Betfair Chase – Full with Top Class Chasers
Just as the dust has settled following the Cheltenham “Open” Meeting, along comes a cracker of a race like Saturday’s Betfair Chase at Haydock. All eight runners are top notch chasers in their own rite with some on the way up and others on the way down from their performance peaks. It is well worth taking the time to list all eight runners: Bobs Worth, Silviniaco Conti, Cue Card, Dynaste, Tidal Bay, Long Run, Roi Du Mee & The Giant Bolster. Those eight chasers would make for a cracking race anywhere anytime and Haydock Park is sure to benefit with a huge crowd expected.
You can make a case for any of the eight horses justifying your hard earned money and I would not put you off backing any of the eight. Personally, as a value bettor I will be looking outside the top two who are priced up short enough for their seasonal run. Enjoy this race and best of luck picking the winner!
It has been a hectic few weeks and today I finally caught up with updating our eye catchers list. There was many a horse at Cheltenham that caught the eye both in the parade ring and on the track. Two horses that were never going to make the eye catchers list are Nadia De Le Vega who boiled over badly before the Paddy Power Chase and Kalann who proved very difficult to get to leave the parade ring almost throwing off Paddy Brennan in the process.
Latest Eye Catchers for the Week Ending 17th November
Irving – Trainer Paul Nicholls – Jockey Nick Scholfield
Irving won a class 3 Novice Hurdle run at Taunton as easily as you like despite running very green and hitting the final hurdle. Jockey Nicky Scholfield held onto him for as long as he could so he would have some company running up the finishing straight. The horse that was keeping him company was favourite Cup Final ridden by Tony McCoy, McManus Owned and trained by Nicky Henderson. There is no doubt that Cup final ran green too but as both quickened after the final flight It was Irving who showed an impressive turn of foot to go clear winning by 4 lengths. Trainer Paul Nicholls mentioned after the race that Irving was showing loads at home and produced it on the track as well. Next up could be a race at Newbury’s Hennessy Meeting. Keep an eye out for this exciting German bred horse.
Ballinahow Lady – Trainer David O’Brien – Jockey John Cullen
Ballinahow Lady is a big chasing type who did very well to win over 2miles 4 furlongs on yielding ground. The race at Thurles is a Grade 3 chase limited to Mares and takes a good one to win it. There is no doubt in my mind that she will be even better over a longer distance and on softer going. She looks really exciting and has already won on heavy over 3 miles. Once the going gets heavy her size will help her out jump other smaller sized mares especially if kept to races against her own sex.
Ballygarvey – Trainer Phillip Hobbs – Jockey Tom O’Brien
Travelled really well under a big weight just outpaced a little up the hill. He stayed on really well to get back up for fourth. This was a very encouraging run on his seasonal debut. Last season Hobbs said the thought 2 miles on soft ground of worse would be his ideal trip so the good/soft ground here resulted in him losing his position as the winners quickened. The way he finished off his race I have little doubt that 2 and a half miles on soft/heavy ground is well within his range. He can win a valuable handicap chase off his current rating of 138 for sure.
Taquin Du Seuil – Trainer Jonjo O’Neill – Jockey Tony McCoy
Taquin Du Seuil surprised a few when getting the better of Oscar Whiskey at Cheltenham in a muddling race. The race was run at a farcical slow pace and ended with a sprint over the final two fences up the hill. Runner up Oscar Whiskey is no slouch but despite jumping the final fences well could not match the winner for speed. Last year Taquin Du Seuil gave top champion hurdle contender My Tent or Yours a real race of it at Ascot over 2 miles. Jonjo likes this horse a lot and mentioned that he shows loads of speed and did not get the trip last year in the Neptune when well beaten by The New One. He is quite a narrow horse but has strengthened from last year and jumped very well when winning last Friday. John mentioned that “he will be trained with the festival in mind” (Cheltenham Festival) where he most likely will line up in either the Arkle Chase (2m) or Jewson chase (2m4f).
Whisper – Trainer Nicky Henderson – Jockey Barry Geraghty
Whisper ran a cracker under top weight in a handicap at Cheltenham last Friday. He travelled really well but nodded on landing over the penultimate flight and then landed on all fours over the final hurdle. He was ridden out for third place under a tender ride by Barry Geraghty. This horse is very highly thought of by Nicky Henderson and was due to go novice chasing this year but for the fact that he would end up competing against Oscar Whiskey who shares the same owner in Dai Williams proprietor of Ffos Las racecourse. That tells us he has loads of scope for improvement despite being raised 3lbs to a rating of 140 over hurdles.
Shutthefrontdoor – Trainer Jonjo O’Neill – Jockey Tony McCoy
This horse had the real stamp of a staying chaser when viewed in the parade ring. He stands well over 16 hands tall and has an easy moving walk that catches the eye. He ran very well at Cheltenham once again having finished fourth in the Pertemps Final last March over a similar 3 miles plus trip under a big weight. Out of Accordion he is sure to appreciate better ground as it rode tacky on the day. The race was run slowly in the main but he jumped super especially over the final two fences up the hill. Despite wandering around a little after the last he stayed on best of all to the line. Rated 146 over hurdles he looks destined to race with the best of the staying novices for the rest of this season.
Le Bec – Trainer Emma Lavelle – Jockey Noel Fehily
Le Bec is a monster of a horse standing almost 17 hands. His distinctive roman nose makes him easily recognizable in the parade ring. He jumped very well with Emma Lavelle saying he just stepped over the fences. Importantly “He wants good ground and I´m glad we´ve been able to give him a taste of Cheltenham” with the festival his main target off a light winter campaign said delighted trainer Emma Lavelle following the race. He has the makings of a much better chaser than hurdler with size and scope in abundance.
Monbeg Dude – Trainer Michael Scudamore – Jockey Richard Johnson
Monbeg Dude is a quirky ride in that he pulls himself up in front. Take yourself back to when he won the last Welsh National and he almost stopped having passed Teaforthree over the final fence. Therefore it was really surprising to see “Dickie” Johnson take him into the lead over the penultimate fence! He jumped really well on the day with a mistake at the first his only real howler. This contrasts with his usual pattern of clouting every second fence. He has stamina to burn like many of Witness Box’s progeny and a repeat welsh national run seemed the most logical next target. However, he has not been entered to defend the Welsh national with the idea to campaign him over hurdles until the Aintree Grand National weights are finalised. Connections are right to keep him well handicapped to carry a nice weight in the English National where he is sure to see out the trip if jumping as well as he did here. He will pick up a hurdle race for sure along the way too.
Colour Squadron – Trainer Philip Hobbs – Jockey Tom O’Brien
According to the wife of trainer Philip Colour Squadron is a “softish horse” who jinked when Easter Meteor fell to his side at the second last in the PP Gold Cup chase at Cheltenham. He may not be the bravest but he did keep attacking and jumping the fences well considering he hit a couple on the way round. He is still interesting despite a harsh enough raise of 7lbs by the British Handicapper. Johns Spirit idled badly so he was lucky to finish so close really. The reason he attracts my interest is that he has only had 5 runs over fences which is 5 less than the 1st and 3rd in this race. Experience counts for a lot chasing and Colour Squadron can improve into the 150 rated chasers with better jumping which will come with more experience.
Attaglance – Trainer Malcolm Jefferson – Jockey Brian Hughes
Similar to Colour Squadron Attaglance has only run 7 times now over fences and can progress from this very encouraging effort. He was outpaced down the hill but stayed on stoutly to finish fourth. His trainer said the ground was too dead/tacky for this average sized chaser and he needs proper good ground to show his best. The handicapper has left him on a rating of 137. A step up in trip to 3 miles will surely see him win races sooner rather than later.
Timesremembered – Trainer Emma Lavelle – Jockey Leighton Aspell
Giving the winner 7lbs it was not hard to be impressed by the 1 length defeat of timesremembered in the Grade 2 novices hurdle over 2m5f. He handled the ground well similar to at Chepstow on his previous run and is exciting. He battled hard in this race staying on well up the hill and will appreciate the step up to 3 miles on good ground. The staying Albert Bartlett Hurdle for novices at the festival in March looks a likely target.
Corbally Ghost – Trainer Noel Meade – Jockey Richie Colgan
While all eyes were on impressive winner Champagne Fever most would have missed how well Corbally Ghost finished off this race flying home and jumping the last 2 fences well. This horse won a Grade 3 novice hurdle over 3 miles two years ago before missing all of last season. He is a big horse that was always going to be best as a chaser. Most likely he will be kept to trips shorter than 3 miles until later this season but that should not stop him winning on soft or heavy ground. He might be underestimated against bigger names which should leave him a value priced bet.
The Liquidator – Trainer David Pipe – Jockey Tom Scudamore
This race turned into a non-event as Sea Lord did not handle the ground, jump well and needs further. However, it was the slick jumping by the Liquidator that caught my attention. He looked a complete natural over hurdles and was a top class bumper horse last season placing at the Festival before winning at Punchestown. Bigger challenges are ahead but I have not seen a better round of jumping by a novice so far this year which is crucial when finishing races at top speed and tiring.
Dodging Bullets – Trainer Paul Nicholls – Jockey Daryl Jacob
Dodging Bullets had always been very highly regarded by Paul Nicholls and finished fourth in the Triumph hurdle a couple of years ago behind Countrywide Flame. He failed to fire in the Supreme last year but did run well to win twice at Cheltenham in October & November of 2012. We know he can handle the track and he showed that again jumping very well to win a Grade 2 Novices Chase over 2 miles. This horse was rated 155 over hurdles despite having temperament issues. Nichols claims he does not sweat up anymore and is a relaxed horse. Therefore he is able to train him as he wants without having to “take the brake off”. He is a very exciting horse that can jump as well as possessing a very good turn of foot. The Arkle Chase looks sure to be his target come March.
Rawnaq – Trainer Matthew Smith – Jockey Kevin Smith
Rawnaq ran an absolute cracker and is one very genuine horse to keep on up the hill the way he did having run very quickly early doors. Kevin Smith rode the horse very well filling him up letting the field close on him down the hill before kicking on round the bottom bend. A couple of things went pear shaped thereafter like not bagging the rail & then looking untidy with his whip when trying to get back up between horses after the final hurdle. On the plus side he was beaten by a 280k purchase from France and stayed on well considering he was out in front a long time. This is a very good horse and he can win a valuable handicap this season for sure as he is better on a faster surface.
Tanerko Emery – Trainer David Pipe – Jockey Conor Farrell
Carrying 11-10 Tanerko Emery ran a very encouraging race to finish 5th in the Greatwood handicap hurdle. He was not give a hard race by his jockey up the hill and has more left in him. He travelled really well and stayed on nicely up the hill with the first three home gone clear. We know he handles heavy ground and he can pick up a valuable handicap hurdle over the coming Winter Months.
Red Sherlock – Trainer David Pipe – Jockey Timmy Murphy
Red Sherlock swished his tail when winning a bumper at Ascot so I was surprised to see him run so well up the Cheltenham hill showing no temperament quirks at all. Timmy Murphy took him on a scenic route down the far side in search of better ground and it paid off as he travelled easily. This was a good bumper with the 2nd placed horse Carningli the other joint favourite. The plan is to go hurdling and David Pipe thinks very highly of this 4 year old son of Shirocco out of cracking mare Lady Cricket. Just a shame David Johnson was not around to see this exciting horse win.
Faugheen – Trainer Willie Mullins – Jockey Ruby Walsh
Faugheen is exciting and showed he can jump hurdles well when winning easily at Punchestown. Trainer and jockey were concerned that he ran very keen over this 2m6f trip which is surely down to the slow pace such events are run at. A step back in trip will be no problem for Faugheen who has plenty of gears. He handles good ground well but he still has to prove he can travel on heavy. A horse to target the big spring festivals with for sure.
Morning Assembly – Trainer Pat Fahy – Jockey Ruby Walsh
Morning Assembly battled hard to get past Don Cossack and win the staying novices chase at Punchestown. You could argue that the runner up has showed the opposite on his recent runs failing to get his head in front when it matters but he is still a class horse who travelled very freely during the race. For Morning Assembly to beat him over 2m6f on good ground was the sign of a top chaser. Whether he ends up in the RSA chase or the longer 4 miler time will tell but he will be running in the top 3 mile Novice Chase at Leopardstown next. He handles heavy ground better than most and under such conditions is one to have onside.
Sammy Black – Trainer Tony Mullins – Jockey Danny Mullins
Sammy Black ran a nice race on his chasing debut when chasing home Ballyburke at Cork. He ran in a few good maiden and handicap hurdle races last season and is a good horse. Owner Barry O’Connell likes to have a winner at his local track Leopardstown and Sammy Black will most likely turn up there over Christmas. He ran very well there last Christmas when finishing 2nd and 3rd to the very well handicapped horse Shariyan. Even if he does not figure at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting he can win some good chases later this season.
Best of Luck,
Nicky