Tag Archive for: Jango Baie

Jango Baie ready for Manifesto test following last-gasp Arkle success

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Dramatic Arkle winner Jango Baie steps back up to what connections believe will be a more suitable trip in Thursday’s EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase which kicks off the three-day Aintree festival.

Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old had his prep for the two-mile Arkle over two and a half miles in heavy ground in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase and was only narrowly beaten by Handstands.

With no Grade One race over that trip at Cheltenham, Henderson had the choice of dropping him down to the minimum distance or running over as far as three miles. He went for the two-mile option and despite it not looking likely for much of the race, ended up with the top prize.

“The big question we had with him was do we run him in this or over three miles?” said Henderson.

“Running him in the two-mile race here never really came into it, in fact he wasn’t even entered so that shows you – even though it doesn’t look desperately strong – it was never going to happen.

“It was a toss-up whether to go over three miles or two and a half, he was in over three, but the feeling was we’ll go over this trip and then hopefully be looking at three miles next year.”

One horse who missed Cheltenham with a minor setback was Harry Fry’s Gidleigh Park, but his victory over Caldwell Potter looks even better given the manner in which the grey won at Cheltenham.

Gidleigh Park had Caldwell Potter beaten a long way at Windsor
Gidleigh Park had Caldwell Potter beaten a long way at Windsor (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“With the way his season’s gone it hasn’t gone entirely smoothly, but as he showed at Windsor, when he’s right he’s very good and he’s in good order – we’re looking forward to him taking his chance,” said Fry.

“We take one race at a time with him so we’ll focus on this week and then see what happens and go from there, you haven’t got a lot of options after this so we’re looking forward to this week and win, lose or draw we can make plans from there.”

Willie Mullins is represented by Impaire Et Passe, winner of a dramatic Aintree Hurdle last year and another who missed Cheltenham.

“He’s done OK over fences this year and the fact the two-and-a-half-mile race was a handicap at Cheltenham made it easier to swerve that,” said Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Impaire Et Passe (right) came out on top in a battle with Langer Dan (middle) and Bob Olinger last year
Impaire Et Passe (right) came out on top in a battle with Langer Dan (middle) and Bob Olinger last year (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“He won, albeit narrowly, at Aintree last year on similar ground and we’re looking forward to seeing how we get on and also seeing him run, as we haven’t seen him since the Dublin Racing Festival, through no fault of his own.”

Another who was absent from Prestbury Park was Paul Nicholls’ Rubaud, the Pendil winner last time out.

“He is very consistent, has taken really well to fences and showed a great attitude to win at Kempton,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“While he is in good form at home and the ground has come in his favour, he has just fallen short in the past in Grade One company. But he has earned a shot in what looks a tough race.”

The Kalooki Kid steps up in class for Nicky Richards, having looked useful in beating a decent yardstick in Saint Segal last time out.

“The last twice he’s been fairly impressive so we just thought a smaller field, I know we’re going up a league or two, but it would hold him in good stead for next year travelling and jumping faster,” said Richards.

“Hopefully we’ll be looking at those limited handicaps next season, like the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Old Roan.”

Jango Baie swoops late to grab Arkle Trophy glory

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Jango Baie rose to the challenge to claim an astonishing renewal of the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson’s bay could not go with the early pace and found himself towards the back of the small field of five as the race developed.

Up the hill the race looked to be between the fancied pair of Majborough and L’Eau Du Sud, but Jango Baie never surrendered at the back of the pack and strode into contention in the final strides to score at 5-1 under Nico de Boinville, with Only By Night the three-quarters of a length runner-up.

Henderson had originally been set to field the favourite in Sir Gino, but saw his season cut short through injury.

“Without Sir Gino, it was will this horse go up to three (miles) or down to two; we were going to make the running, but he couldn’t go fast enough,” Henderson said. “He really couldn’t go fast enough.

“That was some ride! He let them go, and they did go hard, and it’s lovely ground – it’s proper fast jumping ground and they were hammering away.

“I’ve seen it before when they are that outpaced, you have always got the hill still to come to your aid if you need it, I must admit I never dreamt he would need it, but he flew the last and just got running – I didn’t know he was that fast, I must admit.

“From where I was, I thought it was too late. It was incredible, he was just nailing them. I had no idea of the result I must say, the gods did. I think you can take it from me that’s the last time you will see over two miles!

“That was Nico’s 50th Grade One. It’s nice to get it on the board early and what a way to do it, it was a brilliant ride.”

On what was already an emotional opening afternoon, owner Tony Barney said: “I bought the horse on the day my son was killed, his name was James Barney, the horse is Jango Baie, same initials. My son is looking down on me.”

De Boinville said: “I always thought I could get there, coming down the hill I was just thinking about Barry (Geraghty) when he rode Champ and he did a similar kind of thing in the RSA (2020) when he dropped himself out.

“I couldn’t go the gallop, but I knew he was going to stay so it was just a case of filling him up and seeing if I could get one crack up the hill. To be fair he winged the last and then he flew up the hill.

“It’s a great feeling when you know you are going to get there, but it’s gut-wrenching when you go down by a neck or a head, which does happen a lot. Today the stars were aligned and he got his head in front.”

Gavin Cromwell took the last-gasp defeat for Only By Night on the chin. He said: “She ran and jumped very well and I thought for a few seconds we were home and hosed.

“We were just passed late on by a stayer. I’m happy we chose the right race anyway, it’s a pity not to win when you run so well but we’re delighted.

“You always like to see them running well at the beginning of the week and it keeps the confidence high they are in good shape.”

Of third home Majborough, Willie Mullins said: “Even though our horse was beaten and didn’t jump well, I thought it was an extraordinary race to watch and I’m delighted for Nico and delighted for Nicky.

“It was a fantastic ride from Nico on the winner, our fellow just didn’t jump and that’s not like him, so it’s disappointing. But to make the mistake he made at the second-last and still finish third, that shows what sort of engine he has.

“We had no worries about his jumping at all and I’m surprised that he did that, but that’s what can happen in the heat of battle.

“He looks like that (Gold Cup) type of a horse, I know he has the engine to do it, we’ve just got to get his jumping right and stay sound.”

Harry Skelton, sporting a black eye and stitches having been kicked by a foal, added of L’Eau Du Sud, who is trained by his brother, Dan: “He’s run really well and hasn’t missed a beat and has just got beat after the last, there’s not much more you can ask.

“He’s just been beaten a length and a half and somehow finished fourth. He’s run well.”

Jango Baie too good for Caldwell Potter and company

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Jango Baie made a superb start to his chasing career with a slick victory in the SSS Super Alloys Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old bay was a Grade One novice winner over hurdles, with a second-placed point-to-point run further back on his record.

He returned to jumping larger obstacles under rules in the hands of Nico de Boinville at 7-4, with much of the attention on the Paul Nicholls-trained Caldwell Potter, who was sent off the 11-10 favourite.

The latter was at the head of affairs, but Jango Baie had very close tabs on him all the way around and when the field turned for home it was Henderson’s contender who was able to kick on to an impressive win, as Springwell Bay took second and €740,000 purchase Caldwell Potter finished third.

Henderson said: “I always think it’s a big test for a novice to come here first time over fences and I don’t like doing it.

“I was going to go to Aintree last Saturday for a three-horse race, but that was off and I was forced into coming here. My rule is not to come here first time, but this fellow is very clever.

“Nico asked him some proper questions for a baby and he got some proper answers as well. For not the biggest horse in the world, he’s got a lot of scope.

Nicky Henderson was delighted with what he saw from Jango Baie
Nicky Henderson was delighted with what he saw from Jango Baie (David Davies/PA)

“He certainly wasn’t stopping at the end there over two-and-a-half (miles), he galloped right out. He looks a stayer.

“The owner has got Jingko Blue, who put up a smart performance at Uttoxeter a couple of days ago, as well. We are lucky we’ve got some nice novice chasers this year, so we’ve got to see who is two miles and who is three now there’s no two and a half (at the Festival). They’re high-class problems.”

Of Caldwell Potter, whose ownership group, that includes Sir Alex Ferguson, went to a record price for a jumps horse in training to secure the grey in February, Nicholls said: “Harry (Cobden) was thrilled with him, he said he jumped great and has learnt an awful lot today.

“We didn’t learn a massive amount up at Carlisle, his jumping was good and Harry said he definitely wants slower ground than that.

“He could have gone a gear quicker if he wanted to, but he didn’t want to ask too many questions of his jumping. We’ve learnt a lot today and perhaps you wouldn’t be afraid to go back to two miles if it was really testing ground and just let him roll on.

“Today he jumped well, they sprinted up the straight and he was just done for a little bit of toe, but he only had a few runs over hurdles and is learning all the time. I think there’s a lot to come.

“We weren’t going to run him, but we just thought it would be good to get him some experience around here. Rome wasn’t built in a day and Harry said don’t be disappointed, he’ll be fine.”

Henderson back winning again, as D-Day looms for Constitution Hill

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Nicky Henderson was back among the winners on Saturday to give him something to smile about as he awaits the Cheltenham Festival fate of Constitution Hill.

The champion hurdler scoped badly in the immediate aftermath of his disappointing Kempton workout on Tuesday, while blood test results received on Thursday gave connections even more cause for concern.

A further scope conducted on Friday appeared more encouraging, but Henderson revealed a second blood test to be taken on Monday would be the “acid test”.

He said: “The blood test on Monday will tell us everything and we will know where we are after that.

“If we don’t get the results we want on Monday I wouldn’t go as far as to say it will be the end of the season. Let’s just cross each bridge when we come across it.

“When you train horses you are going to walk into these situations and you’ve got to face up to it.

“It had all been too easy. Everybody thinks it is ‘ABC’ and it has been with him, except he can’t tell you when he’s wrong because he so laid-back about life.

“He’s the slowest walker, the slowest trotter and you have to drag him out of bed on a morning. With most horses you can tell, but with him you can’t as he can’t talk to you, most horses can.”

Spring Note won at Newbury for the Seven Barrows handler, while the Grade One-winning Jango Baie finished second in front of Henderson at Kelso, after which he said: “That’s the second time he’s had to run in a really good race with a 5lb penalty, it stops them. But if you win a Grade One you can’t have your cake and eat it.

“He’s a good horse. He wants to go up in trip, there’s no doubt about that, two-mile-two is tight for him. You could go two and a half but he won over two miles at Aintree, mainly because he stays.

“Over fences he’ll be going three, I’d imagine, and he’ll be very good. This time next year hopefully we’ll be talking about Cheltenham with him.

“Of course it’s nice to see one run well, I’m conscious of what’s happening, but it’s not a lot of pleasure, I can tell you that.

“To be fair the ground in our neck of the woods is so bad, and our horses always want better ground.”

Personal Ambition holds off Jango Baie for Grade Two success at Kelso

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Personal Ambition is likely to head for Aintree’s Grand National meeting after coming out on top in thrilling renewal of the bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso.

Never far from the pace set by Choose A Copper, Ben Pauling’s charge – whose only defeat in three prior hurdle starts was when third in this Grade Two company at Sandown – soon had them all at it when Kielan Woods went for home.

To his credit, 9-4 market leader Jango Baie stuck to his task when giving chase, as at one stage it looked as if Nicky Henderson’s Boxing Day Grade One scorer might drop away.

Nico de Boinville’s mount had closed right up jumping the last, but try as he might he could not quite reel the leader in under his 5lb penalty, going down by half a length to the 3-1 winner.

Pauling said: “It didn’t exactly go to plan early doors, there was a good gallop down to the first, probably too much of a gallop I would say, and he missed the first and the second and I was thinking ‘this is not ideal’.

“Thankfully he got into a nice rhythm after that and it was great that he toughed it out, as he needed to today. It wasn’t a facile victory, he had to really dig deep and he hasn’t had to do that before really, so it was great to see him do it.

“He’ll probably go to Aintree, that would be the obvious route. We were never going to go to Cheltenham because I knew that he could make the sort of mistakes he did today.

“I still think he’s a horse that just needs time on the track and I think the flat track at Aintree will suit him more than the undulations of Cheltenham.

“He’s obviously got loads of ability and he’ll be a lovely horse in time.”

Woods only returned this week after serving a 45-day suspension related to his use of the whip.

He said: “This is massive. It’s not easy for Ben Pauling to convince owners to put me up after what I’ve been doing, but I’ve learned my lesson and it’s great that Angus and Lynne (Maclennan), who are big owners, have put me up. It means a lot.

“That was brilliant. He stuck at it really well, he was good and tough. He’s very talented, but he’ll be a nicer chaser, he doesn’t have much respect for hurdles. He’ll be a good horse when he gets fences.”

Jango Baie leads quality quartet hunting Banks prize

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An intriguing field of four will go to post for the M1 Agency Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon on Thursday.

Some good horses have won this Listed affair over the years – including the Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin in 2020.

Representing Seven Barrows this year, and heading the market, is Jango Baie, winner the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.

That win in what was the Tolworth Hurdle took his record to two from two over timber, and he will once again be partnered by James Bowen.

“We’re going two-mile-three with him this time and it’s a slight step up (in trip), he was around Aintree over two last time,” said Henderson.

“I thought he was finishing that race very strongly, so I wanted to have a look at him around two and a half just to see. He’s in both the Supreme and the Baring Bingham (at the Cheltenham Festival) come March.

“The owner has both Jango Baie and Jingko Blue – and I’ll put the wrong horse in a race someday soon – and the other horse won very nicely at Sandown on Saturday.”

Two others in the field are unbeaten so far in their hurdling careers – Bugise Seagull for Charlie Longsdon and the Ben Pauling-trained Handstands.

Like Jango Baie, both are two from two and the latter was most recently seen scoring in a novice event at Newcastle.

“He’s a lovely horse who does everything you ask of him at home but no more,” said Pauling.

“I hope his jumping is sharp enough, but he’s certainly a horse that we’ve got no idea where the bottom is and we like him a lot really.

“He’ll be a fabulous chaser next year, but I think he can be a good hurdler this year as well.

“This is a lovely race, it’s cut up in numbers but the quality is there I suppose and it’ll be interesting to see where we fit amongst these and give us a steer towards where we go in the spring.”

The other contender is the Joe Tizzard-trained Diamond Ri, who confirmed the promise of his debut second when winning at Warwick last month.

Henderson weighing up options for Shishkin

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Cheltenham and Newbury are two possible ports of call for Shishkin following his following his luckless run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

The nine-year-old was leading the field after jumping the penultimate fence in the Boxing Day highlight, only to stumble a couple of strides after the obstacle and unseat Nico de Boinville.

That was Shishkin’s first run of the campaign after he refused to start at Ascot in November and trainer Nicky Henderson felt he would have been staying on all the way to the line were it not for his mishap.

Shishkin (right) was running a fine race in the King George before coming unstuck
Shishkin (right) was running a fine race in the King George before coming unstuck (Steven Paston/PA)

He said: “Shishkin is fine. I was a bit concerned that he might have hit something and occurred some damage but he doesn’t appear to have done so I’m 100 per cent happy on that front. It was just one of those things I guess.

“I’m not going to say he would have won, but the consensus of opinion is that he probably would have done as he wasn’t stopping.

“He was really coming up at every fence, and he seemed to be travelling well. I’m pretty sure he would have kept on galloping as he galloped all the way to the line at Aintree.

“Our biggest concern was that he hadn’t had a run. When he has not had a run he controls us, but we are now in control as he has got that run under his belt and he will be a much easier horse to train.”

Shishkin was having just his second start at three miles at Kempton, having previously delivered eight chase victories up to two miles and five furlongs, including the 2021 Arkle, the 2022 Clarence House Chase and the 2023 Ascot Chase.

Henderson switched Shishkin to three miles and a furlong for the Aintree Bowl back in April and he has the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (January 27) and the Betfair Denman Chase (February 10) over staying trips on his mind.

The trainer said: “I don’t know what to do at the moment and we are just mulling it over. I don’t think we will come back in trip for the Ascot Chase, even though he did win that last year.

“You have got the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham and the Denman Chase at Newbury and they are the only two real possibilities for him before the Gold Cup.

“It will either be one of them, or none of them, but what he needs is experience and a nice clear round.”

Shishkin was a wide-margin winner of the Ascot Chase last season
Shishkin was a wide-margin winner of the Ascot Chase last season (Steven Paston/PA)

While Shishkin was out of luck at Kempton, Jango Baie ensured the team did secure Grade One glory in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Previously run as the Tolworth at Sandown in January, the rescheduled and renamed contest produced a fine finish as Jango Baie held off Favour And Fortune by just under three lengths in the hands of James Bowen.

Henderson could now look to edge up in distance from an extended two miles with the four-year-old, as the trainer has strength in depth in the novice hurdle sphere with the likes of Jeriko Du Reponet and Willmount taking high order.

“It was great for James Bowen to get his first Grade One as he is a big part of the team here at Seven Barrows. He deserved it and so did the horse, while it was great to get a Grade One for his connections,” said Henderson.

“I’d like to see him run over a little bit further as I’m not sure that trip was far enough for him at Aintree.

“I’ve got a couple of other nice prospects to run this weekend, so we will see what they do then we will make a plan.”

Jango Baie bags first running of Formby Novices’ Hurdle

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Nicky Henderson’s Jango Baie battled on gamely to see off Favour And Fortune to win the William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

The race was formerly registered as the Tolworth Hurdle and was being run for the first time at Aintree instead of Sandown.

That was a move that did not go down too well with Henderson at the time, although he may have a different take now after the four-year-old, having just his second race under rules, provided James Bowen with a first Grade One success.

In a race which highlighted the ups and downs of racing perfectly, Bowen’s brother Sean, riding Gordon Elliott’s Farren Glory, seemed to be travelling best of all before falling in the home straight.

Jango Baie (17-2) had beaten Ben Pauling’s Tellherthename narrowly on their respective hurdling debuts at Ascot and the two met again. But Pauling’s charge, having jumped and travelled well until the home straight, soon dropped away.

It was Cannock Park who led for much of the journey and he did not give way until the second-last when the front two pulled away, with Jango Baie winning by two and three-quarter lengths after a good tussle.

Bowen told Racing TV: “It went well, I travelled well, he was a bit keen but he was a lot keener the last day.

“He finished his race off really well and I think he’ll probably want a bit further in time.

“Sean looked to be going really well and at the time I didn’t know what he had left, he did look to be going well, though.

“The best I’d done in a Grade One was finishing third on Top Notch in the Long Walk (2018), that’s the closest I’d been before today.

“He hit the line hard and he’s obviously improving, he’s a Grade One horse now so hopefully he’ll have some nice targets.”