Tag Archive for: Mildmay Novices Chase

Bailey happy to take Grade One shot with Chianti Classico

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Kim Bailey believes now is the time for Chianti Classico to dip his toe into Grade One waters in the Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices’ Chase.

Always highly regarded by Bailey, the seven-year-old really came of age at Cheltenham last month, winning the ultra-competitive Ultima by four and a half lengths.

That was his third win of the season, with his only reverse coming when second to Flegmatik at Kempton.

With the handicapper putting him up 11lb, the Andoversford handler saw little point in running in a handicap with top weight and instead he takes on fellow Festival winner Inothewayyurthinkin.

“It was a really good performance at Cheltenham and the handicapper was obviously very impressed as well as he put him up 11lb,” said Bailey.

“We’re lucky that we know he’ll go the very soft ground as it was heavy going at Cheltenham.

“He’s definitely worth a crack at a Grade One now, the only alternative was to run in a handicap this week, but that 11lb rise meant he would have had top weight and if he’d done that and run well or even won, you’d have just been thinking why you weren’t in the Grade One.

“He’s been to Aintree before, we ran him in the bumper at this meeting a couple of years ago so he’s got that experience.”

Inothewayurthinkin and Iroko are both owned by JP McManus but have taken very different routes.

Inothewayurthinkin was an easy winner of the Kim Muir
Inothewayurthinkin was an easy winner of the Kim Muir (Adam Davy/PA)

Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin arrives of the back of a very easy win off top weight in the Kim Muir and certainly looks worth stepping back up in grade having run well behind Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior at Limerick in December.

“Inothewayurthinkin came out of Cheltenham very well and did it very nicely on the day. Gavin is very happy with him, we’ll know more about where we stand after the race on Friday but he’s in good form,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

Iroko, who won the Martin Pipe over hurdles at Cheltenham last March, made a very impressive chasing debut at Warwick in November.

He picked up an injury there and was initially ruled out for the rest of the season but arrived back at the yard of joint-trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero quicker than expected and finished a respectable fifth to Grey Dawning in the Turners.

Iroko won at last year's Cheltenham Festival over hurdles
Iroko won at last year’s Cheltenham Festival over hurdles (David Davies/PA)

“Iroko’s preparation for Cheltenham was a bit quick after the hold-up. He ran quite well there and the boys are hoping he’s come forward from that run and we’re hoping for a nice run,” said Berry.

Nigel Twiston-Davies fields Broadway Boy, who was denied a run at Cheltenham due to a minor setback. He wears cheekpieces for the first time.

The Lucinda Russell-trained Giovinco, an excellent third to Fact To File in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, and Henry de Bromhead’s Heart Wood, impressive when landing a competitive handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival, add further intrigue.

“He was very good in the Leopardstown Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. He’s very lightly raced and I think that he’s progressive,” Heart Wood’s rider Rachael Blackmore told Betfair.

“He’s obviously taking a big step up here, from a handicap chase into a Grade One, but we’re really happy with him at home. I hope that he can stay the trip, and I’m hoping that he can take the step up in class.”

No obvious reason for Thyme Hill’s Festival disappointment

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Connections of Thyme Hill are scratching their heads to find a reason for his lacklustre run in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last week.

The nine-year-old, who had finished runner-up to Flooring Porter in last season’s Stayers’ Hurdle, went into the Grade One chase on the back of victory in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

Having his first run since, the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White-trained gelding finished a laboured eighth to The Real Whacker, coming home under Micheal Nolan some 35 lengths behind the winner in the extended three-mile contest.

“He was disappointing,” admitted White. “He jumped a little bit slowly and at Cheltenham that obviously puts you on the back foot between the fences.

“It just never really panned out for him. We scoped him afterwards and there was a little bit of muck there, but probably not enough to suggest that was any excuse for his below-par performance.”

The Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree opens day two of the Aintree Grand National Festival and has been pencilled in for Thyme Hill’s next run.

However, he must show he has overcome his exertions before representing the Somerset yard at the Liverpool track.

“He has come back and seems in great form and looks well,” added White. “He just didn’t travel and jump as you need to to win races at Cheltenham.

“Hopefully we can move on and get him back on a winning thread.

“It’s early days to make plans, but we will have a look at Aintree and see. Most importantly it is to ensure he’s OK.

“He’s back cantering and seems well, and a decision will be made within the next week or 10 days, but that is certainly the plan at the moment. We will discuss it with his owners and see how his well-being is and go from there.”