Tag Archive for: Kalif Du Berlais

Kalif Du Berlais caps fine Aintree meeting for Nicholls and Cobden

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Harry Cobden produced another front-running masterclass as Kalif Du Berlais dominated the Rosconn Group Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

Cobden had struck in the Grand National Festival’s three-mile novice Grade One aboard Caldwell Potter on Friday and was teaming up with his Ditcheat boss Paul Nicholls once again – this time over two miles – as they picked up their second top-level prize of the week.

As with Caldwell Potter, Cobden was donning the colours of the late John Hales and never missed a beat aboard his mount as the five-year-old bounced back to his best on a sound surface and back down in trip.

Sent off well-backed at 15-8, he came home three and a half lengths clear of Anthony Honeyball’s outsider Brookie, as Dan Skelton’s 5-4 favourite L’Eau Du Sud could only finish third.

Paddy Power make the winner a 25-1 shot for next year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, with Nicholls excited to target that Cheltenham Festival prize

He said: “He’s a seriously good horse and we ran him at Sandown as I didn’t want to take L’Eau Du Sud (same ownership) on (at Warwick) and John had just died and it was probably a bad decision.

“I had nowhere else I could go, so we kept him for here today. I would have loved to have run him in the Arkle because I think he would have gone very close in the Arkle.

Kalif Du Berlais was electric over his fences
Kalif Du Berlais was electric over his fences (Nigel French for The Jockey Club/PA)

“He came fresh and is a very smart horse. I thought he’d win today and that’s probably me dreaming more than anything. But he’s a very smart horse and had been working great. He’s only five, he’s maturing and the world is at his feet.

“I would like to think that is a real Champion Chase horse for next season.”

On the success of his string at Aintree, the 14-time champion trainer added: “We’ve just had to be patient. I’ve been pulling my hair out with the way some of them were running, I don’t know what happened or where it went wrong. I actually think we vaccinated the whole lot in January and for whatever reason it wiped the lot of them out.

“It took them ages to come to hand, but now we’re back where we want and our horses always like better ground and spring weather.

Paul Nicholls has had plenty to smile about this week
Paul Nicholls has had plenty to smile about this week (John Walton/PA)

“Regent’s Stroll very nearly made it three Grade Ones for us this week and he’s a super horse to go chasing along with Caldwell Potter and this horse, it’s really exciting.

“It has been a bit frustrating this year, but it’s come good and it’s so exciting for next year.”

L’eau Du Sud was making his sixth appearance of the season, with his handler feeling his efforts throughout the campaign may have caught up with him.

Skelton said: “He’s running since the end of October, so he’s been on the go a long time. He showed us at home that he was ready to go again and he’s run really well without seeing it out the absolute best as he can.

“I’m proud our horse, he has run his race, we’ll freshen him up with a good summer off now and we’ll have some big dances next year.”

Berlais bids to pay ultimate tribute to late owner John Hales

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Paul Nicholls feels it would be a fitting tribute to owner John Hales should Kalif Du Berlais win the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

Nicholls announced on Friday morning that his long-standing supporter Hales had died on Thursday evening at the age of 85.

The pair enjoyed a fruitful partnership over the best part of 25 years, starting with Arkle and Champion Chase winner Azertyuiop, through the likes of Noland, Al Ferof and Politologue.

In recent years, Hales has owned many of his horses in a partnership which includes former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Ged Mason, with their three sets of silks alternating.

Kalif Du Berlais was supposed to be running in Ferguson’s red and white colours this weekend, but he will now sport Hales’ famous yellow and red.

Nicholls told the PA news agency: “I suggested to all the guys this morning that it would be a nice thing to do if he ran in John’s silks and they were all 100 per cent behind it, so that’s what we’ve done.

Kalif Du Berlais will be back in Hales' yellow and red at Sandown
Kalif Du Berlais will be back in Hales’ yellow and red at Sandown (John Walton/PA)

“It would be nice if Kalif could do the business. He’s a really smart horse and I’m sure John will be watching.

“There was never any doubt about him not running. Lisa (Hales’ daughter) said it’s what he would have wanted.

“So, he’s going to run, he’ll be in John’s colours and if he can win it would be fantastic, but John really has been a wonderful man.

“I wouldn’t be where I am now without him, he really helped me along the way and he was a great man.”

After enjoying initial success with Gordon and Nicky Richards, Hales teamed up with Nicholls and the pair recruited Azertyuiop, who would end up as part of a triumvirate of top-class two-mile chasers along with Well Chief and Moscow Flyer in a golden era.

“He started off with horses with Gordon and Nicky Richards and then he came down to us and we’ve had horses for him for about 25 years now. He was a fantastic man and a fantastic friend,” said Nicholls.

Lisa Hales (left) Ruby Walsh and John Hales with Azertyuiop
Lisa Hales (left) Ruby Walsh and John Hales with Azertyuiop (Rebecca Naden/PA)

“Azertyuiop was the first good horse I had for him and I think I might have only had one other before him, but Anthony Bromley bought him Azertyuiop and obviously we had great success with him.

“John had showjumpers with his family and they were very successful at that, then one of the very first (race)horses he had was One Man, incredibly, which gave him the bug and then his family caught it too, especially Lisa, his daughter. She was heavily involved with the horses and looked after them all in the summer.

“He would never have had lots in training, maybe half a dozen a year. I actually think he’s got more this season than he’s ever had, split between myself and Dan (Skelton), but he’s had some amazingly good ones.”

A Grand National victory is the dream for many in National Hunt racing and it was no different for Nicholls and Hales, and together they achieved it with the help of Daryl Jacob and an 11-year-old grey.

Daryl Jacob (left) next to John Hales with Neptune Collonges and Paul Nicholls after winning the Grand National
Daryl Jacob (left) next to John Hales with Neptune Collonges and Paul Nicholls after winning the Grand National (David Davies/PA)

“Of course, we’ll never forget that day at Aintree with Neptune Collonges. I don’t think we’d have ever topped that, just given the circumstances, the close finish (a nose) and with it being his last run,” said Nicholls.

“Neptune was very unlucky to be around in the same era as Kauto (Star) and Denman, otherwise he might have won a Gold Cup himself, but John enjoyed his trips to Ireland and he won a few big races over there for him at Leopardstown and Punchestown. He was a wonderful horse.

“We had a party at a hotel after the National and the next morning John was up and came to the village with us to parade Neptune. I think it was probably one of the proudest days of his life. He shared it all with his family and all of us.

“We had some wonderful memories together and we’ll remember him fondly.

“When you think about the likes of Al Ferof, Noland, Politologue, they were all very, very good horses – he put a lot into it, so he deserved his success.”

Nicholls hoping Scilly Isles will point the way for Kalif Du Berlais

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Paul Nicholls feels stamina is the main question Kalif Du Berlais has to answer in Saturday’s Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Another smart prospect owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, John Hales et al, after taking a heavy fall when long odds-on for his chasing debut at Carlisle, he has bounced back to win twice.

At Newbury he beat Tedley by three-quarters of a length, but then he had the same horse over 28 lengths behind him when scoring impressively at Cheltenham.

The runner-up that day, Vincenzo, has subsequently won a decent race at Sandown.

“He had a quiet couple of weeks since he won at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, he had a flu jab and he doesn’t need a whole heap of work,” said Nicholls on Racing TV.

“Natalie Parker rides him and is very happy, he did a great piece of work this morning.

“Will he get two and a half miles? That’s the question. Everybody who has anything to do with him thinks he will, but until he has proven that you just don’t know.”

Nicholls admitted that had Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud not been in the same ownership then he may have waited for next weekend’s Kingmaker Novices’ Chase over two miles.

He said: “If L’Eau Du Sud wasn’t in the same ownership he’d probably go to Warwick next weekend for the Kingmaker, so we didn’t have too many options to run him – it’s a £100,000 Grade One race with four runners so we’ll give it a go.

“Saturday will tell us where we go, there’s the Pendil at Kempton, if we took that in we might miss Cheltenham and go to Aintree with him. We look at the options and make a plan as the season goes on.”

Handstands, Jango Baie and Mark Of Gold form the opposition to the Nicholls runner.

Precious victory for Henrietta Knight at Cheltenham

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There was a welcome return to the Cheltenham winner’s enclosure for Henrietta Knight, as she claimed the Raceridecheltenham “Junior” National Hunt Flat Race with Precious Metal.

Some of Knight’s greatest moments have come at Prestbury Park, with the 78-year-old famed for her handling of triple Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Best Mate, as well as the exploits of Champion Chase and King George VI Chase winner Edredon Bleu.

Having handed in her licence back in 2012, she shocked the racing world when announcing her return a year ago and having sent out her first jumps winner since her return at Fontwell recently, the West Lockinge handler has now made her mark back at a track she will always be associated.

Precious Metal had shaped nicely on his debut at Wincanton and with connections encouraged to take their chance in this Listed event, the four-year-old was sent off at 16-1 in the hands of Lilly Pinchin.

He showed plenty of zip to shoot clear and leave his rivals trailing as he surged up the Cheltenham hill to register a two-length success and give Knight an across-the-card double following the victory of Fontwell scorer Motazzen at Southwell.

“He’s a nice horse who was sent over from the Costellos in Ireland last summer and came to hand pretty quickly,” said Knight’s assistant trainer Brendan Powell.

“He ran a nice race at Wincanton first time out and we were very happy with him there. We took a punt today and it paid off. He turned the form around with the Wincanton winner and the rain helped us this morning when it went soft. He likes soft ground, he’s tough and honest, and he stay’s well.

“The Costellos are where Henrietta got all her good horses from, Best Mate and all of them, we’ve got quite a few from them and he’s one of the first young horses we have run and he’s done well. It was a nice end to the day.

“We’ve had a double today and Henrietta went up to Southwell and her horse won up there, so she’s had a great day.”

Kalif Du Berlais got Paul Nicholls’ new year off to a blistering start with a bloodless display in the opening Sonic The Hedgehog 3 In Cinemas Now Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Kalif Du Berlais produced a fine round of jumping at Cheltenham
Kalif Du Berlais produced a fine round of jumping at Cheltenham (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)

Some of the Ditcheat handler’s string had failed to sparkle over the Christmas period, including Regent’s Stroll who was a beaten favourite in the same colours of part-owner Sir Alex Ferguson at Newbury last Saturday.

However, there were no such problems for the 4-7 favourite Kalif Du Berlais, who readily dispatched his two rivals under a motionless Harry Cobden to build on his chasing victory in the autumn.

Cobden told Racing TV: “We have always liked him a lot and he was very lucky not to hurt himself at Carlisle the first time when he had a terrible fall at the ditch.

“Today the plan was to take a lead but I didn’t think we were going overly quick, so I just let him bowl away and I thought his jumping was fantastic.

“He doesn’t ride like a five-year-old and he’s just turned that today. Everything was very assured and never really in any doubt.

“We have plenty of options of where we can go and he will definitely get two and a half miles. But he’s only five isn’t he, so he probably doesn’t want tons of mileage on the clock at a young age. We’re lucky to have him.”

Diva Luna in winning action under Kielan Woods
Diva Luna in winning action under Kielan Woods (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Diva Luna (5-4 favourite) bravely repelled the challenge of Newton Tornado to win the Richmond Villages And Bupa Care Homes Maiden Hurdle.

Trained by Ben Pauling and ridden by Kielan Woods, Diva Luna was a Grade Two bumper winner at Aintree but suffered a surprise reverse when beaten on her hurdles bow last month.

The six-year-old made amends with a gutsy performance, digging deep after jumping the last to hold on for a one-and-three-quarter-length verdict which saw her cut to 14-1 from 25s with Paddy Power for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March.

There was also a win for Henry Daly’s Stacken (7-2) who brought up a hat-trick in the hands of Sam Twiston-Davies in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle.

Kalif Du Berlais impresses with Cheltenham strike

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Kalif Du Berlais got Paul Nicholls’ new year off to a blistering start with a bloodless display in the opening Sonic The Hedgehog 3 In Cinemas Now Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

Some of the Ditcheat handler’s string had failed to sparkle over the Christmas period, including Regent’s Stroll who was a beaten favourite in the same colours of part-owner Sir Alex Ferguson at Newbury last Saturday.

However, there were no such problems for the 4-7 favourite Kalif Du Berlais, who readily dispatched his two rivals under a motionless Harry Cobden to build on his chasing victory in the autumn.

Cobden told Racing TV: “We have always liked him a lot and he was very lucky not to hurt himself at Carlisle the first time when he had a terrible fall at the ditch.

“Today the plan was to take a lead but I didn’t think we were going overly quick, so I just let him bowl away and I thought his jumping was fantastic.

“He doesn’t ride like a five-year-old and he’s just turned that today. Everything was very assured and never really in any doubt.

“We have plenty of options of where we can go and he will definitely get two and a half miles. But he’s only five isn’t he, so he probably doesn’t want tons of mileage on the clock at a young age. We’re lucky to have him.”

Diva Luna (5-4 favourite) bravely repelled the challenge of Newton Tornado to win the Richmond Villages And Bupa Care Homes Maiden Hurdle.

Diva Luna in winning action under Kielan Woods
Diva Luna in winning action under Kielan Woods (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Trained by Ben Pauling and ridden by Kielan Woods, Diva Luna was a Grade Two bumper winner at Aintree but suffered a surprise reverse when beaten on her hurdles bow last month.

The six-year-old made amends with a gutsy performance, digging deep after jumping the last to hold on for a one-and-three-quarter-length verdict which saw her cut to 14-1 from 25s with Paddy Power for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March.

Nells Son capitalises on Kalif Du Berlais mishap at Carlisle

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Locally trained Nells Son ran out a game winner of the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Graduation Chase at Carlisle after Kalif Du Berlais suffered a heavy fall on his debut over fences.

Paul Nicholls’ heavily-backed gelding, a three-time winner over hurdles, including the Grade Two Adonis at Kempton, was sent off the 4-11 favourite at the Cumbrian track.

He put in a solid round of jumping before paying for one mistake with a nasty-looking fall four fences from home, with both the horse and jockey Harry Cobden thankfully getting to their feet.

The fall hampered Nells Son, leaving the Dan Skelton-trained Unexpected Party clear and he was shaken up to take the final obstacle a length in front.

However, Unexpected Party was slowly reeled in by 12-1 chance Nells Son on the run-in, with Nicky Richards’ nine-year-old getting his nose in front in the final 100 yards to come home a length clear.

Gavin Cromwell’s Irish raider Path d’Oroux was the last of the three finishers, 13 lengths adrift.

Richards will take his time with Nells Son, with an assignment at Cheltenham next month a potential target.

He said: “I knew he was in grand order. Obviously, he was wrong (at the weights) with a few of them, but he wasn’t that far wrong.

“He settled into a lovely rhythm and it panned out lovely for us. I don’t know if we’d have beaten Mr Nicholls’ horse, but we’ll take a nice prize and he’s had his day in the sun today anyway.

“He’s a horse that probably wants to be fresh in himself, so we probably won’t rush forward. He acts on a bit of soft ground as well, so we’re not forced to do anything with him for six weeks or so.

“We’ll freshen him up nicely and there might be a race for him at the December meeting at Cheltenham or something like that.

“We’ll just let the dust settle and make a plan, but he’s very versatile track-wise and he’s a very consistent horse, so hopefully he’ll have another nice day.”

Nicholls later posted on X: “Thank you for everyone’s concerns but thankfully Kalif Du Berlais is fine and on his way home after a full veterinary check.”

Kalif Du Berlais made to battle for Adonis honours

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Kalif Du Berlais maintained his unbeaten record but he was made to pull out all the stops by Givemefive in the Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton.

Trained by Paul Nicholls and part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, Kalif Du Berlais created a huge impression on his UK debut over the same course and distance and he was sent off the 10-11 favourite to follow up.

The Harry Derham-trained Givemefive had won each of his two starts though, and with Irish Derby fourth Peking Opera and the well-backed Captain Marvellous also running, it looked a deep race.

The two who fought it out pulled a long way clear, however, and it was the superior stamina of Kalif Du Berlais which saw him prevail by three-quarters of a length under Harry Cobden and meant the major golf champion, Graeme McDowell, had to settle for second with his horse.

Kalif Du Berlais and Givemefive fought out a thrilling finish
Kalif Du Berlais and Givemefive fought out a thrilling finish (Steven Paston/PA)

“He took a bit of time to get going. We went an even gallop, I didn’t feel like we were going mad but I didn’t feel like he was going that easy jumping the last down the back and took a little bit of cajoling,” Cobden told ITV Racing.

“He jumped the second last well and winged the last. He’s still a big baby and was hanging up the run in, so there’s lots of improvement to come.

“He’s massive – he’s a big chasing type. I’d probably favour Aintree if it was left up to me but Paul knows what he’s doing.”

Nicholls said: “He’s shown he can tough it out, he’s given them all weight but whether we rode him right, I don’t know – I’ll see what Harry says.

“He’s very much a horse for the future and we’ll look after him at the minute, I’m thrilled with that.

“He’s had a hard race today, so I’d say he won’t run in the Triumph. Aintree is a possibility I suppose, if we’re happy, but if he didn’t run again (this season) it wouldn’t matter.

“As a chaser he’d be one of the most exciting prospects I’ve had for a long time, he’s got size and scope. To win three as a juvenile at his size is impressive.

“Harry is riding at the top of his game and let’s hope he can keep going until the end of the season like that.”

Derham may also look away from Cheltenham with Givemefive, who McDowell owns in partnership with multiple major winner Brooks Koepka.

“He’s run a brilliant race,” said Derham.

“Paul (O’Brien, jockey) and I spoke about it last night and the plan went perfectly and we just said if Cobden gets by us after the last, then so be it.

“I’m extremely proud of my horse’s run and he did everything right but just came second.

“Maybe (we’ll go to Cheltenham) but there’s a Grade Two at Fairyhouse two weeks later that makes appeal to me. There’s loads of options for him.

“I know that horse and he’s very genuine. I imagine he’ll be very tired and the lads can’t go to Cheltenham. There will be loads of very fresh and well-handicapped horses in the Fred Winter and he won’t be fresh and he won’t be well handicapped, so we might swerve that and go elsewhere.

“He’s a horse with a bright future and we’re looking forward to what’s to come.”

Nicholls mapping out next options for smart juveniles

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Paul Nicholls has high hopes for his two recent winning juveniles Kalif Du Berlais and Kabral Du Mathan.

Both had won previously in France which meant the pair had to carry penalties on their British debuts, but they proved a cut above their respective opposition.

Kabral Du Mathan won the Chatteris Fen at Huntingdon on Friday, while Kalif Du Berlais lived up to his lofty reputation at Kempton on Saturday.

“They both won well and both were carrying penalties in two different types of races,” Nicholls told his Betfair Ditcheat Diary.

“They are two totally different horses. Kabral Du Mathan is more a hurdling type at the moment, he was impressive at Huntingdon and he will probably go to Musselburgh or more than likely the Victor Ludorum at Haydock, which is a race we’ve had good success in. I dare say he will have an entry in the Boodles.

“Kalif, nothing is set in stone yet. I will give him an entry in the Triumph because you want to be in, but I’d say he’s possibly unlikely to run in that.

“I’d say he’s not that type, he’s a chaser, but he’s a good horse and he may well go for the Adonis at Kempton and I assume that will be his next run.

“They are two nice horses, as is Tutti Quanti who was second at Taunton, so we do have some nice juveniles coming along, but headed up by those two.”

Kalif Du Berlais creates big impression at Kempton

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Paul Nicholls introduced an exciting prospect at Kempton in Kalif Du Berlais, who galloped on strongly from the front to win the Play Coral ‘Racing-Super-Series’ For Free Juvenile Hurdle by seven and a half lengths at 4-5.

Nicholls was quick to play down his chances of heading to the Cheltenham Festival, with a future chasing career his long-term target, but that didn’t stop punters from backing the French import into 12-1 with Betfair for the Triumph Hurdle.

Kalif Du Berlais had previously scored impressively on his racecourse bow at Compiegne and Nicholls told Racing TV: “We thought he was a smart horse.

“My only reservation was that he hasn’t been in this country all that long and normally they need a bit of a break to acclimatise, but because I knew we were going to have to give him a run, I just kept going straight on with him and he’s just thrived on everything.

“He’s never looked back from the minute he came in the yard and he’s a gorgeous horse – he’s a chaser, that’s what he was bought for, so we need to mind him. He won’t have too many races this year; we need to look after him and we will.

“His jumping is brilliant but he’s not a Triumph horse is he! All those types like him in the past – Clan Des Obeaux, Frodon – they always finish in the middle and end up superstar chasers, so I don’t see a point in running them in the Triumph Hurdle.

“He could come back here for the Adonis, although we’ve got a few runners for that, so it might be one more run and possibly look at Aintree. All options are open, but I don’t see him as a Triumph horse because he’s the wrong type.”

Nicholls feels Kalif Du Berlais has leapt to the top of the pecking order among his juvenile hurdlers but added: “He’s all about the future and I don’t see any point staying around over hurdles with him for too long, he might have to go chasing in the autumn as a four-year-old.”

Flegmatik secured a third course victory in the New Bet-In-Race With Coral Handicap Chase over three miles, scoring by two lengths at 7-2.

Tristan Durrell gave Dan Skelton’s charge a positive ride and his 3lb allowance came in handy as they saw off the late challenge from top-weight Chianti Classico.

Assistant trainer Bridget Andrews said: “He’s been a great horse for the owners and obviously has a love for Kempton.

“He definitely bounces off the bit better ground, although it looks a bit tacky today, but I don’t know what it is about Kempton.

Kempton Park – Saturday 13th January
Flegmatik ridden by Tristan Durrell on the way to victory (John Walton/PA)

“He’s a strong traveller and we’d normally hold on to him a little bit more than we did today, but it was always happening a bit slowly for him lately and he was taking a bit to get going, so we said if he does get to the front today, just press on – and Tristan gave him a great ride.

“I was pleased to see him push on when he did, the horse has sometimes pulled up a bit when in front but he never gave me that impression today and stayed on really well.”

Nicky Henderson’s Gentle Slopes survived a stewards’ inquiry to claim the Coral Get Closer To The Action Novices’ Hurdle at 4-5, having edged right on the run-in before shading Junkanoo by a nose.