Review of the year – the highs and lows of 2022

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Another year of highs and lows – there was certainly a surprise or two thrown in during 2022. We reflect on a year that saw the deaths of legendary jockey Lester Piggott and the Queen, the crowning of Baaeed as the best British runner since Frankel and a rollercoaster ride for Frankie Dettori, who faces a seminal 2023 after announcing the beginning of the end…

January

Shishkin got the better of Energumene at Ascot
Shishkin got the better of Energumene at Ascot (Adam Davy/PA)

:: Crack two-milers Shishkin and Energumene served up a real treat for Ascot racegoers in an epic battle for the Clarence House Chase. Shishkin looked in trouble at one stage, but dug deep after the last to reel in his rival and prevail by a length in a race that really lived up to its billing.

:: On the same afternoon Douvan’s full-brother Jonbon confirmed himself a smart prospect in victory at Haydock.

February

Oisin Murphy was banned for 14 months following a BHA hearing
Oisin Murphy was banned for 14 months following a BHA hearing (Nigel French/PA)

:: Three-times champion jockey Oisin Murphy was banned for 14 months after admitting to breaking Covid rules, misleading the British Horseracing Authority and prejudicial conduct, plus two alcohol breaches. The rider, who was also fined £31,111, will not return before February 16, 2023.

March

Rachael Blackmore wrote her name into the history books again
Rachael Blackmore wrote her name into the history books again (David Davies/PA)

:: Rachael Blackmore secured her place in the record books as she became the first female jockey to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard A Plus Tard. In another stellar Festival for the rider and trainer Henry de Bromhead, Honeysuckle defended her Champion Hurdle title, while Bob Olinger was a fortunate winner of the Turners Novices Chase as Galopin Des Champs crashed out at the last when miles in front.

:: The Champion Chase rematch between Energumene and Shishkin fell flat, with Shishkin never looking happy and eventually pulled up. The ground was put forward as the obvious reason for his below-par effort in the immediate aftermath, but it later transpired Shishkin was suffering from a rare bone condition.

April

Sam Waley-Cohen enjoys a fairytale finish to his career in the Grand National
Sam Waley-Cohen enjoys a fairytale finish to his career in the Grand National (David Davies/PA)

:: Amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen enjoyed a fairytale finish to his career as he steered Noble Yeats to a shock 50-1 success in the Randox Grand National. Waley-Cohen bowed out a winner of both the Aintree highlight and the Cheltenham Gold Cup – a feat only a handful of professional jockeys achieve, let alone an amateur.

May

Lester Piggott died at the age of 86
Lester Piggott died at the age of 86 (John Walton/PA)

:: Lester Piggott, the epitome of a racing legend, died aged 86 in Switzerland. An 11-times champion jockey, Piggott won no less than 30 British Classics during his lengthy career in the saddle, steering some true giants of the turf to victory – including nine Derby winners.

:: Charlie Appleby made history as he landed the English, French and Irish 2000 Guineas courtesy of Coroebus, Modern Games and Native Trail.

June

Desert Crown was given a cool ride at Epsom by Richard Kingscote
Desert Crown was given a cool ride at Epsom by Richard Kingscote (Tim Goode/PA)

:: Sir Michael Stoute won the Derby for the sixth time, with the Richard Kingscote-ridden Desert Crown oozing class on the Epsom Downs. A subsequent setback ruled him out for the rest of the season, although he is expected to return in 2023.

:: High drama – and long faces – at Royal Ascot, with John Gosden and owner Bjorn Nielsen critical of Frankie Dettori’s ride on Stradivarius in the Gold Cup won by Kyprios.

:: Dettori bounced back to win the Coronation Stakes the following day on Inspiral, but the tension remained palpable and the following week the pair issued a statement in which they agreed to a “sabbatical” in their long-standing partnership.

:: Having missed out on running at Royal Ascot, Trueshan produced a fine weight-carrying performance to win the Northumberland Plate to wide acclaim.

July

Frankie Dettori and John Gosden at Newmarket, after the victory of Mighty Ulysses
Frankie Dettori and John Gosden at Newmarket, after the victory of Mighty Ulysses (Tim Goode/Jockey Club)

:: The much-publicised “sabbatical” did not last too long, and Dettori and Gosden were back together – and winning – with Mighty Ulysses at Newmarket.

:: In the week’s feature – the July Cup – Alcohol Free showed she retained plenty of her old pace to pick up her fourth Group One. The Andrew Balding-trained filly would later sell for 5.4 million guineas at auction.

:: Five meetings were called off due to the unprecedented heatwave that swept the country.

:: Dettori agreed to relinquish the ride on Stradivarius and he was partnered by Andrea Atzeni when he took on Ascot Gold Cup winner Kyprios and Trueshan in the Goodwood Cup. Kyprios came out on top to cement himself as the king of the division.

:: The British Horseracing Authority announced an overhaul of the whip rules – to start in the new year – with disqualification a possibility for winners whose riders have severely contravened the revised regulations and whips are also restricted to the backhand position.

August

Baaeed successfully stepped up at York
Baaeed successfully stepped up at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

:: With nothing left to prove in the mile division, Baaeed stepped up in trip to put his rivals to the sword in the Juddmonte International at York. He thrilled the Knavesmire crowd with his decisive change of gear, leaving defending champion Mishriff – a six-length victor in 2021 – toiling.

September

A tribute on Doncaster's big screen following the death of the Queen
A tribute on Doncaster’s big screen following the death of the Queen (Tim Goode/PA)

:: Racing mourned the death of the Queen, described as “racing’s greatest friend” by Frankie Dettori. A prominent owner and breeder, both on the Flat and over jumps, the Queen won every Classic except the Derby, in which she came desperately close with Carlton House in 2011. All racing was called off as a mark of respect on September 9 and 10, with the St Leger staged on Sunday.

:: Christophe Soumillon was banned for two months after appearing to elbow Rossa Ryan out of the saddle in a race at Saint-Cloud. The incident also cost him his position as retained rider to the Aga Khan, who terminated the contract a few days later.

October

Alpinista signed off in style with an Arc victory
Alpinista signed off in style with an Arc victory (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

:: Sir Mark Prescott enjoyed the “best day” of his racing life when Alpinista capped a six-race unbeaten run with a gutsy success in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, swooping late for a famous victory in the hands of Luke Morris on what transpired to be her final career start. Soumillon finished second on Vadeni.

:: There was no perfect finale to the career of Baaeed, who was beaten for the first time in the Champion Stakes as Stoute again worked his magic, this time with Bay Bridge.

:: Kevin Manning did enjoy a dream ending to his riding career though, announcing his immediate retirement after riding one last winner for father-in-law Jim Bolger at Galway.

November

Modern Games wins at the Breeders' Cup once again for William Buick and Charlie Appleby
Modern Games wins at the Breeders’ Cup once again for William Buick and Charlie Appleby (PA)

:: Appleby proved himself to be the King of Kentucky as he recorded another three Breeders’ Cup victories at Keeneland. Mischief Magic (Juvenile Turf Sprint), Modern Games (Mile) and Rebel’s Romance (Turf) were the Moulton Paddocks scorers.

:: Not to be outdone, there were also three victories for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore who combined to find the scoresheet with Meditate (Juvenile Fillies’ Turf), Victoria Road (Juvenile Turf) and Tuesday (Filly and Mare Turf).

:: However, the star of the show in Lexington was Flightline, who bowed out with an emphatic victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A 2.5 per cent fractional interest was later sold for $4.6 million.

:: Constitution Hill made a flawless return to action in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle, prompting bookmakers to make him an odds-on Champion Hurdle favourite.

December

Frankie Dettori announced his retirement date
Frankie Dettori announced his retirement date (Steven Paston/PA)

:: Frankie Dettori surprised the racing world as he announced he would retire from the saddle at the end of 2023. He had already previously said he would go to Santa Anita for the winter and his spell could have got off to a better start, as he bagged three winners from five rides on Boxing Day.

:: Just 24 hours later, Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning rider Davy Russell retired with immediate effect after riding a winner at Thurles.

:: Honeysuckle’s 16-race unbeaten streak was snapped at Fairyhouse as the star mare could finish only third behind Teahupoo and Klassical Dream in the Hatton’s Grace.

:: Bravemansgame lifted the King George VI Chase at Kempton, while Constitution Hill racked up another bloodless success in the Christmas Hurdle.

:: The Leopardstown Christmas Festival belonged to Willie Mullins, with his tally of 13 winners across the four days including a remarkable six-timer on day two. Star novice Facile Vega and Champion Hurdle hopeful State Man were two of his most notable scorers.

Buick chalks up double century with Southwell success

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Champion Flat jockey William Buick capped a superb year by notching up his 200th domestic win aboard Zealot at Southwell.

After taking the title for the first time in his career this autumn, the rider had been closing in on the milestone as the year reaches an end.

Zealot, trained by Michael Appleby, was one of two rides for Buick on the evening all-weather card and the gelding immediately carried him to his double century when securing the Spreadex Sports First Goalscorer Insurance Handicap.

“I said to Tony (Hind), my agent, six weeks ago when we had 31 winners to go that it was within reach,” Buick told Sky Sports Racing.

“Things didn’t quite go to plan until today, but it’s great and I’ve had lots of support. Thank you to everyone.

“It’s been a great year. I’ve had wonderful support from everybody. Charlie Appleby and Godolphin have had an amazing year with Charlie also being champion (trainer) as well.

“I would love to go for it again next year, beyond that you never know.”

Buick’s previous best was 170 winners in 2021, when he narrowly lost out to Oisin Murphy in the title race.

Leopardstown return on the cards for Good Land

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Barry Connell will consider a return to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival with Good Land following a thoroughly impressive display in the Pigsback.com Maiden Hurdle.

The owner-trainer has already unearthed one Grade One-winning novice hurdler this season in the form of Royal Bond hero Marine Nationale.

But while that exciting youngster is being kept fresh for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Good Land will be given more experience – potentially at Grade One level.

The Wexford bumper winner got no further than the first flight on his hurdling bow at Fairyhouse earlier in the month, but bounced back in some style under 5lb claimer Michael O’Sullivan as he pulled eight lengths clear of Tag Man.

“We’ve hit the bar here before and I actually never rode a winner here, so that’s brilliant – everyone wants to have a winner at Leopardstown at Christmas,” said Connell.

“We brought three here, the first two we fancied and they ran well but this guy was the banker of the week. He’s gone in and we’re thrilled.

“He’s all stamina so I knew two and a half miles today, up the hill, would be right up his street.

“He went at the first (in Fairyhouse) and it can happen any novice. He was a little careful, screwed and pitched on landing. He’s a good jumper, you can see there today.

“I don’t know how strong the race was, but he couldn’t have been any more impressive.”

Considering future plans, he added: “I thought coming into today we might be looking at something like the Michael Purcell, which is a Grade Three in Thurles, but I’m going to make an entry for the two-mile-six Grade One at the Dublin Racing Festival. On the back of that he’s entitled to an entry.

“This horse is obviously more of a stayer than Marine Nationale, who is very quick. He’d be able to work with the other horse, but he wouldn’t be as quick as him.

“Marine Nationale is on his holidays in Cork. He’s out on grass and will be back in about two weeks.

“We’ll have him back in the middle of January and he’ll go straight to Cheltenham. We’ll get a racecourse gallop into him somewhere.”

Seddon clear of his rivals at Leopardstown
Seddon clear of his rivals at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

Seddon continued his resurgence with a runaway success in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase.

Placed in Graded company over hurdles a few years ago, results have been mixed for the nine-year-old since, but he appears to have found a new lease of life since joining John McConnell.

After placing at Cartmel and Navan on his first two starts for new connections, Seddon won a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in October and was a 7-2 favourite returning the larger obstacles.

With amateur rider Ben Harvey keeping the ride, the Stowaway gelding moved into a clear lead a long way from home, jumped accurately and never really looked like being reeled in – ultimately coming home 13 lengths clear of nearest pursuer Archies Charm.

McConnell said: “It’s all down to the lads in the syndicate that wanted to run because I was getting very watery about the ground. It seemed to make no difference to him.

“He jumped great, Ben was always happy that he was going the right pace and it’s great to have a guy with a brain and a clock in his head. I was never worried he was going too fast because Ben is such a good rider.

“On his handicap mark, compared to his hurdle mark, he was entitled to run very well. When he won in Cheltenham, this was always the plan to come here. We thought we’d get nice ground here and then it started to rain. We got a little bit worried but what a horse.

“Mr handicapper is going to have his say now! He’s going to get into the hurdle race in Cheltenham off the mark he’s on now and probably the chase as well, so we can do what we want and he doesn’t owe us anything now.”

Green Glory (left) jumps the final flight at Leopardstown
Green Glory (left) jumps the final flight at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

Charles and Philip Byrnes teamed up to land the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle with the gambled on 7-4 favourite Green Glory.

“It was great to win that, the same connections won it nine years ago with Sea Light,” said the winning trainer.

“He was getting a lot of weight off the second and he gave him a lovely, cool ride. He came there and got a great jump at the last.

“We’ll find something again over that trip.”

Willie Mullins enjoyed a treble on the card, with the Grade Three success of Shewearsitwell followed by Grade One wins for Gaillard Du Mesnil and State Man.

The champion trainer was double-handed in his bid for a 17th winner of the week at Leopardstown and Limerick combined, but his pair of Lecky Watson and and Special Cadeau had to make do with second and third respectively in the concluding bumper behind 16-1 newcomer Fascile Mode, trained by his brother Tom Mullins.

He said: “He did a blinding bit of work a week ago. He was always a nice horse and he ticks all the boxes – he’s a nice horse and he has the pedigree.

“When he did a nice bit of work we said we’d take a chance here. We were going to run Monday but Charlie (Mullins, trainer’s son) was injured so we came here instead.

“Charlie is cool, he’s only 18 but he’s a very good rider.

“He’s obviously a very good horse to do that first time – he beat a heap of winners there. Hopefully the phone will be ringing and hopefully one of those multi-millionaires will come and buy him!”

No Looking Back shocks favourite Brazil in Limerick match

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No Looking Back lowered the colours of Cheltenham Festival hero Brazil in a match race for the Coolmore NH Sires Kew Gardens Hurdle at Limerick.

With just the two runners declared, Padraig Roche’s Boodles winner Brazil was a 2-9 shot to strike Grade Two gold off the back of a Grade Three success in last month’s Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas.

From the off Mark Walsh appeared keen to make the most of the hot favourite’s experience advantage, with Brazil already a veteran of 14 races compared to No Looking Back’s three outings.

Brazil remained in front halfway up the home straight, but 3-1 chance No Looking Back quickened smartly between the final flights to grab the lead and even an untidy leap at the last was not enough to stop him scoring a shade cosily by two and three-quarter lengths.

Oliver McKiernan’s charge was winning for the third time following previous bumper and maiden hurdle wins at Thurles, while the trainer and jockey Phillip Enright were completing a quick-fire double following the 10-1 victory of Difficult Decision in the preceding race.

Tiego Vidal, McKiernan’s assistant, said: “He always showed plenty of ability at home. He won a bumper and a maiden hurdle at Thurles and there wasn’t much option for him, so we took a chance here.

“He did well and had to dig deep, but I hope the boss is very happy with the result.

“He won on good ground twice but he doesn’t seem to mind that ground. I hope he can improve from that and see how far he can go.”

State Man claims easy victory in Matheson Hurdle

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State Man continued his march towards a likely clash with Constitution Hill at the Cheltenham Festival in March with a comprehensive victory in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill is long odds-on to lift the Champion Hurdle crown in March following his latest demolition job in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

And while connections of the unbeaten five-year-old are unlikely to be quaking in their boots, State Man gave further evidence he may well prove his biggest threat with an authoritative display.

A well-backed winner of the County Hurdle in the Cotswolds last season and successful on his reappearance in last month’s Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, State Man lined up as one of three runners for Willie Mullins in the feature event on day four of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival.

Sharjah, ridden by the champion trainer’s son Patrick, was bidding to better hurdling legends Istabraq and Hurricane Fly by winning a remarkable fifth successive Matheson Hurdle, and yet he was only third in the betting at 6-1 behind State Man at 4-6 and his Triumph Hurdle-winning stablemate Vauban at 11-4.

Rank outsider She Is Electric took the field along for much of the two-mile journey, but predictably folded before the home turn, at which stage Paul Townend allowed State Man to stride into the lead.

The strong-travelling Vauban travelled into his slipstream at the top of the straight, but State Man soon found another gear to pull four and a quarter lengths clear.

Connections of Vauban will doubtless take plenty of encouragement from what was his first outing of the season and first start outside of juvenile company, while Sharjah was not disgraced in third.

State Man is unchanged at 4-1 with Coral for the Champion Hurdle, who make Constitution Hill their 2-7 favourite. Vauban, meanwhile, is a 10-1 shot.

State Man after winning the Matheson Hurdle
State Man after winning the Matheson Hurdle (Gary Carson/PA)

State Man could now take on dual Champion Hurdle and three-time Irish Champion Hurdle-winning mare Honeysuckle in the latter contest at February’s Dublin Racing Festival.

Mullins said: “State Man just keeps improving and I think there is more improvement again after today.

“We were discussing where he goes next and the Dublin Racing Festival looks like the plan now.

“Hopefully we don’t get any setbacks, the horses have been coming out of Leopardstown well over the last few days, and we’ll look forward to that and then maybe going over to Cheltenham in March.”

When asked if he thought State Man could give Constitution Hill a race, he added: “We all have to turn up and we’ll hope for the best. We’re improving all the time.”

The Closutton handler was also pleased with the performances of the placed horses, saying: “It was a cracker of a run from Vauban, having his first run back. He’s only a four-year-old and people tend to forget that.

“I was very pleased with that. He’ll probably have another run and then we’ll see if he’s good enough to go to Cheltenham. On today’s run I’m very happy that he’s progressed and is coming along nicely.

“He travelled very sweet, all the rest of the horses had runs. For his first run in championship company against older horses, I thought it was excellent. He’s way ahead of where I thought he was.

“Sharjah threw his chance away when he made the mistake at the second hurdle. I thought anything could happen with Sharjah as he loves this track, but the mistake put him out of the race and Patrick said he just wasn’t the same after that – you can’t do that in championship racing and get away with it.”

Gaillard Du Mesnil breaks chasing duck with Grade One glory

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Gaillard Du Mesnil finally enjoyed his day in the sun over fences with a facile victory in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Although winless in six previous outings over the larger obstacles, the dual Grade One-winning hurdler had never finished out of the first three and has been placed three times at the highest level.

With his Drinmore conqueror Mighty Potter a non-runner, Gaillard Du Mesnil was the 5-6 favourite to open his chasing account and ultimately did so in fine style in a race marred by fatal injuries suffered by both Unexpected Depth and Three Stripe Life.

Amirite also unseated Rachael Blackmore, but Gaillard Du Mesnil managed to keep himself out of trouble under a patient ride before pulling seven and a half lengths clear of Churchstonewarrior to provide Willie Mullins and Paul Townend with yet another Grade One success this week.

“He had the experience and he had the rating. He was still a maiden, but we had kept him to good class company all the time and he got his experience against that type of company,” said Mullins.

“Paul said he just flew fences down the back for him. They went very fast and he was even taken off it a bit early on.

Gaillard Du Mesnil after winning at Leopardstown
Gaillard Du Mesnil after winning at Leopardstown (Gary Carson/PA)

“He just glided into the race down the outside, kept out of trouble and kept away from the loose horse (Amirite) the best he could. He just kept jumping and landed in front.

“He deserved a crack at two and a half (miles) last time, though it was a little bit short for him. He probably learned a lot going that pace.

“All that experience counts for a day like today.”

Paddy Power make Gaillard Du Mesnil their 6-4 favourite from 9-4 for the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, while he is 6-1 from 10-1 with the same firm for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

Willie Mullins continues Mares Hurdle run with Shewearsitwell

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Shewearsitwell provided Willie Mullins with a sixth victory in the last seven runnings of the BeattheBank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Two subsequent Cheltenham Festival heroines in Let’s Dance and Concertista are among the champion trainer’s recent winners of the Grade Three contest and Shewearsitwell was actually sent off favourite for last year’s renewal, but suffered a nasty fall at the fourth flight.

With her confidence seemingly dented, results since have been mixed – but she got back on the winning trail in a Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown last month and was a 15-8 shot stepping back up in class.

The six-runner contest looked a match on paper and that was the way it transpired, with 8-13 favourite Queens Brook leading Shewearsitwell into the home straight.

But it was soon clear that the Mullins runner had more to give in the hands of Paul Townend and she picked up well passing the dolled off final obstacle to seal a four-and-a-half-length verdict.

Paddy Power cut Shewearsitwell to 8-1 from 25-1 for the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Mullins said: “It was very good, she wasn’t very brave over her hurdles so I was very happy the last hurdle was taken out twice.

Shewearsitwell pulls clear at Leopardstown
Shewearsitwell pulls clear at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

“I thought going down the back she wasn’t going to race much but once Paul got after her, she just kicked into gear. She improved and enjoyed herself then.

“Paul said they went a right good gallop and he was at his best just trying to keep her in touch with the race.

“She was losing a half-length here and there at her hurdles which wasn’t good for her, but she eventually got it right and when it came to staying she outstayed the rest of them.”

Flat spin for Triumph hope Scriptwriter at Wolverhampton

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Scriptwriter will have a spin on the all-weather at Wolverhampton on Friday, with Milton Harris keen to get a run into his star juvenile before he continues his Triumph Hurdle build-up over obstacles.

Harris has seen the weather scupper his plans in the last month, with Scriptwriter having intended engagements at both Doncaster and Cheltenham wiped out by the recent cold snap and the ground going against him at Chepstow where he was declared to run in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle.

Now the son of Churchill, who is a best-priced 20-1 for Grade One glory at the Cheltenham Festival, will keep the cogs turning in the 12-furlong Scu Selects Expert Tips By BetUK Handicap at Dunstall Park – a run which will hopefully put him spot on for a return to hurdling at Prestbury Park on January 28.

“He’s been ready to run for a while,” said Harris. “Obviously we had him entered at Cheltenham and Doncaster when we had that bad weather spell and both were abandoned.

“The problem then was finding somewhere to run and Chepstow was never really on our agenda because it is a very dour test for three-year-olds. Even though the ground was probably not as bad as it could be, it still wasn’t nice ground.

“We took the view that this horse has a lot of speed and the plan is to go to Trials Day at Cheltenham and/or the Adonis.

“But he has been ready to run for a while and I felt if we don’t run at Wolverhampton, I need to give him a good piece of work at home here on Friday, so he may as well have a run round for a bit of prize-money at Wolverhampton.

“He’ll be competitive. He’s a good horse. I’m very happy with him and I think he’s improved since last time and we just need to get a run into him. The timing works very well and we’re roughly four weeks from the Cheltenham race.”

With many of the major UK Triumph Hurdle trials falling victim to the recent freeze, the Sutton Veny handler has been a keen observer of the action in Ireland over the past few weeks.

And although impressed by Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth, who cemented her position as favourite for the juvenile highlight at the Festival with a bloodless victory at Leopardstown, Harris sees no reason why the Scriptwriter should not be in the Triumph Hurdle conversation at this stage.

“Clearly Willie’s horse sets a high standard, but there doesn’t seem the same strength in depth at this stage of the season as maybe there was last year. That’s not to say the favourite isn’t a very good horse, but last year we had the likes of Fil Dor, Vauban and Pied Piper.

“All of these horses are ex-Flat horses and Scriptwriter is the highest rated of all of them. He is rated 102 and has every right to be in the picture.

Scriptwriter ridden by jockey Paddy Brennan (white/red silks) on their way to winning the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham
Scriptwriter ridden by jockey Paddy Brennan (white/red silks) on their way to winning the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham (David Davies/Jockey Club)

“I think he is a different type of horse to Knight Salute, who was a battle-hardened soul. Scriptwriter would have more natural class, so until we realise we’re not good enough, the Triumph Hurdle is our route.”

Harris has developed a real niche for handling juvenile hurdlers in recent years and has plenty of positive words for a trio of three-year-olds who did make the track over the Christmas period.

Highland Frolic and Postmark were both seen in action at Kempton with the former finishing a staying-on third at a big price, while at Fontwell on Boxing Day, Polyphonic recorded a taking 10-length victory.

Although yet to match the levels Scriptwriter has achieved, the Fred Winter on the opening day of the Festival could now come into the reckoning for the talented trio.

“Highland Frolic had a pretty major wind operation and I was delighted with him, bearing in mind halfway down the back he looked as if he would drop away,” continued Harris.

“I think because we’ve had his wind done, it was the first time he realised he could run through it and he’s ended up only being beaten seven lengths. There will be masses of improvement in him, he’s a nice horse.

“I shouldn’t have run Postmark, he’s a better horse than that – don’t give up on him. He just doesn’t want that ground and we took a chance. He’s a good ground horse and you’ll see him in some of the better races in the spring.

“Polyphonic is a different type. The faster they gom the better it’ll suit him and I’ve just got in the back of my mind he might just be OK for the Fred Winter when they go really quick.

“They would all be more than entitled to take their chance. I think (a rating of) 122 got in last year and they would all be in the equation at the moment.”

Boothill to bypass Cheltenham rematch with Jonbon

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There will be no Arkle rematch with Jonbon for Boothill following his victory in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton.

Harry Fry’s seven-year-old was recording his third fences victory of the season when striking in the two-mile Grade Two contest with his only defeat coming at the hands of Nicky Henderson’s Cheltenham Festival favourite when they clashed in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown earlier this month.

Boothill was cut to a general 25-1 for the Prestbury Park Grade One on the back of hunting down Chris Gordon’s Aucunrisque at the Sunbury track, but Fry has since revealed he intends to skip the Festival in favour of a run at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

Meanwhile, an appearance in Doncaster’s Watch Off The Fence On attheraces.com Lightning Novices’ Chase on January 28 seems the most likely next port of call.

“We will try to make the most of Boothill’s novice status with a trip to Doncaster likely to be next for him in the Grade Two Lightning Novices’ Chase on January 28,” Fry told www.harryfryracing.com.

“He is then set to skip the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and head instead to Aintree’s Grand National meeting.”

Joyeux Machin ready to step up in Challow challenge

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Joyeux Machin will carry Irish hopes against red-hot favourite Hermes Allen in the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday.

Hermes Allen is all the rage to provide trainer Paul Nicholls with a fifth victory in the Grade One contest, having previously struck gold with Cornish Rebel (2003), Denman (2006), Bravemansgame (2020), and Stage Star (2021).

A £350,000 purchase from the Irish point-to-point field, Hermes Allen won by 27 lengths on his hurdling debut at Stratford before following up in a Grade Two at Cheltenham last month.

The Paul Nolan-trained Joyeux Machin, who chased home potential superstar Facile Vega last Christmas before going one better in a bumper at Navan in January, could only finish third on his hurdling debut at Wexford in October – but upped his game to open his account at Fairyhouse four weeks ago.

Nolan appreciates his charge faces a far stiffer task this weekend, but is hopeful the step up from two to an extended two and a half miles will bring about further improvement.

He said: “Hopefully they won’t get as much rain as forecast – the less rain there is the better for us. We’ve committed to going now, so on we go and hopefully we can have a good run.

“He went to the line well in Fairyhouse. I think the way he went to the line over two means the step up in trip won’t be an inconvenience anyway.

“He had a hold-up before Wexford and with the ground being a little bit good, we couldn’t really get a gallop in on grass. We thought he’d improve from there to Fairyhouse and hopefully he has the potential to improve again – he’ll have to.”

Attacca (right) on his way to winning at Cheltenham
Attacca (right) on his way to winning at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

Hermes Allen and Joyeux Machin are just two of 14 runners declared, with Dan Skelton’s 17-length Hereford scorer Vicki Vale and Nicky Henderson’s dual winner Attacca two other leading contenders.

Crambo puts his unbeaten record on the line for Fergal O’Brien, who also saddles the experienced Accidental Rebel as well as Marble Sands, while Thomas Mor is two from two for David Pipe.

Joyeux Machin is joined on the trip across the Irish Sea by Gordon Elliott’s Kansas City Star, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Idalko Bihoue and You Wear It Well from Jamie Snowden’s yard also merit consideration.