Tag Archive for: Newbury

Master Chewy springs minor Game Spirit surprise

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Master Chewy was not for beating when rewarding the patience of his connections with success in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.

The eight-year-old is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and was ridden by his son Sam as an 11-1 shot for the Grade Two assignment that had been an intended target for Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten Sir Gino.

The latter horse was a non-runner and the complexion of the race therefore changed, something Master Chewy took full advantage of when prevailing for the first time since 2023 with a length-and-a-quarter victory over Libberty Hunter.

Matata, a stablemate of the winner, was sent off the 11-8 favourite and he was in charge turning for home before the field started to close in on him.

He jumped the last in front but slightly drifted on the run to the line, handing the initiative to the game Master Chewy who stayed on all the way to break his winless run.

Coral halved Master Chewy’s Champion chase odds to 33-1 from 66-1 but the trainer feels the longer Ryanair Chase may be a more suitable option than taking on odds-on favourite Jonbon.

He said: “He’s got some smashing form and he’s got some really good form. Things haven’t always gone his way and he’s been beaten by horses coming up the handicap, but it was a superb run.

“He was giving weight to Matata and he did a lovely job. The funny thing is every time they have raced against each other, Master Chewy has almost always beaten Matata. The only time it didn’t happen was when he fell in the Arkle and they are both lovely horses and you can never split them.

“Master Chewy was always going to run on and finish strong and probably needs further – perhaps we will run him in a Ryanair. I will talk to the experts but the Ryanair could be easier than the Champion Chase.

“The owners (Anne-Marie and Jamie Shepperd) have been very supportive, they are our stable sponsors and are superstars. They lost I Like To Move It the other year which was a terrible time but that was exciting and wonderful.”

Of Matata, he added: “It might have come too soon after Windsor and that’s what I’m putting that down to.

“He will go to the Champion Chase definitely. He ran his heart out last time and this has probably come just a little too soon. We’ve got a good four or five weeks to the next one, so onwards and upwards.”

Evan Williams could also look to the Champion Chase with Libberty Hunter, with a handicap entry also on the table.

He said: “The horse ran well and there’s no complaints, he was second best on the day but gave us plenty of optimism in that grade for the future.

“It’s such a huge jump to this level and it’s so nice when you have one that can bridge the gap.

“He will be entered in the Grand Annual and he’s in the Champion Chase and we’ll have to see what is the best option. Adam Wedge is convinced he’s a better horse around Cheltenham than a flat track.

“He deserves his place in the Champion Chase field perhaps and if it came up really soft at Cheltenham, you might be inclined to take a punt.”

Djelo goes the distance with Denman victory

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Djelo scrapped to a tough success in the William Hill Bet10 Get10 On Racing Denman Chase at Newbury.

Venetia Williams’ bay was the 6-4 favourite under Charlie Deutsch in a field of seven for the Grade Two event run over a trip just shy of three miles.

The gelding thrived on the soft going and clearly also enjoyed the extended distance on his first attempt, settled in the early stages by Deutsch before assuming control of the race with two fences to jump.

Djelo got a bit close to the final obstacle but ultimately had plenty in hand and came home three and a half lengths clear of Hitman, who was finishing second in the race for a third successive year.

His Paul Nicholls-trained stablemate Bravemansgame kept on for third, beaten a further six and a half lengths.

Djelo clears the water jump at Newbury
Djelo clears the water jump at Newbury (Steven Paston/PA)

Djelo was cut to 12-1 from 20s by Paddy Power for the Ryanair Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, with Williams favouring the extended two-and-a-half-mile option over his other entry in the two-mile Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Williams said: “A week ago we were running in the Game Spirit and it was only 15 minutes before entries closed that I took a look what was in the Denman and thought ‘we need to be in there as well’.

“We’ve got him in the Ryanair and we’ve got him in the Champion Chase but not the Gold Cup and there are no regrets about that at all. I would say he would go to the Ryanair now. He’s a King George horse for next season. He’s got better with maturity and it will be straight to Cheltenham now.

“He’s quite a headstrong horse and you have to be forgiving and I think an element of Windsor was not so much him but Protektorat, because he was brilliant.

“Protektorat was ridden with enormous restraint when we beat him at Huntingdon in the Peterborough Chase and we got well away from him, but the same thing happened the other way round at Windsor, the boot was on the other foot.

“We were scratching our heads over tactics and Peter (Davies, owner) and I left it down to Charlie to make up his mind down at the start.

“We didn’t want him being too keen, so he dropped him right out and he settled beautifully, almost to the point that when they turned for home I was wondering when Charlie was going to set him alight. When he did the turbo came in very quickly.

“We can’t do it without the generous owners and their support and I think that is a milestone for both of us. It’s taken us past £1million for the season and we think it has put Peter into second in the owners table.”

Paul Nicholls was pleased with the performances of both Hitman and Bravemansgame, with both now set to head straight to Aintree for the Randox Grand National.

Bravemansgame is now set to head straight to the Grand National
Bravemansgame is now set to head straight to the Grand National (Adam Davy/PA)

Nicholls said: “They’ve both run nice races and will both head to the National now.

“Harry (Cobden) said Bravemansgame keeps a bit to himself and he’s come in here as fresh as paint. He’s had so many hard races over the years and they sometimes just look after themselves a little bit, but the horse has gone round there with his ears pricked loving it.

“They sprinted a bit from two out and the younger legs won the day, but they have both run really nice races. They are both 10, have both been amazing horses and will now both take their chance in the National and I dare say they would love it.

“They both jump well and travel and whether they stay the trip, they’ll have to have a good day the pair of them. But what they will do is jump and travel really well.

“The great thing is Bravemansgame will keep running for another year or two because he looks after himself. He’s gone round there today loving it and he might not quite be as good as he was, but he’s been an amazing horse.

“I think they will both love it round Aintree and I think the one of ours who might be a true unexposed stayer is Kandoo Kid, he’s been round there before and he might run at Kempton two weeks today.”

Morrison making no Secret of Squirrel’s Hurdle hopes

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Hughie Morrison is going in search of more handicap glory with Secret Squirrel in the valuable William Hill Hurdle at Newbury.

The six-year-old took home the £57,000 on offer for winning the Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle at Windsor last month and is eyeing another enticing pot with £87,000 on offer for the winner at the weekend.

Secret Squirrel was prominent at Windsor and despite hanging left at the business end of the race, he kept on strongly to lead home Paul Nicholls’ Kabral Du Mathan by two lengths.

He was well in contention when he he fell at the final flight in another valuable handicap at Ascot in December, and while Morrison feels Nicky Henderson’s Joyeuse and Alan King’s Favour And Fortune are obvious dangers he is hopeful his charge will post another strong performance.

Secret Squirrel, who has plenty of fans as a flashy chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail, will carry an extra 5lb for the Windsor victory.

Morrison said: “When you’ve got a good two-mile handicapper you basically follow the money don’t you?

“You follow the races. Windsor wasn’t the original plan, but when we saw the attraction of the prize-money, which was more than Cheltenham, we went to Windsor.

Hughie Morrison is chasing another valuable pot at Newbury
Hughie Morrison is chasing another valuable pot at Newbury (John Walton/PA)

“We’re realistic. If you win one of those you’ve done well, you don’t usually win two.

“He chased the pace too much there (at Ascot) and as a result ran very well before he fell. Hopefully he is in as good a form.

“There seems to be a few more lurkers I think I would say in the terminology of the betting fraternity, whether it’s Nicky or Alan. They look to be laid out for this race. We haven’t been laid out.

“We love him so dearly we just want to take him home and ride him around the field. I don’t think there are any particular plans after this.

“It’s one race at a time and after Saturday afternoon he would have had three hard races and we’ll take a view after that.”

Tom Symonds hopes a return to his favourite racecourse will play into the hands of Navajo Indy.

Navajo Indy (front left) on their way to winning at Newbury
Navajo Indy (front left) on their way to winning at Newbury (Adam Davy/PA)

The six-year-old has won twice and finished second on three previous trips to the Berkshire circuit and came home one and a half lengths clear of Queens Gamble on his last visit in the Gerry Feilden.

Symonds has elected to fit Navajo Indy with cheekpieces to keep him concentrating following his fourth-place finish behind Secret Squirrel last time out at Windsor.

He said: “We’re going back to Newbury, where obviously he has run some of his best races.

“We’re hoping the ground is a bit softer which it sounds like it is going to be.

“We’ve put cheekpieces on, just to make sure early on in the gallop we don’t get into the same position that we did at Windsor. It’s obviously a very different track. I hope it will give him the opportunity to travel early and finish strongly.

“He’s been progressive and we’ve enjoyed the ride so far and I’m hoping he can still be progressive, but we’re under no illusions.

“He can run very well and sit in this race. He was very good in the Gerry Feilden and has constantly surprised us, so let’s hope he continues to do that.”

Tom Symonds in the paddock
Tom Symonds is keen to see how good Navajo Indy can be over two miles (Mike Egerton/PA)

Navajo Indy won a novice hurdle at Bangor on his first run of the season following an extended break and the form stacks up from that race with Gamesters Guy, Brockarno and Land Of Moon subsequently having gone on to win.

Symonds added: “That race has thrown up plenty of winners as has the Gerry Feilden, so the form looks quite strong and it was very nice to have the gap from the Gerry Feilden to the Windsor race so he’s a fresh horse and let’s hope that’s a boon to his chances on Saturday.

“We’re on a mission to find out what he can do over two miles because I do see the horse as staying further, but we’ll see what he can do on a track that he’s done well at and we’ll go from there really. That’s the plan.”

Nicholls: Denman looks ideal race for Bravemansgame before Aintree

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Bravemansgame is set to be Grand National-bound after he goes for gold in the Denman Chase at Newbury.

The choice of Harry Cobden from two representatives of Paul Nicholls, the 10-year-old is a fixture in the biggest staying chases, and while he has not got his head in front since winning the 2022 edition of the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, it was only Galopin Des Champs that stopped him taking the Cheltenham Gold Cup a few months later.

His latest run was in the Christmas showpiece, where he was eighth to Banbridge, having previously been second in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and then third in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

“Bravemansgame had two hard races earlier in the season and I don’t think he was quite at his best at Kempton where he paid the price for chasing the free-running Il Est Francais,” Nicholls said in his Betfair blog.

Bravemansgame winning the 2022 King George VI Chase
Bravemansgame winning the 2022 King George VI Chase (John Walton/PA)

“I’ve freshened him up since then, taken off the blinkers and am fitting a tongue tie at the suggestion of Harry Cobden. This looks an ideal race for Bravemansgame’s final start before the Grand National.”

Nicholls also saddles the Freddie Gingell-ridden Hitman, a horse very familiar with the William Hill-sponsored feature, finishing runner-up for the past two seasons.

“He is extremely consistent and so hard to place because he gets no help from the handicapper. He ran another cracker when an excellent second under top-weight at Ascot last time,” Nicholls added.

“He arguably ran a career best chasing home Shishkin 12 months ago and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see him go close again.”

Hitman (white colours) ran a fine race 12 months ago in finishing second to Shishkin
Hitman (white colours) ran a fine race 12 months ago in finishing second to Shishkin (Adam Davy/PA)

Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law is bidding to get his head back in front as he steps out of handicap company.

The nine-year-old has two big Cheltenham handicap successes to his name and was placed at Grade Two level last season when runner-up in the Oaksey Chase at Sandown on his final run of the campaign.

He returned this season in good form to finish second again at Chepstow, and was subsequently runner-up for a third consecutive time when handing over his title in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

A return to Cheltenham for the December Gold Cup followed, but he was out of luck when carrying plenty of weight, finishing ninth.

Providing the ground does not deteriorate, he will now be returned to Grade Two level, with Gavin Sheehan in the saddle.

Snowden said: “He’s had a good season, second in the Paddy Power, which made it three straight seconds after good runs in a Grade Two at Sandown and two nice handicaps, prior to slightly disappointing last time.

Ga Law at Cheltenham
Ga Law at Cheltenham (Nigel French/PA)

“We just felt he was carrying decent weights in handicaps, so we should probably chance our arm back in a Grade Two again.

“It’s a shame we’ve got a penalty for winning that race on Trials day last year but he comes in here in good order, although he wants good ground, or better ground, so I hope the ground does dry up a bit and it’s decent ground at Newbury – if it’s not, then we won’t be running.”

Venetia Williams’ Djelo has been in good form this term with a second-placed run in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter in November.

He then won the Peterborough Chase ahead of Protektorat by a good margin a month later and subsequently lined up for the Fleur De Lys Chase at Windsor, where the form was reversed and he came home a well-beaten second.

The Denman is somewhat uncharted territory for the seven-year-old, who steps up to a two-mile-seven-furlong trip for the first time.

Howden Christmas Racing Weekend – Day One – Ascot Racecourse
Djelo and Charlie Deutsch (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s come back from Windsor all right. To be honest, the original idea was the Game Spirit, but 20 minutes before closing, I had a look at the entries and then had a look at the Denman and I thought ‘blimey, he needs to be in that as well’,” Williams told Sky Sports Racing.

“At the end of the day, it’s only a furlong further than the Fleur De Lys. He disappointed in that race, but it’s only a couple of furlongs further than the Peterborough, so we’ll see.

“It’s a step in a new direction for him and there’s few races for them at this time of the season. If you want to give them another run before the middle of next month (Cheltenham), there’s few races to choose from.”

Matata and company hoping to take advantage of Sir Gino absence

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Matata is out to take advantage of the absence of Sir Gino and book his ticket to the Queen Mother Champion Chase when lining up in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.

The Grade Two event changed complexion on Friday morning when Nicky Henderson ruled out the odds-on favourite, with Nigel Twiston-Davies’ in-form chaser now having the perfect opportunity to land his third victory of the season and build on an impressive wide-margin success at Windsor recently.

At Windsor Matata was ridden for the first time by J J Slevin, who has made a fine start to his tenure as retained rider for leading owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Having excelled in unison on that occasion, the Irishman is now hoping the seven-year-old can continue on his upward profile and pick up this prize en route to the two-mile championship at the Cheltenham Festival.

Slevin said: “He was very good in Windsor and he’s been a hard-knocking horse. He was a good novice last year and progressed away through handicaps in the autumn, so he’s on the upgrade.

“It’s strange, but the two-mile division is a bit like the sprinters on the Flat – there’s not as big a jump between a really good two-mile handicapper and a Grade One horse, whereas in the three-mile division it is a big jump.

“He’s still a young horse who hasn’t done a lot wrong and I’d be excited about riding him in a Champion Chase.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies will saddle two at Newbury (
Nigel Twiston-Davies will saddle two at Newbury (Adam Davy/PA)

The Twiston Davies team are also represented by Master Chewy who is the mount of Sam Twiston-Davies, while Alan King’s Edwardstone ran out an emphatic 40-length winner of this contest 12 months ago, with the 11-year-old now back to defend his title.

Evan Williams’ Libberty Hunter skipped Ascot’s Clarence House Chase in favour of coming here in anticipation of favourable conditions ahead of his return to graded company, with last year’s Grand Annual runner-up helped by ease in the ground.

Williams said: “It will be a tough race, but hopefully those wintry showers show up as we need that.

“He likes soft ground and the only thing I would say is, we’ve had a bit of frost around the country this week and the ground could be tough going. If we got a shower on top of that it would be a big help.”

Libberty Hunter in full flight at Cheltenham
Libberty Hunter in full flight at Cheltenham (Nigel French/PA)

On the absence of Sir Gino, he added: “It’s a pity and let’s hope he is OK. I was genuinely hoping to see him again because he was spectacular at Kempton and let’s hope he can get to Cheltenham because we all want to see that.

“It changes the complexity of the race enormously, but the horses that are left in it are still going to be very hard to beat. I would say Sir Gino was going to be impossible to beat, but the boys left are still going to be very, very difficult – they are very good horses and it’s a competitive field.”

The last of five runners is Joe Tizzard’s JPR One who was last seen finishing third in the Tingle Creek at Sandown.

‘Sore’ Arkle favourite Sir Gino misses Game Spirit run

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Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino will not run in Saturday’s William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.

The five-year-old has been ruled out of the Grade Two contest due to a minor injury that has left him sore and unable to run.

Henderson is now searching for alternative contests to get the gelding onto the racecourse ahead of his Cheltenham Festival target of the Arkle.

Sir Gino and jockey Nico de Boinville
Sir Gino and jockey Nico de Boinville (Richard Sellers/PA)

The trainer said via X: “We have some news to share on Sir Gino. Regrettably Sir Gino will be unable to run at Newbury tomorrow as he has sustained a small wound to the inside of his near hind leg which is sore, it must have occurred during routine exercise yesterday and although he is less sore this morning than last night, I am afraid it will not be completely cleared by Saturday.

“We anticipate that he will be back to normal by the beginning of next week so the timing is very unfortunate.

“This will leave us with a dilemma where to go in order to get another run before the Arkle. The Pendil at Kempton would be an option, although it is over two and a half miles which is not ideal.

“There are very few alternatives except for a newly created two-mile novice at Bangor on 26th February but that is getting horribly close to Cheltenham.”

Sir Gino has had just one start over fences so far, when running out a hugely impressive winner of the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton over Christmas.

Henderson added: “It’s very annoying. He will be on the water treadmill and he will be in there today and tomorrow and hopefully we will be riding him again on Monday.”

Coral eased Sir Gino to 8-11 favourite from 4-6 in the betting for My Pension Expert Arkle Trophy in response to the late change in plan. The firm also trimmed the second favourite, Majborough to 7-4 from 2-1.

“All racing fans will be hoping Sir Gino’s absence from Newbury is just a temporary setback, as he is one of the most exciting jumpers in training right now, but clearly missing the Game Spirit is not ideal, and as a result, we have eased his Arkle odds slightly, albeit he remains odds-on favourite for the race,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

Five set to take Sir Gino on at Newbury on Saturday

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Sir Gino will face five rivals when stepping into open company for the first time over fences in the Grade Two William Hill Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten six-year-old was a dual Grade One winner over hurdles after adding November’s Fighting Fifth success at Newcastle to last season’s Aintree juvenile victory.

He then made a sensational debut over bigger obstacles when brushing aside Ballyburn in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton over Christmas.

However, the hot favourite for Arkle glory at Cheltenham will face a stiff test at Newbury, with the opposition headed by Alan King’s veteran Edwardstone, who made all to win unchallenged in this contest 12 months ago.

Matata goes into the extended two-mile event on the back of a 10-length triumph under 12st in a competitive Windsor handicap, while Libberty Hunter was another who scored last time out at Cheltenham.

JPR One brings elite-level form to the table after finishing third behind Sir Gino’s stablemate Jonbon in the Tingle Creek at Sandown, where the reopposing Master Chewy and Edwardstone both fell.

Djelo sidesteps the Game Spirit in favour of the William Hill Bet10 Get10 On Racing Denman Chase over just short of three miles.

The Venetia Williams-trained seven-year-old struck at the same Grade Two level in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon when beating Protektorat, but was well behind the same opponent in Windsor’s Fleur de Lys.

Paul Nicholls has claimed the race named after his former Gold Cup hero a record 10 times and will be doubly represented this term through Bravemansgame and Hitman.

Colin Tizzard saddled Native River to three Denman Chase wins before also prevailing in 2022 with Eldorado Allen, who is back for another crack at the age of 11, now under the care of Tizzard’s son Joe.

Fugitif, Ga Law, Le Patron and the 13-year-old Sam Brown complete the line-up.

The William Hill Handicap Hurdle, which carries £155,000 in prize-money and is worth over £87,000 to the winner, has attracted a field of 18 runners, headed by top-weight Lump Sum.

Hughie Morrison’s stunning chestnut Secret Squirrel has been among the market leaders ever since obliging at Windsor last month.

Henderson will be represented by last year’s victor Iberico Lord and well-backed lightweight Joyeuse, who will be the mount of Nico de Boinville.

Chris Gordon’s Aucunrisque is another past winner back for another attempt at landing Europe’s richest handicap hurdle.

Henderson expecting Newbury ‘education’ for Sir Gino

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Nicky Henderson thinks Sir Gino will learn more by lining up in Saturday’s William Hill Game Spirit Chase at Newbury than he would sticking to novice company.

While the exciting five-year-old does hold an entry in the Kingmaker at Warwick, where he would clash with Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud, Henderson prefers to keep him closer to home.

That means taking on last year’s winner of the race Edwardstone, who has also won a Tingle Creek Chase, and the improving pair of Matata and Libberty Hunter.

Having run both Sprinter Sacre and Altior in the race as novices, though, it is a familiar route for Henderson.

“He’s in good shape, he schooled last week and did a nice gallop on Saturday, he’s in good form,” the trainer told Sky Sports Racing.

“We think this is the road to (Cheltenham). It’s always a very good race but we’re using it as a prep, it’s education more than anything else.

“There’s a lot of reasons why he’s running, I just think Newbury is a nice place to go, it’s a great track for novices. We’ve used it before, I think it’s important that Nico (de Boinville) stays on him, so it wouldn’t have been convenient with all the other races at Newbury on Saturday (if he went to Warwick).

“By and large we said we’d come here, it will be competitive and the older horses will test him a bit more, their experience might rub off. They’ll go a good gallop, that’s for sure.

“If you went for an ordinary novice he’d probably end up making the running, I don’t say I don’t want him to make the running but he’ll learn more not doing it. There’s Matata and Edwardstone – he made all in this last year – and JPR One is a decent horse too, they’ll go a good gallop.”

Majborough impressed at Leopardstown
Majborough impressed at Leopardstown (Damien Eagers/PA)

Willie Mullins’ Majborough, last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner, cemented his position as Sir Gino’s big rival in the novice ranks by winning the Irish Arkle at the weekend, and Henderson was suitably impressed.

“I thought he was very impressive, he won really well and he’s the best of their two-mile novices, there’s no doubt about it,” said Henderson.

“It’s strange, the Arkle market is held together by two five-year-olds, that wouldn’t happen very often. We weren’t at Cheltenham while Majborough was and then we came in at Aintree.”

Derham plotting double assault on William Hill Handicap Hurdle

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Harry Derham will have two arrows to fire at the valuable William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday, with both Washington and Givemefive intended runners in the £155,000 event.

Washington arrives on a hat-trick having won at Chepstow on his first run for the yard before then justifying favouritism in a decent race at Fairyhouse worth €59,000 to the winner.

Givemefive is on something of a retrieval mission. The five-year-old, owned by golfers Graeme McDowell and Brooks Koepka among others, won at Cheltenham in October but was only fourth behind Anzadam at Fairyhouse before disappointing at Windsor last time out.

“Since Ireland, this has very much been the plan with Washington,” said Derham.

“We’ve left Givemefive in as well but he was obviously very disappointing last time out, so we’ll probably run him in a pair of blinkers.

“I thought we could forgive him his run in Ireland, as we’ve taken him over twice now and he hasn’t run to form, but that doesn’t excuse his last run at Windsor!

“That was his first handicap, though, and obviously he’s much better than that at his best. We’ve aimed him at this Newbury race all season and I’m not going to not run him just because he disappointed last time out.”

A total of 23 were confirmed, meaning all will get a run, as there is a limit of 24.

Secret Squirrel, Favour And Fortune, Fiercely Proud, Joyeuse and Lump Sum, the new top weight, are all in the mix.

Sir Gino looks set to light up Newbury
Sir Gino looks set to light up Newbury (Zac Goodwin/PA)

Sir Gino is one of seven in the William Hill Game Spirit Chase. Nicky Henderson is not averse to running a novice in the Grade Two and Altior took this prize in 2017 before winning the Arkle. Sir Gino also holds a back-up entry in Warwick’s Kingmaker Novices’ Chase.

Edwardstone, JPR One, Matata and Djelo are among the entries and the latter also appears among eight possible contenders for the William Hill Denman Chase over three miles.

The Paul Nicholls duo of Bravemansgame and Hitman are on target, along with Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law.

Henderson sets sights on familiar Newbury target for Sir Gino

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Sir Gino will bid to emulate former Seven Barrows stars Sprinter Sacre and Altior by stepping out of novice company for the William Hill Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

It is 13 years since Sprinter Sacre used the Grade Two contest as a stepping-stone to winning the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, and the similarly brilliant Altior repeated the feat in 2017.

Sir Gino is already odds-on to provide Nicky Henderson with an eighth Arkle success, having dazzled on his chasing debut at Kempton over the Christmas period – and while he will have the back-up option of the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick, his Seven Barrows trainer is favouring a tried and tested route.

“He’s in great form, terrific, he’s schooled, worked and it’s all done,” said Henderson, speaking at Sandown on Saturday.

“I’ll put him in at Warwick as well, but the great thing is the weather is looking lovely and we might be looking at some nice ground.

“Newbury is the plan, but he will be in at Warwick if for any reason Newbury isn’t suitable.”

Libberty Hunter given Game Spirit aim after Ascot ruled out

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Libberty Hunter will divert to Newbury’s Game Spirit Chase next month after he was not declared for Saturday’s BetMGM Clarence House Chase at Ascot due to drying ground.

Evan Williams’ progressive two-miler was runner-up in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival last term before subsequently making the frame in his first attempt in Grade One company at Aintree.

Libberty Hunter impressed when making a winning return at Prestbury Park in December and Williams had been keen to test his mettle against the likes of Jonbon and dual Champion Chase hero Energumene.

However, drying conditions at the Berkshire venue have seen Williams search for a Plan B and having avoided a clash with one Nicky Henderson chasing star, he could now be on course to take on another in Sir Gino at Newbury in early February.

“The ground has dried far too much for him, it has gone good in places and I would imagine it will have dried considerably more by the weekend,” said Williams.

“He’s a soft ground horse and it’s disappointing, but that’s the way it goes.

“We’ll try to get to Newbury on February 8 for the Game Spirit. That’s what we will try to do and we need cut in the ground really. It’s a tough enough ask (taking on these horses) as it is, without running on ground he doesn’t want.”

Libberty Hunter is a general 33-1 for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Don’t Rightly Know jumps Newbury rivals ragged for Listed prize

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Don’t Rightly Know made all to land the Listed Charlie Nugent Memorial Mares’ Chase at Newbury.

Harry Cobden sent the 2-1 favourite straight to the front of the field and the 10-year-old never put a foot wrong, with an impeccable round of jumping.

Lady Balko, seeking a fourth straight victory, was the first beaten as Don’t Rightly Know kept the pressure on and it was Apple Away and Derek Fox that gave chase, but Cobden kept the Polly Gundry-trained mare up to her work to come home one and a quarter lengths clear and secure a double on the day for the champion jockey.

Fantastic Lady stayed on to claim third, with Smiling Getaway and Lady Balko tailed off.

Gundry said: “I think Harry did a rather good job.

“I think she can really cope with soft ground which is a bit safer for her and it’s a bit dead out there. I think all the frost and the rain we’ve had recently has helped.

“She hasn’t got the mileage and it is a little bit like a car, if you don’t put the mileage on you have it there for later.

“She has got the most extraordinary temperament, very arrogant and she wants to do it all her own way and it’s a really good win.”

She went on: “We’ll have a lot of celebrations as a result of this one and we’ll go and plan whilst we’re having a glass of champagne.”

Cobden told Sky Sports Racing: “She’s got lots of stamina because she’s won over three miles on a more testing surface than this. She’s a nice mare and great for Polly and connections because they’ve bred her and that’s what every breeder wants to do, get a mare that wins a Listed race.

“She going to take a fair hike in the handicap, isn’t she? She’s obviously improving even though she’s 10 years old. I think the handicapper will give her 15lb, but if she runs against similar company again she will go and win again won’t she?”

Jasmin De Grugy wrapped up a five-timer in the DJB Cleaning Handicap Chase.

The Anthony Honeyball-trained six-year-old was held up by Richie McLernon and the 7-4 favourite was asked for an effort three out.

He soon challenged the leaders and took it up over the last to win in a canter, by four and a quarter lengths from Garincha.

Jurancon got back to winning ways at Newbury
Jurancon got back to winning ways at Newbury (Nick Potts/PA)

Jurancon has been placed in all seven of his starts under rules and claimed a fourth victory in the Grosvenor Sport Cash Back Offers Novices’ Hurdle.

The David Pipe-trained six-year-old raced prominently and although he did not jump fluently he did enough to justify 5-4 favouritism by two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Big Ginge.

Cobden got his day up and running when partnering Sherminator to victory on his hurdling debut in the Grosvenor Sport Win Rewards Every Day EBF Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle.

He jumped into contention going over the final flight before hitting the front and keeping on to win by two and a quarter lengths going away from Star Of Guiting at 11-4.

Bucephalus (7-2 joint-favourite) made all under 7lb claimer Harriet Tucker to land the Grosvenor Sport New Customers Double Odds Handicap Hurdle, while Keable (9-4) made it a successful day for favourite-backers when he became the fifth favourite to win out of six races in the closing Grosvenor Sport Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle.

Newbury target for talented Tellherthename

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Tellherthename will return to action at Newbury next month in the race formally known as the Betfair Hurdle.

Currently listed as the Newbury Handicap Hurdle, the valuable handicap was an intended target for the talented six-year-old during his novice hurdling campaign for Ben Pauling, but was declared a non-runner on the day due to the unsuitably deep ground.

He would go on to run in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in the spring and after making his seasonal return for his new training team of Jonjo and AJ O’Neill in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, Newbury’s £155,000 contest has entered the equation again following an interrupted campaign to date.

“Tellherthename has been a bit stop-start, he picked up a bug which stopped him a little bit and he wasn’t anywhere near fit when he ran in the Fighting Fifth, but the guys needed to get a run into him,” explained owner Andrew Megson.

“We then found a benign tumour in him. He’s perfectly OK and it can be cleared up by injection, but it just means you have to go easy for a few weeks – the vets said he clearly had it for a long time.

“He’s back and ready to go and hopefully will go to Newbury on Super Saturday.”

Tellherthename was a staying-on fourth behind Sir Gino in his Newcastle return, with connections taking plenty of encouragement from the winner’s subsequent ultra-impressive chasing debut at Kempton over Christmas.

However, it could prove to be a case of history repeated if conditions are testing at Newbury on February 8.

“What we won’t do is risk him on poor ground, he doesn’t get through it. But everything he has done at home on the gallops, he is everything we hoped he would be,” Megson added.

“To do what he did in the Fighting Fifth when he is not 100 per cent is fantastic given Sir Gino looks some horse – it’s amazing when a horse like Constitution Hill might not be the best horse in the yard.”

Freezing weather claims jumps cards on Thursday and Friday

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There will be no jumps racing on Thursday or Friday with frozen tracks claiming cards at Newbury, Doncaster and Huntingdon.

Only Ayr has staged National Hunt action so far this week and while Wednesday’s fixture at Taunton goes ahead as planned, another blank spell will end the working week.

Newbury’s clerk of the course George Hill had planned an inspection at 8.30am ahead of Thursday’s card, but was able to make a slightly earlier decision following temperatures of -3C overnight.

He said: “The forecast has unfortunately proved correct, we got down to -3C and it has been freezing since 9pm or 10pm.

“The course is frozen in places and we are forecast 1C or 2C today with the possibility of sleet or snow showers tonight and another freezing night.

“With temperature of 2C or 3C forecast tomorrow, it just won’t be enough”

It is a similar story at Doncaster, where clerk David Attwood has made an early call ahead of Friday’s meeting.

He said: “We got down to -2C and there is still some snow on the course from Sunday which prevented us from fleecing the track, along with the area of waterlogged ground on Bawtry Road, which is also frozen now.

“We are forecast -4C tonight and the same tomorrow, possibly even -5C, so we thought it best to take an early decision now.”

Huntingdon were also scheduled to race over jumps on Friday, but clerk of the course Andrew Morris admitted cancellation was fairly “inevitable” after flooding at the track earlier in the week.

He said: “A bit of an inevitable decision. A combination of the home straight flooding on Monday and though some of that flooding has receded, but there are still areas of the track that would not be safe to race on now.

“And on top of that we’ve had a frost overnight, so it is now frozen in places as well.

“The forecast for the next two days is for even colder temperatures and it is a fairly consistent forecast, so there’s really no prospect for improvement.”

Thursday’s other planned card at Catterick was called off on Tuesday.

Wetherby’s card on Saturday is under threat after an inspection was called for 3.30pm on Wednesday afternoon with prospects also looking bleak at Warwick ahead of its Classic Chase meeting.

An inspection has been called for 8am on Thursday.

Roving Reports: Reflections from the Festivities

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Well, Christmas and the New Year holidays are well and truly over, writes David Massey, and with the decorations stuffed back into the garage, the last of the Wensleydale and water biscuits demolished and just the awfulness of the Bounties left in the Celebrations tub (sorry Lydia, but it’s true) it’s time to go back to work.

Or at least it would be if the weather wasn’t playing havoc with my schedule this week. Leicester, which was the first port of call on Tuesday, bit the dust at the weekend and I’m not holding out a lot of hope for the nominated replacement fixture, Doncaster on Friday. Warwick on Saturday has to be in the balance, too, with the course waterlogged; and that in turn means they can’t get the frost sheets down for later in the week. I fear it may be a week at home, which in turn means the good lady will find lots of dreadful jobs for me to do. Anyone any good at hanging pictures up?

At least we got through Christmas with no abandonments and thank the Lord we did, with the good lady and myself taking in Kempton on Boxing Day and staying over for the Friday meeting before heading off to Challow Day at Newbury. She’d never been to King George Day before and so, despite a stupidly early get-up of 7am, we set off for what we hoped was a Bank Holiday weekend of tremendous sport.

The one really good thing about the Christmas period, when you do a lot of driving as part of your job, is the total lack of traffic on the road. It felt like it was at least ten minutes after leaving our house before we came across another vehicle. Why can’t it be like this all the time? Oh, how my life would be easier. No more bottlenecks in the roadworks on the A1 going to Wetherby. Goodbye, shocking jams near Heathrow that take me forty minutes to navigate on the way to Sandown. And farewell 50mph M1 roadworks near Northampton… actually, no. Those swines would still be there. Forever.

We arrived at Kempton in plenty of time – early, in fact, even after a Boxing Day Maccies breakfast stop at Watford Gap, a service station I frequently can’t find my way out of – and the Christmas spirit was already evident. After grabbing a coffee and catching up with my friend Anna from Sheffield, also at KG Day for the first time, I found my work partner Vicki and we set about how we were going to tackle the day.

The racing, I have to say, was superb. The Jukebox Man did not disappoint, looking every inch the chasing star I really hope he is. Constitution Hill, whilst not back to his best yet, was at least taking a step towards it in the Christmas Hurdle (and yes, he will come on for that). The wonderful Banbridge proved myself and others wrong by staying the three miles well and picking up a brave but tired Il Est Francais after the last. I was equally delighted to see L’Homme Presse finish third on his seasonal debut for Andy Edwards, and he tells me he's come out of the race well.

After the last we head to Addlestone, which is where we are staying for the next couple of nights. The good lady has booked us into a local Thai restaurant early evening for food, an excellent choice. We are greeted with a cheery “Merry Christmas!” by a Thai lady as we enter. I wish her a Merry Christmas back, thinking she was a member of staff. It turns out she wasn’t, merely a customer that had been enjoying herself in a local hostelry or two for the afternoon and wanted to carry that enjoyment on here. She entertained us by (loudly) singing along to all the easy-listening versions of classic pop songs the restaurant were playing – her rendition of Coldplay’s “Yellow” a personal highlight – until she’d entertained us for long enough and decided to go back to the pub. “If you ever come to Woking, I’ll take care of you!” she shouted as she left, something I wasn’t sure was a promise of hospitality or a threat. We finished our meal in peace and went back to the hotel for a quiet night.

Kempton Day 2. Breakfast in the superb Bread & Roses, which I can highly recommend if you’re ever in the area, is followed by a blissful 17-minute drive to the course. Although not before I’ve filled up with petrol, which has me muttering “how much?” as even the prices at the local supermarkets are considerably higher than they are in the Midlands. Can’t eat value, goes the old racing saying, but I can’t even put it in the tank down here.

With time to kill at the track, I try my hand at a Crystal Maze-like box that is one of the on-course attractions set up by Ladbrokes on the day. Those of you of a certain vintage will remember the endgame of The Crystal Maze: what remained of the team of accountants/nurses/architects by this point were locked into a huge glass dome before they turned the fans on, and all the pretty gold and silver tickets flew around their heads. The aim was to get 100 Gold tokens to win the big prize (“The pony-trekking holiday in Ullswater will be MINE!”) which they failed to do with alarming regularity. This was similar, but with flying foam balls. I scored 30 in my allotted 30 seconds in the box, which I thought was pretty good, but the bloke after me, who couldn’t have been much more than five foot tall, scored an impressive 38. Lower centre of gravity, I told myself. Yes, it was that, and not the fact I’m old and creaking, that was the difference. Let’s move on.

The highlight of the day’s racing was, without doubt, Sir Gino, who looked superb before the Wayward Lad and, as he danced around Kempton’s tight turns attracting oohs and aaahs from the knowledgeable crowd as he put in spectacular leaps at some of his fences, you did get the feeling you were watching a new chasing star being born. From a punting perspective, by far the better day of the two for me, with both Della Casa Lunga and Ooh Betty getting me back in front over the two days.

With the Italian restaurant cancelling my reservation for no good reason, food that night is nothing more than a raid on the local Waitrose and back to the hotel but the peace of the evening is rudely shattered by the fire alarm going off. We’re all outside – I say all, there couldn’t have been more than forty of us – debating whether this is someone having a fag in one of the rooms or whether local kids are mucking around, when I realise I’ve left my coat in the room and am now freezing cold. It takes 40 minutes to sort the mess out, but thankfully it’s a false alarm, and nothing worse than us missing an Only Connect Christmas Special has happened. However, the alarm periodically goes off for a few seconds at a time and we wonder whether we are going to get through the night without another visit to the car park.

The episode takes me back to a time when that happened in a Travelodge in (I think) Leatherhead a few years ago. We were all outside in the cold when a lady offered me her dressing gown. That was weird enough, but literally getting propositioned by her not long after put the tin hat on things. (No, I didn’t, behave yourselves. I’m better than that. Not much, but I am.)

As things turned out, it was a Silent Night, with the alarm behaving itself and we get a decent kip. A final Builder’s Breakfast at Bread & Roses (the scales were not kind to me next morning) and we are on the road to Newbury.

Now, Newbury is one of those tracks that seems to split opinion. Vicki loves the place, but she’s crackers, and I’m with the majority that find the place hard going these days. I have to say that the new pre-parade ring is very good, though, and a real boon for those wanting to get an early look.

This is supposed to be a day off with the good lady for me, with Vicki doing the donkey work for Trackside today, but it isn’t long before I’m roped back in as the favourite for the second is taken back to the pre-parade. “Get in there and see what the problem is, will ya?” she says, literally pushing me that way in the process. I do as I’m told, obviously, and it turns out they’re having issues with the tongue-tie, which gets a report. The horse ends up well beaten.

The Good Doctor, on which I’ve had a decent bet in the next, isn’t quite good enough, as it turns out, with The Famous Five having his measure by a short-head. The wife has backed the winner, too, a double kick in the Norbits, but Henry’s Friend prevailing an hour later ensures I won’t go home potless on the day.

The Challow is a cracker, with The New Lion looking every inch the top-class hurdler (and future chaser) he promised to be beforehand. He’s too good for them, far too good. Did I foresee him being sold within a week? Using the Yates' celebrations after as a guide, I did not.

It’s getting dark, and our Bank Holiday Bonanza Of Racing is coming to a close. With still little traffic on the roads, we head home via the M40 and A43. We’re within a couple of miles of the now defunct Towcester Racecourse at one point. Oh, how I wish that was still open. Finding slow horses is something I can do…

The M1 Northampton roadworks haven’t gone away. You can’t have everything, I suppose. Home for seven, and a chance to catch up with that missing Only Connect. I reckon we could do a racing version, if we put our minds to it. I’ve got some time on my hands this week now. I’ll have a think and get back to you in the next missive.

See you on a racecourse soon!

- DM