Tag Archive for: tom cannon

Cannon convinced Edwardstone can make Champion Chase impact

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Tom Cannon is confident Edwardstone can play a major role in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase if reproducing his resurgent Game Spirit heroics at the Cheltenham Festival.

Alan King’s star chaser bounced back to his very best to produce a blistering front-running display at Newbury earlier this month, a victory that gave the Barbury Castle handler his second win in the Grade Two event alongside Sceau Royal.

It was Edwardstone’s first triumph since the 2022 Tingle Creek and having snapped a six-race losing run, the 10-year-old is now the general 8-1 third-favourite for the Champion Chase behind Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo and regular adversary Jonbon.

Cannon said: “He must have put himself right in the mix. Hopefully he will be a bit closer to Jonbon given a change of tactics and anything more than that is a bonus, I think.

“If he turns up in the same form as he did at Newbury, we know he acts round Cheltenham so we keep our fingers crossed to get there in A1 condition and anything after that is in the lap of the gods.”

Edwardstone gave Cannon one of the biggest days of his career when waltzing to Arkle glory at the Festival in 2022, but there was disappointment 12 months later when sent off 15-8 second-favourite for the Champion Chase, tailing home in fifth and beaten 64 lengths by an imperious Energumene.

However, the jockey feels Edwardstone is heading for his second bite of the Champion Chase cherry in much better form and has been extremely encouraged by the feel his partner has given him throughout the current campaign.

Jockey Tom Cannon after winning the Arkle aboard Edwardstone in 2022
Jockey Tom Cannon after winning the Arkle aboard Edwardstone in 2022 (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He probably wasn’t going into it in as good a form as he is this year, last year. So if he can continue the form he is in now, hopefully he will be thereabouts,” continued Cannon.

“He’s been a different horse since he has come back in this year. The first race at Cheltenham in the Shloer Chase he felt back to himself and the couple of times he had run at Cheltenham the season before he had never really picked the bridle up.

“In the Shloer, he picked the bridle up and pulled my arms off like he used to and then obviously ran very well in the Tingle Creek. Two-mile-four wasn’t to his liking at Kempton, but back to two miles at Newbury seemed to suit him, so you have to look forward to it (the Champion Chase).

“If we can get into a nice rhythm, then the best horse will win at the end of the day.”

Cannon backing Edwardstone to shine over longer trip

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Tom Cannon is optimistic the step up in trip will help Edwardstone return to winning ways in Saturday’s Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton.

In two outings this season over two miles, Alan King’s charge has been no match for Jonbon but he did get appreciably closer to him in the Tingle Creek than on his seasonal reappearance in the Shloer Chase.

Saturday will be the 10-year-old’s first run over two and a half miles since a hurdles effort back in April 2021, but Cannon feels it is the right move.

“I think it is a logical move, as Edwardstone is not getting younger and now is as good a time as ever to step him up in trip,” he said.

Tom Cannon with Edwardstone having won the Arkle in 2022
Tom Cannon with Edwardstone having won the Arkle in 2022 (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Although he has not run over this distance over fences, he ran well over two and a half miles over hurdles when he was third at Aintree (in 2021).

“We are going back to slightly calmer waters having run in the Tingle Creek last time, but there are still some good horses in this race.

“It is still a competitive race, so he will have to be at his best to win.

“All his best runs have been around Sandown and he definitely improved for the run at Cheltenham in the Tingle Creek.

“I was more than happy with his run. It was as good a run as he had put in for a long time.”

Cannon went on: “He felt back to his best and, fingers crossed, he can continue that form going forwards.

“He has not been over-raced and he has been well managed throughout his career, which has been a big help.

“He had a jump last Thursday at home and he jumped very well, so there is no problem in that department. He seemed fresh and very well, so I couldn’t be happier with him.”

2024 Sussex National Trends

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It’s Plumpton’s biggest race day of the season on Sunday 7th January as the BetGoodwin Racing Sussex National, run over a gruelling 3m5f, takes centre stage.

Here at Geegeez, we look back at recent winners and gives you some more stats to look out for ahead of the 2024 renewal.

Recent Sussex National Winners

2023 - ATAKAN (11/4)
2022 – GO WHATEVER (5/1)
2021 - SEASTON SPIRIT (6/1)
2020 - CHRISTMAS IN APRIL (9/2)
2019 – THE TWO AMIGOS (11/8 fav)
2018 – VINNIE LEWIS (7/2 fav)
2017 – MORNEY WING (12/1)
2016 - TOUR DES CHAMPS (11/2)
2015 – ITOLDYOU (11/1)
2014 – REBLIS (5/1)
2013 – WELL REFRESHED (6/1)
2012 – DOUBLE DIZZY (8/1)
2011 – MINELLA BOYS (8/1)
2010 – MASTER OVERSEER (9/2)
2008 – IRONSIDE (25/1)
2007 – PASS ME BY (8/1)
2006 – DUNBRODY MILLAR (6/1)

Sussex National Betting Trends

17/17 – Had won over at least 3m (chase) before
16/17 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
16/17 – Aged between 7-9 years-old
14/17 – Carried 11-5 or less
14/17 – Priced 8/1 or shorter in the betting
13/17 – Won between 1-3 times over fences before
12/17 – Aged either 8 or 9 years-old
10/17 – Placed favourites
8/17 – Irish bred
7/17 – Won last time out
2/17 – Trained by the Tizzard yard (2 of the last 4)
2/17 – Ridden by Tom Cannon (2 of the last 9)
2/17 – Winning favourites
The average winning SP in the last 17 runnings is 15/2

 

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Edwardstone ‘ready to go’ for Cheltenham return

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Tom Cannon cannot wait to be reunited with Edwardstone when he makes his seasonal reappearance in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday.

Alan King’s nine-year-old has shared many memorable days with the rider, none more so than their decisive Arkle victory at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022.

Last season included another Grade One success, this time in the Tingle Creek, and the bay was beaten just a head in the Clarence House in January.

There was no repeat Cheltenham Festival success as Edwardstone posted an uncharacteristic performance in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but Cannon is happy to draw a line through that run as the duo return to the same track at the weekend.

He said: “Edwardstone has been good at home. I schooled him on Monday, and I schooled him last Monday as well. He seems very fresh and well in himself and I’m looking forward to Sunday.

Tom Cannon and Edwardstone after Cheltenham Festival victory
Tom Cannon and Edwardstone after Cheltenham Festival victory (Nigel French/PA)

“It is going to be a good race, but he doesn’t have any easy races now with the level he is at. He was meant to run in this race last season, but the ground was on the quicker side so he swerved it. He won first time out last year and he will be ready to go and do his best.

“He enjoyed it on Monday when I gave him a jump and he is a pleasure to have around and be involved with. He is a magnificent horse, not just to sit on but to look at as well.

“You get some horses that are good that might be small, but when you get on top of him it is like riding a horse into battle. He is a big strong brute of a horse that has got all the power in the right places.”

The Shloer Chase is run over a trip of two miles, Edwardstone’s usual trip, but there are discussions about stepping up in distance at a later point in the season and Cannon believes connections may find this outing helpful in making that decision.

“His pedigree suggests he will get further, and he ran further than two miles over hurdles and ran well. On his day he is a very quick two-miler which he showed in the Tingle Creek last season,” Cannon said.

Edwardstone returning after winning the Arkle
Edwardstone returning after winning the Arkle (Steven Paston/PA)

“He probably wasn’t at his best after that, but we will see how we go in the race on Sunday and go from there.

“As he is getting bit older now, and with a few younger horses coming through, it might give us options if we go up further in trip.

“This is a case of testing the water with him and it is a nice place to go. I’m sure this will answer a few questions about where he will go for the rest of the season.”

Second horse disqualified under new whip rules

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A second horse has been disqualified under the British Horseracing Authority’s revised whip rules.

Amateur rider James Turner was referred to the Whip Review Committee after finishing second aboard the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Mavis Pike in the Fresh Approach at Vertem Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race at Newcastle on Saturday.

Turner was deemed to have used his whip five times over the permitted level of seven, with none of the strikes considered to have been clearly and unequivocally for safety purposes.

As a result the horse is disqualified from the race and Turner is suspended for 20 days, running intermittently from Tuesday 14 March to Monday 24 April.

The new regulations came into full effect on February 13 and the James Moffatt-trained Lunar Discovery was the first horse to be disqualified, with her rider Charlotte Jones banned for 14 days after striking the horse 11 times.

A total of 20 bans were handed out in the first week, with 12 rides referred from February 20-26 and nine suspensions issued so far, with two results pending and one ride found not in breach.

Conor O’Farrell’s ride aboard Knocknamona in the Campbell Handicap Chase at Carlisle came under scrutiny and he was found to have used the whip once above the permitted level and received a four-day suspension running from March 18 to March 21 inclusive.

Warwick Races – Thursday March 31st
William Shanahan fell foul of the new whip rules (David Davies/PA)

On the same card, William Shanahan used his whip twice over the threshold when riding Our Sam in the Cambridge Handicap Hurdle and is therefore banned for seven days from March 14-20 inclusive – meaning he misses any chance of riding at the Cheltenham Festival.

Conditional rider Philip Armson received a 14-day ban and a £650 fine for overuse of the whip during his winning ride on Gwencily Berbas in the Virgin Bet Devon National Handicap Chase, with the suspension running from March 14-27 inclusive.

Alice Proctor, an amateur, was also handed a 11-day ban for her ride on Golden Poet, having been found to have used her whip when out of contention in the Maurice Broadway 70th Birthday Celebration Open Hunters’ Chase at Taunton.

High-profile riders Sam Twiston-Davies and Tom Cannon were both given suspensions for rides at Lingfield and Market Rasen on Supasunrise and Presenting A Queen respectively.

Doncaster Races – Wednesday February 22nd
Tom Cannon (Mike Egerton/PA)

Both will serve four-day bans for using their whips without giving their mounts time to respond, ruling them out March 18-21 inclusive, but leaving them free to take their rides at the Festival.

A BHA spokesperson said: “Jockeys are clearly quickly adapting to the new rules, and we praise them for this.

“We hope all jockeys realise that using the whip without regard for the thresholds in place could very easily lead to disqualification, and to ensure that this does not happen.

“There is no justification for using the whip four times or more above the permitted level.”

Bo Zenith cut for Triumph after Haydock strike

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Exciting French recruit Bo Zenith put a disappointing British debut behind him with a clear-cut victory in the Betfred Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle at Haydock.

The Zarak gelding was a winner at Auteuil on his racecourse introduction last spring and the form could hardly have worked out better, with the runner-up Blood Destiny now a leading contender for the Triumph Hurdle for Willie Mullins and the third-placed David Du Berlais since winning in Listed company.

On the strength of that performance Bo Zenith was a 4-11 favourite on his first start for Gary Moore at Sandown last month, but odds-on backers had their fingers burnt as he trailed home a well beaten third of four runners.

Despite that disappointment, the four-year-old once again headed the market on Merseyside at 9-4 as he aimed to provide Moore and owner Olly Harris with back-to-back Victor Ludorum victories following the success of Porticello 12 months ago.

And while he was under pressure early in the straight, Bo Zenith responded to Tom Cannon’s urgings to grab the lead and galloped clear on the run-in to score by three and a half lengths.

Porticello went on to finish sixth in the Triumph Hurdle following last year’s win and Betfair cut Bo Zenith to 16-1 from 33-1 for the juvenile championship.

Moore said: “He was so disappointing at Sandown. I thought I’d found the worst race I could possibly have found and I couldn’t believe he got beat.

“I’d hate to think he wasn’t fit enough. Maybe he just hadn’t quite come to himself and maybe the heavy ground at Sandown didn’t suit him as much as I thought it would.

“I’ve only listened to the race today on the radio and I haven’t spoken to Tom (Cannon) yet, so I wouldn’t want to comment on his performance too much, but it’s nice he’s gone and won.

“I’ll speak to the owners and make a plan from there.”

Johnson’s Blue (17-2) notched his seventh win in the past 12 months in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

Mark Walford’s charge was rated just 87 when his winning spree began at Hexham in March and had to compete from a more lofty perch of 123 at Haydock.

But the six-year-old proved the handicapper has not caught up with him just yet with a tenacious display from the front end, seeing off 4-1 favourite The Changing Man by a length and a half.

“He’s a real trier, he’s genuine and he jumps. My plan wasn’t really to make the running today, but he was jumping and going forward and enjoying it, so I didn’t want to disappoint him,” said winning jockey Jamie Hamilton.

“The last furlong and a half it felt like the line was never coming, but he really stuck it out.”

Super Six in action at Hereford
Super Six in action at Hereford (David Davies/PA)

Nigel Twiston-Davies and Jordan Nailor combined to win the Betfred Play Fred’s 5 Million Handicap Chase, with 9-2 shot Super Six drawing 15 lengths clear of his rivals.

Nailor, partnering his first winner since riding out his claim, said: “I’m very grateful that Nigel is still giving me support and nice horses to ride. We’ll keep trying to go forward.

“We settled lovely and he jumped fantastic – I can’t fault him at all.”

The Famous Clermont team at Haydock
The Famous Clermont team at Haydock (PA)

Famous Clermont (4-5 favourite) could be Cheltenham bound following an easy 18-length verdict in the Betfred Steve Hope Walrus Open Hunters’ Chase for trainer Chris Barber and jockey Will Biddick.

Barber said: “That was impressive. The engine is there and now we’re sort of unlocking where we want to go.

“Potentially Cheltenham, we will have to have a chat with the team but Cheltenham is on the cards.

“Will is very keen to try to get him to Aintree maybe, but options are open and after a performance like that, you need to take stock. He’s a proper horse and I’m lucky to have him.”

Longsdon delight as Glimpse Of Gala secures Festival ticket

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Glimpse Of Gala put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture when landing the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Warwick.

A four-length winner at Kempton last month, Charlie Longsdon’s seven-year-old continued her fine association with young conditional Bradley Roberts, with the 7-4 favourite pulling out extra to hold off Dan Skelton’s Becher Chase hero Ashtown Lad.

The winner has now booked her spot in the final of the Pertemps Series at Prestbury Park and was introduced into the betting at 20-1 by Betfair.

“She’s from a very tough family,” said Longsdon. “My landlord has bred three generations of the family and they have all been very tough and she is certainly the epitome of tough.

“A year ago I would never have run her on heavy ground and now she seems to relish it and thrive in it and outbattles them.

“I thought the second horse was going better than us, but she just outbattled him.”

“We’re qualified now for Cheltenham and that will be the plan if we’re good enough to get there.”

On a Festival bid he added: “That will be the plan, we’ve got Hector Javilex who we also need to get qualified.

“So I’m glad we’ve got Glimpse Of Gala qualified, hopefully we get him qualified as well in a couple of weeks and it will be great to have a couple of runners there.”

Haddex Des Obeaux never spotted a rival when producing a taking display of front-running in the Wigley Support Fund Edward Courage Cup Handicap Chase.

Haddex Des Obeaux ridden by Jamie Moore goes on to win The Wigley Support Fund Edward Courage Cup Handicap Chase at Warwick
Haddex Des Obeaux ridden by Jamie Moore goes on to win The Wigley Support Fund Edward Courage Cup Handicap Chase at Warwick (Nigel French/PA)

Up 6lb for his pillar-to-post win at Doncaster over the Christmas period, the Gary Moore-trained 5-4 favourite was foot-perfect from the front once again under Jamie Moore, coming home an eased-down 19-lengths ahead of Venetia Williams’ Galop De Chasse.

“It was impressive,” said the rider. “We could have done with the last fence being in as he jumps so well. It’s a track that is custom made for him, we saw the race in the entry book and we had to get him in.

“I just fill him up up the hill, let him stride on down it and once he saw those fences I thought ‘right, let’s crack on now and get the race won’.

“He’s improving, by Saddex the same as Editeur Du Gite. He was getting beat off 120 and is now rated 160. Now I’m not saying he’s 160 but he’s improving.”

The winner could now be kept busy, with a possible run in the Godstone Handicap Chase at next weekend’s Winter Million meeting at Lingfield entering the equation.

On future plans Moore added: “That (Kingmaker) could be (an option) but there is a race next week at Lingfield.

“I’m not the trainer and we will see what he says, but while the horses are in form you have to strike while the iron is hot.”

A return to Warwick saw Joe Tizzard’s Non Stop (16-5) back to winning ways in the opening Mark Jackson & Neil Keenan Memorial Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

A winner over course and distance on hurdles debut, he could only finish third at Sandown last time. But he pounced with precision at the second-last and drew clear to record a nine-and-a-half-length victory.

Non Stop ridden by Tom Cannon goes on to win The Mark Jackson & Neil Keenan Memorial Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Warwick
Non Stop ridden by Tom Cannon goes on to win The Mark Jackson & Neil Keenan Memorial Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Warwick (Nigel French/PA)

Winning rider Tom Cannon said: “He was a bit keen round Sandown the last day, obviously he had course form round here, although I think Sandown was a bit stiff for him.

“The race panned out well, the front ones came back to me and I probably got there a bit soon in the end. He had all the allowances, which obviously helped in these conditions, but he saw it out well.”

The concluding bumper went the way of Tom Lacey’s The Cox Express (100-30) who kept on well to grind down Yonconor for a one-and-a-half-length success.