Tag Archive for: Lucy Wadham

Telepathique to take on best of Ireland in Mares’ Chase

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Lucy Wadham is looking forward to seeing whether Telepathique can end Ireland’s dominance of the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

Irish raiders have come out on top in all four renewals of the two-and-a-half-mile contest, with Limerick Lace leading the way 12 months ago for Gavin Cromwell.

Willie Mullins had to settle for second best with Dinoblue on that occasion but has struck with Colreevy and Elimay, while Impervious prevailed for Colm Murphy.

Another strong party will cross the Irish Sea this time, but Telepathique will head the home challenge in fine spirits after winning four of her five races over fences so far.

The seven-year-old started out with a low-key handicap success at Fakenham but has progressed rapidly through the ranks and made all to see off odds-on favourite Brides Hill in a Huntingdon Listed event last time out.

Wadham beamed: “She’s been incredible, she’s gone from 103 to 148 in five runs.

“Hopefully, she will run at Cheltenham in the Mares’ Chase on the Friday, that’s the plan with her and she definitely deserves her chance.

“There’s nowhere else to go, to be honest, so I think we’ve got to go there and we’re looking forward to it.

“Obviously, she hasn’t run at Cheltenham before, so we don’t know how she will handle the track, but she demonstrated last time at Huntingdon that she probably is better to go left-handed than right-handed.

“She’s now rated 148, so really I think that’s where we’ve got to go. I know it’s not a novice, but she seems to have taken to her jumping so well that I wouldn’t be too worried about that.”

Sidney Banks Raceday – Huntingdon Racecourse – Thursday 6th February
Telepathique ridden by jockey Tom Cannon on their way to winning at Huntingdon (Bradley Collyer/PA).

Having bagged a brace of wins on good going this term and scoring twice on good to soft, a fair weather forecast between now and the Festival is expected to favour Telepathique.

“I think we do want goodish ground, I think that would be nice for her – I think if it was bottomless, she wouldn’t run,” added Wadham.

“But at the moment, it’s looking like we’ll be OK, whereas others might not be as well suited.

“Especially those coming over from Ireland, who have been racing on soft ground, although we say that and every year they come over and seem to be quite impervious to what the ground is.

“But she’ll have had a nice break from her last run, she’s had some time to recuperate and we’re really happy with her at home.

“So, all being well, we’ll hopefully have a good day out at Cheltenham.”

White backing Lowry’s Bar for Reynoldstown glory

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Johnson White is optimistic Lowry’s Bar can turn the tables on Windsor conqueror Jingko Blue when they clash again in the Ebony Horse Club Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot.

Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old made it two from two when claiming the rearranged Hampton Novices’ Chase and will be attempting to add another Grade Two victory to his CV in this three-mile event.

However, the result could have been different had Lowry’s Bar not made a mistake at the third-last fence and he takes on his old rival on 5lb better terms.

White, who trains Lowry’s Bar with Philip Hobbs, said: “It’s the big rematch and I hope our pull in the weights will play in our favour. Barring that mistake three out at Windsor, I think we would have been very close to Nicky’s horse there, so I hope we have a really nice chance.

“His jumping has always been very accurate over both hurdles and fences apart from that third-last at Windsor. I thought it was very brave of him to come back and jump the last two fences the way he did after his mistake and he battled all the way to the line.

“He’s never run on ground as fast as he will encounter on Saturday but neither has Nicky’s horse either, so it will be slightly unknown territory, but as long as it’s safe he will take his chance.”

Elsewhere on the card, Lucy Wadham’s Terresita will step up in trip to three miles as she returns to Ascot for the Betfair Swinley Handicap Chase.

She was impressive as she galloped home four and a quarter lengths clear of Hitman in the Bet365 Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs at the same course last time out and could be poised for a raiding mission to Ireland after her latest venture to Berkshire.

Wadham said: “She ran really well here in the Bet365 chase and obviously she’s gone up 6lb now, so that will make it a bit more difficult but we’re stepping up in trip by a couple of furlongs and I’m hoping that will be helpful and she’s in good order.

“After Ascot, I think we’ll go to Punchestown. We won’t go to Cheltenham or Aintree.”

Harry Fry’s Altobelli was another to taste success on Clarence House Chase day, getting the victory his smart course form had promised.

He now shoulders the burden of top-weight seeking to double up in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle.

Fry said: “We were delighted with his performance there last time and we’re going back over the same course and distance hoping to go very well again.

“He seems in good order and has a good record at the track. He appreciated the step up in trip last time, which we knew he would and we’re looking forward to taking his chance once again.

“He’s higher in the weights and is actually top weight on Saturday but he’s a big, strong horse and I don’t think that will be an issue. We hope he can put up another big performance.”

Telepathique to take Mares’ Chase test

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Lucy Wadham believes Telepathique has found another gear chasing as she goes from strength to strength over fences.

The lightly-raced seven-year-old was successful in one of her three bumper starts and also struck over hurdles, but after nearly a year off the track, she really found her calling switched to fences.

She galloped home 11 lengths clear on her debut over the larger obstacles over two miles and five furlongs at Fakenham and a drop back in trip to two miles did not faze her as ran out a winner by four and a quarter lengths at Warwick.

Another triumph at Fakenham in January made it three wins in four fences outings before she secured her biggest win to date in the Listed Lady Protectress Mares’ Chase at Huntingdon.

All roads lead to the Cheltenham Festival now and the Grade Two Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase.
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Wadham said: “The Mares’ Chase is the big target.

“She’s had a fantastic season and she has just improved from run to run. Her jumping is so quick now and sharp. I know she jumped a bit left at Huntingdon but it was the first time she has gone right-handed, so that tells us we want to go to Cheltenham really.

“The thing is she has just come in under the radar because she hasn’t run because been a bit delicate to train at home.

“She sneaked in off 103 at the beginning of the season and she’s only had two runs over hurdles.

“The handicapper didn’t have a real knowledge of how she was and now she’s improved hugely for a fence and she’ll go straight to Cheltenham now.”

Sheehan looking forward to another big weekend as ban overturned

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Gavin Sheehan could be set for another Saturday in the spotlight having successfully appealed the 14-day ban he received at Huntingdon last month.

The 31-year-old was riding Lucy Wadham’s Zain Nights when the raceday stewards deemed the jockey failed to ask his mount for a “timely, real and substantial effort to obtain the best possible placing”.

Zain Nights and Wadham also incurred the wrath of the stewards with the gelding receiving a 40-day ban and his handler fined £3,000 for schooling and conditioning the horse on a racecourse.

Jockey Gavin Sheehan after winning the Coral Gold Cup
Jockey Gavin Sheehan after winning the Coral Gold Cup (Steven Paston/PA)

However, at a hearing on Thursday an independent panel ruled in favour of both Sheehan and Wadham with their respective punishments quashed.

“It was something I didn’t think was ever going to happen, I felt the ride was good on the day and everything,” said Sheehan.

“But, it’s come this far and I’m delighted that we got the right result.”

The result of the hearing allows Sheehan the chance to build on the brilliant season he is enjoying alongside trainer Jamie Snowden and having partnered the Folly House handler’s Datsalrightgino to a famous Coral Gold Cup victory last weekend, has another pair of high-class operators waiting in the wings at Sandown.

The Irishman can now look forward to linking up with his Cheltenham Festival heroine You Wear It Well as she challenges Constitution Hill in the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle, while he will also take the reins aboard highly-touted novice chaser Colonel Harry in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase.

“Obviously I had a brilliant weekend last weekend and I’m now hoping for another one this weekend,” continued Sheehan.

“Things are going great and Jamie is definitely a trainer that is progressing and all it is is getting better horses. Better horses make life easier and he’s got them.

Gavin Sheehan celebrates winning The bet365 Mares’ Hurdle on You Wear It Well
Gavin Sheehan celebrates winning at Wetherby on You Wear It Well (Nigel French/PA)

“It’s exciting that we’ve got Datsalrightgino who has just come out and won the Coral Gold Cup, but now we’ve got a contender for the Fighting Fifth and the Henry VIII.

“Things are going well and I know better than anyone that this game is a rollercoaster and things are going great now, but you can get put back down pretty quick.

“I’m just enjoying it at the moment, that’s what I’m trying to do, and trying to keep the ball rolling. You can’t take the foot off the gas now. Last week was brilliant, but that’s in the past now and I have got to look forward to my one ride tomorrow and doing my best on that and then look forward to Saturday.”

Aintree on Wadham’s mind for Hurricane Bay

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Hurricane Bay could head to the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National Festival having returned to winning ways at Doncaster on Wednesday.

Lucy Wadham’s seven-year-old shed his maiden tag on Town Moor in November and was making his third appearance at the South Yorkshire track having also finished a gallant third in the Grade Two River Don Novices’ Hurdle last month.

Sent off the 4-9 for the Virgin Bet EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle, he had just three other rivals to beat and although the winning margin of 47 lengths suggests victory was a formality, John Quinn’s Imperial Merlin was determined to make a real race of it before coming down at the final flight.

Hurricane Bay ridden by Bryony Frost on their way to winning the Virgin Bet EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster Racecourse
Hurricane Bay ridden by Bryony Frost on their way to winning the Virgin Bet EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster Racecourse (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It was a bit of a shame that Imperial Merlin came down at the last as it would have been interesting to see what would have happened. Although I did feel we did have him covered,” said Wadham.

“We wanted to find something a bit easier for him as he has had some quite tough races, obviously it has worked out well and we’re delighted.

“Although he’s qualified for Sandown, I think we will go to Aintree for the three-mile novice hurdle. He will probably have an entry in the three-mile handicap as well but I suspect we will end up in the novice.

“He obviously ran very well in the River Don and presumably we will have to meet the winner and the second again. I do think Aintree, the track and the ground, will suit him and it’s worth a go – he’s rated 133 now and I think he’s entitled to have a go.”

Harry Derham is hoping Shared (4-1) has done enough to earn a spot in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival following his win in the Virgin Bet Daily Money Back Novices’ Hurdle.

“Paul (O’Brien, jockey) produced the tactics perfectly,” said the former assistant to Paul Nicholls.

Shared ridden by Paul O’Brien (right) goes on to win the Virgin Bet Daily Money Back Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster Racecourse
Shared ridden by Paul O’Brien (right) goes on to win the Virgin Bet Daily Money Back Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster Racecourse (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He ran pretty well at Musselburgh last time, he just didn’t handle the last track, but we needed to get three runs into him. A big, galloping track, going left-handed was always going to suit him much better and he’s done it really nicely, he’s progressive.

“That (the Boodles) is the ambition and dream and you would like to think after winning two and only beaten four lengths in a Listed race, you would get in now. He’s the type of horse that is tough and hardy, jumps slick and you would like to think he would run a nice race.”

All eyes were on Beep Beep Burrow in the concluding Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Open National Hunt Flat Race, but the 2-1 favourite was swiftly pulled up way before Neil Mulholland’s Inoui Machin (11-4) got the better of Cuban Court in a pulsating finish.

Wadham sets out Doncaster date for Martello Sky

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Popular grey Martello Sky will head to Doncaster after trainer Lucy Wadham opted not to run her stable star in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The seven-year-old has been ultra-consistent for the Newmarket yard, winning six of her 12 starts over hurdles and finishing runner-up in three others.

Those placed efforts have all been in her three runs this term and her latest effort saw her 13 lengths behind the impressive Love Envoi in a Listed race at Sandown last week.

Though beaten less than 10 lengths by Marie’s Rock when seventh in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival last season, Wadham has ruled out running Martello Sky in the March 14 renewal.

Connections of the Martaline mare will instead target the Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday week.

“We felt that the Mares’ Hurdle looked like being far too hot for us,” admitted Wadham. “We didn’t want to waste a bullet. We wanted to win rather than dib.

“We are going to look at the Doncaster race at the end of the month, a Grade Two.”

Martello Sky also won two of her four bumper starts and was was runner-up in another, though her string of seconds this term has seen her drop each time in the handicap, which opens up options.

“It is frustrating,” added Wadham. “She is a lovely horse to have in the yard and she loves her racing. She keeps being second and is rated 139 now. She started the season on 142 and has dropped 1lb after every run, so it is quite nice when you are getting black type at the same time.

“Her day will come, if she keeps running like she is. We are not quite at Grade One level, but we might be Grade Two level.

“So, we will look at Doncaster and we might just drop her into a handicap at some point.

“We could look at a Cheltenham handicap, but probably won’t. We’ll look at Doncaster and then go from there, and she is pretty versatile on ground, so that is very helpful.”