Tag Archive for: Morebattle Hurdle

Cracking result for Ewan Whillans in Morebattle Hurdle

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Just a week on from seeing an £80,000 prize snatched from his grasp in the Eider Chase, Ewan Whillans was celebrating winning the £120,000 bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso with Cracking Rhapsody.

When Prince Des Fichaux was reeled in by Anglers Crag after the last at Newcastle, Whillans could have been forgiving for thinking his best chance of winning a major handicap had slipped through his fingers.

However, in Cracking Rhapsody he had an unexposed novice on his hands with course form up his sleeve and the 9-1 chance turned what looked a competitive race into something of a procession.

With Nicky Henderson’s morning favourite Under Control a non-runner, it opened the race up and it was 7-2 the field.

But Cracking Rhapsody pulled away with Ginger Mail, another trained locally, early in the straight and by the time he jumped the last the race was won, pulling four and a half lengths clear.

Cracking Rhapsody and Craig Nichol return
Cracking Rhapsody and Craig Nichol return (Nick Robson/PA)

Whillans said: “That was unbelievable and I’m over the moon. Even though he’s still a novice he’s always been a good jumper.

“I thought they’d have gone really quick, but Craig (Nichol) had him in a lovely position and he travelled really well.

“Having been second in the Eider last week I thought that was our chance for a big race gone. We don’t have many good horses and it’s usually a case of getting in good races.

“Since last week there’s been a buzz about the yard, we’ve got about 25 horses in being ridden, we’re down a bit, but those we’ve got seem quite capable.

“There’s a novice handicap final at Sandown on the last day of the season worth £100,000 and if the ground is decent I’d say we’ll go there. He might stay over hurdles next year.”



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Morebattle favourite has everything Under Control

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Under Control can put herself in line for a £100,000 bonus when she heads to Kelso for the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old signed off last season by downing stablemate – and subsequent Greatwood and Betfair Hurdle winner – Iberico Lord at Sandown and although misfiring when favourite for the Gerry Feilden in November, she bounced back to form when second to Ashroe Diamond in a Doncaster Grade Two in January.

She holds a plethora of entries for the Cheltenham Festival and has the chance to scoop the sponsor’s six-figure incentive on offer if following up victory in the Scottish Borders at Prestbury Park later this month.

Under Control winning at Sandown last season
Under Control winning at Sandown last season (Steven Paston/PA)

That was something achieved by The Shunter in the very first year this race was run as a handicap and although set to carry a hefty weight burden, Under Control rates as one of the classiest operators in the field.

“She ran a blinder at Doncaster and was beaten by a good mare there,” said owner JP McManus’ racing manager, Frank Berry.

“Nicky has been very happy with her and although she has a lot of weight to carry, we are hoping for a good run. She did well to get back to Doncaster and run well and everything has gone well since.”

On the bonus, he added: “We’ll work it (Cheltenham) out after Saturday, once we’ve seen how she goes. If she doesn’t run well on Saturday, she will have no business going anywhere else.”

Benson provided Sandy Thomson with a popular local victory in this contest 12 months ago and, having advertised his well-being since the turn of the year, is another aiming not just for back-to-back Morebattle triumphs, but to tee-up a second shot at the Cheltenham bonus.

“His last two runs have been really good and two miles at Musselburgh last time would be sharp enough for him,” said Thomson.

“Obviously, he has a lot of weight to carry, but he seems well and he carried that weight at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day, so we will go and give it a shot.

“He was very new to us last season and we know a lot more about him now – and hopefully we have trained him accordingly. Whether we get the same result (as last year), who knows? But we’re very happy with where we have him.”

Plenty of this year’s Morebattle contenders arrive looking to extend a winning run – including the hat-trick-seeking pair of Kerry Lee’s Black Hawk Eagle and Donald McCain’s Geromino.

However, they still have some way to go to match James Moffatt’s Bingoo, who arrives at Kelso unbeaten in three and rapidly climbing the ranks.

“He’s in good order with himself,” said Moffatt. “We’re dropping back in trip a bit, but hopefully there is a very strong gallop up in front, which we should get – I think there’s three or four front-runners in it.

“We’re just going to take our chance and it’s well worth a punt at that sort of prize-money.”

Another in good order is Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole’s Rewired, who has followed up some encouraging performances last term by winning both outings this season.

Newland believes now is the time to give his charge a shot at a valuable prize and said: “He’s done really well and certainly seems in a very good place.

“He came out of his race at Taunton well and is in good form and we’re very happy with him.

“He possibly doesn’t want too much rain, but I just thought he deserved a chance at a slightly better race, really. The owners are excited and we are excited to have a go at it.

“I think if you had asked me if we would be going for this off this mark, I wouldn’t have been as confident, but he’s become a very sharp, quick hurdler and that is helping him. Let’s hope there is more to come.”

Skycutter got off the mark for new trainer Dan Skelton at Carlisle last month and will bid to go two places better than the stable’s L’Eau Du Sud did 12 months ago, while Brian Ellison won this with Cormier two years ago and will saddle Scottish Champion Hurdle fifth Salsada, who returns from 315 days off.



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Morebattle repeat the ultimate aim for Benson

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Sandy Thomson has a bet365 Morebattle Hurdle double top of his wish list for Benson having seen the nine-year-old return to the winner’s enclosure at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day.

Benson had kicked off 2023 with an 11-length victory over Stuart Crawford’s Holmes St Georges at the Edinburgh track and returned to the same race 12 months later for a repeat in the Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle, this time beating the Irish raider by just one length off an 8lb higher mark.

From Musselburgh, Thomson’s stable star went straight to Kelso for the Morebattle in 2023, where he registered a famous local victory for Borders-based Thomson when downing Lorna Fowler’s Colonel Mustard.

Benson could follow the same route once again, although his handler is considering a return to Musselburgh for their Scottish Cheltenham Trials weekend, such is his stellar record at the track.

“It was a great performance and I was very happy with him before the race, he just seemed to have come to himself,” said Thomson.

“That’s what Benson does. He has been called a lot of names in the past but he stuck his neck out and was almost going away again at the line.

“We’ll obviously go for the Morebattle, but whether he goes to Cheltenham Trials Day at Musselburgh in a month or so, I don’t know. Obviously they are spaced quite nicely apart.

“The Morebattle is top of the list, but there is some quite nice prize-money at Musselburgh. If he went and won at Musselburgh he would go up (in the ratings) again, but we will see what the handicapper does and take it from there.”



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Cannock Park handed Morebattle target

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Cannock Park has been handed a big local target by Borders handler Paul Robson after his pleasing third in Aintree’s Formby Novices’ Hurdle on Boxing Day.

Although a winner at Cheltenham on his hurdling bow, it was a bold move by Robson – who combines training his small string with running a funeral directors business – to run the six-year-old in the Christmas Grade One on just his second start over timber.

Cannock Park gave a fine account when attempting to make all in the hands of Craig Nichol and although well held by the front two, he plugged on gamely to make the podium at odds of 40-1.

Despite being pleased with the performance, Robson believes the gap to the front two is too much to bridge at present, with ambitions of running in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle switched for a crack at Kelso’s bet365 Morebattle Hurdle on March 2, where he will seek a famous local victory.

“He’s a lovely horse and he deserved his place in the race at Aintree,” said Robson.

“He was probably a lucky third given the horse that fell, but at the same time, I would say all roads don’t lead to the Supreme. I feel he is not quite that level.

“He’s going to be a lovely, lovely horse and we might look at the Morebattle at Kelso in early March, but we won’t be going to Cheltenham.

“The Morebattle is worth a lot of money and he needs two more runs to qualify, so he is going to have to be busy between now and then.

“He will probably go to Kelso on the 14th, there is just a normal class four novice and he will obviously have a penalty. If he runs there, then we will probably run him in a handicap three or four weeks after that in preparation for the Morebattle.”

A return to Aintree for further Grade One action in the spring is a possibility granted a decent performance in his Kelso target, but Robson is already looking forward to next season where he envisages Cannock Park making his mark over the larger obstacles.

“I imagine that is what he will do and if he runs a blinder in the Morebattle, we can go back to Aintree and if he doesn’t, he can have a break and come back as a novice chaser,” said Robson.

Cannock Park and connections after winning at Cheltenham
Cannock Park and connections after winning at Cheltenham (Nigel French/PA)

“I’ve never been too fussed about him being too quick over his hurdles as I’ve been trying to teach him to jump correctly. We’ve always wanted him to be a chaser, we know he is going to be a chaser and we hope he is going to be a high-class two-miler. That’s what I think his forte will be.”

Cannock Park is by far the best horse to pass through Robson’s hands and although initially disappointed his first foray into Grade One company ended in defeat, the handler is now delighted to be flying the flag for the Scottish Borders with his promising inmate.

Robson added: “We were utterly thrilled and I think the fact we have never been in races like that before, I was kind of gutted finishing third, but when you come away and start looking at it, you get an understanding of what we have just achieved, which is massive.

“We’re delighted and proud of the horse and just very excited. Every trainer I have bumped into when racing since has been chuffed for the horse and for me which is lovely, and they obviously have a lot more experience than me and are delighted there is a nice horse in the north which is super.”



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Colonel Mustard heads to Kelso to set out Cheltenham case

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Colonel Mustard will aim to snaffle the huge carrot of a £100,000 bonus for any horse who wins the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso on Saturday and follows up at the Cheltenham Festival.

Third in last year’s County Hurdle, the Lorna Fowler-trained eight-year-old is one of two Irish raiders who line up for the competitive two-mile handicap.

He returns to hurdling, having had two runs over fences, the last of which saw him finish runner-up to Arkle favourite El Fabiolo over two miles at Fairyhouse.

County Meath-based Fowler said: “We were going to go for the Betfair Hurdle. That was very much the big plan, but the ground was no good at Newbury.

“We thought we could go straight for the County Hurdle, but with the bonus on offer, it made sense to have a go. It is a great carrot. It is a very hard carrot to get your hands on, but it has to be worth a go.

“He is very lightly-raced this year, so is a really fresh horse. He has travelled before, so every box was ticked to have a go. The plan is to go to the County afterwards, if all is well.

“The ground is perfect for him, but it will be perfect for everybody else. At the moment, everything is positive.”

Emmet Mullins won this race two years ago with The Shunter, who went on to secure the bonus when taking the Paddy Power Plate at the Festival.

He saddles Mctigue, who has won two of his four starts over hurdles, including a Grade Two contest at Auteuil, since joining the yard from Jim Bolger.

“We are not the only ones after the bonus,” said Mullins. “He is in good form and we’ll get that race out of the way before thinking about the Festival.

“We have different options there. In England, you run off the weight you are allotted, so that is against us for the Festival. That might narrow our options.

“Even if he wins the Morebattle, he won’t carry a penalty in the Boodles, so he can’t go above 11st 12lb, so that’s another angle for him.

“He has a hardiness and experience for a young horse. He was a two-year-old Flat winner and a very precocious horse and has taken to the jumps very well.”

The British challenge is spearheaded by L’Eau Du Sud, who threw down a strong challenge in the latter stages of a two-mile Kempton handicap over Christmas, only to make a blunder at the last and finish third to No Ordinary Joe.

Dan Skelton is not eyeing the Morebattle Hurdle bonus
Dan Skelton is not eyeing the Morebattle Hurdle bonus (Jacob King/PA)

Trainer Dan Skelton is not eyeing the bonus, however.

He said: “He ran nicely. He’s next year’s chaser. It is obviously a highly competitive race, but I’m very happy with him and I’d give him a little chance.

“He’s not in anything at Cheltenham. The Morebattle is the right race for him. He is a young horse. I don’t want go again that quickly. A bonus is only a bonus if you can win it – and I don’t think we can.

“If we can win the Morebattle, I’ll be very happy. I don’t have to follow up at Cheltenham for it to be worthwhile.”

Gary Moore’s Teddy Blue will make an 800-mile round trip from his West Sussex yard in search of a second win over hurdles.

Joshua Moore hopes Teddy Blue will handle the travelling
Joshua Moore hopes Teddy Blue will handle the travelling (Julian Herbert/PA Wire)

Placed on his last two attempts in Grade Three company, including when third to Aucunrisque in the Betfair Hurdle, assistant trainer Joshua Moore is hopeful he will handle the long journey.

He said: “He ran well last time. He seems well at home. It is a long way to travel, but it just depends on how he travels up there.

“He is in the County and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as well. Which one he will run in, I’m not sure.

“It is a big prize and well worth going up there for.”

Last year’s winner Cormier returns for Brian Ellison, having had two unsuccessful chase starts this term.

Ellison said: “We will go back chasing next year. He would have finished closer in the County last year (when seventh), but for being squeezed out coming up the rail.

“He’s in good form, in fine fettle and always runs his race – he’s tough. He was only a cheap horse and he’s done well.

“He won’t be going to the County. We will probably go to the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock.

“He finished second in the Swinton a couple of years ago and got brought down in it last year. He has run well in it and there are other races to run in as well. ”



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Colonel Mustard set to make hurdles switch in Morebattle

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Colonel Mustard switches to hurdles at Kelso on Saturday with Lorna Fowler hoping to secure the first leg of an audacious quick-fire double in the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle.

Third in the County Hurdle behind State Man at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, the eight-year-old was sent novice chasing in the early part of this season and was last seen finishing a well-beaten second to Arkle hope El Fabiolo.

Fences were soon placed on the back-burner with the Betfair Hurdle entering the picture, but when the unseasonably quick ground ruined that idea, a new plan was quickly hatched, which begins at one of Fowler’s old stomping grounds this weekend.

The winner of the Kelso handicap will qualify for a bonus of £100,000 if following up in any race at the Festival and although the County Meath-based handler insists the Morebattle Hurdle is definitely plan A, victory could set up a return to the County Hurdle in just over two weeks.

“We just need to jump through a few more hoops,” said Fowler. “He’s doing his last piece of work today, but I’m very happy with him and as long as we get through today, then we’ll be all set to go for the Morebattle.

“The plan had been to go for the Betfair Hurdle, the ground scuppered that one and then we kind of had our eye on the County, but this was kind of staring us in the face a little bit.

“Obviously it is a massive ask to travel twice, but the bonus is a very tasty carrot to have a go at. It’s my old stomping ground and I’m happy with any excuse to go back to Kelso. The ground looks like it will be in good nick and we’re all set.

“The target is very much the Morebattle – it’s a very valuable race and it fully merits being our target – but the double is in mind given the bonus that is on offer. It’s plenty of travelling but hopefully it is well worth a go.”

No stone has been left unturned by Fowler in her bid to pull off the feat achieved by Emmet Mullins with The Shunter in 2021, and Colonel Mustard has been given plenty of practice over the smaller obstacles since his short spell over fences.

Fowler added: “He’s been back over hurdles and schooled over the white ones a couple of times as well, so we have made sure he knows what they are like. It does make a difference to them, they definitely see them.

“We also gave him a schooling race at Fairyhouse when we didn’t go for the Betfair and the timing tied in quite well – it came at a good time anyway.”



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