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Sheikh
At the Start
Interesting, do you think that's as a result of a hard slog around his gallops or nearly a routine thing he does to improve his horses...an oral nip tuck perhaps ?
Sheikh
At the Start
Thanks Grey, It can't do any harm anyway....might even bring improvement when not necessarily required.
So far as I can gather nearing 50% of his horses (and no I have not done the research but that's a fair impression) have an op for 'breathing problems' -
I'm not sure they really have a 'problem' in veterinary terms, or wouldn't have if not going up those stiff gallops, but they get the op anyway as opening the airways and getting more air into the lungs - ie increasing lung capacity - is going to improve them in terms of lasting out a trip at speed.
Not sure I agree with it tbh, it's not cheap and again it gives an edge to richer owners who can afford the vet bills and the time off. As most are geldings it has no impact on the breed, but it could maybe have an impact on placings - and there might thus be a case for handicapping accordingly.
I've not thought this through in any detail so I'm typing here off the top of my head
I'm not sure they really have a 'problem' in veterinary terms, or wouldn't have if not going up those stiff gallops, but they get the op anyway as opening the airways and getting more air into the lungs - ie increasing lung capacity - is going to improve them in terms of lasting out a trip at speed.
Not sure I agree with it tbh, it's not cheap and again it gives an edge to richer owners who can afford the vet bills and the time off. As most are geldings it has no impact on the breed, but it could maybe have an impact on placings - and there might thus be a case for handicapping accordingly.
I've not thought this through in any detail so I'm typing here off the top of my head
Sheikh
At the Start
In the grander scheme of buying and keeping a horse in training it's not expensive.
rorydelargy
At the Start
It cost me quite a lot more to have my mare's leg sewn up and dressed than it did for Bally Conn's breathing op.
Shadow Leader
At the Start
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2003
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Except that every time a horse is placed under anaesthetic/heavy sedation, there is some risk posed.
Rory, there was just a tad more to it than the filly's leg being sown up and dressed!!!! At least she didn't get the stitching up then stapling treatment that poor old Stephen did today - clumsy great oaf, launching himself into a ditch.....
Heads, 50% of his horses don't have ops.
32 had an op this summer, and 27 the year before. Of the 32, 10 had one last year.
He really is quite unique, when you stand on manor hill you can hear the horses coming up freely and as it's stiff even the slightest whistle can be heard. The first time they make a noise the wind op is done.
32 had an op this summer, and 27 the year before. Of the 32, 10 had one last year.
He really is quite unique, when you stand on manor hill you can hear the horses coming up freely and as it's stiff even the slightest whistle can be heard. The first time they make a noise the wind op is done.
Its far from expensive to have a breathing op, I had my filly tied back last month for £750 and she only needed a week on the walker, she is due to run in a bumper in 3 weeks.
£750 is no fee whatsoever for what could improve a horse, its roughly 2 and a half weeks training fee's.
DrizzleCity
At the Start
Paul Nicholls Stable Tour (Part 1)
[FONT="]For those who missed it (Suny et al)...From the Racing Post...this BB won't let me post more than 30000 chars in one reply.[/FONT]
[FONT="]From the Racing Post...[/FONT]
[FONT="]========================[/FONT]
[FONT="]LEADER OF THE PACK[/FONT]
[FONT="]STABLE TOUR PAUL NICHOLLS[/FONT]
[FONT="]Published: 27/10/2008 (Sport)[/FONT]
[FONT="]HE'S not one for putting his feet up in the summer months, or retreating to a sunshine holiday island, but until now Paul Nicholls hasn't been a summer jumps man either. The opposition came in for something of a shock when the small team he put aside to race on after April this year couldn't stop winning races. So instead of spending October playing catchup, he already leads the field. As November approaches, he has sent out the most winners, earned more prize-money and boasts a strike-rate way ahead of anyone else's.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nicholls' restless energy is forever driving him on to the next challenge. One he can never duck is keeping his owners on side when so many of them want to target the same big races. A planned increase in the number of raids to Ireland this winter will surely ease the pressure, although it's not just the Irish programme book that's going to become well thumbed in the coming months.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In his Stable Tour interview on Denman, Nicholls reveals for the first time an idea to take the Gold Cup winner to France next May for their Gold Cup, the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. The plan is barely hatched, and co-owners Paul Barber and Harry Findlay have to be convinced, but the trainer makes a compelling argument as to why such a bold challenge would be suitable. No British-trained chaser has captured France's most famous jump race since the legendary Mandarin in 1962, but the mere thought of seeing the giant Denman soaring over Auteuil's massive open ditch on the far side - an obstacle that makes The Chair at Aintree look like a brush hurdle - is enough to get the juices flowing.[/FONT]
[FONT="]As Denman did a gentle canter across the all-weather flat gallop in Ditcheat one sunny morning last week, Cheltenham in March or Auteuil in May seemed a long way off, although let's hope he and Kauto Star can make it back to the Festival for The Rematch. But before anyone thinks the 2009 Gold Cup might be a two-horse race, read Nicholls' comments on Neptune Collonges.[/FONT]
[FONT="]News that the champion chaser Master Minded is unlikely to have that many races this winter may be greeted with disappointment, but the trainer harbours the hope that his freakish five-year-old might go on to become one of chasing's all-time greats, so he needs looking after. Let's enjoy him when we can - and the same goes for the other stable stars who should serve up another memorable season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Interview by Ben Newton[/FONT]
[FONT="]Airon ageestring[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Bach - Perky Lass[/FONT]
[FONT="]Owner: Mr and Mrs Mark Woodhouse 42-[/FONT]
[FONT="]A bit fresh when showing promise on both his bumper starts last season. Has just returned from a breathing operation, so won't be seen out in novice hurdles until Christmas-time. Seen more as a chaser of the future.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Al Amaan[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Nayef - Siobhan[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Really nice. Anthony Bromley and I bought him recently at the Arc sale in Paris. He won a 1m7f handicap for John Hammond at Chantilly in July, and although he didn't have a particularly high Flat rating, he struck me as a tough sort, ideal for jumping. We cut him straight away, so he won't be out in juvenile hurdles until January.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Aldertune[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Alderbrook - Frankies Tune[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bunty Millard Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]From a good jumping family; his dam is a half-sister to Midlands National winner Miss Orchestra. Ready to make his debut in a bumper any time now.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Alfie Sherrin[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Kayf Tara - Mandys Native[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Paul Barber Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Well bred, from the family of Beau Ranger and Beau. He landed his only start, a Larkhill maiden point-to-point, and the form has worked out as the mare he beat went on to win three races. He had a slight setback after, but is fine now, if very green still, so I might give him a run in a bumper to sharpen him up before he goes staying novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very much a chaser of the future.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Alfred's Tower[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Alflora - Dutch Majesty[/FONT]
[FONT="]Proverbial Optimists 4699-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Won a maiden chase at Towcester in May on his first start for us. A mark of 120 makes life really difficult, because that's not high enough to be able to win a novice chase carrying a penalty, but gives him plenty of weight in a handicap for a horse with limited experience. I've got my eye on a 0-125 2m5f handicap chase at Folkestone on November 18, and he may have a run over hurdles first.[/FONT]
[FONT="]American Trilogy[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sendawar - Affaire Classee[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fulton, Donlon, Kilduff and Scott-MacDonald 1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lovely prospect, who got his new career off to a perfect start at Aintree on Saturday. He was trained on the Flat by Elie Lellouche when winning a 1m4f Listed race on heavy ground at Lyon in June. We gelded him, gave him time off, and it soon became apparent that he loves jumping. Having done a great piece of work with Pierrot Lunaire last week you can see why we fancied him so strongly. He could step up in grade now and will be entered for the Grade 2 novice hurdle at the Paddy Power meeting.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Andreas[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Marchand De Sable - Muscova Dancer Trevor Hemmings[/FONT]
[FONT="]F/74621-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Awfully hard to place. Loves good ground in the spring and came good on the final day at Sandown in the Celebration Chase. It wasn't the strongest Grade 2 in the world, but it was his Gold Cup as far as he was concerned and it may be again this season. He'd earlier been beaten three times off marks of 154 or 155, so is going to find life tough off 162, but we'll start at the Paddy Power meeting and do our best.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Apocal[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Anabaa Blue - Always Glitter Eight Amigos Racing Syndicate 54423-4[/FONT]
[FONT="]Although he had chasing experience at Auteuil, I rather threw him in at the deep end in a 2m2f handicap at Bangor. I was nervous about running on good ground and let the owners have the option of pulling him out, but they were keen to race and he ran disappointingly. At least I learned that he wants a trip and softer ground. He is on a decent handicap mark and there are races to be won with him, I'm certain. I've half an eye on a staying novice handicap chase at Newbury's Hennessy meeting.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Armaturk[/FONT]
[FONT="]11g Baby Turk - Armalita Trevor Hemmings B/U35-UF[/FONT]
[FONT="]Not the force he was. He looked the likely winner three times last season when falling or unseating.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Is a good schoolmaster nowadays and I think the plan is for Trevor's son Philip to ride him in hunter chases next spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Artadi[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Cadoudal - Vol Sauvage[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mette Campbell-Andenaes P3181/2-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Half-brother to a smart chaser of ours a few years back, Vol Solitaire. Has been off for 12 months with a bit of heat in a leg, and had a breathing operation in the summer. Will have one run in a hurdle before going for a beginners' chase - on decent ground round the smaller tracks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Art Trend[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Hawk Wing - Skiphall[/FONT]
[FONT="]Million In Mind Partnership 3[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bought for £82,000 at the Tatts sale in July, having won a Catterick maiden. Considering he'd been working nicely at home, I was slightly disappointed that he could finish only third on his hurdling debut at Wincanton, even though it was quite a hot race. He'd been cut in the summer, and in hindsight I may have rushed him a little. Some of these three-year-olds off the Flat who are gelded in the summer don't come back to themselves until the spring, and he may be one of them.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Beshabar[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Flemensfirth - In Our Intrest[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay 2151-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has suffered a small setback. He knocked himself schooling three weeks ago and has been on the easy list since. It's one of those annoying things that happen from time to time and we just have to be patient; hopefully he can still be back in December. We'd have had to wait for genuine soft ground for him anyway. He jumps fences great and is potentially a lovely chasing prospect, from the family of Tidal Bay. Harry Findlay bought him privately over the summer from Nick Williams, who did well with him as a novice hurdler last season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big Buck's[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Cadoudal - Buck's[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 121371-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He has enormous potential. We made the mistake of trying to turn him into an Arkle horse last season, and it wasn't until I upped him in trip that he started to show his true ability. With hindsight, I wish I'd run him in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase instead of the Jewson, because I'm convinced he'd have gone close. When he finally got his chance over 3m1f at Aintree he showed a devastating turn of foot despite jumping poorly. I've already been quoted as saying I hope he can progress into a Gold Cup horse, but let's take things one step at a time. To be competitive at the top level he has to jump better, and I'm pleased to say the signs are encouraging. Whereas 12 months ago he was such a big baby he wouldn't go into our loose school, he's much more settled now and more of a man. He's schooled a lot better, though for the moment we'll stick to lefthanded tracks. If he's to run in a Gold Cup he has to be competitive off 153 in the Hennessy, so that's where he'll go first time out, and he would have gone there even if Denman had been in the field. 3m2f round Newbury will be ideal for him, giving him time to get into a rhythm and jump nicely.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big Fella Thanks[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Primitive Rising - Nunsdream[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Paul Barber 112-3[/FONT]
[FONT="]The type to make a lovely staying chaser on soft ground. He could have done with some cut at Chepstow on Saturday, as it would have slowed the others down a bit and brought his stamina into play. I could see his rivals were queuing up to take him on up the straight, and he idled on the run-in. May lack a gear to be top-class over 3m, and the 4m National Hunt Chase at the festival might be more his target.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Blue Abbey[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Blueprint - Mazuma[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Half-brother to Asian Maze. Big, backward sort with chaser written all over him, so we'll take our time and start off in bumpers in the spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bobby On The Beat[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Bob Back - Supreme Kellycarra[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 6-9[/FONT]
[FONT="]From an old-fashioned staying family that includes John Hughes winners Bells Life and Indian Tonic. I was a bit disappointed with his reappearance at Cheltenham, when he was keen on the way to post, and he'll go hurdling now, when he'll want a trip on slow ground. I still think he's a nice horse, but he's clearly going to want a bit more time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bold Policy[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Shernazar - Lady Vic[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mrs S Craven and Mrs E Jackson 2/333-58[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very green on his reappearance at Chepstow when we fancied him, and was bitterly disappointing in a staying novices' handicap hurdle at Aintree on Saturday. Too babyish to switch to fences at present.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Breedsbreeze[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Fresh Breeze - Godfreys Cross[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Lewis, Markus Jooste, Malcolm King 3/1210-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Did really well last season - I still find it amazing that, as a winning point-to-pointer, he was able to win a Grade 1 novice hurdle over 2m. Came out and jumped beautifully on his chasing debut at Bangor over 2m4f, winning with his head in his chest, and he'll probably go to Wincanton now for the Rising Stars Novices' Chase. He could always drop down to 2m over fences if the ground were testing. With him, and with our other novice chasers to have run already, we have been able to do a lot more schooling in the relaid schooling ring this autumn. It shows in the results we've been getting, as by and large they've all jumped fantastic.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bump In The Night[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Midnight Legend - Cornwood[/FONT]
[FONT="]R AWebb and C W Evans 354-2[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ran well in his bumpers last season, when crying out for further than 2m. Made his hurdling debut over 2m7f at Exeter last week and would probably have won but for landing on all fours at the last. He's a big baby, who will come on mentally and physically for the run . Unfortunately, he came back with a cut that will keep him off until after Christmas.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Celestial Halo[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Galileo - Pay The Bank[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 1212-[/FONT]
[FONT="]We've had a nightmare with him since he returned from his summer break. He was fine for a month, then had an allergic reaction to something that brought him out in lumps all over his body the size of 50p pieces. We've played around with his diet and his bedding and finally think we've got it under control, but he still doesn't look as good as the rest. All this time he's still been cantering, although he hasn't done any fast work yet. He looks a stronger horse this season and I'm still hoping we'll be able to dip our toe in the water to see where we stand with the senior hurdlers in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle. If he isn't ready in time we can wait for the Boylesports International, and that probably now is a more realistic first target. If he tells us that 2m is too sharp, we'll step him up in trip, but I want to give him every chance to develop into a Champion Hurdle contender because at home you wouldn't split him and Pierrot Lunaire.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Chapoturgeon[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Turgeon - Chapohio[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Johnson 34119-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was bought as a chaser and that's where he's going, possibly starting off in a 2m4f beginners' chase at Stratford on Thursday. Has done bags of schooling and will be suited by cut in the ground and going left-handed.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Charity Lane[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Indian Danehill - In Behind[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 116-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Did well in his bumpers before being bought at the Doncaster spring sale. Looks a staying chaser of the future, so this will be a fill-in season for him. He's not going to be a flashy hurdler and we'll start low, as I've told Andy Stewart we'll keep him on the back-burner for the next 12 months, but I like him a lot.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Classic Swain[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Swain - Affirm Miss[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family - Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]I'd seen him during an earlier trip to France, liked what I saw, so we went back and bought him at the Arc sale. He was successful twice from six starts for Andre Fabre, at up to 1m4f, and although beaten some way in a Group 3 at Longchamp last month, he'd have a Flat rating over here of about 95. Like the other juveniles we bought at that sale, he's been cut and we'll aim to have him ready after Christmas. A really nice individual.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Colombard[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Trempolino - Question Francaise[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sir Robert Ogden 8[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was in training in France with Jehan Bertran de Balanda last season but was too backward to run. I took him to Aintree yesterday and he ran nicely and will improve for the run. He will now go novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Conflictofinterest[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Saddlers' Hall - Fortune's Girl[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 21-4[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lovely prospect, related to smart hurdler and chaser Ring The Boss and stacks of other winners. Hadn't shown much at home before finishing second on his bumper debut, then improved enormously to win impressively at Ayr on good ground - something that's important to him as he won't want it too soft, as we saw at Wincanton yesterday. He will clearly need to improve on what he did at Wincanton, but with hindsight I wish I had waited and run him at Stratford on good ground on Thursday. He'd had a breathing operation before he got to the track and I just hope that his breathing won't hinder his progress, as he could turn out very good - and remember that Noland got beat as an odds-on favourite in the same Wincanton race and ended up winning the Supreme Novices'![/FONT]
[FONT="]Cornish Sett[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Accordion - Hue 'N' Cry[/FONT]
[FONT="]Peter Hart 6/2P80- F[/FONT]
[FONT="]Struggled with his breathing last season, so had an operation early in the year. Considering it was a rush to get him back he wasn't disgraced in the Grand National, showing a liking for the fences. We had a couple of offers for him to go hunter chasing, but the owner decided to keep him to see if we could win another decent handicap. He returned in the staying chase at Wincanton yesterday off what looked like a good mark and Nick was very happy with the way he was travelling when he fell. We'll now find a similar race for him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Dear Villez[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Villez - Distant Meteor[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs J Cotton U11U2-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]I'd had the Munster National in my mind as a target for some time. I remember saying to John Cotton, 'There's a very valuable race in Ireland I'd like to go for', and he replied, 'He's not good enough'. But I told him, 'He definitely is good enough, and what's more, if it's soft ground he'll win'. John gave me the okay and he jumped fantastic when winning the Limerick race, and I saw in one of the papers he's among the favourites for the Grand National. That's a long way off, but I said to Ruby we should think about the Becher Chase next month. The problem with that race is, if you win it, it wrecks your handicap mark for the National, as we saw with Mr Pointment 12 months ago. If you have a serious National horse on your hands you're better off fiddling around over hurdles to preserve your handicap mark, but my policy is to win what I can along the way, which is one of the reasons I have such an awful record in the National. Going back to Dear Villez, he's improved for his first run and will be entered for the Hennessy and Welsh National - he's better going lefthanded. He's also best fresh, so we'll pick and choose our targets sparingly.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Definite Edge[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Definite Article - Itkan[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ann Fulton 6/416F-0[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very disappointing on his return the other day. Now eligible for handicaps with a rating of 99, but the way he ran at Bangor it wants to be several pounds lower. He's a big horse, so we could try him in a handicap chase, but he needs to improve.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Definity[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Definite Article - Ebony Jane[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]From a good family, being halfbrother to Gansey and Bolt Action. Won his only start for Liam Burke in an Irish point-to-point in May, and the runner-up has boosted the form.We like what we see and he's an interesting prospect for novice hurdles. Ready to run.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Denman[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Presenting - Polly Puttens[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay 11/1111-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He cantered on the flat gallop a week last Saturday and he was back to his usual self - tanking along. He spent last week cantering one day, trotting the next, still on the level, and he'll do the same all this week, then next week I'll start cantering him up the hill. We've got to remember, the trip to Newmarket to get his heart seen to knocked him for six and he was a sick horse for a week after. But he's looking fab again, back to his grumpy ways when you go in his box, and if you didn't know he'd had a problem it wouldn't enter your mind. The signs are all very positive, and I'm dead happy at this stage, so there's no reason why we can't have him bang on for the Aon Chase in February, and with any luck he should arrive at Cheltenham a fresh horse. After the festival I've formed a new little game plan: he could go on to Aintree for the Bowl, but the track wouldn't suit him; he could go to Punchestown, but the ground would be too quick by then; or, and this is what I'm really keen to do, we could take him to France for the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris on May 24. It's over 3m5f, the ground is always soft, which is ideal, and I see that the highestrated chaser in France at the moment is less than 150, so they can't be a vintage crop of chasers over there. I must stress, this is no more than an idea at the moment, although it's one I'm currently very sweet on. But first things first, let's get him back to his best.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Earth Dream[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Old Vic - Barbaras Mews[/FONT]
[FONT="]Catherine Penny 283-U[/FONT]
[FONT="]Not many Old Vics win as four-year-olds and we were biding our time with him last season. Ran a fraction green on his hurdling debut at Kempton the other day, hence Ruby was looking for a lead the whole time. He was upsides Alan Kingy's horse when unseating at the last, and it would have been very close between the pair. I think we would probably have won; Choc Thornton probably thinks the same. It was a performance full of promise and he will definitely be winning staying novice hurdles this season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Earth Planet[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Kayf Tara - Arctic Rose[/FONT]
[FONT="]Roger Penny 26114-3[/FONT]
[FONT="]In no way was I disappointed when he got beaten into third when odds-on at Cheltenham ten days ago: he ran exactly as I thought he would. I wish I'd already started my Racing Post column because I would have been able to warn everyone that he'd just need the run. He'd had a breathing operation in mid-July and spent the next 28 days in his box as per normal, so he started a month behind the others who have been coming out and winning. It was a struggle getting him back, and I couldn't be anything other than delighted as he's a great tank of a horse who will improve significantly for his first run. I could have brought him out again in the Persian War Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow on Saturday, but decided to give him a bit more time and we'll think about chasing now.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Eight Palms[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Great Palm - Nordic Union[/FONT]
[FONT="]Eight Amigos Racing Syndicate 10-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Impressed on his bumper debut before getting worked up on the journey to Aintree, and I shouldn't have run him in the champion bumper. Jumps super but won't be out in novice hurdles until late December, as he had a breathing operation six weeks ago.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Elusive Dream[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Rainbow Quest - Dance A Dream[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay 421411-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Enjoyed a fantastic novice season, winning five of his eight races, but will find it a lot harder against the big boys from now on. I'm going to have a look at the 3m hurdle at Wetherby on Saturday, but if he doesn't go there, his first target will be the 2m3f Ascot Hurdle. He may get 3m but I feel the intermediate distance is going to suit him best - anything around 2m4f. We'd want to avoid the very soft ground in the middle of the season, as he showed last winter it didn't suit him, and having missed Cheltenham in the spring and gone instead to Aintree, I can see us doing the same again. The race that I think would suit ideally is the 2m4f Aintree Hurdle on Grand National day. I'm very happy with his wellbeing, but I stress again he'll have to improve to mix it at a higher level.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Express Leader[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Supreme Leader - Karawa[/FONT]
[FONT="]R J Metherell[/FONT]
[FONT="]Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]He's one of a number who are under the care of Richard Barber in my satellite yard. Ran second on his point-to-point debut and went one better next time. Going nicely, should win a staying novice hurdle somewhere and is ready to start.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fistral Beach[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Definite Article - Empress Of Light Graham Roach 1-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Comes from the family ofWahiba Sands and I love him to bits. Considering his size, he wouldn't have been suited by a tight track like Newton Abbot, but he made an impressive winning debut there from another of ours in April, when Nick Scholfield had a job to pull him up afterwards. He'd taken a while to come to himself, so I was doubly pleased. There's no reason why he shouldn't win a staying novice hurdle from 2m4f to 3m, but it's next season as a staying chaser that I'll be really excited about him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Five Dream[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Take Risks - Jenny Pous[/FONT]
[FONT="]Louise Scott-Macdonald, Tony Kilduff, Colm Donlon and Adrian Doyle 31170-4[/FONT]
[FONT="]The original plan was to go over fences, but following his reappearance, chasing is on hold for the time being. He ran in what I call the Free Handicap Hurdle as if he needed the outing, but that was no surprise as he's a stuffy sort who got beat on his first two runs for me last season. He's a horse who doesn't want to be in front too soon, and he got there after two out and then went to pull himself up. He did the same once last season, which was why I fitted blinkers in the Triumph Hurdle. In finishing fourth at Chepstow he did enough to convince me he's capable of running well in a big handicap hurdle somewhere, and he'll have an entry in the Greatwood at Cheltenham's Paddy Power meeting. Prefers soft ground, so would have found the good going plenty lively enough first time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Font[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Sadler's Wells - River Saint[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs Rick Nevinson and Mr and Mrs Ged Mason 542-11[/FONT]
[FONT="]I bought him off the Flat last year, got him home from Newmarket, and the first time I cantered him up our hill he made a noise. We tried a tongue-tie, but it was obvious he needed a breathing op, so after he won his Jewson qualifier in April that's what we did. Since then, the Jewson Final was always the aim, so his win at Cheltenham this month was very satisfying. I was delighted for Ged Mason, one of my longstanding owners, who sadly couldn't be there because he was spending a week in Florida with underprivileged children. Despite a rise of 13lb, Font still looks fairly weighted for races like the Greatwood and a £80,000 handicap at Ascot on November 1. Alternatively, we can go down the novice route as he's a novice all season. It did cross my mind the other day whether I should take out a Flat licence and train him for the November Handicap; I may do that next year, but he'll stay hurdling for now. He reminds me of Rigmarole, another horse I had off the Flat who suddenly clicked and then won a stack of good races. Doesn't want the ground too soft.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Forest Pennant[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Accordion - Prudent View[/FONT]
[FONT="]Peter Hart 31141-2[/FONT]
[FONT="]I see him as a smashing prospect for staying novice chases, but after his super run at Chepstow on Saturday, when Harry Skelton was in front too soon, we'll stick to staying hurdles for the time being as he should be up to winning a decent one. I've got my eye on the 3m handicap at the Paddy Power meeting next month. He progressed all last season and is clearly still going the right way.[/FONT]
continued....
[FONT="][/FONT]
[FONT="]For those who missed it (Suny et al)...From the Racing Post...this BB won't let me post more than 30000 chars in one reply.[/FONT]
[FONT="]From the Racing Post...[/FONT]
[FONT="]========================[/FONT]
[FONT="]LEADER OF THE PACK[/FONT]
[FONT="]STABLE TOUR PAUL NICHOLLS[/FONT]
[FONT="]Published: 27/10/2008 (Sport)[/FONT]
[FONT="]HE'S not one for putting his feet up in the summer months, or retreating to a sunshine holiday island, but until now Paul Nicholls hasn't been a summer jumps man either. The opposition came in for something of a shock when the small team he put aside to race on after April this year couldn't stop winning races. So instead of spending October playing catchup, he already leads the field. As November approaches, he has sent out the most winners, earned more prize-money and boasts a strike-rate way ahead of anyone else's.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nicholls' restless energy is forever driving him on to the next challenge. One he can never duck is keeping his owners on side when so many of them want to target the same big races. A planned increase in the number of raids to Ireland this winter will surely ease the pressure, although it's not just the Irish programme book that's going to become well thumbed in the coming months.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In his Stable Tour interview on Denman, Nicholls reveals for the first time an idea to take the Gold Cup winner to France next May for their Gold Cup, the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. The plan is barely hatched, and co-owners Paul Barber and Harry Findlay have to be convinced, but the trainer makes a compelling argument as to why such a bold challenge would be suitable. No British-trained chaser has captured France's most famous jump race since the legendary Mandarin in 1962, but the mere thought of seeing the giant Denman soaring over Auteuil's massive open ditch on the far side - an obstacle that makes The Chair at Aintree look like a brush hurdle - is enough to get the juices flowing.[/FONT]
[FONT="]As Denman did a gentle canter across the all-weather flat gallop in Ditcheat one sunny morning last week, Cheltenham in March or Auteuil in May seemed a long way off, although let's hope he and Kauto Star can make it back to the Festival for The Rematch. But before anyone thinks the 2009 Gold Cup might be a two-horse race, read Nicholls' comments on Neptune Collonges.[/FONT]
[FONT="]News that the champion chaser Master Minded is unlikely to have that many races this winter may be greeted with disappointment, but the trainer harbours the hope that his freakish five-year-old might go on to become one of chasing's all-time greats, so he needs looking after. Let's enjoy him when we can - and the same goes for the other stable stars who should serve up another memorable season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Interview by Ben Newton[/FONT]
[FONT="]Airon ageestring[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Bach - Perky Lass[/FONT]
[FONT="]Owner: Mr and Mrs Mark Woodhouse 42-[/FONT]
[FONT="]A bit fresh when showing promise on both his bumper starts last season. Has just returned from a breathing operation, so won't be seen out in novice hurdles until Christmas-time. Seen more as a chaser of the future.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Al Amaan[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Nayef - Siobhan[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Really nice. Anthony Bromley and I bought him recently at the Arc sale in Paris. He won a 1m7f handicap for John Hammond at Chantilly in July, and although he didn't have a particularly high Flat rating, he struck me as a tough sort, ideal for jumping. We cut him straight away, so he won't be out in juvenile hurdles until January.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Aldertune[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Alderbrook - Frankies Tune[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bunty Millard Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]From a good jumping family; his dam is a half-sister to Midlands National winner Miss Orchestra. Ready to make his debut in a bumper any time now.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Alfie Sherrin[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Kayf Tara - Mandys Native[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Paul Barber Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Well bred, from the family of Beau Ranger and Beau. He landed his only start, a Larkhill maiden point-to-point, and the form has worked out as the mare he beat went on to win three races. He had a slight setback after, but is fine now, if very green still, so I might give him a run in a bumper to sharpen him up before he goes staying novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very much a chaser of the future.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Alfred's Tower[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Alflora - Dutch Majesty[/FONT]
[FONT="]Proverbial Optimists 4699-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Won a maiden chase at Towcester in May on his first start for us. A mark of 120 makes life really difficult, because that's not high enough to be able to win a novice chase carrying a penalty, but gives him plenty of weight in a handicap for a horse with limited experience. I've got my eye on a 0-125 2m5f handicap chase at Folkestone on November 18, and he may have a run over hurdles first.[/FONT]
[FONT="]American Trilogy[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sendawar - Affaire Classee[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fulton, Donlon, Kilduff and Scott-MacDonald 1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lovely prospect, who got his new career off to a perfect start at Aintree on Saturday. He was trained on the Flat by Elie Lellouche when winning a 1m4f Listed race on heavy ground at Lyon in June. We gelded him, gave him time off, and it soon became apparent that he loves jumping. Having done a great piece of work with Pierrot Lunaire last week you can see why we fancied him so strongly. He could step up in grade now and will be entered for the Grade 2 novice hurdle at the Paddy Power meeting.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Andreas[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Marchand De Sable - Muscova Dancer Trevor Hemmings[/FONT]
[FONT="]F/74621-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Awfully hard to place. Loves good ground in the spring and came good on the final day at Sandown in the Celebration Chase. It wasn't the strongest Grade 2 in the world, but it was his Gold Cup as far as he was concerned and it may be again this season. He'd earlier been beaten three times off marks of 154 or 155, so is going to find life tough off 162, but we'll start at the Paddy Power meeting and do our best.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Apocal[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Anabaa Blue - Always Glitter Eight Amigos Racing Syndicate 54423-4[/FONT]
[FONT="]Although he had chasing experience at Auteuil, I rather threw him in at the deep end in a 2m2f handicap at Bangor. I was nervous about running on good ground and let the owners have the option of pulling him out, but they were keen to race and he ran disappointingly. At least I learned that he wants a trip and softer ground. He is on a decent handicap mark and there are races to be won with him, I'm certain. I've half an eye on a staying novice handicap chase at Newbury's Hennessy meeting.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Armaturk[/FONT]
[FONT="]11g Baby Turk - Armalita Trevor Hemmings B/U35-UF[/FONT]
[FONT="]Not the force he was. He looked the likely winner three times last season when falling or unseating.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Is a good schoolmaster nowadays and I think the plan is for Trevor's son Philip to ride him in hunter chases next spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Artadi[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Cadoudal - Vol Sauvage[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mette Campbell-Andenaes P3181/2-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Half-brother to a smart chaser of ours a few years back, Vol Solitaire. Has been off for 12 months with a bit of heat in a leg, and had a breathing operation in the summer. Will have one run in a hurdle before going for a beginners' chase - on decent ground round the smaller tracks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Art Trend[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Hawk Wing - Skiphall[/FONT]
[FONT="]Million In Mind Partnership 3[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bought for £82,000 at the Tatts sale in July, having won a Catterick maiden. Considering he'd been working nicely at home, I was slightly disappointed that he could finish only third on his hurdling debut at Wincanton, even though it was quite a hot race. He'd been cut in the summer, and in hindsight I may have rushed him a little. Some of these three-year-olds off the Flat who are gelded in the summer don't come back to themselves until the spring, and he may be one of them.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Beshabar[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Flemensfirth - In Our Intrest[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay 2151-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has suffered a small setback. He knocked himself schooling three weeks ago and has been on the easy list since. It's one of those annoying things that happen from time to time and we just have to be patient; hopefully he can still be back in December. We'd have had to wait for genuine soft ground for him anyway. He jumps fences great and is potentially a lovely chasing prospect, from the family of Tidal Bay. Harry Findlay bought him privately over the summer from Nick Williams, who did well with him as a novice hurdler last season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big Buck's[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Cadoudal - Buck's[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 121371-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He has enormous potential. We made the mistake of trying to turn him into an Arkle horse last season, and it wasn't until I upped him in trip that he started to show his true ability. With hindsight, I wish I'd run him in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase instead of the Jewson, because I'm convinced he'd have gone close. When he finally got his chance over 3m1f at Aintree he showed a devastating turn of foot despite jumping poorly. I've already been quoted as saying I hope he can progress into a Gold Cup horse, but let's take things one step at a time. To be competitive at the top level he has to jump better, and I'm pleased to say the signs are encouraging. Whereas 12 months ago he was such a big baby he wouldn't go into our loose school, he's much more settled now and more of a man. He's schooled a lot better, though for the moment we'll stick to lefthanded tracks. If he's to run in a Gold Cup he has to be competitive off 153 in the Hennessy, so that's where he'll go first time out, and he would have gone there even if Denman had been in the field. 3m2f round Newbury will be ideal for him, giving him time to get into a rhythm and jump nicely.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big Fella Thanks[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Primitive Rising - Nunsdream[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Paul Barber 112-3[/FONT]
[FONT="]The type to make a lovely staying chaser on soft ground. He could have done with some cut at Chepstow on Saturday, as it would have slowed the others down a bit and brought his stamina into play. I could see his rivals were queuing up to take him on up the straight, and he idled on the run-in. May lack a gear to be top-class over 3m, and the 4m National Hunt Chase at the festival might be more his target.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Blue Abbey[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Blueprint - Mazuma[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Half-brother to Asian Maze. Big, backward sort with chaser written all over him, so we'll take our time and start off in bumpers in the spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bobby On The Beat[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Bob Back - Supreme Kellycarra[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 6-9[/FONT]
[FONT="]From an old-fashioned staying family that includes John Hughes winners Bells Life and Indian Tonic. I was a bit disappointed with his reappearance at Cheltenham, when he was keen on the way to post, and he'll go hurdling now, when he'll want a trip on slow ground. I still think he's a nice horse, but he's clearly going to want a bit more time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bold Policy[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Shernazar - Lady Vic[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mrs S Craven and Mrs E Jackson 2/333-58[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very green on his reappearance at Chepstow when we fancied him, and was bitterly disappointing in a staying novices' handicap hurdle at Aintree on Saturday. Too babyish to switch to fences at present.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Breedsbreeze[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Fresh Breeze - Godfreys Cross[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Lewis, Markus Jooste, Malcolm King 3/1210-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Did really well last season - I still find it amazing that, as a winning point-to-pointer, he was able to win a Grade 1 novice hurdle over 2m. Came out and jumped beautifully on his chasing debut at Bangor over 2m4f, winning with his head in his chest, and he'll probably go to Wincanton now for the Rising Stars Novices' Chase. He could always drop down to 2m over fences if the ground were testing. With him, and with our other novice chasers to have run already, we have been able to do a lot more schooling in the relaid schooling ring this autumn. It shows in the results we've been getting, as by and large they've all jumped fantastic.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bump In The Night[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Midnight Legend - Cornwood[/FONT]
[FONT="]R AWebb and C W Evans 354-2[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ran well in his bumpers last season, when crying out for further than 2m. Made his hurdling debut over 2m7f at Exeter last week and would probably have won but for landing on all fours at the last. He's a big baby, who will come on mentally and physically for the run . Unfortunately, he came back with a cut that will keep him off until after Christmas.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Celestial Halo[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Galileo - Pay The Bank[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 1212-[/FONT]
[FONT="]We've had a nightmare with him since he returned from his summer break. He was fine for a month, then had an allergic reaction to something that brought him out in lumps all over his body the size of 50p pieces. We've played around with his diet and his bedding and finally think we've got it under control, but he still doesn't look as good as the rest. All this time he's still been cantering, although he hasn't done any fast work yet. He looks a stronger horse this season and I'm still hoping we'll be able to dip our toe in the water to see where we stand with the senior hurdlers in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle. If he isn't ready in time we can wait for the Boylesports International, and that probably now is a more realistic first target. If he tells us that 2m is too sharp, we'll step him up in trip, but I want to give him every chance to develop into a Champion Hurdle contender because at home you wouldn't split him and Pierrot Lunaire.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Chapoturgeon[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Turgeon - Chapohio[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Johnson 34119-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was bought as a chaser and that's where he's going, possibly starting off in a 2m4f beginners' chase at Stratford on Thursday. Has done bags of schooling and will be suited by cut in the ground and going left-handed.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Charity Lane[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Indian Danehill - In Behind[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 116-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Did well in his bumpers before being bought at the Doncaster spring sale. Looks a staying chaser of the future, so this will be a fill-in season for him. He's not going to be a flashy hurdler and we'll start low, as I've told Andy Stewart we'll keep him on the back-burner for the next 12 months, but I like him a lot.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Classic Swain[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Swain - Affirm Miss[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family - Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]I'd seen him during an earlier trip to France, liked what I saw, so we went back and bought him at the Arc sale. He was successful twice from six starts for Andre Fabre, at up to 1m4f, and although beaten some way in a Group 3 at Longchamp last month, he'd have a Flat rating over here of about 95. Like the other juveniles we bought at that sale, he's been cut and we'll aim to have him ready after Christmas. A really nice individual.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Colombard[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Trempolino - Question Francaise[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sir Robert Ogden 8[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was in training in France with Jehan Bertran de Balanda last season but was too backward to run. I took him to Aintree yesterday and he ran nicely and will improve for the run. He will now go novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Conflictofinterest[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Saddlers' Hall - Fortune's Girl[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 21-4[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lovely prospect, related to smart hurdler and chaser Ring The Boss and stacks of other winners. Hadn't shown much at home before finishing second on his bumper debut, then improved enormously to win impressively at Ayr on good ground - something that's important to him as he won't want it too soft, as we saw at Wincanton yesterday. He will clearly need to improve on what he did at Wincanton, but with hindsight I wish I had waited and run him at Stratford on good ground on Thursday. He'd had a breathing operation before he got to the track and I just hope that his breathing won't hinder his progress, as he could turn out very good - and remember that Noland got beat as an odds-on favourite in the same Wincanton race and ended up winning the Supreme Novices'![/FONT]
[FONT="]Cornish Sett[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Accordion - Hue 'N' Cry[/FONT]
[FONT="]Peter Hart 6/2P80- F[/FONT]
[FONT="]Struggled with his breathing last season, so had an operation early in the year. Considering it was a rush to get him back he wasn't disgraced in the Grand National, showing a liking for the fences. We had a couple of offers for him to go hunter chasing, but the owner decided to keep him to see if we could win another decent handicap. He returned in the staying chase at Wincanton yesterday off what looked like a good mark and Nick was very happy with the way he was travelling when he fell. We'll now find a similar race for him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Dear Villez[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Villez - Distant Meteor[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs J Cotton U11U2-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]I'd had the Munster National in my mind as a target for some time. I remember saying to John Cotton, 'There's a very valuable race in Ireland I'd like to go for', and he replied, 'He's not good enough'. But I told him, 'He definitely is good enough, and what's more, if it's soft ground he'll win'. John gave me the okay and he jumped fantastic when winning the Limerick race, and I saw in one of the papers he's among the favourites for the Grand National. That's a long way off, but I said to Ruby we should think about the Becher Chase next month. The problem with that race is, if you win it, it wrecks your handicap mark for the National, as we saw with Mr Pointment 12 months ago. If you have a serious National horse on your hands you're better off fiddling around over hurdles to preserve your handicap mark, but my policy is to win what I can along the way, which is one of the reasons I have such an awful record in the National. Going back to Dear Villez, he's improved for his first run and will be entered for the Hennessy and Welsh National - he's better going lefthanded. He's also best fresh, so we'll pick and choose our targets sparingly.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Definite Edge[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Definite Article - Itkan[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ann Fulton 6/416F-0[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very disappointing on his return the other day. Now eligible for handicaps with a rating of 99, but the way he ran at Bangor it wants to be several pounds lower. He's a big horse, so we could try him in a handicap chase, but he needs to improve.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Definity[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Definite Article - Ebony Jane[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]From a good family, being halfbrother to Gansey and Bolt Action. Won his only start for Liam Burke in an Irish point-to-point in May, and the runner-up has boosted the form.We like what we see and he's an interesting prospect for novice hurdles. Ready to run.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Denman[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Presenting - Polly Puttens[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay 11/1111-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He cantered on the flat gallop a week last Saturday and he was back to his usual self - tanking along. He spent last week cantering one day, trotting the next, still on the level, and he'll do the same all this week, then next week I'll start cantering him up the hill. We've got to remember, the trip to Newmarket to get his heart seen to knocked him for six and he was a sick horse for a week after. But he's looking fab again, back to his grumpy ways when you go in his box, and if you didn't know he'd had a problem it wouldn't enter your mind. The signs are all very positive, and I'm dead happy at this stage, so there's no reason why we can't have him bang on for the Aon Chase in February, and with any luck he should arrive at Cheltenham a fresh horse. After the festival I've formed a new little game plan: he could go on to Aintree for the Bowl, but the track wouldn't suit him; he could go to Punchestown, but the ground would be too quick by then; or, and this is what I'm really keen to do, we could take him to France for the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris on May 24. It's over 3m5f, the ground is always soft, which is ideal, and I see that the highestrated chaser in France at the moment is less than 150, so they can't be a vintage crop of chasers over there. I must stress, this is no more than an idea at the moment, although it's one I'm currently very sweet on. But first things first, let's get him back to his best.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Earth Dream[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Old Vic - Barbaras Mews[/FONT]
[FONT="]Catherine Penny 283-U[/FONT]
[FONT="]Not many Old Vics win as four-year-olds and we were biding our time with him last season. Ran a fraction green on his hurdling debut at Kempton the other day, hence Ruby was looking for a lead the whole time. He was upsides Alan Kingy's horse when unseating at the last, and it would have been very close between the pair. I think we would probably have won; Choc Thornton probably thinks the same. It was a performance full of promise and he will definitely be winning staying novice hurdles this season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Earth Planet[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Kayf Tara - Arctic Rose[/FONT]
[FONT="]Roger Penny 26114-3[/FONT]
[FONT="]In no way was I disappointed when he got beaten into third when odds-on at Cheltenham ten days ago: he ran exactly as I thought he would. I wish I'd already started my Racing Post column because I would have been able to warn everyone that he'd just need the run. He'd had a breathing operation in mid-July and spent the next 28 days in his box as per normal, so he started a month behind the others who have been coming out and winning. It was a struggle getting him back, and I couldn't be anything other than delighted as he's a great tank of a horse who will improve significantly for his first run. I could have brought him out again in the Persian War Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow on Saturday, but decided to give him a bit more time and we'll think about chasing now.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Eight Palms[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Great Palm - Nordic Union[/FONT]
[FONT="]Eight Amigos Racing Syndicate 10-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Impressed on his bumper debut before getting worked up on the journey to Aintree, and I shouldn't have run him in the champion bumper. Jumps super but won't be out in novice hurdles until late December, as he had a breathing operation six weeks ago.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Elusive Dream[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Rainbow Quest - Dance A Dream[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay 421411-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Enjoyed a fantastic novice season, winning five of his eight races, but will find it a lot harder against the big boys from now on. I'm going to have a look at the 3m hurdle at Wetherby on Saturday, but if he doesn't go there, his first target will be the 2m3f Ascot Hurdle. He may get 3m but I feel the intermediate distance is going to suit him best - anything around 2m4f. We'd want to avoid the very soft ground in the middle of the season, as he showed last winter it didn't suit him, and having missed Cheltenham in the spring and gone instead to Aintree, I can see us doing the same again. The race that I think would suit ideally is the 2m4f Aintree Hurdle on Grand National day. I'm very happy with his wellbeing, but I stress again he'll have to improve to mix it at a higher level.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Express Leader[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Supreme Leader - Karawa[/FONT]
[FONT="]R J Metherell[/FONT]
[FONT="]Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]He's one of a number who are under the care of Richard Barber in my satellite yard. Ran second on his point-to-point debut and went one better next time. Going nicely, should win a staying novice hurdle somewhere and is ready to start.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fistral Beach[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Definite Article - Empress Of Light Graham Roach 1-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Comes from the family ofWahiba Sands and I love him to bits. Considering his size, he wouldn't have been suited by a tight track like Newton Abbot, but he made an impressive winning debut there from another of ours in April, when Nick Scholfield had a job to pull him up afterwards. He'd taken a while to come to himself, so I was doubly pleased. There's no reason why he shouldn't win a staying novice hurdle from 2m4f to 3m, but it's next season as a staying chaser that I'll be really excited about him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Five Dream[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Take Risks - Jenny Pous[/FONT]
[FONT="]Louise Scott-Macdonald, Tony Kilduff, Colm Donlon and Adrian Doyle 31170-4[/FONT]
[FONT="]The original plan was to go over fences, but following his reappearance, chasing is on hold for the time being. He ran in what I call the Free Handicap Hurdle as if he needed the outing, but that was no surprise as he's a stuffy sort who got beat on his first two runs for me last season. He's a horse who doesn't want to be in front too soon, and he got there after two out and then went to pull himself up. He did the same once last season, which was why I fitted blinkers in the Triumph Hurdle. In finishing fourth at Chepstow he did enough to convince me he's capable of running well in a big handicap hurdle somewhere, and he'll have an entry in the Greatwood at Cheltenham's Paddy Power meeting. Prefers soft ground, so would have found the good going plenty lively enough first time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Font[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Sadler's Wells - River Saint[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs Rick Nevinson and Mr and Mrs Ged Mason 542-11[/FONT]
[FONT="]I bought him off the Flat last year, got him home from Newmarket, and the first time I cantered him up our hill he made a noise. We tried a tongue-tie, but it was obvious he needed a breathing op, so after he won his Jewson qualifier in April that's what we did. Since then, the Jewson Final was always the aim, so his win at Cheltenham this month was very satisfying. I was delighted for Ged Mason, one of my longstanding owners, who sadly couldn't be there because he was spending a week in Florida with underprivileged children. Despite a rise of 13lb, Font still looks fairly weighted for races like the Greatwood and a £80,000 handicap at Ascot on November 1. Alternatively, we can go down the novice route as he's a novice all season. It did cross my mind the other day whether I should take out a Flat licence and train him for the November Handicap; I may do that next year, but he'll stay hurdling for now. He reminds me of Rigmarole, another horse I had off the Flat who suddenly clicked and then won a stack of good races. Doesn't want the ground too soft.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Forest Pennant[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Accordion - Prudent View[/FONT]
[FONT="]Peter Hart 31141-2[/FONT]
[FONT="]I see him as a smashing prospect for staying novice chases, but after his super run at Chepstow on Saturday, when Harry Skelton was in front too soon, we'll stick to staying hurdles for the time being as he should be up to winning a decent one. I've got my eye on the 3m handicap at the Paddy Power meeting next month. He progressed all last season and is clearly still going the right way.[/FONT]
continued....
[FONT="][/FONT]
DrizzleCity
At the Start
Paul Nicholls Stable Tour (Part 2)
Continued....
[FONT="]Free World[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Lost World - Fautine[/FONT]
[FONT="]Clive Smith 12104-[/FONT]
[FONT="]I like him a lot. He came over from France with a big reputation early in the year, having won two of his three starts at Pau, but didn't live up to expectations in two outings at Sandown and Newbury, when I don't think he had acclimatised. Has done very well for some time off over the summer and has schooled nicely, so I'm hopeful he'll leave those efforts well behind when he goes novice chasing. I wouldn't rule out coming back to hurdles at some point as he's perfectly capable of winning a handicap off 130.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Gansey[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Anshan - Ebony Jane[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 1/17192-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Although successful twice over hurdles last season, chasing was always going to be his game, and that's where he'll go now. Had a breathing operation over the summer and has just taken a bit longer than the others to come to himself this autumn, so isn't quite ready yet. Has won on ground ranging from good to soft and goes on any surface other than a bog. Needs more schooling over fences before he's ready to roll in about a month's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Great Mates[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Bob's Return - All Set[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Lewis 8[/FONT]
[FONT="]Half-brother to Racing Demon. Things didn't work out for him on his bumper debut in May, when he ran too free, got struck into during the race and came back with sore shins. Capable of winning a bumper before he goes novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Gullible Gordon[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Anshan - Cronohill[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay 632-6[/FONT]
[FONT="]Comes from a good staying family and we've given him lots of time. I was very surprised by his defeat at Exeter last week, after he'd travelled like the winner for much of the race but then faded tamely. Nothing has come to light and hopefully we'll be able to look back in a month's time and put a line through it. He should be up to winning staying novice hurdles before going over fences in a year's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Gungadu[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Beneficial - Tsarella[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay F/36115-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Will someone please tell me where to go with him! Having won two nice handicaps in the spring, he's going to be desperately difficult to place off a mark of 160. Whereas I like to have a game plan with my chasers, with him there isn't one; I could take him to Ireland, and I could run him in the Betfair Chase if it cut up, as there's good money for being placed. For his first run, he'll have an entry in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby on Saturday and another in the valuable 3m handicap chase at Ascot the same day. He's ever so consistent and has a great attitude, so let's hope that stands him in good stead.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Gwanako[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Sin Kiang - Vaubecourt[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 345321-[/FONT]
[FONT="]It was amazing to think he started last season winning what was the Free Handicap Hurdle, as I still call it, and ended it landing the Topham at Aintree, where he was awesome over those big fences. Whereas I can't form a game plan with Gungadu, with Gwanako I know exactly what we hope to do: we'll start in a 2m4f graduation chase at Carlisle early next month, then go to Aintree on Becher Chase day for the new-look Grand Sefton over 2m6f. That sort of trip should suit, and I'd like to think he might progress sufficiently to be a Ryanair Chase sort come the spring, but I'm not looking at longer distances and wouldn't even entertain the idea of the Grand National. With just three runs over fences in Britain, he's totally unexposed and looks an exciting prospect.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hell's Bay[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Supreme Leader - Queen's Flagship Graham Roach 1344-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]I was always confident he would step up considerably on last season's efforts. He'd begun with a close third to County Zen at Sandown, but failed to build on that. It could have been that he had a hard race, but I think he was just weak - he's been a big baby up to now. He's been working very nicely at home and came out on Saturday to land the Persian War in great style. Chasing can wait now and he'll go for all the good 2m4f races, with the Challow an obvious objective.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Herecomesthetruth[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Presenting - Beagan Rose[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay 5113-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Made an exciting start to his chasing career when winning at Chepstow, where he jumped fantastic. Both his victories last season came on soft ground, so the good ground at Chepstow would have been plenty lively enough for him. I'm not in any rush to make future plans, as he is best fresh so will benefit from a gap between his races, but we'll find another staying novice chase somewhere and work our way up a bit. It will be interesting to see how far he can go.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hivikos[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Nikos - Hijika[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sparkes family 023/[/FONT]
[FONT="]I have an enormous amount of respect for this horse, which is why I have made him my stable dark horse to follow for the season. He was last seen on the track in March last year, when showing promise over hurdles at Auteuil. In the winter I sold him to the Sparkes family and a fortnight before he was due to run he bled badly at home, so I left off him. I put the bleeding down to the fact he was struggling with his breathing, so he went off for an operation. He's come back a different horse. With his history I'm training him a bit different, not putting him under pressure, doing three steady canters up the hill each day, so I can't tell you he's done any blinding gallops with some of the stars, but I really like what I see. He's a fast and accurate jumper, and he'll leap over anything; these big horses by Nikos can make grand jumpers. It's one thing having stacks of potential, it's another to go out and do it on the track, so let's see if he can produce the goods in a novice hurdle at Chepstow on November 5. We'll then take a view whether to stay hurdling or go over fences. I hope we'll hear a lot more of him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hollow Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Kotashaan - Festival Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Second on his debut in an Irish point-to-point before going one better, beating a subsequent winner. We bought him at the Cheltenham January sale. Hasn't been the easiest to train - he has a touch of temperament about him and has been a bit free and silly. But he has finally relaxed and got settled into our routine, and I now like what I see. He'd be about three weeks off a run and is bred to stay well, being related to Whitbread winner Ushers Island.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hoo La Baloo[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Unfuwain - Via Saleria[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 14253-0[/FONT]
[FONT="]What the hell do I do with him? He's been a real star, but will find it tough trying to win a handicap off 153. He showed he gets 3m5f when running a blinder to be third in the Bet365 Gold Cup, fading up the hill through tiredness rather than lack of stamina, and that set me thinking he might be suited by the race over the crosscountry fences at Cheltenham's Paddy Power meeting. But Andy's not keen on the idea, so I'll look for something else. We'll have an entry at Ascot on Saturday.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Inchidaly Rock[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Buster King - Rosnalee Lass[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Winner of three Irish point-topoints; I don't know what the form amounted to, and although I read in the Irish annual that he was one of their best in the last decade, I'd say at this stage he's a nice horse without being an absolute superstar. He has taken a while to acclimatise to our way of doing things, but has finally turned the corner and is schooling away great. Still not ready for his debut in a staying novice hurdle, but I'm starting to like what I see.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Indian Blood[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Indian Ridge - Miss Mistletoes[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Johnson 6-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Won twice on the Flat in France, but he was weak and backward, and after his debut for us at Cheltenham in December was found to have a breathing problem. Now that's been corrected I hope he can go forward, although he has a lot to prove. I'm keen to keep him to flat tracks for the time being.[/FONT]
[FONT="]I'msingingtheblues[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Pistolet Bleu - Nova Rose[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Hales 13573-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]That was an awesome chasing debut at Kempton. Harry Skelton deserves a lot of credit for all the schooling he has done with the horse. Last season he was very free and had to be held up, but I said to Ruby the other day, 'This horse is fit, he jumps brilliantly, so let him bowl along in front'. And that's what they did. The manner of his victory surprised me, but we shouldn't get carried away. I see they made him favourite for the Arkle, but I'm not sure Cheltenham would be his forte and there's a suspicion he may be best on a flat track, so I could see him winging round Aintree or Punchestown in the spring no problem. He can be a buzz-ball and end up a bit stressed as he puts a lot into his races, so he won't want too many runs or to be over-faced at this early stage. But that was a perfect start.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Iroquois Warrior[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Lord Americo - Auntie Honnie[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mel Fordham 168112-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Showed progressive form last season, and it's amazing to think he started by winning a bumper over 1m6f and four months later was successful in a handicap hurdle over 3m1f. Should be running in novice chases after Christmas, or we could stay hurdling if time is running out for the switch to fences.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Just Amazing[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Presenting - Just Precious[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs John Cotton 13251-7[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very green last season, when we became suspicious of his breathing, so he's another to have had a summer operation. I'm very happy with his progress, as he seems to have improved mentally and physically, and although he jumps fences beautifully, I was keen to give him one outing in a decent handicap hurdle, so I ran him in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow on Saturday, but he was disappointing. He wants slower ground, a step up to 3m and fences.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Kauto Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Village Star - Kauto Relka[/FONT]
[FONT="]Clive Smith 211122-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Following discussions with Clive Smith, we have agreed that if all goes to plan - and remember it often doesn't in jumping - the Gold Cup will be his fourth outing of the season. Assuming we run at Down Royal on Saturday, then go to Haydock for the Betfair Chase, then to Kempton for the King George, he won't run between Christmas and the Festival. That way I can have him nice and fresh for a rematch with Denman. Looking back, I was asking an awful lot of him first time out last season, getting him to concede lumps of weight to top-class handicappers over 2m4f, and I hope the 3m Grade 1 on Saturday will suit him much better. This time last year he was slow to come to hand for some reason - I was having to gallop him with some slow horses to wake him up - but this autumn I couldn't be more pleased. He's looked and worked fantastic. As for last spring, I look back on the Gold Cup and identify the two mistakes he made at the second-last and the last with a circuit to go as being the crucial factor in his defeat. Not jumping with his usual fluency meant he just ran out of petrol up the hill, and it was no disgrace to finish virtually upsides Neptune Collonges, as I'll come to later. Denman was the best horse on the day, but not every day is the same. And as for Aintree, we got the tactics all wrong and the less said about that the better.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Kerry's Girl[/FONT]
[FONT="]5m Flemensfirth - Guess Twice[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Hewitt 341-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Half-sister to St Pirran, who did so well for us. She was green when making a successful hurdling debut at Exeter in March and I'm expecting her to step up on that in handicap hurdles any day now.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Kicks For Free[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Flemensfirth - Keep The Change[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 80/126-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Made his chasing debut at Aintree yesterday and we were obviously happy both with the outcome and the way he jumped. There are no definite plans for him but he could reappear at the Paddy Power meeting. He seemed suited by the intermediate distance, and he could well return to Aintree in the spring for the new championship race over 2m4f. Although he'd done masses of schooling at home, he isn't as scopey as some of the others. I still kick myself for messing up his handicap mark over hurdles last season. He surprised me when winning first time out at Kempton, and a rise of 10lb cost him victory in the Coral Cup as he was only beaten a whisker.[/FONT]
[FONT="]King Caine[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g King's Theatre - Kadarassa[/FONT]
[FONT="]J Barber, A Norman, A Sim 7/183-32[/FONT]
[FONT="]Put up a career best on his return from a summer break when runner-up in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow on Saturday. There's a nice handicap to be won with him somethere.[/FONT]
[FONT="]King Fontaine[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g King's Theatre - Kerfontaine[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 34-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ran well in both his bumpers last season. Came back a bit sore after finishing fourth at Uttoxeter, although it soon cleared up. Well capable of winning a novice hurdle over a trip en route to going chasing in a year's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lamanver Homerun[/FONT]
[FONT="]6m Relief Pitcher - Bizimki[/FONT]
[FONT="]Donna Christensen 3825/11-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fun sort for mares' novice chases round the smaller tracks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Leading Attraction[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Mister Mat - Cerise De Totes[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 1/212-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was sold to Trevor over the summer and I rate him highly as a potential smart staying chaser. Came in late last season on his return from injury and everything was a bit of a rush for him, but I'm sure he's going to progress considerably. His jumping was a bit hit-and-miss, so we've worked hard in that area, and he schooled well last week. The race I'm keen to go for is the Badger Ales at Wincanton; I'd have liked to get a run into him beforehand, but if I can't, so be it. He'll then be entered for the big staying chases - Hennessy, Welsh National, even the Grand National - and I hope we'll be hearing more from him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Le Duc[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Villez - Beberova[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family U46101-[/FONT]
[FONT="]It was good to get a couple of wins on the board last season, in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup and the Golden Miller Chase. He goes hunter chasing in the spring. I have two good amateurs for this season:Will Biddick has recently joined us from Venetia Williams, and we have Ryan Mahon from the point-to-point field. Ryan landed a couple of races when based with Guillaume Macaire in the summer and won an amateurs' race at Auteuil two Saturdays ago on his first ride round the track. Le Duc will give them both valuable experience.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Luxurix[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Linamix - Luxurious[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Green 1/73184- New arrival from Paul Webber, having won a novice hurdle at Lingfield last season. I'm quite pleased with him and we'll possibly look at an intermediate handicap hurdle at the Paddy Power meeting before thinking about chasing.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mahonia[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Turtle Island - Bell Walks Run[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Lewis, Peter Deal, Derek Holder, Bill Tincknell and Terry Warner 10-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Former Irish pointer and one of our better bumper horses last season, finishing 12th to Cousin Vinny at the festival. Ready to run in a maiden hurdle, possibly on November 5, and I'm already looking forward to the day he goes chasing in a year's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mark Aurele[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Trempolino - Ile Rousse[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ged Mason Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]The third and last of our recent purchases at the Arc sale. He's related to Sporazene, whom Ged Mason also owns, and has won twice from seven starts on the Flat for Andre Fabre, most recently at Chantilly in September. Having just been gelded, he won't be out until the new year.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Marodima[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Robin Des Pres - Balbeyssac[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Johnson 4911-13 I was slightly disappointed he could finish only third at Limerick this month, but he ran much too free. Sam Thomas said he knew he was in trouble after jumping the first two fences. He was like that last season in his first couple of runs, then he was okay and settled down. He loves dominating in small fields and there are plenty of 2m conditions races in Ireland that should suit him. May need another run just to take some more of the freshness out of him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Massasoit[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Supreme Leader - Lady[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaretta Stewart family 11/4-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fourth on his only run for us last season, when 2m was too sharp. Got an infection in a tooth after that, so we scrapped the season. Reappeared in a 2m4f novice hurdle at Aintree yesterday and won very impressively. We were highly delighted with that and will now find a similar race for him. He liked the soft ground and will get further. He's a really nice individual and there are more races to be won with him over hurdles.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Master Minded[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Nikos - Haute Tension[/FONT]
[FONT="]Clive Smith 2U1112-[/FONT]
[FONT="]I'm very lucky to have a special horse like this. The phenomenal progress he made in the spring has been well documented, and his incredible performance in the Champion Chase left me speechless on the day and I'm still staggered by it months later. Hindsight can be a wonderful thing but I probably shouldn't have run him again at Aintree. We rode him wrong over 2m4f, holding him up to get the trip when he's possibly best allowed to bowl along in front, but if ever a horse deserved to win a big race last season it was the admirably consistent Voy Por Ustedes. Anyway, that's all history and we'll stick to 2m now. Physically, he has continued to amaze me since his summer break and he looks a different animal to the one who turned up here 15 months ago. He and Big Buck's are doing all their work together and I'm just starting to press the buttons. Being so young he's entitled to improve further, and I think that's perfectly possible. The Tingle Creek and the Champion Chase are his two major objectives; the Victor Chandler might suit as a race in between, but I see little point in giving him too many races this season. Being only five, I'd love to think he could stay champion over 2m for years to come.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Medicinal[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Linamix - Pharmacist[/FONT]
[FONT="]Steve and Reg Botham 2346-33[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has come from Edward O'Grady with a fair few miles on the clock. I noticed that his fencing wasn't always fluent last season, so we've spent a lot of time schooling him. Reappeared at Aintree yesterday and ran nicely, but he could still sharpen up his jumping. We can also go over hurdles with him and he should give his connections some fun.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Michael Muck[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Overbury - Country Choice[/FONT]
[FONT="]Katya Banks 1/163P6-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Following a first-time-out win over fences his form went downhill. I was convinced he was struggling with his breathing, so I hope a summer operation will allow him to get back on track. Will be ready in about ten days' time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Michel Le Bon[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Villez - Rosacotte[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 3-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Not back in the yard yet, but is due to return shortly having done all his pre-training with owner Graham Roach. Stayed on well in his one bumper run, behind a horse of Kingy's who was lucky to win at Exeter last week, and is sure to appreciate further when he makes his hurdling debut around Christmas. He's a halfbrother to the smart Marcus Du Berlais and is going to make a lovely chaser in a year or so's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mobaasher[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Rahy - Balistroika[/FONT]
[FONT="]Seasons Holidays 335941-[/FONT]
[FONT="]I hope he'll develop into a World Hurdle contender. Joined us last season and the first time we cantered him up the hill he choked, so I knew right away he had a breathing problem. But we tied his tongue down and got away with it, and he finally came good at Cheltenham in April when getting an unbelievable ride from Ruby. He allowed the horse to fill his lungs going to the last and they went up the hill and won. He duly had his breathing op over the summer and all I can say is he's working like a different horse. It's amazing the difference that can result from corrective surgery. He may reappear in the John Smith's Hurdle over 3m atWetherby on Saturday and I hope he'll be up to taking in the big staying conditions hurdles, with any luck ending up at the festival. I'm excited by him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr Pointment[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Old Vic - Bettyhill[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stockton Heath Racing 416P6-6[/FONT]
[FONT="]Following an outing over hurdles at Chepstow on Saturday, where he settled nicely and will come on for the run, he'll go back to Aintree next month to try to win another Becher Chase, where a handicap mark 7lb higher than 12 months ago will give him a stiff task. After his Becher victory things didn't go according to plan; he bled at Doncaster and my experience tells me when a horse bleeds it's a sign he's struggling with his breathing, so he had an op over the summer. This horse reminds me of Twist Magic, who also bled in his younger days, though he didn't make a noise with his breathing. We still gave Twist a wind op and he never looked back. We worked hard to get Mr Pointment back from the disappointment of Doncaster, and he enjoyed himself too much in the National, showing so much enthusiasm he failed to get home. I'd be open-minded about another National bid as I don't think he'd ever give himself sufficient chance to last 4m4f.[/FONT]
[FONT="]My Will[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Saint Preuil - Gleep Will[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 132023/[/FONT]
[FONT="]Back from a year off with a leg. Despite a near impossible-looking handicap rating of 160, we should be looking at the top staying chases and maybe taking him to Ireland, but so far he's disappointed me, and I want to see him show more sparkle before we start making plans. I can't help thinking it's going to be a tough season for him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nakai[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Esprit Du Nord - Hermes De Beaulieu[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 2/1320-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very keen and fresh in his races last season. The key to his progress is whether we can get him more settled and relaxed, and I'm pleased to say the signs at home are encouraging. I may give him one more run over hurdles just to take the remaining freshness out of him, but he's been schooling away very nicely over fences and that's where his future lies.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Natal[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Funny Baby - Donitille[/FONT]
[FONT="]Monica Hackett 2831F2-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ran some blinders last season, and his second to Twist Magic in the Grade 1 at Punchestown was a career-best. He may deserve to be rated 160 on a literal interpretation of the Irish form, but I feel he ran above himself that day, and if that's the case, he would struggle to win a handicap off that mark. Provided the ground's not soft, he's going to reappear in the Haldon Gold Cup, as we still like to call it, and while life's going to be hard, he's so tough and genuine that I'm sure he'll pick up plenty of prize-money through the season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Neptune Collonges[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Dom Alco - Castille Collonges[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Hales 81/3131-[/FONT]
[FONT="]For me he was the most improved staying chaser in training last season. What with all the attention on Denman and Kauto Star, his achievement in finishing third in the Gold Cup - it would have been second in another stride - went largely unnoticed. Remember, he's a year younger than the other two, and he only has to improve a further few pounds and he could be rattling all their cages next March. What's more, based on what I'm seeing at the moment, that's quite possible, as I am more pleased with him than at any time since he came to us from France. He never seems to run to his best this side of Christmas, so we are taking our time, and the Lexus Chase at the end of December will be his first run. He could then go back to Leopardstown for the Irish Hennessy, then it's the Gold Cup and then Punchestown, when I'd love to see him win the Guinness Gold Cup three years running. That's four Grade 1 targets, and I'd be happy if he landed any one of them.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nevada Royale[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Garde Royale - Ahhotep[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Paul Barber F1P[/FONT]
[FONT="]Took an awful long time to get over his horrible fall at Newbury in December, and on his return we decided to keep him a novice over fences for this season. He did win over hurdles before being pulled up at Newbury, when we found he was struggling with his breathing. So he has had a summer operation and is now ready to resume in novice chases. I see him developing into a top-class staying handicapper, though I wouldn't rule out the Royal & SunAlliance Chase. Let's see how he progresses.[/FONT]
[FONT="]New Little Bric[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Bricassar - Doulina[/FONT]
[FONT="]Kathy Stuart 17/4P5P-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He was unbelievably disappointing last season and I wish I could tell you what went wrong; we tested him for everything. We strongly fancied him on three occasions and each time he failed to deliver, leaving me tearing my hair out. One day in the spring he did a sparkling gallop at Wincanton racecourse and I thought, 'Aintree, here we come', and he went and ran terrible again. We have given him a breathing operation, in the hope that might help, and after six weeks with Chloe Roddick, who does a lot of our pre-training, he's back in the yard. Working away fine and will be ready to run in a month's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nodforms Paula[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Rashar - Monamandy[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Hales 21/51-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Backward last season and broke a blood vessel when beaten at Bangor first time. Came good at Doncaster on decent ground, which seems to suit him. We may give him one run in a handicap hurdle before he goes over fences, and he should develop into a nice staying handicap chaser.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Noland[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Exit To Nowhere - Molakai[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Hales 11/1132-[/FONT]
[FONT="]We didn't see the best of him in his first season over fences. He came back in late after injury, was a sick horse after winning at Folkestone and lacked a bit of experience when lining up for the Arkle. When he got beat at Ayr in April Ruby said he'd choked during the race. As he'd also bled a couple of times at home, he was crying out for a breathing operation - he's been thick in his wind from the first day he came here - and he's now a much happier horse, so we are hoping for a clearer run. He goes to Down Royal on Saturday for the Killultagh Properties Chase, and we'll make a gameplan after that, but he will have plenty of entries. If pressed to nominate a possible target at the festival, the Ryanair would be the choice at this stage.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nosler[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Anshan - Tricias Pride[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 2/U[/FONT]
[FONT="]Since running second in a bumper on his debut he had been kept off the track by a small setback, nothing serious. Returned in a novice hurdle at Wincanton yesterday and unfortunately unseated Sam at the second. He'll be out again fairly sharpish.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Now Listen To Me[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Slip Anchor - Calendula[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Paul Barber Ex-pointer[/FONT]
[FONT="]Impressive winner on his debut in a point-to-point at Larkhill before being pulled up next time, after which a breathing problem was diagnosed. Hopefully, an operation will have put that right, and he'll go novice hurdling, possibly after a run in a bumper first. Going nicely now.[/FONT]
[FONT="]continued....
[/FONT]
Continued....
[FONT="]Free World[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Lost World - Fautine[/FONT]
[FONT="]Clive Smith 12104-[/FONT]
[FONT="]I like him a lot. He came over from France with a big reputation early in the year, having won two of his three starts at Pau, but didn't live up to expectations in two outings at Sandown and Newbury, when I don't think he had acclimatised. Has done very well for some time off over the summer and has schooled nicely, so I'm hopeful he'll leave those efforts well behind when he goes novice chasing. I wouldn't rule out coming back to hurdles at some point as he's perfectly capable of winning a handicap off 130.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Gansey[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Anshan - Ebony Jane[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 1/17192-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Although successful twice over hurdles last season, chasing was always going to be his game, and that's where he'll go now. Had a breathing operation over the summer and has just taken a bit longer than the others to come to himself this autumn, so isn't quite ready yet. Has won on ground ranging from good to soft and goes on any surface other than a bog. Needs more schooling over fences before he's ready to roll in about a month's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Great Mates[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Bob's Return - All Set[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Lewis 8[/FONT]
[FONT="]Half-brother to Racing Demon. Things didn't work out for him on his bumper debut in May, when he ran too free, got struck into during the race and came back with sore shins. Capable of winning a bumper before he goes novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Gullible Gordon[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Anshan - Cronohill[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay 632-6[/FONT]
[FONT="]Comes from a good staying family and we've given him lots of time. I was very surprised by his defeat at Exeter last week, after he'd travelled like the winner for much of the race but then faded tamely. Nothing has come to light and hopefully we'll be able to look back in a month's time and put a line through it. He should be up to winning staying novice hurdles before going over fences in a year's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Gungadu[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Beneficial - Tsarella[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay F/36115-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Will someone please tell me where to go with him! Having won two nice handicaps in the spring, he's going to be desperately difficult to place off a mark of 160. Whereas I like to have a game plan with my chasers, with him there isn't one; I could take him to Ireland, and I could run him in the Betfair Chase if it cut up, as there's good money for being placed. For his first run, he'll have an entry in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby on Saturday and another in the valuable 3m handicap chase at Ascot the same day. He's ever so consistent and has a great attitude, so let's hope that stands him in good stead.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Gwanako[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Sin Kiang - Vaubecourt[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 345321-[/FONT]
[FONT="]It was amazing to think he started last season winning what was the Free Handicap Hurdle, as I still call it, and ended it landing the Topham at Aintree, where he was awesome over those big fences. Whereas I can't form a game plan with Gungadu, with Gwanako I know exactly what we hope to do: we'll start in a 2m4f graduation chase at Carlisle early next month, then go to Aintree on Becher Chase day for the new-look Grand Sefton over 2m6f. That sort of trip should suit, and I'd like to think he might progress sufficiently to be a Ryanair Chase sort come the spring, but I'm not looking at longer distances and wouldn't even entertain the idea of the Grand National. With just three runs over fences in Britain, he's totally unexposed and looks an exciting prospect.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hell's Bay[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Supreme Leader - Queen's Flagship Graham Roach 1344-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]I was always confident he would step up considerably on last season's efforts. He'd begun with a close third to County Zen at Sandown, but failed to build on that. It could have been that he had a hard race, but I think he was just weak - he's been a big baby up to now. He's been working very nicely at home and came out on Saturday to land the Persian War in great style. Chasing can wait now and he'll go for all the good 2m4f races, with the Challow an obvious objective.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Herecomesthetruth[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Presenting - Beagan Rose[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay 5113-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Made an exciting start to his chasing career when winning at Chepstow, where he jumped fantastic. Both his victories last season came on soft ground, so the good ground at Chepstow would have been plenty lively enough for him. I'm not in any rush to make future plans, as he is best fresh so will benefit from a gap between his races, but we'll find another staying novice chase somewhere and work our way up a bit. It will be interesting to see how far he can go.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hivikos[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Nikos - Hijika[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sparkes family 023/[/FONT]
[FONT="]I have an enormous amount of respect for this horse, which is why I have made him my stable dark horse to follow for the season. He was last seen on the track in March last year, when showing promise over hurdles at Auteuil. In the winter I sold him to the Sparkes family and a fortnight before he was due to run he bled badly at home, so I left off him. I put the bleeding down to the fact he was struggling with his breathing, so he went off for an operation. He's come back a different horse. With his history I'm training him a bit different, not putting him under pressure, doing three steady canters up the hill each day, so I can't tell you he's done any blinding gallops with some of the stars, but I really like what I see. He's a fast and accurate jumper, and he'll leap over anything; these big horses by Nikos can make grand jumpers. It's one thing having stacks of potential, it's another to go out and do it on the track, so let's see if he can produce the goods in a novice hurdle at Chepstow on November 5. We'll then take a view whether to stay hurdling or go over fences. I hope we'll hear a lot more of him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hollow Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Kotashaan - Festival Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Second on his debut in an Irish point-to-point before going one better, beating a subsequent winner. We bought him at the Cheltenham January sale. Hasn't been the easiest to train - he has a touch of temperament about him and has been a bit free and silly. But he has finally relaxed and got settled into our routine, and I now like what I see. He'd be about three weeks off a run and is bred to stay well, being related to Whitbread winner Ushers Island.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hoo La Baloo[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Unfuwain - Via Saleria[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 14253-0[/FONT]
[FONT="]What the hell do I do with him? He's been a real star, but will find it tough trying to win a handicap off 153. He showed he gets 3m5f when running a blinder to be third in the Bet365 Gold Cup, fading up the hill through tiredness rather than lack of stamina, and that set me thinking he might be suited by the race over the crosscountry fences at Cheltenham's Paddy Power meeting. But Andy's not keen on the idea, so I'll look for something else. We'll have an entry at Ascot on Saturday.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Inchidaly Rock[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Buster King - Rosnalee Lass[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Winner of three Irish point-topoints; I don't know what the form amounted to, and although I read in the Irish annual that he was one of their best in the last decade, I'd say at this stage he's a nice horse without being an absolute superstar. He has taken a while to acclimatise to our way of doing things, but has finally turned the corner and is schooling away great. Still not ready for his debut in a staying novice hurdle, but I'm starting to like what I see.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Indian Blood[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Indian Ridge - Miss Mistletoes[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Johnson 6-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Won twice on the Flat in France, but he was weak and backward, and after his debut for us at Cheltenham in December was found to have a breathing problem. Now that's been corrected I hope he can go forward, although he has a lot to prove. I'm keen to keep him to flat tracks for the time being.[/FONT]
[FONT="]I'msingingtheblues[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Pistolet Bleu - Nova Rose[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Hales 13573-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]That was an awesome chasing debut at Kempton. Harry Skelton deserves a lot of credit for all the schooling he has done with the horse. Last season he was very free and had to be held up, but I said to Ruby the other day, 'This horse is fit, he jumps brilliantly, so let him bowl along in front'. And that's what they did. The manner of his victory surprised me, but we shouldn't get carried away. I see they made him favourite for the Arkle, but I'm not sure Cheltenham would be his forte and there's a suspicion he may be best on a flat track, so I could see him winging round Aintree or Punchestown in the spring no problem. He can be a buzz-ball and end up a bit stressed as he puts a lot into his races, so he won't want too many runs or to be over-faced at this early stage. But that was a perfect start.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Iroquois Warrior[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Lord Americo - Auntie Honnie[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mel Fordham 168112-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Showed progressive form last season, and it's amazing to think he started by winning a bumper over 1m6f and four months later was successful in a handicap hurdle over 3m1f. Should be running in novice chases after Christmas, or we could stay hurdling if time is running out for the switch to fences.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Just Amazing[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Presenting - Just Precious[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs John Cotton 13251-7[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very green last season, when we became suspicious of his breathing, so he's another to have had a summer operation. I'm very happy with his progress, as he seems to have improved mentally and physically, and although he jumps fences beautifully, I was keen to give him one outing in a decent handicap hurdle, so I ran him in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow on Saturday, but he was disappointing. He wants slower ground, a step up to 3m and fences.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Kauto Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Village Star - Kauto Relka[/FONT]
[FONT="]Clive Smith 211122-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Following discussions with Clive Smith, we have agreed that if all goes to plan - and remember it often doesn't in jumping - the Gold Cup will be his fourth outing of the season. Assuming we run at Down Royal on Saturday, then go to Haydock for the Betfair Chase, then to Kempton for the King George, he won't run between Christmas and the Festival. That way I can have him nice and fresh for a rematch with Denman. Looking back, I was asking an awful lot of him first time out last season, getting him to concede lumps of weight to top-class handicappers over 2m4f, and I hope the 3m Grade 1 on Saturday will suit him much better. This time last year he was slow to come to hand for some reason - I was having to gallop him with some slow horses to wake him up - but this autumn I couldn't be more pleased. He's looked and worked fantastic. As for last spring, I look back on the Gold Cup and identify the two mistakes he made at the second-last and the last with a circuit to go as being the crucial factor in his defeat. Not jumping with his usual fluency meant he just ran out of petrol up the hill, and it was no disgrace to finish virtually upsides Neptune Collonges, as I'll come to later. Denman was the best horse on the day, but not every day is the same. And as for Aintree, we got the tactics all wrong and the less said about that the better.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Kerry's Girl[/FONT]
[FONT="]5m Flemensfirth - Guess Twice[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Hewitt 341-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Half-sister to St Pirran, who did so well for us. She was green when making a successful hurdling debut at Exeter in March and I'm expecting her to step up on that in handicap hurdles any day now.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Kicks For Free[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Flemensfirth - Keep The Change[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 80/126-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Made his chasing debut at Aintree yesterday and we were obviously happy both with the outcome and the way he jumped. There are no definite plans for him but he could reappear at the Paddy Power meeting. He seemed suited by the intermediate distance, and he could well return to Aintree in the spring for the new championship race over 2m4f. Although he'd done masses of schooling at home, he isn't as scopey as some of the others. I still kick myself for messing up his handicap mark over hurdles last season. He surprised me when winning first time out at Kempton, and a rise of 10lb cost him victory in the Coral Cup as he was only beaten a whisker.[/FONT]
[FONT="]King Caine[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g King's Theatre - Kadarassa[/FONT]
[FONT="]J Barber, A Norman, A Sim 7/183-32[/FONT]
[FONT="]Put up a career best on his return from a summer break when runner-up in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow on Saturday. There's a nice handicap to be won with him somethere.[/FONT]
[FONT="]King Fontaine[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g King's Theatre - Kerfontaine[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 34-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ran well in both his bumpers last season. Came back a bit sore after finishing fourth at Uttoxeter, although it soon cleared up. Well capable of winning a novice hurdle over a trip en route to going chasing in a year's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lamanver Homerun[/FONT]
[FONT="]6m Relief Pitcher - Bizimki[/FONT]
[FONT="]Donna Christensen 3825/11-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fun sort for mares' novice chases round the smaller tracks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Leading Attraction[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Mister Mat - Cerise De Totes[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 1/212-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was sold to Trevor over the summer and I rate him highly as a potential smart staying chaser. Came in late last season on his return from injury and everything was a bit of a rush for him, but I'm sure he's going to progress considerably. His jumping was a bit hit-and-miss, so we've worked hard in that area, and he schooled well last week. The race I'm keen to go for is the Badger Ales at Wincanton; I'd have liked to get a run into him beforehand, but if I can't, so be it. He'll then be entered for the big staying chases - Hennessy, Welsh National, even the Grand National - and I hope we'll be hearing more from him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Le Duc[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Villez - Beberova[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family U46101-[/FONT]
[FONT="]It was good to get a couple of wins on the board last season, in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup and the Golden Miller Chase. He goes hunter chasing in the spring. I have two good amateurs for this season:Will Biddick has recently joined us from Venetia Williams, and we have Ryan Mahon from the point-to-point field. Ryan landed a couple of races when based with Guillaume Macaire in the summer and won an amateurs' race at Auteuil two Saturdays ago on his first ride round the track. Le Duc will give them both valuable experience.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Luxurix[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Linamix - Luxurious[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Green 1/73184- New arrival from Paul Webber, having won a novice hurdle at Lingfield last season. I'm quite pleased with him and we'll possibly look at an intermediate handicap hurdle at the Paddy Power meeting before thinking about chasing.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mahonia[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Turtle Island - Bell Walks Run[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Lewis, Peter Deal, Derek Holder, Bill Tincknell and Terry Warner 10-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Former Irish pointer and one of our better bumper horses last season, finishing 12th to Cousin Vinny at the festival. Ready to run in a maiden hurdle, possibly on November 5, and I'm already looking forward to the day he goes chasing in a year's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mark Aurele[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Trempolino - Ile Rousse[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ged Mason Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]The third and last of our recent purchases at the Arc sale. He's related to Sporazene, whom Ged Mason also owns, and has won twice from seven starts on the Flat for Andre Fabre, most recently at Chantilly in September. Having just been gelded, he won't be out until the new year.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Marodima[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Robin Des Pres - Balbeyssac[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Johnson 4911-13 I was slightly disappointed he could finish only third at Limerick this month, but he ran much too free. Sam Thomas said he knew he was in trouble after jumping the first two fences. He was like that last season in his first couple of runs, then he was okay and settled down. He loves dominating in small fields and there are plenty of 2m conditions races in Ireland that should suit him. May need another run just to take some more of the freshness out of him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Massasoit[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Supreme Leader - Lady[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaretta Stewart family 11/4-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fourth on his only run for us last season, when 2m was too sharp. Got an infection in a tooth after that, so we scrapped the season. Reappeared in a 2m4f novice hurdle at Aintree yesterday and won very impressively. We were highly delighted with that and will now find a similar race for him. He liked the soft ground and will get further. He's a really nice individual and there are more races to be won with him over hurdles.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Master Minded[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Nikos - Haute Tension[/FONT]
[FONT="]Clive Smith 2U1112-[/FONT]
[FONT="]I'm very lucky to have a special horse like this. The phenomenal progress he made in the spring has been well documented, and his incredible performance in the Champion Chase left me speechless on the day and I'm still staggered by it months later. Hindsight can be a wonderful thing but I probably shouldn't have run him again at Aintree. We rode him wrong over 2m4f, holding him up to get the trip when he's possibly best allowed to bowl along in front, but if ever a horse deserved to win a big race last season it was the admirably consistent Voy Por Ustedes. Anyway, that's all history and we'll stick to 2m now. Physically, he has continued to amaze me since his summer break and he looks a different animal to the one who turned up here 15 months ago. He and Big Buck's are doing all their work together and I'm just starting to press the buttons. Being so young he's entitled to improve further, and I think that's perfectly possible. The Tingle Creek and the Champion Chase are his two major objectives; the Victor Chandler might suit as a race in between, but I see little point in giving him too many races this season. Being only five, I'd love to think he could stay champion over 2m for years to come.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Medicinal[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Linamix - Pharmacist[/FONT]
[FONT="]Steve and Reg Botham 2346-33[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has come from Edward O'Grady with a fair few miles on the clock. I noticed that his fencing wasn't always fluent last season, so we've spent a lot of time schooling him. Reappeared at Aintree yesterday and ran nicely, but he could still sharpen up his jumping. We can also go over hurdles with him and he should give his connections some fun.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Michael Muck[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Overbury - Country Choice[/FONT]
[FONT="]Katya Banks 1/163P6-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Following a first-time-out win over fences his form went downhill. I was convinced he was struggling with his breathing, so I hope a summer operation will allow him to get back on track. Will be ready in about ten days' time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Michel Le Bon[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Villez - Rosacotte[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 3-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Not back in the yard yet, but is due to return shortly having done all his pre-training with owner Graham Roach. Stayed on well in his one bumper run, behind a horse of Kingy's who was lucky to win at Exeter last week, and is sure to appreciate further when he makes his hurdling debut around Christmas. He's a halfbrother to the smart Marcus Du Berlais and is going to make a lovely chaser in a year or so's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mobaasher[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Rahy - Balistroika[/FONT]
[FONT="]Seasons Holidays 335941-[/FONT]
[FONT="]I hope he'll develop into a World Hurdle contender. Joined us last season and the first time we cantered him up the hill he choked, so I knew right away he had a breathing problem. But we tied his tongue down and got away with it, and he finally came good at Cheltenham in April when getting an unbelievable ride from Ruby. He allowed the horse to fill his lungs going to the last and they went up the hill and won. He duly had his breathing op over the summer and all I can say is he's working like a different horse. It's amazing the difference that can result from corrective surgery. He may reappear in the John Smith's Hurdle over 3m atWetherby on Saturday and I hope he'll be up to taking in the big staying conditions hurdles, with any luck ending up at the festival. I'm excited by him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr Pointment[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Old Vic - Bettyhill[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stockton Heath Racing 416P6-6[/FONT]
[FONT="]Following an outing over hurdles at Chepstow on Saturday, where he settled nicely and will come on for the run, he'll go back to Aintree next month to try to win another Becher Chase, where a handicap mark 7lb higher than 12 months ago will give him a stiff task. After his Becher victory things didn't go according to plan; he bled at Doncaster and my experience tells me when a horse bleeds it's a sign he's struggling with his breathing, so he had an op over the summer. This horse reminds me of Twist Magic, who also bled in his younger days, though he didn't make a noise with his breathing. We still gave Twist a wind op and he never looked back. We worked hard to get Mr Pointment back from the disappointment of Doncaster, and he enjoyed himself too much in the National, showing so much enthusiasm he failed to get home. I'd be open-minded about another National bid as I don't think he'd ever give himself sufficient chance to last 4m4f.[/FONT]
[FONT="]My Will[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Saint Preuil - Gleep Will[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 132023/[/FONT]
[FONT="]Back from a year off with a leg. Despite a near impossible-looking handicap rating of 160, we should be looking at the top staying chases and maybe taking him to Ireland, but so far he's disappointed me, and I want to see him show more sparkle before we start making plans. I can't help thinking it's going to be a tough season for him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nakai[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Esprit Du Nord - Hermes De Beaulieu[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 2/1320-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very keen and fresh in his races last season. The key to his progress is whether we can get him more settled and relaxed, and I'm pleased to say the signs at home are encouraging. I may give him one more run over hurdles just to take the remaining freshness out of him, but he's been schooling away very nicely over fences and that's where his future lies.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Natal[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Funny Baby - Donitille[/FONT]
[FONT="]Monica Hackett 2831F2-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ran some blinders last season, and his second to Twist Magic in the Grade 1 at Punchestown was a career-best. He may deserve to be rated 160 on a literal interpretation of the Irish form, but I feel he ran above himself that day, and if that's the case, he would struggle to win a handicap off that mark. Provided the ground's not soft, he's going to reappear in the Haldon Gold Cup, as we still like to call it, and while life's going to be hard, he's so tough and genuine that I'm sure he'll pick up plenty of prize-money through the season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Neptune Collonges[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Dom Alco - Castille Collonges[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Hales 81/3131-[/FONT]
[FONT="]For me he was the most improved staying chaser in training last season. What with all the attention on Denman and Kauto Star, his achievement in finishing third in the Gold Cup - it would have been second in another stride - went largely unnoticed. Remember, he's a year younger than the other two, and he only has to improve a further few pounds and he could be rattling all their cages next March. What's more, based on what I'm seeing at the moment, that's quite possible, as I am more pleased with him than at any time since he came to us from France. He never seems to run to his best this side of Christmas, so we are taking our time, and the Lexus Chase at the end of December will be his first run. He could then go back to Leopardstown for the Irish Hennessy, then it's the Gold Cup and then Punchestown, when I'd love to see him win the Guinness Gold Cup three years running. That's four Grade 1 targets, and I'd be happy if he landed any one of them.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nevada Royale[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Garde Royale - Ahhotep[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Paul Barber F1P[/FONT]
[FONT="]Took an awful long time to get over his horrible fall at Newbury in December, and on his return we decided to keep him a novice over fences for this season. He did win over hurdles before being pulled up at Newbury, when we found he was struggling with his breathing. So he has had a summer operation and is now ready to resume in novice chases. I see him developing into a top-class staying handicapper, though I wouldn't rule out the Royal & SunAlliance Chase. Let's see how he progresses.[/FONT]
[FONT="]New Little Bric[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Bricassar - Doulina[/FONT]
[FONT="]Kathy Stuart 17/4P5P-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He was unbelievably disappointing last season and I wish I could tell you what went wrong; we tested him for everything. We strongly fancied him on three occasions and each time he failed to deliver, leaving me tearing my hair out. One day in the spring he did a sparkling gallop at Wincanton racecourse and I thought, 'Aintree, here we come', and he went and ran terrible again. We have given him a breathing operation, in the hope that might help, and after six weeks with Chloe Roddick, who does a lot of our pre-training, he's back in the yard. Working away fine and will be ready to run in a month's time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nodforms Paula[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Rashar - Monamandy[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Hales 21/51-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Backward last season and broke a blood vessel when beaten at Bangor first time. Came good at Doncaster on decent ground, which seems to suit him. We may give him one run in a handicap hurdle before he goes over fences, and he should develop into a nice staying handicap chaser.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Noland[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Exit To Nowhere - Molakai[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Hales 11/1132-[/FONT]
[FONT="]We didn't see the best of him in his first season over fences. He came back in late after injury, was a sick horse after winning at Folkestone and lacked a bit of experience when lining up for the Arkle. When he got beat at Ayr in April Ruby said he'd choked during the race. As he'd also bled a couple of times at home, he was crying out for a breathing operation - he's been thick in his wind from the first day he came here - and he's now a much happier horse, so we are hoping for a clearer run. He goes to Down Royal on Saturday for the Killultagh Properties Chase, and we'll make a gameplan after that, but he will have plenty of entries. If pressed to nominate a possible target at the festival, the Ryanair would be the choice at this stage.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nosler[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Anshan - Tricias Pride[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 2/U[/FONT]
[FONT="]Since running second in a bumper on his debut he had been kept off the track by a small setback, nothing serious. Returned in a novice hurdle at Wincanton yesterday and unfortunately unseated Sam at the second. He'll be out again fairly sharpish.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Now Listen To Me[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Slip Anchor - Calendula[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Paul Barber Ex-pointer[/FONT]
[FONT="]Impressive winner on his debut in a point-to-point at Larkhill before being pulled up next time, after which a breathing problem was diagnosed. Hopefully, an operation will have put that right, and he'll go novice hurdling, possibly after a run in a bumper first. Going nicely now.[/FONT]
[FONT="]continued....
[/FONT]
DrizzleCity
At the Start
Paul Nicholls Stable Tour (Part 3)
Continued...
[FONT="]Oberon Moon[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g New Frontier - Kemal's Princess[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mel Fordham 1/13441-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Came back to winning form at Cheltenham in the spring thanks to a great ride from Ruby. We'll give him a spin in a handicap hurdle to get his confidence up, then he'll go chasing. Two of his three wins have come on good ground, but I think he'll act on anything except very soft.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Officier De Reserve[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Sleeping Car - Royaute[/FONT]
[FONT="]Seasons Holidays 12/416P[/FONT]
[FONT="]Still very weak last winter, and also struggled with his breathing, so hopefully an operation has put things right. Should win a decent staying handicap chase on soft ground at some point in the season. The Rehearsal Chase might suit, and he's still a novice over hurdles, which gives us another option.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Oleg[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Ragmar - Hase[/FONT]
[FONT="]Monica Hackett P2P222/[/FONT]
[FONT="]Placed over hurdles and fences in France. Hasn't run for us, as he got a leg, but is due back in the yard any day now and will go for novice hurdles.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Opera Mundi[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Discover D'Auteuil - Gymnastique[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sir Robert Ogden 120/1PP[/FONT]
[FONT="]Got off to a good start last season, then it all went pear-shaped. We found an ideal race at Haydock, which got abandoned; then we went to Doncaster for the Sky Bet Chase and the ground was faster than we thought, so we shouldn't have run; and the same happened in the Scottish National. Must have soft or heavy and if we get a wet winter he'll win his fair share. TheWelsh National could be his race.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Oracle Des Mottes[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Signe Divin - Daisy Des Mottes[/FONT]
[FONT="]H Geddes 4C2/321[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has been point-to-pointing and hunter chasing for Richard Barber and we were pleasantly surprised by his victory at Exeter this month. We'll try to find another similar contest over the next few weeks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ornais[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Michel Georges - Imperia[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 20/1215-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was being aimed at the Scottish National when he threw a splint in the spring. Had looked good when slamming Old Benny at Newbury, though the second turned the tables on us at the festival; he prefers a flattish track and hasn't run up to his best in three outings at Cheltenham. Needs to be fresh and I'll enter him for the Charlie Hall on Saturday; there's also a graduation chase at the Paddy Power meeting and the Future Stars Chase at Sandown that we've won for the last two years with Turko and Star De Mohaison. When he goes handicapping he looks on a stiff mark.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Osako D'Airy[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Cachet Noir - Esaka D'Airy[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Webb 33350- 2[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has come to us from Steve Gollings, for whom he won a novice handicap hurdle last December. Got beat in a couple of handicap chases off 110, but under this new rule to close up the gap between a horse's hurdle and chase rating, he's now on 128 over fences, as his hurdle rating is 133. It didn't stop him from running a good second at Aintree on Saturday, when he looked to be crying out for an extra half-mile. So we'll take him to Haydock next month on Betfair Chase day for the 3m handicap we won last year with Opera Mundi.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Oslot[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Passing Sale - Une De Lanne[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 1121-16[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reappeared in the Old Roan Chase yesterday and ran a super race, but just got a little tired jumping the last. He'd gone up a stone for winning the Galway Plate but frankly, after that performance, anything else this season is a bonus. Galway was his Gold Cup and as we'd laid him out for it since the spring it gave everyone a great thrill. He had a month off after Galway and possibly needed the run at Aintree, so we were thrilled with his performance. As for his next race, there is an intermediate handicap at Ascot at the end of next month that would be perfect for him. He's a fine example of how a breathing operation can transform a horse. Ruby got off him at Market Rasen last year and said he couldn't breathe, so he had surgery, came back this spring and has now won five out of seven.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Otto Des Pictons[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Grand Tresor - Sarawak[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 522251/[/FONT]
[FONT="]Back from a year out with a leg. Ready to resume and may have one run in a handicap hurdle before going novice chasing.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Oumeyade[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Smadoun - Debandade[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Lewis, Markus Jooste, Malcolm King P12151[/FONT]
[FONT="]The improvement he's made since he joined us has been almost unbelievable. He raced off 100 when Sam Thomas took the wrong course at Fakenham in May; after his Kempton win eight days ago we're expecting his mark to be in the high 140s. He had his problems when racing for Henrietta Knight, but I'd been keeping an eye on him as he's a half-brother to Ladalko. Jim Lewis asked me to have him, and the moment I picked him up he was off to Geoff Lane for a breathing operation. Since then he has mirrored Oslot in that he hasn't looked back. He was carrying 6lb more than I'msingingtheblues when winning the 2m handicap chase in a slightly faster time, and remember he's a novice for this season, so we can do anything with him - provided it's on a righthanded track. I think he can keep on progressing when he returns from a mid-winter break and I could just see him winging round Punchestown in the spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Our Bomber Harris[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Saddlers' Hall - Gaye Fame[/FONT]
[FONT="]R P Fry 2-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He's in our satellite yard and Richard Barber likes him a lot. Second to Fistral Beach, another of ours, on his bumper debut and is capable of winning one before going novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pacha D'Oudaries[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Ungaro - Forlane[/FONT]
[FONT="]Steve and Reg Botham 514B2-0[/FONT]
[FONT="]His overall profile looks disappointing, despite him having shown improved form in the spring when he was fourth in a Listed handicap hurdle at Aintree and got brought down when going well at Ayr. Following two defeats off 122 I can't for the life of me see why he was put up 10lb. It also mystified me why he was made favourite for his reappearance at Cheltenham the other day; off that mark I forecast he'd finish fifth or sixth, then go novice chasing. To finish tenth was worse than I expected. The stewards quizzed me over the run and I told them if I'd been doing my Racing Post column I'd have informed everyone it was impossible for him to win off that handicap mark when he'd already been soundly beaten off 10lb lower.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pasco[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Selkirk - Palena[/FONT]
[FONT="]Terry Warner 9211P-3[/FONT]
[FONT="]Massive horse who showed useful novice hurdle form before being over the top by festival time. Took a while to get the hang of jumping hurdles properly last year and I didn't think he'd be a natural when schooled over fences. But he took to them right away and jumped well on his debut at Exeter last week before just getting tired. He'll come on enormously for the run and we'll now look at a beginners' chase at Newbury's Hennessy meeting. A big, flat, galloping track will suit him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pennellis[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Alderbrook - Muchsorrylady[/FONT]
[FONT="]Roger Penny - Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Comes from a good jumping family. Ready to make his debut in a bumper, possibly at Chepstow on November 5, then goes novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pepe Simo[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Victory Note - Vallee Doree[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mette Campbell-Andenaes - Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]From the family of Vol Solitaire and Artadi, both of whom I trained. Due to make his debut in a bumper shortly.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pepite De Soleil[/FONT]
[FONT="]3f Fly To The Stars - Varesine[/FONT]
[FONT="]Whitaker family 1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Really lovely filly and I'm excited about her. Joined us after making a winning debut in a Listed hurdle at Auteuil in September. We won't rush her, and she could start off in the Summit Hurdle at Lingfield in early December or wait a bit longer for the Grade 1 Finale at Chepstow.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pertinent[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Sleeping Car - Jamais De La Vie[/FONT]
[FONT="]Angela Yeoman and Charles Whittaker 2F7-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was running a good first race for us last autumn when falling at Chepstow and injuring himself. I didn't have him fit enough for his only other start, and as he'd had a few niggles we left off him. Returned at Wincanton yesterday and travelled quite nicely until choking, so he'll have an appointment with Geoff Lane ASAP![/FONT]
[FONT="]Picture This[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Old Vic - Below The Wind[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and Ron Wood 71-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very pleased with this one. He was a Navan bumper winner we bought at the Cheltenham sale in April. His dam is closely related to Grand National runner-up Greasepaint, so there is bags of stamina in the family. Goes for staying novice hurdles from 2m6f to 3m and is almost ready.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pierrot Lunaire[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g War Chant - Playact[/FONT]
[FONT="]Angela Tincknell 2121-F[/FONT]
[FONT="]We started him off at Aintree yesterday and knew beforehand that we had left plenty to work on. He got tired in the ground, which Ruby said he did not like, but although he fell he seemed fine afterwards. He's a stuffy individual who will improve enormously for that run, just as he did for his debut last year. Where he goes next will depend on the ground and how quickly he gets over this run, but I do have one eye on the Christmas Hurdle. All his five runs so far have been on tight, flat tracks, but that's just the way things have worked out and I have no qualms about running him on a more galloping course. These are very early days, but the Champion Hurdle does have a very open look to it this year and it's nice to think that we might just be good enough to get there.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pilgrims Lane[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Dr Massini - Miss Mylette[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Oak Partnership 306P[/FONT]
[FONT="]We won't be aiming high, and I'll be happy if he wins a small staying novice hurdle somewhere.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Play On Words[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Nikos - Snow Drop[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 2-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big, well-bred horse, being the second foal of Triumph Hurdle winner Snow Drop; his half-brother won a Grade 1 at Auteuil. Green when beaten on his only run in a bumper and anything he achieves this season will be a bonus, as he'll be a better horse in a year's time.Will be out around Christmas.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Poquelin[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Lahint - Babolna[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 4U01-11[/FONT]
[FONT="]Had always made a noise with his breathing and for two years we got away with it. Shortly after his winning chasing debut in May we sent him off for an op, and considering he didn't start cantering again until mid-August, I thought he might need the run at Cheltenham nine days ago. After he landed in the water, Ruby gave him the most wonderful ride to nurse him back into contention, and I guarantee he would not have flown up the hill like he did without that breathing operation. We'll avoid the very soft mid-winter ground, as we have done in the past, and while he'll be entered in all the top 2m novice chases, I'm not convinced Cheltenham is his ideal track. Aintree and Punchestown might suit him better.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Predateur[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Nikos - Fia Rosa[/FONT]
[FONT="]Tony Kilduff, Colm Donlon and Louise Scott-MacDonald 44/2424-[/FONT]
[FONT="]I had high hopes for him this time last year, but he failed to come up to expectations. He had a couple of bleeds at home, and a lot of these big Nikos horses seem to have trouble with their breathing - he's another who has had an op. We purposely kept him a novice over fences for this season and he could go for a beginners' chase at Stratford on Thursday or to Ascot two days later. I hope he's turned the corner.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pride Of Dulcote[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Kadalko - Quenice[/FONT]
[FONT="]Angela Yeoman U9F24-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]His final-flight fall at Taunton in February meant he started this season as a maiden and he made no mistake at Chepstow on Saturday, winning impressively. I'm sure there are more staying races over hurdles to be won with him before he goes chasing in 12 months' time, and we'll look at the Grade 2 at Cheltenham's December meeting.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Puccini[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Sadler's Wells - Upper Circle[/FONT]
[FONT="]Frosty's Friends Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Richard Barber picked him up cheaply at the Ascot sales after he never ran for Aidan O'Brien. Due to run in a novice hurdle shortly and is an unknown quantity.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Qozac[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Apple Tree - Good Girl[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Winner of four AQPS bumpers in the French provinces at up to 1m5f. A big, scopey sort, he was a bit lean and light when he arrived, but is looking better now. He starts schooling this week and is potentially very interesting.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Qrackers[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Lahint - Babolna[/FONT]
[FONT="]Seasons Holidays 1P-1111[/FONT]
[FONT="]Brother to Poquelin who has likewise taken really well to fences. He's off for a winter break now and will be back next year when he has one major target: the Galway Plate.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Quell The Storm[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sleeping Car - Hot D'Or[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Smashing sort from the family of First Gold, too backward to race last season. I expect him to come on for his first run in a bumper.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Quideo De Touzaine[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Video Rock - Domitia[/FONT]
[FONT="]Monica Hackett Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]From a good family. It's not been decided whether to give him a bumper run or some experience in a couple of point-to-points in the spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raffaello[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Roi De Rome - Lady Noa[/FONT]
[FONT="]Tony Hayward and Barry Fulton 112F/[/FONT]
[FONT="]Last seen almost two years ago, when he would probably have won a beginners' chase at Chepstow but for falling at the last. Had a touch of a leg after and is now on the comeback trail. Will be suited by 3m on really soft ground and should be ready in the middle of next month.[/FONT]
[FONT="]R De Rien Sivola[/FONT]
[FONT="]3f Robin Des Champs - Gamine D'Ici[/FONT]
[FONT="]ROA Partnership 371[/FONT]
[FONT="]Well bought by Anthony Bromley, as she didn't cost much. Caught me by surprise a bit when winning on her debut for us at Chepstow as I didn't think she was quite ready. Will definitely show improvement on that as she'd prefer softer ground and will get slightly further. That was a very encouraging start.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Recif De Thaix[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Fragrant Mix - Louisiane De Thaix[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Jackson Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big, scopey juvenile, who ran a blinder on his only run when a close third in a 1m4f AQPS bumper at Vichy. I subsequently saw him school over hurdles and fences at Chantilly before we bought him and he'll be out in novice hurdles after Christmas.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Red Harbour[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Old Vic - Auntie Honnie[/FONT]
[FONT="]Chris Giles Ex-pointer[/FONT]
[FONT="]He's a half-brother to the smart Lord Henry and to our useful IroquoisWarrior. An impressive winner on his only start in an Irish point-to-point for Liam Burke and is well up to winning a bumper before going over hurdles.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Rippling Ring[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Saumarez - Rippling Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 15-5[/FONT]
[FONT="]I ran him at Aintree on Saturday as I needed to know where we stood with him. I'm afraid he was very disappointing and the the only possible reason I can think of is that he may prefer goodish ground. He'd won easily on his debut for us, looking fantastic when ours were carrying their winter coats, but by the festival he'd lost his gleam and wasn't at his best; having come over from South Africa, acclimatisation was never going to be easy. He still finished fifth in the Supreme Novices', and you have to say that form has looked better and better as the three who finished immediately in front of him - Binocular, Snap Tie and Kalahari King - have all come out and won decent races. So I could hardy complain when the handicapper gave him a rating of 136. I'd wanted run him again after Cheltenham, but he returned with badly pulled muscles between his legs.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Roby De Cimbre[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Myrakalu - Belle De Liziere[/FONT]
[FONT="]Terry Warner - 121120[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has taken really well to fences. Now on a winter break and will be back in the spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Royal Auclair[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Garde Royale - Carmonera[/FONT]
[FONT="]Clive Smith 33352-P[/FONT]
[FONT="]A light of former days, but ended the season on a high note when second to Monkerhostin in the Bet365 Gold Cup. Due to go hunter chasing in the spring and will be a great ride for the boys.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Royal Charm[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Cadoudal - Victoria Royale[/FONT]
[FONT="]Angela Tincknell 2[/FONT]
[FONT="]Super prospect, by a sire I love. Beaten a neck on his debut in a Listed hurdle at Auteuil in September. Looked a bit lean on arrival - typically French - so we're giving him lots of time, and he'll be one to look out for in National Hunt novice hurdles after Christmas.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sendani[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Grand Lodge - Sendana[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs Ged Mason and Mr and Mrs Rick Nevinson 2F2242[/FONT]
[FONT="]Enjoyed a successful summer and is now off for six months, when we'll prepare him for another summer campaign, but in novice chases.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Shamari[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sinndar - Shamanara[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Potentially a very nice hurdling prospect. Showed useful form on the Flat in France last year for the Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre. Developed serious problems after being gelded on his arrival here and nearly died. Fine now and has just starting jumping; he needed a lot of schooling at first but has got the hang of things now. The aim is to start low in a maiden hurdle and work our way up.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Silverburn[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Presenting - Polly Puttens[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Green 46/2314-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He looks like being my No. 1 hope for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. I'll probably enter about six, but this is the one with a nice-looking handicap mark, and some of the others look more exposed. He's Denman's brother, and whereas Denman had a breathing operation before he ever raced, Silverburn has just had one this summer. I've always been suspicious of him at home, and though he's never choked in a race, when he failed to stay 3m last season I think it was because he struggled with his breathing a bit rather than through any lack of stamina. The Paddy Power will be his first run, and although in the past he has always needed his first outing of the season, I'll guarantee to have him spot-on for November 15. I like to think he could end up in the Ryanair Chase at the festival, so I have to fancy his chances running in a handicap off 143.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Smuglin[/FONT]
[FONT="]5m Sir Harry Lewis - Parslin[/FONT]
[FONT="]Broadband Partnership 3-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Worcester bumper winner in May, ought to be capable of picking up small mares' novice hurdles.[/FONT]
[FONT="]So Now[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Heron Island - Monty's Gayle[/FONT]
[FONT="]Notalotterry 501451-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Came back from a year off and took a couple of runs to find his form, but went on to land two handicap hurdles. Having schooled proficiently over fences, he'll have one run in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Paddy Power day and then go novice chasing.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sporazene[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Cozzene - Sporades[/FONT]
[FONT="]GedMason 0-51715[/FONT]
[FONT="]Won two good races over hurdles in the summer, when the handicapper gave him a chance, and ran as well as could have been expected behind the champion hurdler at Kempton eight days ago. What do I do with him now? He's never won off a hurdles mark of 152, he is hardly improving at the age of nine and he doesn't like fences, so the only race I can see that he might be competitive in is at Sandown on the final day of the season. He's been a fine servant and we won't abuse him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Star De Mohaison[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Beyssac - Belle De Mohaison[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sir Robert Ogden 11111/3- Has had only one run in the last two years. First he was off for a year with a leg; then we got him back to be third in a hurdle when he wasn't really ready; then he had a few niggling problems that kept him off again. But he remains hugely talented and I hope we'll get him back. I'm eyeing up the valuable fixed-brush hurdle at Haydock next month, then we'll think about fences again. There's no doubt in my mind that there are more races to be won with him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]St Killian's Run[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Beneficial - Make A Move[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Johnson Ex-pointer[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big, scopey horse who would have won his only outing in an Irish point-to-point but for virtually running out and unshipping his jockey. Doing everything nicely and should be ready to make his debut in a novice hurdle in about a fortnight.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Super Formen[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Kizitca - Daily Turk[/FONT]
[FONT="]Peter Hart and Bill Bolsover P2142-3[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ran a blinder first time at Chepstow, on ground that was a bit too quick and when he wasn't quite ready. Despite being raised 4lb for getting beat, I'm sure there's a 2m4f handicap hurdle to be won with this horse before he goes chasing. Jumps fences well, but I've so many novice chasers this winter that a few of ours, like this one, might do better to stay over hurdles a bit longer.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Takeroc[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Take Risks - Rochambelle[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sandra Giles and Mark Tincknell 2/11122-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Only joined us early in the new year and we knew straight away he was good. It was no disgrace to be beaten six lengths by Tidal Bay in the Grade 1 at Aintree, and with hindsight perhaps I should have run him in the Arkle rather than a small chase at Sandown. We later tried to take advantage of what looked a favourable hurdles mark in the Scottish Champion, but he was unsuited by the drying conditions. He'd be a great one to take to Ireland for those 2m conditions races on soft ground; more immediately, he could run in the Haldon Gold Cup if it keeps on raining, and I'd like to go for the Tingle Creek with him. Not a powerful, strapping chaser on looks, but this is one who has done very well over the summer and physically he has improved enormously.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Take The Breeze[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Take Risks - Reine Breeze[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs Graham Calder 71/3740-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Came over from France last year and nearly died after being gelded. We got him back but he was disappointing on the whole. He's had a breathing operation and the plan is to have one run in a handicap hurdle before going chasing. Is taking a lot of work to get fit and isn't there yet.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Tataniano[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sassanian - Rosa Carola[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Staying chaser of the future. Jumped well when winning his only start in an Irish point-topoint, and made a pleasing debut for us in a Chepstow bumper. Goes novice hurdling now and we'll start him off shortly at around 2m4f.[/FONT]
[FONT="]continued....
[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT]
Continued...
[FONT="]Oberon Moon[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g New Frontier - Kemal's Princess[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mel Fordham 1/13441-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Came back to winning form at Cheltenham in the spring thanks to a great ride from Ruby. We'll give him a spin in a handicap hurdle to get his confidence up, then he'll go chasing. Two of his three wins have come on good ground, but I think he'll act on anything except very soft.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Officier De Reserve[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Sleeping Car - Royaute[/FONT]
[FONT="]Seasons Holidays 12/416P[/FONT]
[FONT="]Still very weak last winter, and also struggled with his breathing, so hopefully an operation has put things right. Should win a decent staying handicap chase on soft ground at some point in the season. The Rehearsal Chase might suit, and he's still a novice over hurdles, which gives us another option.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Oleg[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Ragmar - Hase[/FONT]
[FONT="]Monica Hackett P2P222/[/FONT]
[FONT="]Placed over hurdles and fences in France. Hasn't run for us, as he got a leg, but is due back in the yard any day now and will go for novice hurdles.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Opera Mundi[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Discover D'Auteuil - Gymnastique[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sir Robert Ogden 120/1PP[/FONT]
[FONT="]Got off to a good start last season, then it all went pear-shaped. We found an ideal race at Haydock, which got abandoned; then we went to Doncaster for the Sky Bet Chase and the ground was faster than we thought, so we shouldn't have run; and the same happened in the Scottish National. Must have soft or heavy and if we get a wet winter he'll win his fair share. TheWelsh National could be his race.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Oracle Des Mottes[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Signe Divin - Daisy Des Mottes[/FONT]
[FONT="]H Geddes 4C2/321[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has been point-to-pointing and hunter chasing for Richard Barber and we were pleasantly surprised by his victory at Exeter this month. We'll try to find another similar contest over the next few weeks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ornais[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Michel Georges - Imperia[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 20/1215-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was being aimed at the Scottish National when he threw a splint in the spring. Had looked good when slamming Old Benny at Newbury, though the second turned the tables on us at the festival; he prefers a flattish track and hasn't run up to his best in three outings at Cheltenham. Needs to be fresh and I'll enter him for the Charlie Hall on Saturday; there's also a graduation chase at the Paddy Power meeting and the Future Stars Chase at Sandown that we've won for the last two years with Turko and Star De Mohaison. When he goes handicapping he looks on a stiff mark.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Osako D'Airy[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Cachet Noir - Esaka D'Airy[/FONT]
[FONT="]John Webb 33350- 2[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has come to us from Steve Gollings, for whom he won a novice handicap hurdle last December. Got beat in a couple of handicap chases off 110, but under this new rule to close up the gap between a horse's hurdle and chase rating, he's now on 128 over fences, as his hurdle rating is 133. It didn't stop him from running a good second at Aintree on Saturday, when he looked to be crying out for an extra half-mile. So we'll take him to Haydock next month on Betfair Chase day for the 3m handicap we won last year with Opera Mundi.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Oslot[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Passing Sale - Une De Lanne[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 1121-16[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reappeared in the Old Roan Chase yesterday and ran a super race, but just got a little tired jumping the last. He'd gone up a stone for winning the Galway Plate but frankly, after that performance, anything else this season is a bonus. Galway was his Gold Cup and as we'd laid him out for it since the spring it gave everyone a great thrill. He had a month off after Galway and possibly needed the run at Aintree, so we were thrilled with his performance. As for his next race, there is an intermediate handicap at Ascot at the end of next month that would be perfect for him. He's a fine example of how a breathing operation can transform a horse. Ruby got off him at Market Rasen last year and said he couldn't breathe, so he had surgery, came back this spring and has now won five out of seven.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Otto Des Pictons[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Grand Tresor - Sarawak[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 522251/[/FONT]
[FONT="]Back from a year out with a leg. Ready to resume and may have one run in a handicap hurdle before going novice chasing.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Oumeyade[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Smadoun - Debandade[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jim Lewis, Markus Jooste, Malcolm King P12151[/FONT]
[FONT="]The improvement he's made since he joined us has been almost unbelievable. He raced off 100 when Sam Thomas took the wrong course at Fakenham in May; after his Kempton win eight days ago we're expecting his mark to be in the high 140s. He had his problems when racing for Henrietta Knight, but I'd been keeping an eye on him as he's a half-brother to Ladalko. Jim Lewis asked me to have him, and the moment I picked him up he was off to Geoff Lane for a breathing operation. Since then he has mirrored Oslot in that he hasn't looked back. He was carrying 6lb more than I'msingingtheblues when winning the 2m handicap chase in a slightly faster time, and remember he's a novice for this season, so we can do anything with him - provided it's on a righthanded track. I think he can keep on progressing when he returns from a mid-winter break and I could just see him winging round Punchestown in the spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Our Bomber Harris[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Saddlers' Hall - Gaye Fame[/FONT]
[FONT="]R P Fry 2-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He's in our satellite yard and Richard Barber likes him a lot. Second to Fistral Beach, another of ours, on his bumper debut and is capable of winning one before going novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pacha D'Oudaries[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Ungaro - Forlane[/FONT]
[FONT="]Steve and Reg Botham 514B2-0[/FONT]
[FONT="]His overall profile looks disappointing, despite him having shown improved form in the spring when he was fourth in a Listed handicap hurdle at Aintree and got brought down when going well at Ayr. Following two defeats off 122 I can't for the life of me see why he was put up 10lb. It also mystified me why he was made favourite for his reappearance at Cheltenham the other day; off that mark I forecast he'd finish fifth or sixth, then go novice chasing. To finish tenth was worse than I expected. The stewards quizzed me over the run and I told them if I'd been doing my Racing Post column I'd have informed everyone it was impossible for him to win off that handicap mark when he'd already been soundly beaten off 10lb lower.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pasco[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Selkirk - Palena[/FONT]
[FONT="]Terry Warner 9211P-3[/FONT]
[FONT="]Massive horse who showed useful novice hurdle form before being over the top by festival time. Took a while to get the hang of jumping hurdles properly last year and I didn't think he'd be a natural when schooled over fences. But he took to them right away and jumped well on his debut at Exeter last week before just getting tired. He'll come on enormously for the run and we'll now look at a beginners' chase at Newbury's Hennessy meeting. A big, flat, galloping track will suit him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pennellis[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Alderbrook - Muchsorrylady[/FONT]
[FONT="]Roger Penny - Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Comes from a good jumping family. Ready to make his debut in a bumper, possibly at Chepstow on November 5, then goes novice hurdling.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pepe Simo[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Victory Note - Vallee Doree[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mette Campbell-Andenaes - Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]From the family of Vol Solitaire and Artadi, both of whom I trained. Due to make his debut in a bumper shortly.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pepite De Soleil[/FONT]
[FONT="]3f Fly To The Stars - Varesine[/FONT]
[FONT="]Whitaker family 1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Really lovely filly and I'm excited about her. Joined us after making a winning debut in a Listed hurdle at Auteuil in September. We won't rush her, and she could start off in the Summit Hurdle at Lingfield in early December or wait a bit longer for the Grade 1 Finale at Chepstow.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pertinent[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Sleeping Car - Jamais De La Vie[/FONT]
[FONT="]Angela Yeoman and Charles Whittaker 2F7-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Was running a good first race for us last autumn when falling at Chepstow and injuring himself. I didn't have him fit enough for his only other start, and as he'd had a few niggles we left off him. Returned at Wincanton yesterday and travelled quite nicely until choking, so he'll have an appointment with Geoff Lane ASAP![/FONT]
[FONT="]Picture This[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Old Vic - Below The Wind[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and Ron Wood 71-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Very pleased with this one. He was a Navan bumper winner we bought at the Cheltenham sale in April. His dam is closely related to Grand National runner-up Greasepaint, so there is bags of stamina in the family. Goes for staying novice hurdles from 2m6f to 3m and is almost ready.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pierrot Lunaire[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g War Chant - Playact[/FONT]
[FONT="]Angela Tincknell 2121-F[/FONT]
[FONT="]We started him off at Aintree yesterday and knew beforehand that we had left plenty to work on. He got tired in the ground, which Ruby said he did not like, but although he fell he seemed fine afterwards. He's a stuffy individual who will improve enormously for that run, just as he did for his debut last year. Where he goes next will depend on the ground and how quickly he gets over this run, but I do have one eye on the Christmas Hurdle. All his five runs so far have been on tight, flat tracks, but that's just the way things have worked out and I have no qualms about running him on a more galloping course. These are very early days, but the Champion Hurdle does have a very open look to it this year and it's nice to think that we might just be good enough to get there.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pilgrims Lane[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Dr Massini - Miss Mylette[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Oak Partnership 306P[/FONT]
[FONT="]We won't be aiming high, and I'll be happy if he wins a small staying novice hurdle somewhere.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Play On Words[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Nikos - Snow Drop[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trevor Hemmings 2-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big, well-bred horse, being the second foal of Triumph Hurdle winner Snow Drop; his half-brother won a Grade 1 at Auteuil. Green when beaten on his only run in a bumper and anything he achieves this season will be a bonus, as he'll be a better horse in a year's time.Will be out around Christmas.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Poquelin[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Lahint - Babolna[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 4U01-11[/FONT]
[FONT="]Had always made a noise with his breathing and for two years we got away with it. Shortly after his winning chasing debut in May we sent him off for an op, and considering he didn't start cantering again until mid-August, I thought he might need the run at Cheltenham nine days ago. After he landed in the water, Ruby gave him the most wonderful ride to nurse him back into contention, and I guarantee he would not have flown up the hill like he did without that breathing operation. We'll avoid the very soft mid-winter ground, as we have done in the past, and while he'll be entered in all the top 2m novice chases, I'm not convinced Cheltenham is his ideal track. Aintree and Punchestown might suit him better.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Predateur[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Nikos - Fia Rosa[/FONT]
[FONT="]Tony Kilduff, Colm Donlon and Louise Scott-MacDonald 44/2424-[/FONT]
[FONT="]I had high hopes for him this time last year, but he failed to come up to expectations. He had a couple of bleeds at home, and a lot of these big Nikos horses seem to have trouble with their breathing - he's another who has had an op. We purposely kept him a novice over fences for this season and he could go for a beginners' chase at Stratford on Thursday or to Ascot two days later. I hope he's turned the corner.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pride Of Dulcote[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Kadalko - Quenice[/FONT]
[FONT="]Angela Yeoman U9F24-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]His final-flight fall at Taunton in February meant he started this season as a maiden and he made no mistake at Chepstow on Saturday, winning impressively. I'm sure there are more staying races over hurdles to be won with him before he goes chasing in 12 months' time, and we'll look at the Grade 2 at Cheltenham's December meeting.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Puccini[/FONT]
[FONT="]8g Sadler's Wells - Upper Circle[/FONT]
[FONT="]Frosty's Friends Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Richard Barber picked him up cheaply at the Ascot sales after he never ran for Aidan O'Brien. Due to run in a novice hurdle shortly and is an unknown quantity.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Qozac[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Apple Tree - Good Girl[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Winner of four AQPS bumpers in the French provinces at up to 1m5f. A big, scopey sort, he was a bit lean and light when he arrived, but is looking better now. He starts schooling this week and is potentially very interesting.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Qrackers[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Lahint - Babolna[/FONT]
[FONT="]Seasons Holidays 1P-1111[/FONT]
[FONT="]Brother to Poquelin who has likewise taken really well to fences. He's off for a winter break now and will be back next year when he has one major target: the Galway Plate.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Quell The Storm[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sleeping Car - Hot D'Or[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]Smashing sort from the family of First Gold, too backward to race last season. I expect him to come on for his first run in a bumper.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Quideo De Touzaine[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Video Rock - Domitia[/FONT]
[FONT="]Monica Hackett Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]From a good family. It's not been decided whether to give him a bumper run or some experience in a couple of point-to-points in the spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raffaello[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Roi De Rome - Lady Noa[/FONT]
[FONT="]Tony Hayward and Barry Fulton 112F/[/FONT]
[FONT="]Last seen almost two years ago, when he would probably have won a beginners' chase at Chepstow but for falling at the last. Had a touch of a leg after and is now on the comeback trail. Will be suited by 3m on really soft ground and should be ready in the middle of next month.[/FONT]
[FONT="]R De Rien Sivola[/FONT]
[FONT="]3f Robin Des Champs - Gamine D'Ici[/FONT]
[FONT="]ROA Partnership 371[/FONT]
[FONT="]Well bought by Anthony Bromley, as she didn't cost much. Caught me by surprise a bit when winning on her debut for us at Chepstow as I didn't think she was quite ready. Will definitely show improvement on that as she'd prefer softer ground and will get slightly further. That was a very encouraging start.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Recif De Thaix[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Fragrant Mix - Louisiane De Thaix[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Jackson Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big, scopey juvenile, who ran a blinder on his only run when a close third in a 1m4f AQPS bumper at Vichy. I subsequently saw him school over hurdles and fences at Chantilly before we bought him and he'll be out in novice hurdles after Christmas.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Red Harbour[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Old Vic - Auntie Honnie[/FONT]
[FONT="]Chris Giles Ex-pointer[/FONT]
[FONT="]He's a half-brother to the smart Lord Henry and to our useful IroquoisWarrior. An impressive winner on his only start in an Irish point-to-point for Liam Burke and is well up to winning a bumper before going over hurdles.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Rippling Ring[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Saumarez - Rippling Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 15-5[/FONT]
[FONT="]I ran him at Aintree on Saturday as I needed to know where we stood with him. I'm afraid he was very disappointing and the the only possible reason I can think of is that he may prefer goodish ground. He'd won easily on his debut for us, looking fantastic when ours were carrying their winter coats, but by the festival he'd lost his gleam and wasn't at his best; having come over from South Africa, acclimatisation was never going to be easy. He still finished fifth in the Supreme Novices', and you have to say that form has looked better and better as the three who finished immediately in front of him - Binocular, Snap Tie and Kalahari King - have all come out and won decent races. So I could hardy complain when the handicapper gave him a rating of 136. I'd wanted run him again after Cheltenham, but he returned with badly pulled muscles between his legs.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Roby De Cimbre[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Myrakalu - Belle De Liziere[/FONT]
[FONT="]Terry Warner - 121120[/FONT]
[FONT="]Has taken really well to fences. Now on a winter break and will be back in the spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Royal Auclair[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Garde Royale - Carmonera[/FONT]
[FONT="]Clive Smith 33352-P[/FONT]
[FONT="]A light of former days, but ended the season on a high note when second to Monkerhostin in the Bet365 Gold Cup. Due to go hunter chasing in the spring and will be a great ride for the boys.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Royal Charm[/FONT]
[FONT="]3g Cadoudal - Victoria Royale[/FONT]
[FONT="]Angela Tincknell 2[/FONT]
[FONT="]Super prospect, by a sire I love. Beaten a neck on his debut in a Listed hurdle at Auteuil in September. Looked a bit lean on arrival - typically French - so we're giving him lots of time, and he'll be one to look out for in National Hunt novice hurdles after Christmas.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sendani[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Grand Lodge - Sendana[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs Ged Mason and Mr and Mrs Rick Nevinson 2F2242[/FONT]
[FONT="]Enjoyed a successful summer and is now off for six months, when we'll prepare him for another summer campaign, but in novice chases.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Shamari[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sinndar - Shamanara[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Potentially a very nice hurdling prospect. Showed useful form on the Flat in France last year for the Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre. Developed serious problems after being gelded on his arrival here and nearly died. Fine now and has just starting jumping; he needed a lot of schooling at first but has got the hang of things now. The aim is to start low in a maiden hurdle and work our way up.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Silverburn[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Presenting - Polly Puttens[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul Green 46/2314-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He looks like being my No. 1 hope for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. I'll probably enter about six, but this is the one with a nice-looking handicap mark, and some of the others look more exposed. He's Denman's brother, and whereas Denman had a breathing operation before he ever raced, Silverburn has just had one this summer. I've always been suspicious of him at home, and though he's never choked in a race, when he failed to stay 3m last season I think it was because he struggled with his breathing a bit rather than through any lack of stamina. The Paddy Power will be his first run, and although in the past he has always needed his first outing of the season, I'll guarantee to have him spot-on for November 15. I like to think he could end up in the Ryanair Chase at the festival, so I have to fancy his chances running in a handicap off 143.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Smuglin[/FONT]
[FONT="]5m Sir Harry Lewis - Parslin[/FONT]
[FONT="]Broadband Partnership 3-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Worcester bumper winner in May, ought to be capable of picking up small mares' novice hurdles.[/FONT]
[FONT="]So Now[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Heron Island - Monty's Gayle[/FONT]
[FONT="]Notalotterry 501451-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Came back from a year off and took a couple of runs to find his form, but went on to land two handicap hurdles. Having schooled proficiently over fences, he'll have one run in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Paddy Power day and then go novice chasing.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sporazene[/FONT]
[FONT="]9g Cozzene - Sporades[/FONT]
[FONT="]GedMason 0-51715[/FONT]
[FONT="]Won two good races over hurdles in the summer, when the handicapper gave him a chance, and ran as well as could have been expected behind the champion hurdler at Kempton eight days ago. What do I do with him now? He's never won off a hurdles mark of 152, he is hardly improving at the age of nine and he doesn't like fences, so the only race I can see that he might be competitive in is at Sandown on the final day of the season. He's been a fine servant and we won't abuse him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Star De Mohaison[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Beyssac - Belle De Mohaison[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sir Robert Ogden 11111/3- Has had only one run in the last two years. First he was off for a year with a leg; then we got him back to be third in a hurdle when he wasn't really ready; then he had a few niggling problems that kept him off again. But he remains hugely talented and I hope we'll get him back. I'm eyeing up the valuable fixed-brush hurdle at Haydock next month, then we'll think about fences again. There's no doubt in my mind that there are more races to be won with him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]St Killian's Run[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Beneficial - Make A Move[/FONT]
[FONT="]David Johnson Ex-pointer[/FONT]
[FONT="]Big, scopey horse who would have won his only outing in an Irish point-to-point but for virtually running out and unshipping his jockey. Doing everything nicely and should be ready to make his debut in a novice hurdle in about a fortnight.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Super Formen[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Kizitca - Daily Turk[/FONT]
[FONT="]Peter Hart and Bill Bolsover P2142-3[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ran a blinder first time at Chepstow, on ground that was a bit too quick and when he wasn't quite ready. Despite being raised 4lb for getting beat, I'm sure there's a 2m4f handicap hurdle to be won with this horse before he goes chasing. Jumps fences well, but I've so many novice chasers this winter that a few of ours, like this one, might do better to stay over hurdles a bit longer.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Takeroc[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Take Risks - Rochambelle[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sandra Giles and Mark Tincknell 2/11122-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Only joined us early in the new year and we knew straight away he was good. It was no disgrace to be beaten six lengths by Tidal Bay in the Grade 1 at Aintree, and with hindsight perhaps I should have run him in the Arkle rather than a small chase at Sandown. We later tried to take advantage of what looked a favourable hurdles mark in the Scottish Champion, but he was unsuited by the drying conditions. He'd be a great one to take to Ireland for those 2m conditions races on soft ground; more immediately, he could run in the Haldon Gold Cup if it keeps on raining, and I'd like to go for the Tingle Creek with him. Not a powerful, strapping chaser on looks, but this is one who has done very well over the summer and physically he has improved enormously.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Take The Breeze[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Take Risks - Reine Breeze[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mr and Mrs Graham Calder 71/3740-[/FONT]
[FONT="]Came over from France last year and nearly died after being gelded. We got him back but he was disappointing on the whole. He's had a breathing operation and the plan is to have one run in a handicap hurdle before going chasing. Is taking a lot of work to get fit and isn't there yet.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Tataniano[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sassanian - Rosa Carola[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Staying chaser of the future. Jumped well when winning his only start in an Irish point-topoint, and made a pleasing debut for us in a Chepstow bumper. Goes novice hurdling now and we'll start him off shortly at around 2m4f.[/FONT]
[FONT="]continued....
[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT]
Irish Stamp
Forum Moderator
Thanks Drizzle City. Some interesting thoughts on French Chasers from Mr Nicholls, considering that one of the lesser lights beat his best horse 8 lengths last season you think he'd be at least keen to respect them.
DrizzleCity
At the Start
Paul Nicholls Stable Tour (Part 4 [final])
Continued....
[FONT="]Tatenen[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Lost World - Tamaziya[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 1124-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]We were all looking forward to his chasing debut at Aintree on Saturday and I couldn't have asked for more. I like the odd ante-post wager and the only bet I've had this autumn is Tatenen at a nice price for the Arkle. He reminds me so much of Flagship Uberalles at the same stage of his career and is a very exciting prospect. Unbeaten in France, he ran flat on the second of his two outings in Britain and Ruby turned to Andy Stewart afterwards and said, 'This could be one of your best, so why not put him away'. Needs some cut in the ground and probably wants 2m4f, though we'll keep him at 2m for the time being and have a look at the Grade 2 novice chase on the Sunday of the Paddy Power meeting. Hopefully, the sky's the limit for him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Tchico Polos[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sassanian - Miss Saint Germain[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mark Tincknell and Chris Giles 42-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Had showed promise on both starts over hurdles at Pau last winter. Surprised us a fraction when successful over 2m at Chepstow as I thought he wanted a trip. He'd been very free at home, so I said to Ruby, 'Jump him off in front and he'll switch off', but I've never seen one go past the stands first time so fast. Fortunately, they kept on galloping. He was very green and babyish, and we'd have been better to drop him in and teach him some manners. When he learns to switch off, he'll be a fair horse. May be better going right-handed next time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Gossmoor Yank[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Shernazar - Nightngale Express[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sparkes family Ex-pointer[/FONT]
[FONT="]One of a number we had in Ireland last year with Liam Burke, who does such a good job with our babies over there. He was runner-up in both outings in Irish point-to-points and looks a decent chasing prospect for the future; meanwhile, he is definitely up to winning novice hurdles this winter.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Nightingale[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Cadoudal - Double Spring[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 12-S[/FONT]
[FONT="]That was an extraordinary incident at Exeter on his hurdling debut last week, when he stumbled and fell on the covered crossing after the last, with the race in the bag. No-one was to blame and the important thing is he's fine; he went down so quickly I feared the worst for a few moments. Had showed decent bumper form last season, when we considered the Champion Bumper at one point, and he should be regarded as a winner without a penalty when he reappears. We'll give him a few weeks off first to get over that first experience.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Tother One[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Accordion - Baden[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 11133-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Enjoyed a great season over hurdles. Had excuses for his two defeats in Grade 1s in the spring: he got to the front too soon at Cheltenham, while the slow gallop didn't suit a hold-up horse like him at Aintree. From a chasing point of view he wouldn't be the scopiest in the world and he hadn't been a natural jumper of fences at home, so it came as no surprise when he was sticky early on at Exeter on his chasing debut last week. But he warmed to the task, then didn't do a tap when he hit the front. That's just him; you have to hold him up until the last minute, though that won't always be easy in small-field novice chases. He'll run next in a 3m novice chase at Newbury's Hennessy meeting and I'm delighted with him so far.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Thundering Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Fort Wood - Lightning Duel[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Club ISM Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Successful in a Grade 1 handicap in his native South Africa, and although he didn't win during a European campaign for Mike de Kock, he wasn't disgraced in either the Ascot Gold Cup or the Henry II Stakes. We cut him, and as it's quite late gelding a five-year-old he's been given a long break and is just starting to come to himself. We'll find a maiden hurdle in the middle of next month, starting low to build his confidence up.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Turko[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Turgeon - Cambaria[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family P/P123F[/FONT]
[FONT="]Following an unfortunate start, when he knocked himself in the Charlie Hall, he put up some high-class efforts, notably when placed in the Irish Hennessy and Ryanair. The Charlie Hall again would be an ideal starting point on Saturday, provided the ground up there is suitable, or else there is the 3m handicap chase at Ascot the same day; off 155 he's probably not too badly treated. Later on, I wouldn't be afraid to take him back to Ireland. Being so tough and genuine, I'm sure we can place him to win a decent chase.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Twist Magic[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Winged Love - Twist Scarlett[/FONT]
[FONT="]Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward and Michael Lynch 1/11261-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He's in good order - really well. In between his two Grade 1 wins, in the Tingle Creek and Kerrygold Champion Chase, a couple of below-par efforts in the Victor Chandler and Queen Mother Champion Chase can be put down to the ground being too soft for him. He wasn't at his best in the spring; even at Punchestown he didn't look as well as he can. The Haldon Gold Cup is a suitable starting point, followed by the Tingle Creek if the going is suitable. Forget the fact that Master Minded will be in there; Twist is entitled to go for the big Grade 1s over 2m. He'd had a breathing operation a couple of years ago, but over the summer we had his palate re-cauterized.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Vico[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Old Vic - Over The Glen[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mark Tincknell Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]One we like an awful lot. Comes from a great family, and if he finishes in the first four in his bumper I'll be chuffed; then he'll go hurdling. He's going to make some chaser one day.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Viking Affair[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Old Vic - Proudstown Lady[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mark Tincknell 6[/FONT]
[FONT="]We are rarely far away with our bumper runners, but this one was bitterly disappointing on his debut recently at Fontwell. We should have made more use of him, though he still wouldn't have won. A lot of these Old Vics don't show much at four, but he had seemed quite sharp at home. He's a bit hyper, so maybe he didn't take his first away day in his stride. We'll give him another chance.[/FONT]
[FONT="]What A Friend[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Alflora - Friendly Lady[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson 1213P[/FONT]
[FONT="]Apart from the festival, when he didn't look well in his coat, he enjoyed a good first season over hurdles, and going on what I've seen at home, he could do even better over fences. He jumps really well at home, so I'm very much looking forward to running him in a beginners' chase when there's cut in the ground. He'll stay for ever, and could be a real Welsh National type a couple of years down the line.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Woolcombe Folly[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Presenting - Strong Gara[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hon Mrs Townshend 12-1111[/FONT]
[FONT="]Used to be a bit keen and it took a while for the penny to drop, but has taken off this summer and won five out of six since April. He's best on good ground, which is why he's had a summer campaign. I was going chasing with him, but am half-tempted to let him take his chance in one really decent hurdle, like the Elite at Wincanton. Tends to pull himself up in front, so can be a tricky ride.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reporter's choice[/FONT]
[FONT="]Class act Master Minded - Can't be opposed over 2m[/FONT]
[FONT="]Dark horse Mobaasher - World Hurdle prospect[/FONT]
[FONT="]Surefire winner Silverburn - top 2m4f chases[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trainer's dark horse Hivikos - Ready to fulfil potential[/FONT]
[FONT="]Assistant trainer's pick Tatenen - Smart novice chase hope[/FONT]
[FONT="]Head lad's pick American Trilogy - 2m novice hurdles[/FONT]
[FONT="]STABLE FACTS[/FONT]
[FONT="]Where Manor Farm Stables, Ditcheat, Somerset[/FONT]
[FONT="]How long Since October 19, 1991[/FONT]
[FONT="]Horses in training 138[/FONT]
[FONT="]Members of staff 52[/FONT]
[FONT="]Assistant trainer Daniel Skelton[/FONT]
[FONT="]Head lad Clifford Baker[/FONT]
[FONT="]Travelling head girl Donna Blake[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pupil assistant Harry Fry[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stable jockeys Ruby Walsh, Sam Thomas, Daryl Jacob; Christian Williams when available[/FONT]
[FONT="]Conditionals Liam Heard, Harry Skelton, Nick Scholfield[/FONT]
[FONT="]Amateurs Ryan Mahon, Will Biddick[/FONT]
[FONT="]PA Sarah West[/FONT]
[FONT="]Secretary Georgina Bown[/FONT]
[FONT="]Finest hour Last season's 1-2-3 in the Cheltenham Gold Cup[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stable sponsor "Connaught are in their sixth year with us. Mark Tincknell, their MD, has Takeroc and Tchico Polos in the yard, along with some nice youngsters."[/FONT]
[FONT="]'I like the odd ante-post wager, and the only bet I've had this autumn is Tatenen for the Arkle'[/FONT]
Continued....
[FONT="]Tatenen[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Lost World - Tamaziya[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family 1124-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]We were all looking forward to his chasing debut at Aintree on Saturday and I couldn't have asked for more. I like the odd ante-post wager and the only bet I've had this autumn is Tatenen at a nice price for the Arkle. He reminds me so much of Flagship Uberalles at the same stage of his career and is a very exciting prospect. Unbeaten in France, he ran flat on the second of his two outings in Britain and Ruby turned to Andy Stewart afterwards and said, 'This could be one of your best, so why not put him away'. Needs some cut in the ground and probably wants 2m4f, though we'll keep him at 2m for the time being and have a look at the Grade 2 novice chase on the Sunday of the Paddy Power meeting. Hopefully, the sky's the limit for him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Tchico Polos[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Sassanian - Miss Saint Germain[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mark Tincknell and Chris Giles 42-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Had showed promise on both starts over hurdles at Pau last winter. Surprised us a fraction when successful over 2m at Chepstow as I thought he wanted a trip. He'd been very free at home, so I said to Ruby, 'Jump him off in front and he'll switch off', but I've never seen one go past the stands first time so fast. Fortunately, they kept on galloping. He was very green and babyish, and we'd have been better to drop him in and teach him some manners. When he learns to switch off, he'll be a fair horse. May be better going right-handed next time.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Gossmoor Yank[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Shernazar - Nightngale Express[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sparkes family Ex-pointer[/FONT]
[FONT="]One of a number we had in Ireland last year with Liam Burke, who does such a good job with our babies over there. He was runner-up in both outings in Irish point-to-points and looks a decent chasing prospect for the future; meanwhile, he is definitely up to winning novice hurdles this winter.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Nightingale[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Cadoudal - Double Spring[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 12-S[/FONT]
[FONT="]That was an extraordinary incident at Exeter on his hurdling debut last week, when he stumbled and fell on the covered crossing after the last, with the race in the bag. No-one was to blame and the important thing is he's fine; he went down so quickly I feared the worst for a few moments. Had showed decent bumper form last season, when we considered the Champion Bumper at one point, and he should be regarded as a winner without a penalty when he reappears. We'll give him a few weeks off first to get over that first experience.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Tother One[/FONT]
[FONT="]7g Accordion - Baden[/FONT]
[FONT="]Graham Roach 11133-1[/FONT]
[FONT="]Enjoyed a great season over hurdles. Had excuses for his two defeats in Grade 1s in the spring: he got to the front too soon at Cheltenham, while the slow gallop didn't suit a hold-up horse like him at Aintree. From a chasing point of view he wouldn't be the scopiest in the world and he hadn't been a natural jumper of fences at home, so it came as no surprise when he was sticky early on at Exeter on his chasing debut last week. But he warmed to the task, then didn't do a tap when he hit the front. That's just him; you have to hold him up until the last minute, though that won't always be easy in small-field novice chases. He'll run next in a 3m novice chase at Newbury's Hennessy meeting and I'm delighted with him so far.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Thundering Star[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Fort Wood - Lightning Duel[/FONT]
[FONT="]Margaret Findlay and Club ISM Ex-Flat[/FONT]
[FONT="]Successful in a Grade 1 handicap in his native South Africa, and although he didn't win during a European campaign for Mike de Kock, he wasn't disgraced in either the Ascot Gold Cup or the Henry II Stakes. We cut him, and as it's quite late gelding a five-year-old he's been given a long break and is just starting to come to himself. We'll find a maiden hurdle in the middle of next month, starting low to build his confidence up.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Turko[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Turgeon - Cambaria[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stewart family P/P123F[/FONT]
[FONT="]Following an unfortunate start, when he knocked himself in the Charlie Hall, he put up some high-class efforts, notably when placed in the Irish Hennessy and Ryanair. The Charlie Hall again would be an ideal starting point on Saturday, provided the ground up there is suitable, or else there is the 3m handicap chase at Ascot the same day; off 155 he's probably not too badly treated. Later on, I wouldn't be afraid to take him back to Ireland. Being so tough and genuine, I'm sure we can place him to win a decent chase.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Twist Magic[/FONT]
[FONT="]6g Winged Love - Twist Scarlett[/FONT]
[FONT="]Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward and Michael Lynch 1/11261-[/FONT]
[FONT="]He's in good order - really well. In between his two Grade 1 wins, in the Tingle Creek and Kerrygold Champion Chase, a couple of below-par efforts in the Victor Chandler and Queen Mother Champion Chase can be put down to the ground being too soft for him. He wasn't at his best in the spring; even at Punchestown he didn't look as well as he can. The Haldon Gold Cup is a suitable starting point, followed by the Tingle Creek if the going is suitable. Forget the fact that Master Minded will be in there; Twist is entitled to go for the big Grade 1s over 2m. He'd had a breathing operation a couple of years ago, but over the summer we had his palate re-cauterized.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Vico[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Old Vic - Over The Glen[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mark Tincknell Unraced[/FONT]
[FONT="]One we like an awful lot. Comes from a great family, and if he finishes in the first four in his bumper I'll be chuffed; then he'll go hurdling. He's going to make some chaser one day.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Viking Affair[/FONT]
[FONT="]4g Old Vic - Proudstown Lady[/FONT]
[FONT="]Mark Tincknell 6[/FONT]
[FONT="]We are rarely far away with our bumper runners, but this one was bitterly disappointing on his debut recently at Fontwell. We should have made more use of him, though he still wouldn't have won. A lot of these Old Vics don't show much at four, but he had seemed quite sharp at home. He's a bit hyper, so maybe he didn't take his first away day in his stride. We'll give him another chance.[/FONT]
[FONT="]What A Friend[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Alflora - Friendly Lady[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson 1213P[/FONT]
[FONT="]Apart from the festival, when he didn't look well in his coat, he enjoyed a good first season over hurdles, and going on what I've seen at home, he could do even better over fences. He jumps really well at home, so I'm very much looking forward to running him in a beginners' chase when there's cut in the ground. He'll stay for ever, and could be a real Welsh National type a couple of years down the line.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Woolcombe Folly[/FONT]
[FONT="]5g Presenting - Strong Gara[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hon Mrs Townshend 12-1111[/FONT]
[FONT="]Used to be a bit keen and it took a while for the penny to drop, but has taken off this summer and won five out of six since April. He's best on good ground, which is why he's had a summer campaign. I was going chasing with him, but am half-tempted to let him take his chance in one really decent hurdle, like the Elite at Wincanton. Tends to pull himself up in front, so can be a tricky ride.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Reporter's choice[/FONT]
[FONT="]Class act Master Minded - Can't be opposed over 2m[/FONT]
[FONT="]Dark horse Mobaasher - World Hurdle prospect[/FONT]
[FONT="]Surefire winner Silverburn - top 2m4f chases[/FONT]
[FONT="]Trainer's dark horse Hivikos - Ready to fulfil potential[/FONT]
[FONT="]Assistant trainer's pick Tatenen - Smart novice chase hope[/FONT]
[FONT="]Head lad's pick American Trilogy - 2m novice hurdles[/FONT]
[FONT="]STABLE FACTS[/FONT]
[FONT="]Where Manor Farm Stables, Ditcheat, Somerset[/FONT]
[FONT="]How long Since October 19, 1991[/FONT]
[FONT="]Horses in training 138[/FONT]
[FONT="]Members of staff 52[/FONT]
[FONT="]Assistant trainer Daniel Skelton[/FONT]
[FONT="]Head lad Clifford Baker[/FONT]
[FONT="]Travelling head girl Donna Blake[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pupil assistant Harry Fry[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stable jockeys Ruby Walsh, Sam Thomas, Daryl Jacob; Christian Williams when available[/FONT]
[FONT="]Conditionals Liam Heard, Harry Skelton, Nick Scholfield[/FONT]
[FONT="]Amateurs Ryan Mahon, Will Biddick[/FONT]
[FONT="]PA Sarah West[/FONT]
[FONT="]Secretary Georgina Bown[/FONT]
[FONT="]Finest hour Last season's 1-2-3 in the Cheltenham Gold Cup[/FONT]
[FONT="]Stable sponsor "Connaught are in their sixth year with us. Mark Tincknell, their MD, has Takeroc and Tchico Polos in the yard, along with some nice youngsters."[/FONT]
[FONT="]'I like the odd ante-post wager, and the only bet I've had this autumn is Tatenen for the Arkle'[/FONT]
Simon
At the Start
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,314
I'd like to correct the Osako D'Airy piece. He actually won 2 handicaps and 1 Novices' Handicap last year and was 3rd in a couple of Grade 2's, including being behind Afsoun in the Contenders Hurdle. He took a rise from 100 to 133 in the weights.
Not "won a Novices' Handicap" which is what Nicholls makes out.
Not "won a Novices' Handicap" which is what Nicholls makes out.
rorydelargy
At the Start
That's not a correction Simon ~ it's an embellishment. Nothing that Nicholls has said about Osako d'Airy is inaccurate and it's not his job to big up Steve Gollings, however well he did with the horse.
Simon
At the Start
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,314
I never said it was his job, but it would have been nice of him to show the real picture rather than only half.
And, before I get all the comments, of course I'm biased, but it is true and I think it would have been nice of Nicholls to include it rather than making out he just own one crappy race, which is what it sounds like.
And, before I get all the comments, of course I'm biased, but it is true and I think it would have been nice of Nicholls to include it rather than making out he just own one crappy race, which is what it sounds like.
rorydelargy
At the Start
Remember, this isn't an interview about Osako D'Airy. It's a summation of the prospects of all his horses compiled by a journalist. Nicholls may have waxed lyrical about the man from Louth but it would have all come out in the editing.
trackside528
At the Start
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2006
- Messages
- 5,377
You mean Tommy Smyth? If he did, I would imagine the comments would have been more along the lines of:
"Had a wind operation during the summer, but still talks absolute shite."
Irish Stamp
Forum Moderator
I´m sure there are plenty of trainers who wouldn´t mind having Gungadu if Nicholls doesn´t want the greatest pointer to come out of Ireland in the last 75 years 
I´m sure there are plenty of trainers who wouldn´t mind having Gungadu if Nicholls doesn´t want the greatest pointer to come out of Ireland in the last 75 years
Two words -Silver Buck.