “It would have happened in a split second and you don’t have much time to think about something like that, but I would say he got to the other side and that was the main thing and he showed no ill effect.
“It was possibly not as smooth as we would have liked it to be, but that’s racing and it’s unpredictable. Nico has always done brilliant on him, he’s just a joy to watch.”
De Boinville’s predecessor in the Seven Barrows hot seat rode Punjabi, Buveur D’Air and Epatante to Champion Hurdle glory during some fabulous years as number one at Henderson’s famous Lambourn academy.
There is no doubt in his mind who can lay claim to being top the pile, however.
“He’s a very special horse,” added Geraghty. “I’ve ridden some great Champion Hurdlers and I would hate to talk anything else down, but he is something special.”
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Sixmilebridge inflicted a shock defeat on the previously unbeaten Potters Charm in the Ais Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Potters Charm had been impressive in winning each of his four previous starts over hurdles, most recently claiming Grade One success in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.
In the immediate aftermath of that top-level triumph, connections suggested they would keep their powder dry for the Festival in March, but decided to turn out again for this Grade Two contest and he was an 8-15 favourite to add another win to his CV.
However, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding travelled well enough for much of the two-and-a-half-mile contest, Sam Twiston-Davies was hard at work from early in the home straight as he attempted to close the gap on Challow Hurdle third Bill Joyce and 9-1 shot Sixmilebridge.
The latter faced a step up in class after successive low-key wins at Leicester and Huntingdon for Fergal O’Brien, but proved more than up to the task – finding plenty for Kielan Woods after jumping the final flight in front to beat the staying-on Potters Charm by eight and a half lengths.
Coral cut Sixmilebridge to 16-1 from 33-1 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, while pushing Potters Charm out to 16-1 from 7s.
“It’s been a poor day what with Crambo and a horse up at Uttoxeter getting beat and this has pulled us out of the fire,” said O’Brien.
“We’ve always thought he was a lovely horse and we were very disappointed when he got beat on his hurdling debut at Stratford as he’s always worked great.
“Big credit to Kielan and to Max Kendrick who rides him every day as he’s not an easy horse, he’s very hot as you can see. It’s just about getting his mind right.
“The plan will be to come back for the Festival, that’s what the Megsons are in the game for and they have some lovely horses. They put a lot into the sport so deserve to have a horse like this.”
Reflecting on the defeat of Potters Charm, Nigel Twiston-Davies said: “It’s a little disappointing, but he will be better at the Festival.
“I regret bringing him and we weren’t going to bring him here. We brought him because we thought it was a weak race and he wasn’t at full capacity.
“You will see a better horse in March and we’ll be sticking at two and a half miles.”
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Perennial bridesmaid Gowel Road enjoyed a deserved day in the sun after claiming top honours in the Betfair Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The nine-year-old has finished second four times at Prestbury Park this season, most recently pushing Lucky Place close in the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day.
Stepping back up in trip for this three-mile Grade Two, Gowel Road was a 5-2 joint-favourite for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies and raced close to pace from start to finish.
After taking over the lead from Botox Has on the approach to the last, Gowel Road stayed on strongly up the hill to score by two and a quarter lengths from Monmiral, with Botox Has third.
The two disappointments of the race were dual Long Walk Hurdle hero Crambo and Grade One winner Strong Leader.
A bad mistake five from home put Crambo on the back foot and he could never recover, while Strong Leader – looking to bounce back from a below-par run when favourite for the Long Walk at Ascot last month – made some late gains to finish fourth but never threatened to land a telling blow.
Gowel Road is 16-1 from 25-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and Nigel Twiston-Davies is keen to shoot for Grade One gold.
Gowel Road and jockey Sam Twiston-Davies after winning at Cheltenham (Bradley Collyer/PA)
“He deserved that and he’s finished second in four races before today,” said the Naunton handler.
“The handicapper has been hard on him all season, but now he’s won a race which is good. It’s a lovely race to win and this is smashing.
“He’ll definitely have to go to the Stayers’, any idea of going for the Pertemps Final is gone now.
“You had to come here confident and on ratings he wasn’t far out. Crambo never runs well here, he was top-rated and I thought we had a very good chance.”
Paul Nicholls was pleased with the performance of runner-up Monmiral, saying: “I think he’ll come back here for either the Pertemps or the Stayers’, we’ll have him in both and see what happens.
“He’s in no man’s land a bit, he’ll have to carry 12st in a handicap or run in a Grade One. He gave 4lb to the winner there.
“I could be tempted to take him to the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil. Aintree would be too tight for him so he could come here for a race and then to France – he’d like it round there.
“I think the owners would like to roll the dice and go for a Stayers’, but if you’re 20-1 for the Stayers’ and favourite for a Pertemps you have got to run in the race where you can win and top-weights can win handicaps.”
Fergal O’Brien with Crambo (Adam Davy/PA)
A second tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle appears far from certain for Crambo after he failed to fire at Cheltenham for a second time.
Trainer Fergal O’Brien said: “It was disappointing and of course he made the bad mistake. It was probably a race-ending mistake, but I was never happy watching him. I always thought he was on the wrong lead and he made the mistake because he wasn’t as sharp as he was round Ascot.
“At Ascot he just pings and it could be he just doesn’t enjoy the ups and downs here, it could be a number of things.
“I’ll go back and speak to the owners and see where we go next. There was no excuses on the ground, we got a lovely start and a lovely position and although it may have looked like he was travelling well, I just always thought he was on the wrong lead.
“It could well be he just doesn’t like it here. We had excuses in the Stayers’ Hurdle but there wasn’t so many excuses this time, yes it was a bad mistake, but I think he made the mistake because he was never going as well as he can.”
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All roads leads back to the Champion Hurdle for Constitution Hill after he survived a hair-raising mistake at the final flight to seal victory in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Nicky Henderson’s stable star was nothing short of sensational when claiming Champion Hurdle glory in 2023, but was unable to defend his crown last term following well-documented health problems.
However, having proved his ability remains very much intact with a successful defence of the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on his Boxing Day comeback, Henderson decided to turn the eight-year-old out a month later for Festival Trials day and he was a prohibitive 1-12 chance to dispatch of five inferior rivals.
After initially taking a lead off Brentford Hope, Nico de Boinville felt the pace was too sedate for Constitution Hill heading down the back straight and allowed him to stride on jumping the fourth obstacle.
He did not see another horse from there home and while the packed grandstands gasped when he paddled through the final obstacle, it did little to stop his momentum as he cruised up the hill under his motionless rider to score by three lengths.
Brentford Hope boxed on to finish a clear second, with Spirits Bay back in third.
A relieved De Boinville admitted: “My heart was in my mouth, he was doing everything so easily, but he found a leg and is hardly blowing. I’m delighted with him, just angry at myself more than anything.
“He was just half-asleep. I’d say if I’d woken him up after the second-last you’d be going forward, but he was doing it so easy. I just said to the boss we’re going to have to work him next week because he’s had an easy time of it there.
“He is special, as I’ve always said he’s a horse of a lifetime and everything went to plan bar the last.
“He felt as good as ever. I don’t know if he can be better, but he was good.”
Henderson said: “I’m pleased he ran today because Nico said he was so fresh and with no disrespect to the others, he said he hasn’t done anything there and I need to work him tomorrow – so I think he’s coming in to ride him!
“He came out of Kempton so much better and quicker than I thought he would and my first reaction was ‘we don’t have to go through all that again until March’. But a week later he was just full of it. I did wait until last week before I dared stick my head up and say we would run because I didn’t want to tempt fate, but he’s just been brilliant all the way through. It’s nearly been too straightforward.
“He deserves this bit of luck, Michael (Buckley, owner) deserves this bit of luck and we all deserve the luck, but we’re here now and we’ve got four or five weeks to play with and apparently I need to keep working him.”
He went on: “Michael thinks he has probably toughened up a bit in a funny way and he’s enjoyed it. I haven’t watched the last hurdle yet, but I probably don’t want to!
Constitution Hill in full flight (Bradley Collyer/PA)
“It was quite a good idea to get a mistake out the way before March and it won’t teach him anything obviously. It’s the first time we’ve seen him do anything like that, but if you remember he was very long in the Champion Hurdle a few years ago and now he’s decided to do it the other way. He just wasn’t doing much and it was maybe a little bit of boredom. I wouldn’t say he was cocky as such, but he was very much like ‘OK, what are we doing’.
“He’s just had a nice spin and it’s saved us a lot of galloping at home. We know where we are now and we can take it easy. As much as Nico says work him tomorrow, he will have a quiet week and then we will start the engines up again and prepare for the invasion.
“It will be interesting to watch Leopardstown next weekend. Gordon (Elliott) has told me he’s not going to run the mare (Brighterdaysahead) again before March so we won’t get any clues about her, but Willie (Mullins) will have a few up his sleeve.
“Gordon’s mare looked very good and we know there is Lossiemouth and State Man, so we can’t just drop our guard. Our job now is just to get there and if we can get there in the form he is in today we will go with big hopes.”
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L’Homme Presse narrowly denied the gallant Stage Star in a thrilling climax to the Betfair Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.
Having finished fourth in the Gold Cup last March, and emerged best of the home team when third on his reappearance in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, the Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse was sent off at 4-5 to cement his status as Britain’s leading hope for this year’s blue riband.
But in Stage Star, who has largely struggled since winning the 2023 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham for Paul Nicholls, he came up against a worthy adversary.
Stepped up to beyond three miles for the first time, Stage Star was clearly enjoying himself out in front from an early stage under Harry Cobden, with L’Homme Presse and Irish raider Gentlemansgame the only two able to go with him.
L’Homme Presse was upsides Stage Star from the home turn, but the latter refused to bend in front and it was only in the dying strides the market leader managed to get on top in the hands of Charlie Deutsch, with three-quarters of a length the winning margin.
Coral cut L’Homme Presse’s Cheltenham Gold Cup odds to 16-1 from 25-1, while Paddy Power offer 20-1 from 25-1. The latter firm also trimmed his Ryanair Chase odds to 16-1 from 40-1.
Williams said: “He keeps us on the edge of our seats, doesn’t he? Charlie said he was so laid-back the whole way round in the race and turning for home said ‘come on now, we’ve got a race to win’.
“I always thought we’d have Stage Star covered, but credit to Stage Star he’s a great horse and made him pull it all out.
“He’s trotted back to the winner’s enclosure here and how many horses do you see run three miles at Cheltenham then trot back. It’s all been relatively straightforward this year and he came back from Kempton in great form so we’ve just been able to make a standard progression to here.
“I’m pleased to get this race in the bag. We’ll see about March and it’s one step at a time, but I’m pleased with that. I think the ground could prove quite relevant in March because he wasn’t getting tired last year and the others only got on top on the way to the line, I don’t think staying the trip will be a problem for him.
“Everyone has built up the Irish as unbeatable and then the entry came from Britain and it was depleted. I think a lot of that is because people get frightened, but at the end of the day it’s who wins the race on the day and you don’t even know if all the main protagonists will get there in one piece. I’m quite surprised we’re one of the leading British contenders, but we’ll see in March.
“He means the world, beyond that I can’t say any more. Charlie says it’s like getting into his favourite car, but when I get in my favourite car I get a speeding ticket. Let’s be very grateful for what we’ve seen today.”
Of Stage Star, Nicholls said: “The step up in trip suited him as he was able to travel.
“In those handicaps, when you’re carrying 12st and have everyone behind you, you’re out of your comfort zone, so that was brilliant to do that today and he’s got every bit of the trip – he galloped all the way to the line. It’s a shame it wasn’t level weights.
“I didn’t put him in the Gold Cup. While he might run a nice race in the Gold Cup, he isn’t going to win a Gold Cup so we’re going to keep him fresh I suppose for the (Aintree) Bowl.
“There’s nothing else for him really as he has to go left-handed, a lot of horses will have hard races at Cheltenham and there’s 19 days between the two.
“That was a really good run today and we’re thrilled.”
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East India Dock produced a dominant front-running display to maintain his unbeaten record over obstacles in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The high-class Flat performer made a fine start to his jumping career at Wincanton in October and having followed up at Cheltenham in November, he returned to the Cotswolds as the 1-2 favourite to complete his hat-trick in the hands of Sam Twiston-Davies.
Sent straight to the lead, James Owen’s charge jumped nimbly throughout and only French raider Stencil was able to go with him from the home turn.
But East India Dock soon stamped his authority on the contest on the run to the final flight and flicked through it to put the seal on comprehensive 10-length victory in the colours of the Gredley family.
Bookmakers were suitably impressed, with Paddy Power trimming the winner’s odds for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival to 3-1 from 6-1, while Coral offer a slightly more generous 7-2. Both firms make Nicky Henderson’s Ascot scorer Lulamba their 6-4 favourite.
Sam Twiston-Davies was all smiles after steering East India Dock to victory (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Owen said: “He’s a lovely horse with a big future and he’s got to have put his foot back in the door for March now.
“From a horse coming off the Flat he is just so economical, he’s not keen, he settles and he’s handled that New course just as well as he did the Old (course, in November).
“I wouldn’t be swapping him for anything and he’s a lovely horse. What a privileged position we’re in and Sam has gone out there and given him a good positive ride, he wanted to go out and make the running and he knows what he’s doing.
“He’s probably been more economical there than he was the last day when he was a bit flashy, but that is probably down to Sam holding on to him and the ground. He loves to jump and comes alive at a hurdle.”
East India Dock serves a reminder of his Triumph Hurdle claims with a bloodless display in the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial pic.twitter.com/8y72pTRlqp
East India Dock’s half-brother Burdett Road was a high-class juvenile for Owen and the Gredleys last season, winning at Cheltenham in the November before finding Sir Gino too strong in this race 12 months ago. He subsequently missed the Triumph Hurdle itself after suffering a setback.
“They are so hard to compare and over hurdles Burdett Road has only been beaten by Constitution Hill, Lossiemouth and Sir Gino and they are three of the best. Burdett is just a very good horse,” Owen continued.
“This fella has a long way to go to reach those heights, but fingers crossed we can bring him back in March and have a good go.
“East India Dock will be quite lazy at home and will only just beat the horse he works with. He occasionally works with Burdett Road and can’t beat him, but he does the others and he’s just got such a good attitude.
East India Dock powers up the Cheltenham hill (Bradley Collyer/PA)
“He had a busy campaign on the Flat and I learned plenty from Burdett Road last year. We gave this horse a break and obviously I was going to go to the Finale (at Chepstow) with Burdett and maybe he should have had a gallop that day rather than preparing him to run and then I was too easy on him coming here (for this race last year).
“He wouldn’t have beaten Sir Gino on form, but this is a nice horse who has had a nice break and there is a good bit of improvement to come fitness-wise. This was a stepping stone for the Triumph and he’s simply a very good horse.
“This horse’s form is solid and I wouldn’t swap him for anything. We’ll find out in March where we fit in with Lulamba, but there will be others to beat as well.”
Twiston-Davies added: “Hopefully he’s got a lot of the right attributes to mean he’ll go close on the Friday at Cheltenham.
“He’s a pleasure to ride and has the right way of doing things for jumping, and that makes him very good.”
Joint-trainer Noel George was delighted with the performance of the runner-up Stencil, who could also be Cheltenham Festival-bound.
He said: “I thought turning in he was going to run a massive race and James (Reveley) thought he was going well, but then the winner has just sprinted again and I would say he is very good.
“I was delighted with our lad – he’s a big horse and he takes plenty of work and racing. He’s probably going to improve a bit for that, but whether we’ll reach the winner’s standard it is tough to say.
“Being a big horse we might have to consider carrying a big weight in the Boodles (Juvenile Handicap Hurdle), but he’s going to be a lovely chaser next year. I’m delighted to have a first run like that in England with him and he will have an exciting future.”
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Racing at Cheltenham will go ahead as planned this afternoon after the track passed what was a surprise snap inspection called for 10.30am.
Temperatures fell to below freezing overnight, leaving a concern the ground had not thawed as quickly as hoped, albeit officials remained positive.
The first race on Festival Trials day is scheduled for 12.40, with superstar hurdler Constitution Hill the star attraction in the Unibet Hurdle at 3.00.
Clerk of the course Jon Pullin said: “The ground temperatures have been below zero since 4am and actually got as low as minus 2.7C and have stayed below zero longer than the forecast.
“While 99 per cent of the track was perfectly raceable we just had old divots from old meetings that were crusty and we just thought we needed to take the opportunity to take a look and just make sure we were confident that by 12.40pm today we were safe to race.
“It’s fine now and we’ve got the treading team out there now and anything they find they are removing. But temperatures are rising all the time and due to peak at 6 or 7C so by the time of the first race we will be perfectly raceable.”
L’Homme Presse has the chance to put himself in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture when he returns to the scene of his finest hour for the Betfair Cotswold Chase on Saturday.
Venetia Williams’ 10-year-old has eight victories to his name, with two of his best performances coming at Prestbury Park in his novice chasing days when he first won the Dipper Novices’ Chase before returning at the Festival to gallop his way to Brown Advisory glory.
Triumphs in Newcastle’s Rehearsal Chase and Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase have followed and having been the first British-trained runner home when third in the King George on Boxing Day, connections are excited to return to the gelding’s favoured Gloucestershire venue.
“It will be nice to get him back to Cheltenham, he hasn’t been there since the Gold Cup in March,” said Pam Sharman, who owns the horse alongside her twin brother Ray, partner Andy Edwards and Peter and Patricia Pink.
L’Homme Presse was third at Kempton on Boxing Day (John Walton/PA)
“His run at Kempton was superb and we’ve never been so happy to finish third, especially with what happened in 2022 (when unseating Charlie Deutsch at the last).
“He was running on strongly at the finish and it’s a track that won’t particularly suit him and the ground wouldn’t have been in his favour. But he jumped straight and did us proud.
“Saturday will be the least (weight) he has carried since his novice days and he will be running round there like a rabbit, so we’re really looking forward to it and fingers crossed he comes home safe.”
L’Homme Presse led the field over the second-last in the Gold Cup 12 months ago before suffering an injury and bravely carrying on up the hill to finish fourth.
With that still leaving a question mark over the stamina-sapping Gold Cup trip, his team hope his Cotswold Chase outing can give them plenty of clues before an anticipated second shot at the Festival blue riband.
L’Homme Presse returns after winning at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 (Mike Egerton/PA)
Sharman added: “Is the trip going to suit? We don’t actually know because obviously he got sliced into two from home in the Gold Cup and he ended up with 12 staples, it was awful.
“What we don’t know is did he stop because of that, because I don’t think I would have wanted someone stepping on my heels after running three miles, or did he just not stay? We don’t know.”
She went on: “I’ve worked on racecourses for 30-40 years, but had never owned a racehorse before L’Homme Presse. To own a horse like him and walk in at Cheltenham once when he won the Dipper was good, but to walk in again with him when he won at the Festival, you can’t buy that.
“He owes us nothing, everyone loves him and as owners we’re so humbled by the support he gets, we’re just his guardians. It’s the people who say good luck to us, that’s what makes it so special.”
Mouse Morris’ strapping grey Gentlemansgame is one of two Irish challengers alongside Gordon Elliott’s Delta Work and is already a winner on British soil after taking the 2023 Charlie Hall Chase.
Gentlemansgame is one of two Irish raiders (Niall Carson/PA)
Pulled up in the Gold Cup, he was last seen staying on into third behind Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File in the Savills Chase at Christmas, with Morris backing his charge to thrive if conditions are testing.
“I still think there’s plenty to come from him, but he hasn’t been the easiest horse in the world to train,” said Morris.
“If we get him right, he’s not bad you know. He finished 12 lengths behind Galopin Des Champs at Christmas and that was a good effort. He was staying on and then made a mistake at the last, that wouldn’t have made any difference but he was staying on.
“I’ve read some trying to suggest he’s not that strong a stayer, but this lad will stay all day, I can assure you of that.
“There’s rain forecast and that will suit him, he doesn’t mind soft ground at all.”
Chantry House is a previous winner of this race (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Chantry House was en route to hunter chasing before serving a reminder of his ability at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and now Nicky Henderson’s veteran will attempt to roll back the years once again in a race he won in 2022.
“He was going to go hunter chasing, but he’s in great form,” said Henderson.
“It’s a hotter race than New Year’s Day with L’Homme Presse and all those in there, but let’s have a good go.”
Stage Star is another with plenty of winning form around Cheltenham and represents Paul Nicholls and the Owners Group, with Seamus Mullins’ Tommie Beau completing the line-up.
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Some may have doubted Nicky Henderson in the Kempton winner’s enclosure on Boxing Day when he suggested Constitution Hill might well be seen again before the Cheltenham Festival.
Last season’s problems for the superstar hurdler have been documented many times over, so it was with understandable anticipation – and no doubt a little trepidation on behalf of his connections – that he was reappearing in the Christmas Hurdle, having not been seen in racing action since the same race 12 months previously.
No one should have worried, however, as he produced a performance that very much indicated his engines are fully intact, beating a lacklustre Lossiemouth by an easy two and a half lengths.
⚪️⚫️ CONSTITUTION HILL – THE KING IS BACK
🏇 Nine runs🥇 Nine wins🏆🏆🏆 Christmas Hurdle🏆 Champion Hurdle🏆 Fighting Fifth Hurdle🏆 Aintree Hurdle🏆 Supreme Novices' Hurdle 🏆 Tolworth Hurdle⭐️ What a racehorse pic.twitter.com/5ffREhRu0X
And with everything firmly back on track for him to reclaim his Champion Hurdle crown in March, so well has he been since Kempton that he now undertakes a prep run in the Unibet Hurdle on Festival Trials day.
Lossiemouth might have been in opposition for a rematch, but was not declared, and in her absence Constitution Hill is long odds-on against four inferior rivals, on paper at least.
Henderson said: “He’s in great form and came out of Kempton much better than I expected.
“I never thought we would be doing this, but he’s up for it, we’re up for it.
“Every day is full of excitement at the moment and you just have to get through all these weekends.
Nicky Henderson will saddle Constitution Hill at Cheltenham (Joe Giddens/PA)
“In a few weeks’ time we will be walking into the gates of Cheltenham, hopefully with the horses in the form they are in now.
“Our big job is to hold that form, they are running well and looking well and we will be doing everything we possibly can.
“Every day seems to be a busy one now and you get one nervous one out of the way and walk straight into another. But if you weren’t getting the jazz and the buzz out of it, then it would only tell you that you don’t have any good horses.”
One horse poised for the challenge of Constitution Hill is Brentford Hope, but despite having a collection of England international cricketers among his ownership, Harry Derham is not expecting his stable flag bearer to hit the Seven Barrows superstar for six.
“I don’t think we’ll be slaying Goliath but we will be trying our best and if we could finish second I would be thrilled to pieces,” said Derham.
Brentford Hope steps up to Grade One company (PA)
“I think it will be a weird little race as everyone other than Constitution Hill is going to be trying to finish second.
“Brentford was fresh and well on Monday and came out of Windsor well and when there wasn’t any entries, I just thought we would have a go. Obviously we’re under no illusions but if he could finish second, we would be delighted.
“He’s been a fabulous horse for the yard, he’s 146 now and life’s tough. But if he can pick up some prize-money then brilliant.”
Given the year-round cricketing calendar, none of Brentford Hope’s sporting owners will be at Prestbury Park to cheer their charge on, with Derham adding: “They’re all playing cricket.
“Jamie (Overton) and Liam (Livingstone) are in India, Craig (Overton) is in South Africa and Joe Clarke is in Australia, so they’re all working. Some of Brentford’s owners are going but the cricketers are all playing somewhere.”
Fils d’Oudairies (Gordon Elliott), Joyeux Machin (Dan Skelton) and Spirits Bay (Nigel Twiston-Davies) are the others with the unenviable task of taking on Constitution Hill.
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It could prove to be a huge afternoon for Sam Twiston-Davies at Cheltenham on Saturday, as star mounts East India Dock and Potters Charm put their Festival aspirations to the test on Trials day.
Twiston-Davies has five rides on the card, including his father Nigel Twiston-Davies’ admirable hurdler Gowel Road in the Betfair Cleeve Hurdle.
However, his first real chance of success comes aboard James Owen’s Triumph Hurdle hope East India Dock in the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.
A half-brother to Owen’s Champion Hurdle contender Burdett Road and a general 6-1 second-favourite for the juvenile showpiece in March, the classy recruit off the Flat showed his hand early when impressing in a similar event at Prestbury Park in November.
East India Dock puts a LOT of green, green grass between himself and everyone else in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial!
Since then the likes of Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba and Willie Mullins’ Sainte Lucie have both entered the Triumph Hurdle picture, but East India Dock is out to serve a reminder of his own credentials in a race that includes Paul Nicholls’ stable debutant from France, Sauvignon – a Listed winner at Auteuil in June last year.
“I’m really looking forward to it and obviously we’ll get a good idea about what he’s doing moving forward after this,” said Twiston-Davies.
“He’s got some good form in the book, and some experience about what would be the Triumph Hurdle course and distance will be great for him.
“I’ve ridden in a lot of juvenile hurdles this season, but what is nice about East India Road is he stays well and can deal with slower ground nicely and this race won’t do him any harm in gaining a bit more experience before hopefully the Friday of Cheltenham.”
Potters Charm has been faultless so far (Nigel French/PA)
If East India Dock has the potential to get Twiston-Davies’ afternoon off to a flyer, then he could end it on a high when he partners his father’s Potters Charm in the concluding Ais Novices’ Hurdle.
Unbeaten in four hurdling starts, he has already racked up two Cheltenham victories and a Grade One triumph in Aintree’s Formby Hurdle this season. Having initially looking like being kept fresh for the Festival, his training team have had a rethink ahead of this Grade Two event.
Connections have been far from shy about stating the esteem in which the talented six-year-old is held and he now looks to continue his journey to stardom in a race The New One finished second in 2013 but was won by the Twiston-Davies team with Wholestone in 2017.
“He wasn’t going to run, but he’s very fresh and well and I’m just spoilt to have a horse like him,” continued Twiston-Davies.
“The opportunity looks good for him, so hopefully it proves so. He’s very versatile so will be fine whatever the ground is. We’ll enjoy it and hope he wins.
“He’s a good horse and hopefully one day he can fill the boots of The New One, Bristol De Mai and horses like that.”
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Jockey Jonathan Burke is confident Crambo can “put all the Cheltenham doubts to bed” on his return to the track for Saturday’s Betfair Cleeve Hurdle.
Fergal O’Brien’s charge disappointed as a leading fancy for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last March, but will head back to Prestbury Park buoyed by a successful defence of his crown in the Long Walk at Ascot last month.
While wary of the threat posed by Strong Leader, who disappointed himself when hot favourite for the Long Walk but has since undergone wind surgery, Burke expects Crambo to show his true colours as he looks cement his status as Britain’s number one in the division.
Burke said: “He’s taking on much the same horses and he probably holds the form, albeit you probably have to look at Strong Leader coming back for his first run since a wind op.
“Off his rating and his performance in Ascot, Crambo is the one they all have to beat.
“I boxed him in at the start and went for cover at the Festival and he never really picked up the bridle and was never at the races, whereas the last day I was keen to get him out in space and after jumping two hurdles I knew I was in a good spot.
“It will be a case of getting him out in a bit of space and we’ll go from there, but if he finds his rhythm over the first three hurdles that should take care of the rest.
“He’s probably the flag bearer for myself and Fergal and our new link-up. He’s a very important horse for both of us and hopefully he can put all the Cheltenham doubts to bed on Saturday.”
Sean Bowen and Strong Leader winning at Aintree (Mike Egerton/PA)
Strong Leader, who finished a close third in last year’s Cleeve Hurdle before going on to claim Grade One glory at Aintree in the spring, is on a recovery mission following his Ascot blip.
The eight-year-old had previously made a fine start to his campaign by landing the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, and trainer Olly Murphy is keeping his fingers crossed his stable star can get his season back on track.
“He’s had the wind op and he’s had a racecourse gallop as well and Sean (Bowen) was happy with him,” said the Warwickshire-based trainer.
“We’re coming in off the back of a very inadequate run, we know that, so first of all we need to get back on track, but he’s in good form and we’re looking forward to an improved performance.
“Crambo looks the one to beat in what looks an interesting renewal, but if our horse reproduces his Newbury or Aintree form, or even his Cleeve run from last year, he’s going to be bang there.
“He did come back with a problem from Ascot, I’m hoping we’re over that and hoping the ground isn’t too testing, but we’ve got to run and find out.”
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Gowel Road would not be winning out of turn after finishing second four times on the bounce, most recently giving Lucky Place a real run for his money in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to his father, said: “He’s been really unlucky and has been in great form, he was beaten by The Wallpark first time who went on to run in a Grade One at Ascot and the next twice he was giving 20lb plus away before then running well again in the Relkeel.
“He’s very consistent and he’s earned his shot at a good race with good prize-money.”
Other contenders include Monmiral (Paul Nicholls) and Jamie Snowden’s high-class chaser Ga Law, who reverts to hurdles for the first time since November 2023.
Ga Law in action over fences at Cheltenham (Nigel French/PA)
“He’s got all the confidence in the world over a fence, but just is quite badly handicapped,” said Snowden.
“He obviously won the Paddy Power Gold Cup and on Festival Trials day last season, but since then he’s been second an awful lot and each time he just kept getting nudged up by the handicapper.
“We just figured he is probably not the best-handicapped horse these days, so why not see where we are over hurdles?”
Botox Has (Gary and Josh Moore), Kerryhill (Ruth Jefferson) and Transmission (Neil Mulholland) complete the field.
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Lossiemouth will take aim at the Irish Champion Hurdle after connections opted against travelling to Cheltenham to clash with Constitution Hill again in the Unibet Hurdle on Saturday.
The pair, trained by Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson respectively, filled the first two places in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day and a rematch had been on the cards in the Grade Two heat at Prestbury Park.
However, Lossiemouth also holds an entry in next week’s Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown and after Mullins warned on Wednesday a late call would be made, it appears that will be her destination.
“She’ll go for the Irish Champion Hurdle,” said Mullins.
“I thought we’ve been preparing her for two years for the Champion Hurdle and I wasn’t sure that another trip across the Irish Sea would suit with the weather closing in and the forecast.
“There were going to be travel complications and we didn’t need that.
“It’s better to stay at home and I’m happy enough to go to Leopardstown.”
Ireland will still have a challenger in the Gordon Elliott-trained Fils d’Oudairies, with Brentford Hope, Joyeux Machin and Spirits Bay completing the line-up.
On the absence of Constitution Hill’s big rival, Henderson said: “There’s no Lossiemouth and a bit of me was looking forward to another race against her and another bit was hoping she wouldn’t come.
“The ground isn’t a concern, but the weather is from Cheltenham’s point of view.
“There was enough said about last year, so we’re going to make up for it if we can.”
The Betfair Cotswold Chase will have a six-runner field, headed by Mouse Morris’ Gentlemansgame, who was last seen finishing third in the Savills Chase at Christmas, and Britain’s leading Gold Cup hope L’Homme Presse for Venetia Williams.
Henderson’s New Year’s Day scorer Chantry House lines up with Elliott’s cross-country specialist Delta Work in the field along with Stage Star and Tommie Beau.
Crambo and Strong Leader are the star names in the Betfair Cleeve Hurdle, for which eight have been declared, while Potters Charm leads the way in a field of seven for the Ais Novices’ Hurdle.
East India Dock is the general second-favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle and he will face nine rivals in the Grade Two Triumph Trial.
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Cheltenham are likely to miss the worst of the weather as Storm Eowyn strikes on Friday ahead of Festival Trials Day on Saturday.
The card is the final meeting at the track before the Festival and features seven races, including five at Grade Two level.
The Betfair Cotswold Chase and the Unibet Hurdle are among them, the latter race set to feature the great Constitution Hill.
The weather could be challenging, however, with Storm Eowyn set to roll in over Britain and bring with it incredibly strong winds and in some places a Met Office red weather warning.
Friday is forecast to see the worst of the weather and Cheltenham only has a yellow warning, meaning conditions should be more settled when the meeting gets underway.
“The ground is currently soft, good to soft in places,” said Jon Pullin, clerk of the course at the track.
“We’re having a little shower or two at the moment, which was forecast, we could get two or three millimetres and then it dries up for the afternoon.
“The storm builds and moves in through the night, and overnight we see wind speeds increase with gusts of 45 to 50 miles an hour.
“The odd forecast has got in excess of 50 miles an hour, so we’re certainly expecting a pretty windy night and some heavier spells of rain to come with that.
“Some forecasts have a below double-digit rainfall and some have a little bit more, eight to 15 millimetres through the night and into the morning.
“Conditions are highly likely to ease from where we are currently. The rain then dies out by tomorrow morning and the winds continue to a lesser degree throughout the early afternoon.
“By the late afternoon everything has calmed down and the forecast looks very settled for Saturday itself.”
Friday’s meeting at Dundalk has been cancelled as the area is under a red warning.
Lingfield, Doncaster, Sandown and Southwell are all expected to race, although the tracks will be monitoring the situation.
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