Paul Nicholls has confirmed both Bravemansgame and Hermes Allen will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival after their successes over the festive period.
Bravemansgame provided the champion trainer with a 13th success in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, prevailing by 14 lengths under Harry Cobden having started at 11-4.
The Gold Cup is the next port of call and there will be no more stopping points, as Nicholls intends to arrive at Prestbury Park in March with the horse fully fresh.
“Bravemansgame came out of the race really well, he used to take his races quite hard but I’d say he’s hardly lost a kilo this time and he looks great already,” he told Betfair.
“I don’t need to prove anything with him, he’s best when he’s fresh and very fit.
Hermes Allen looked a real star in the making at Newbury (Nigel French/PA)
“We’re not going to make the same mistake as last year and run him between now and Cheltenham, we’ll get him in the form of his life and go straight to the Gold Cup.”
The same plan of action applies to Hermes Allen, who was a taking winner of the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury on New Year’s Eve and will now be prepared for the Ballymore.
“Hermes Allen, what is the point of running him?” Nicholls said.
“If we look after him he could go on to Cheltenham and then either Aintree or Punchestown.
“He’s in great shape, he’s come out of the race well and he’ll go straight to the Ballymore.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2.70376012-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/geegeez_banner_new_300x100.pngDaveM2023-01-02 13:19:042023-01-02 13:19:04Bravemansgame and Hermes Allen straight to Cheltenham, confirms Nicholls
Luccia is set to take on the boys with her name one of 11 to appear in the list of entries for the Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.
The unbeaten five-year-old has already tasted Listed success at the Esher track when winning a bumper there last March and added a further victory at that level when making an impressive hurdling debut at Newbury in November.
She now steps up to Grade One action looking to enhance trainer Nicky Henderson’s fine record in the race and follow up Constitution Hill’s impressive triumph for Seven Barrows 12 months ago.
Authorised Speed has a course and distance win to his name and the Champion Bumper fifth looks a real classy operator for Gary Moore, while Tahmuras is two from two over obstacles and looks to give Paul Nicholls a third Grade One success in as many weeks.
Colin Tizzard won the race in 2017, 2019 and 2020 and son Joe now looks to keep the Venn Farm record going by saddling Scarface, who is unbeaten in two outings over further this term. He has plenty of experience to his name and will look to bring his stamina to the fore dropping back in trip.
L’Astroboy has only been sighted twice, but has created a taking impression each time and represents Evan Williams, while Jamie Snowden saddled the runner-up in Newbury’s Challow Hurdle on Saturday and attempts to go one better with Colonel Harry who was a clear-cut seven-length scorer at Sandown when last sighted.
Arctic Bresil after winning on debut at Cork (Thomas Weekes/PA)
Henry de Bromhead’s Arctic Bresil downed a well-regarded favourite when recording an easy victory on hurdling debut at Cork and is the only possible raider from Ireland.
Ukantango (Olly Murphy), Blow Your Wad (Tom Lacey), Nemean Lion (Kerry Lee) and Joe Dadancer (Ben Pauling) complete the list of those potential runners.
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Edwardstone will run in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on January 21 following his mishap in the Desert Orchid Chase over Christmas.
Alan King is keen to keep last season’s Arkle winner busy, given he only got as far as the fifth fence before unseating Tom Cannon.
Having been thwarted in attempts to run him at Cheltenham and Ascot before his Tingle Creek success, King feels he needs plenty of racing to stay happy.
“He’s 100 per cent. He bounced out the following morning,” King told Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast.
“He’s been cantering away, he schooled this morning, jumped six fences and was foot-perfect.
“He was foot-perfect jumping around Kempton – after he’d got rid of Tom. I just think he was a little bit fresh last week since the Tingle Creek.
“We hadn’t done a lot with him to try to get him there in good form but I just think he was a little bit gung-ho.
“Anyway, he’s going to do plenty of work and hopefully he’ll head to Ascot on the 21st.
“He’s very full of himself, quite boisterous. Ascot will be the plan all being well and we’ll look at the Game Spirit in between (Ascot and Cheltenham).”
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Archie Watson will step Grove Road up in class for his next outing as the trainer bids to find out if he has a Cheltenham Festival contender on his hands.
The Mahler gelding won a bumper in December 2021 and opened his account over hurdles at Carlisle in October.
Upped to an extended three and a quarter miles in soft ground at Hereford, he gained a neck success over previously unbeaten Mr Vango, with the pair well clear of the remainder.
Now the Upper Lambourn handler will hand the Hambleton Racing-owned seven-year-old a stiffer test, with the River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster on January 28 pencilled in.
“We are very happy with him – he has come out of the race well,” said Watson.
“He has done nothing wrong under rules – he’s won his bumper and a novice hurdle, and now a novice hurdle under a penalty.
“He was going to go to Cheltenham for a Grade Two, but that meeting was called off, so it was good that they put that meeting on at Hereford. It was a good time-frame for us.
“The River Don is the next race for him now.”
Anything Grove Road achieves over hurdles is a bonus, according to Watson, whose yard has sent out eight jumps winners from just 20 runners this term.
He added: “We’ll see how he runs in either one or two of those Grade Twos before Cheltenham and then see if he ends up an Albert Bartlett horse, or whether we look towards handicaps.
“Long-term, his future was always going to be over fences. He’s a very straightforward horse, nice to deal with, nice to look after.”
Watson added: “We have had plenty of jumps winners. My wife, Brodie, trains them mostly. She gets the credit. It is a lot of fun and we have a good strike-rate.”
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Craig Nichol was given a 12-day ban for taking the wrong course aboard Northern Falcon at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day.
With the Pauline Robson-trained 11-1 shot pulling hard in the early stages, Nichol found himself in front and clear of the pack in the Fitzdares Happy New Year Handicap Hurdle when the incident occurred.
As he approached the turn which brings the runners back into the home straight, Northern Falcon ran out, heading to the the wrong side of the bend and onto the chase course.
The rider immediately pulled-up the free-going eight-year-old and following a stewards’ inquiry, Nichol was banned January 15-27 inclusive.
The report from the stewards’ said: “An inquiry was held to consider the reason Northern Falcon, ridden by Craig Nichol, had appeared to take the incorrect course after jumping the last hurdle in the back straight, running on the wrong side of the rail and the marker denoting the chase course, whereupon Nichol pulled the gelding up.
“The rider was interviewed and shown recordings of the incident. Having heard Nichol’s explanation, the rider was suspended for 12 days for taking the wrong course.”
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Willie Mullins is eyeing a step up in grade for Quais De Paris following his winning stable debut in the David Flynn Construction Maiden Hurdle at Tramore.
The five-year-old finished third in his sole appearance in France and transferred to Closutton for €180,000 in November 2021.
Making his first appearance for 428 days, the son of Masked Marvel was sent off 1-5 favourite in the hands of Paul Townend for the two-mile contest.
Always to the fore in the testing going, Quais De Paris drew clear after the last to score by just over three lengths.
“It’s great to get the annual cheque from David Flynn,” said Mullins, who was winning the race for the fourth year in a row.
“I think he is a nice horse but he didn’t win like I thought he would. I think he is a good horse but the ground out there is very testing after the rain last night.
“Paul kept it simple, went around the outside and just kept out of trouble. I think he is a horse you can follow for the rest of the season. I’m hoping he will upgrade now into Listed and graded races.”
Quais De Paris ridden by Paul Townend jumps the last to win The David Flynn Construction Maiden Hurdle during Savills New Years Chase Day at Waterford and Tramore Racecourse (Niall Carson/PA)
Townend added: “He showed a lovely attitude. He had the run in France to his name and he jumped great today. The ground is very testing but he stayed well on it.”
Gavin Cromwell’s Ahead Of The Posse (2-1 favourite) obliged favourite backers in the Ryan’s Cleaning Services Handicap Hurdle.
There was further success for the Danestown handler and jockey Keith Donoghue when Tyre Kicker (5-2 favourite) gave them a double on the card by taking the concluding Tom Carroll Memorial Handicap Chase.
“This fella disappointed us a little bit over hurdles,” said the winning rider said of Tyre Kicker.
“We knew he was a good jumper and he had the experience from running in a couple of point-to-points. We thought he would be better over fences, but we thought he would do a bit more over hurdles.
“He jumped brilliant today and he won well. Hopefully he can progress now into what we thought he might do. He loved the trip today, he travelled well and went through the ground well.
Tyre Kicker ridden by Keith Donoghue goes on to win The Tom Carroll Memorial Handicap Chase during Savills New Years Chase Day at Waterford and Tramore Racecourse (Niall Carson/PA)
“He probably wasn’t seeing it out over three miles over hurdles. It was a winnable race today and he will have to step up the next day, but we are back on track with him anyway.”
Eoin Doyle has his eye on Thyestes Day at Gowran Park following Ardera Ru’s (9-2) victory in the Tramore Medical Clinic Handicap Hurdle.
He said: “Patrick Mullins rode her in a Listed bumper and thought she was a lovely mare. She was placed then in a few bumpers but just wasn’t getting home.
Ardera Ru ridden by Shane O’Callaghan goes on to win The Tramore Medical Clinic Handicap Hurdle during Savills New Years Chase Day at Waterford and Tramore Racecourse (Niall Carson/PA)
“Then I started running her on better ground, which wasn’t ideal either. I got her wind done and she seems to be getting home a lot better now.
“She is relaxing a bit more and breathing a bit better. I think she will win over fences as well. There is a race at Gowran on Thyestes day that she might go for next.
“The horses are running well and we had a winner in Limerick as well.”
A mistake at the second last from 4-5 favourite Lisnagar Fortune handed Gordon Elliott’s Cardamon Hill (13-2) success in the Jack de Bromhead Memorial Maiden Hurdle, while the Core Bullion Traders Rated Novice Chase went the way of 11-8 favourite Whiskeywealth.
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Scarlet And Dove went two better than last year’s third in the John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares Chase to land the spoils at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day.
A bronze medallist in the Grade Three event behind Mount Ida and Elimay 12 months ago, Joseph O’Brien’s charge was sent off the 6-4 favourite this time and the market looked to have got it right as the nine-year-old and second-favourite Dolcita came to the fore at the business end of the contest.
Jumping the last together, it was Scarlet And Dove who had more in hand up the running, pushed out by Bryan Cooper to score by just shy of five lengths and record her seventh win in 19 starts.
The daughter of Jeremy was narrowly denied Cheltenham Festival glory when finishing third in a photo finish in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase last year and the Owning Hill handler is now targeting a return to Prestbury Park for the Gigginstown-owned mare in the spring.
“She is always a difficult filly to get fit and all her career she has improved from her first run of the year. I felt she had come on,” said O’Brien.
“I was impressed. They are two good mares and they sprinted up the straight and left behind a good mare.
“She will run somewhere between now and Cheltenham. She ran in the Thyestes last year but we will probably find a mares’ chase for her somewhere and then on to Cheltenham.
“She ran well there last year and there is no reason why she wouldn’t do it again this year.”
The James Du Berlais team after his success (Alan Magee/PA)
James Du Berlais added his name to Willie Mullins’ novice chasing riches with a faultless display on his fences debut.
Although a four-time winner in France, the son of Muhtathir was also narrowly denied at Grade One level twice when trained by Robert Collet, and has been tried in the highest possible company in both outings so far for Mullins, debuting for the Closutton team in the 2021 Champion Hurdle before chasing home Klassical Dream over three miles at the Punchestown Festival.
Off the track for 612 days, the seven-year-old was sent off the 1-4 favourite for the McInerney Beginners Chase in the hands of Daryl Jacob and the combination barely broke sweat as they sauntered to the front and stayed there for the duration of the two-mile-five-furlong contest to record a bloodless 15-lengh victory.
Betfair were suitably impressed and made the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding 8-1 from 12s for the Turners Novices’ Chase and 10s from 14-1 to stretch out in distance for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Jacob said: “He’s a great jumper, but I haven’t ridden a Willie Mullins horse that fresh for a long time. He’s been off the track for a long time and he was fresh under me all the way.
“When he sees a fence, he says ‘let me at it’. He takes them on and a couple that he’s got in deep, I’ve tried to educate him.
“He was a very good horse over hurdles and it’s good to have him back again.
“He’s had a nice blow going down to the last but when I gave him a little squeeze, he’s winged the last and gone away nicely.
“He could be really exciting over two and a half or three miles. He’s got plenty of pace.”
Mullins was also on the mark in the ITM Stallion Trail 13-14 January Maiden Hurdle with the Luke Dempsey-ridden Indiana Dream (9-4 favourite).
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Midnight River showed plenty of stamina to give Dan and Harry Skelton the best start to 2023, landing the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.
The eight-year-old advertised his credentials when a staying-on third in the valuable Paddy Power Gold Cup at the same venue on his previous run, albeit that was on the Old Course and on quicker ground.
The Midnight Legend gelding jumped with authority and always had the better of Stolen Silver after pinging the last fence, the 6-1 shot recording a two-and-a-quarter-length victory, with the rider’s spread-eagled arms celebration with his hands off the reins as they crossed the winning line, speaking volumes.
“He didn’t need the reins at all – he was just showing off,” smiled the winning trainer.
“That was really, really good. Obviously, it was a bit frustrating in the Paddy Power, as the ground wasn’t quite soft enough for him. It was what it was on the day and of course, you get a different winner. We all get our chances, because of the weather, and this has really suited him.
Midnight River and Harry Skelton (David Davies/PA)
“But we should also take into consideration this track (New Course), which is much better for him that the other track (Old Course).
“Those two things coming together, the culmination of that, has helped us a lot. He has always been a very good horse. He threw himself on the floor last year at Carlisle, like I’ve never seen before. It was remarkable what he did.
“I thought we’d have real problems and we just had to nurse him round all last year, but this year it has been all about putting it together into a big day. Of course he has backed up a good run in the Paddy Power before coming here and he is going the right way.”
Options are open for Midnight River and Skelton added: “There is the Millions meeting at Lingfield – the Fleur De Lys is a consideration, but I wouldn’t be running him against 165-rated horses – then there’s back here on Trials Day.
“We could consider something more flashy, or you just hold fire and come back for the Plate or the Ultima if it was a bit quicker.”
Weveallbeencaught and Sam Twiston-Davies (David Davies/PA)
Weveallbeencaught will also return to the Festival in March after making all the running and justifying 5-4 favouritism in the Ballymore Maiden Hurdle.
Sam Twiston-Davies had to work hard aboard the £210,00 purchase, who was beaten here on his return by Challow winner Hermes Allen, with trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies hinting that the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – for which he was cut to 12-1 from 20-1 by Paddy Power – would be his preferred option, rather than the Ballymore.
“He doesn’t have to have three miles, but he will be better at three, you’d think,” said Twiston-Davies.
“He will come back in March for one of the two novice hurdles. I’m sure it will be the three-mile one. We don’t want to take on Hermes Allen. We’re not stupid.”
Rapper and Richard Patrick (David Davies/PA)
Rapper (8-1) continued the fine form of trainer Henry Daly when staying on relentlessly in the AIS Handicap Chase to score by eight and a half lengths under Richard Patrick.
“If you’d have watched him go round earlier in the year, you’d have said he’d have struggled here. Put a pair of cheekpieces on and he’s taken off,” said Daly, who was having his sixth winner in the last fortnight.
“I just thought, when he ran at Haydock, he was always on the back foot. We don’t know if it will work a second time, but he was totally different today.”
Hector Javilex was a Cheltenham winner (David Davies/PA)
Fresh from Tea For Free’s success at Newbury on Saturday, trainer Charlie Longsdon and jockey Lily Pinchin teamed up again to score with Hector Javilex (8-1) in the three-mile Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle.
Longsdon said: “Three miles and slower ground suited. He had a trapped epiglottis on his first run in this country on slow ground. He couldn’t breath. Since then we have only run him on better ground, for no reason other than that is what was put in front of us.
“He relishes this slower ground and it looked like it today – that was a career-best by a country mile. We have now got to look at a Pertemps Qualifier, really. If he is going to be rated mid-130s, that does sneak him in the Pertemps, so we will have to think about that and come back in the spring, maybe.”
Fiercely Proud (right) won the closing bumper (David Davies/PA)
Ben Pauling is in two minds about whether Fiercely Proud will line up in the Champion Bumper at the Festival meeting in March after his half-length success in the JCB “Junior” National Hunt Flat Race.
He said: “To be honest, today was the aim. We didn’t know if he would handle soft ground. I would imagine we will keep him in bumpers and look towards one on the better bumpers.
“We all know the Irish are pretty deadly at those but whatever happens, he is a lovely horse for next year.
“I will speak to (owner) Tim Radford and Jamie and Harry, his two sons. They are fanatical and no doubt we will have a chat and see where we go.
“They have run horses in the Champion Bumper before. I haven’t. I’m not the biggest fan of the race.
“But he is probably the type of horse who could possibly run in it. He’s a flat-bred three-year-old that looks like he’s improving, so maybe.”
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Marie’s Rock bounded back into action with a convincing triumph in the careers@dornangroup.com Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The Nicky Henderson-trained mare has not been seen since April, when she signed off her season with a superb Grade One double in mares’ contests at Cheltenham and Punchestown.
Back in action against geldings in this Grade Two heat, the mare took no time to hit her stride when coming home a wide-margin winner at 11-2 under Nico de Boinville.
Getting weight all round, she made smooth progress to grab the lead from Dashel Drasher and galloped six lengths clear, with stablemate First Street a further head back in third.
Betfair make Marie’s Rock a 4-1 chance from 8s to defend her Mares’ Hurdle title in March, while she is 16-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Henderson said: “It was remarkable. I was trying to train her early on in the year and I couldn’t see anywhere for her to go. She wants two and a half (miles), perfect trip for her, but there wasn’t a race for her until the Relkeel.
“I tried to train her early on in the year and she wasn’t showing anything, which is what she did two years ago, when she took a year out.
“So I stopped and started again. All of a sudden, her work was completely different again. So you can guess what I’m going to tell you now?
“She will go for the Mares’ Hurdle. They only thing you could have said, the original idea might have been to try her over three miles earlier on. It (possible race) was over three miles and it was Listed, but I wasn’t happy with her.
“Do you do Stayers’ Hurdle? I don’t know. She tanked up there. I think she would have taken a blow at the top of the Cleeve Hill.
Marie’s Rock grabbed the lead from Dashel Drasher (left) (David Davies/PA)
“We have all got to get everywhere. It is great getting your ducks in order, but you have to get them in the right order and they have all got to be swimming downstream at the right time.”
He added: “I surprised me how well she did it. To do that was pretty impressive. Nico was always sat there having a lovely time. She gets through this ground – this is not nice ground – but she sort of scampers along. She is not like one of these great big, long-striding chasers that can’t get through it. She scampered and she gets through it better than most.
“I can’t see any point in going anywhere with her before Cheltenham.
“First Street has run a great race. He just didn’t get two and a half in that sort of ground. He was going plenty well enough at the last. He couldn’t quicken and flattened out. He wants to come back to two miles on better ground.”
De Boinville was impressed with his mount’s returning effort.
He said: “It was very, very impressive. I was surprised she was that impressive in that ground – it was dead and sticky and not very nice at all. Everyone at Seven Barrows has done a great job getting her ready for today and she felt fresh and jumped brilliantly. She is just a true Grade One mare.
“I didn’t want to go for her too soon as that last hurdle is stepped back quite far. I was mindful that it was her first race of the season, but as soon as I’ve winged the last, she set off up the hill and stayed on really well. I’m delighted with the run, and she is just a fantastic mare.”
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Minella Indo repelled the challenge Stattler in a thrilling finish to the Savills New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore.
Willie Mullins has farmed the New Year’s Day feature in winning eight of the last 10 runnings, but Minella Indo’s battling display in the hands of Rachael Blackmore ended the Closutton handler’s five-year stranglehold on the Grade Three contest and gave Henry de Bromhead his second win in the race after Champagne West’s success in 2017.
Winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2021 and runner-up to stablemate A Plus Tard 12 months later, Minella Indo was always to the fore, close to the coattails of outsider Roi Mage in the two-mile-six-furlong event, with the Paul Townend-ridden 4-5 favourite Stattler tracking not far behind.
It was not until the final circuit when the race developed into a contest and with Townend producing Stattler to challenge at the second last, it was left to the big two in the market to fight out the finish.
Although momentarily headed on the run-in by the strong-staying National Hunt Chase winner, Blackmore conjured up more from her ever-willing mount inside the final 50 yards to regain the advantage in the shadow of the winning post.
It has been a frustrating Christmas period on the track for De Bromhead with A Plus Tard ruled out of the Savills Chase at Leopardstown with a late setback, while another of his stable stars, Bob Olinger, failed to sparkle when upped to three miles in the Christmas Hurdle.
Trainer Henry De Bromhead saw Minella Indo score for the first time since the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup when winning the Savills New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore (Brian Lawless/PA)
And on a day when Tramore honoured De Bromhead’s son Jack – who died in a pony racing accident in September – with the running of the Jack de Bromhead Memorial Maiden Hurdle, the Knockeen handler was understandably emotional after seeing his dual Cheltenham Festival winner return to top form.
He said: “It’s an emotional day when you see pictures of Jack up around the place. Often these things don’t happen in racing, but to win the big race here at our local track on this day is fantastic.
“I’m delighted for Indo and (owners) the Maloneys and for everyone. It’s brilliant to see the crowd here and the roar he got was amazing. We know everyone is thinking of us and it’s just brilliant. The support from everyone really helps us through it.
“The horse deserved it and Rachael was brilliant on him. She gave him a really good ride and he jumped brilliant apart from the last possibly. He just got under it a bit. I thought we were going to get done but Rachael really got him over the line, it was fantastic.
“We will enjoy today, this is a fantastic race to win. He hasn’t won since the Gold Cup. We were thinking about the Irish Gold Cup but we might just head straight to Cheltenham, we will see.”
Betfair cut the winner to 20-1 from 33-1 for a second success in the blue riband in March.
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