Tag Archive for: Anthony Bromley

Impaire Et Passe leads Mullins’ Ballymore charge

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Impaire Et Passe will lead a four-strong team for Willie Mullins into battle in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Ireland’s perennial champion trainer has saddled five previous winners of the Festival’s day two curtain-raiser, with the brilliant Faugheen (2014) and last year’s victor Sir Gerhard among them.

In the lead-up to this year’s renewal, the Closutton dogs have been barking the name of Impaire Et Passe, who was an 18-length winner at Naas on his Irish debut before dominating his rivals in the Grade Two Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

The latter event is more traditionally a trial for Cheltenham’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, with Vautour (2014) and Douvan (2015) both doing the double – but Mikael D’Haguenet won the Moscow Flyer and the Ballymore in 2009 and Impaire Et Passe is a hot favourite to follow suit.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, does not expect a step up in trip to be an issue, saying: “The training preparation has gone well and soft ground shouldn’t be a problem. He is a nice individual.

“Obviously, he is trying a new trip, but he has won on soft and heavy ground on his two most recent starts, so we go in there really hopeful.”

Impaire Et Passe is joined by a trio of stablemates in Gaelic Warrior, Champ Kiely and Ho My Lord.

Gaelic Warrior was beaten a head after being heavily backed for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at last year’s Festival, but is three from three this term – most recently carrying top-weight to success in handicap company at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Champ Kiely won at a Grade One at Naas on his latest outing, while Ho My Lord faces a steep rise in class after winning a maiden hurdle at Navan.

Hermes Allen is a chaser for the future, Paul Nicholls insists
Hermes Allen is a chaser for the future, Paul Nicholls insists (Adam Davy/PA)

Paul Nicholls has perhaps his best chance of the week with Hermes Allen, although has made no secret of the fact that he considers him a chaser in the making.

The six-year-old also puts his unbeaten record on the line, having won all three starts over hurdles, including the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle in soft ground at Newbury.

Nicholls said: “Almost everything that finished behind him at Newbury has won since, so it has turned out to be a very good race.

“He has got a huge amount of ability and I’m excited about going to Cheltenham, but I’m as excited about going chasing with him next year – he will be a lovely horse to go chasing with.

“He has worked nicely and is in good shape. Two and a half (miles) is ideal for him.

“It is a very good race, the Irish have some good horses in there, but he’s got a great chance – he jumps, he’ll be ridden forward and he is a lovely horse.

“He has probably got the best chance of ours, according to the betting, anyway. It is a very good-looking, competitive race. He’s done very well and will hopefully go close to winning.”

On a high after the victory of Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’, owner-trainer Barry Connell justifiably has high hopes for Good Land, who won a Grade One novice hurdle over two and three-quarter miles at Leopardstown last month.

Good Land has won at the top level over further
Good Land has won at the top level over further (Donall Farmer/PA)

He said: “He is like Marine Nationale, a late developer. This one is seven and only just started running this year.

“Unlike the other one, he won’t mind soft ground. He won his bumper on heavy ground at Wexford and any ground would be fine for him.

“He is a strong traveller and has plenty of stamina. He jumps great and has all the attributes you need to be successful in a Grade One at Cheltenham. I think he has a genuine chance of winning.”

Bristol De Mai raring to go for weekend action, weather permitting

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Connections of ever-popular Bristol De Mai are hoping that Haydock’s Saturday card gets the green light but will switch to Lingfield if the meeting falls to the weather.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained 12-year-old, who has won 10 of his 34 chase starts and finished second on another 10 occasions, relishes Haydock, especially when the ground is deep.

The consistent grey was runner-up in the Grand National Trial at the Merseyside track in February last year and was awarded the race six months later following The Galloping Bear’s disqualification.

His enthusiasm was evident on his return, as he showed up well for a long way in the Betfair Chase before tiring from four out.

Now he drops into handicap company for the Peter Marsh Chase, his first preference over Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase on Sunday.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said: “Basically we were planning to run him this weekend in either of the two races and he is declared for both.

“We will run in the first one that’s actually on and I’m pretty doubtful that either will be.

“If that is the case, we will wait for the Grand National Trial at Haydock at the next meeting for him, which he ran well in last year.

“With the inspection moved to 8am at Haydock, we are planning to be there. If that’s off, then we will look at Lingfield and we will redirect there.

“He has been a wonderful servant to the owners. He won a Grade One Hurdle as a three-year-old at Chepstow on his first run for the owners nine years ago and he’s still got the spark in him. They are they are happy with him at home.”

Though a precautionary inspection is planned for 8am, Sandy Thomson, who trains Empire Steel, one of six in the line-up, hopes a decision is made early, as he will be setting off at 6.30am from Berwickshire.

Empire Steel was pulled up behind Royale Pagaille in the race last year but bounced back to score at Kelso, and ran well for a long way when seventh to Brave Seasca at Aintree on his return in December.

“I was delighted with his run at Aintree,” said Thomson. “He didn’t run well in the race last year but he ran well at Haydock before that, so we are hoping for a big run.

“He has won on heavy, but I don’t think any horse will like the ground it is going to be, but for the money it is not the most competitive race.”

Stage Star had a confidence-boosting outing at Plumpton last time
Stage Star had a confidence-boosting outing at Plumpton last time (Mike Egerton/PA)

Elsewhere on the card, the Paul Nicholls-trained Stage Star looks to take another progressive step when he lines up against Grand Voyage and Lac De Constance in the Grade Two Patrick Coyne Memorial Altcar Novices’ Chase.

Winner of the Challow Hurdle at Newbury last season, he opened his chasing account when scoring at Warwick and put behind him a sub-par effort next time when winning as he liked in a minor Plumpton event.

“He is a smart young chaser and bounced back to form in style last time at Plumpton where his jumping was brilliant” Nicholls reported on his Betfair blog.

“I think you can put a line through his previous defeat at Newbury where he was hanging quite badly left in the closing stages.

“He wasn’t quite right that day but looked in top order at Plumpton and continues to please at home.”

Chasing Fire could be chasing bigger prizes shortly as he step up into Grade Two company for the first time in the Sky Bet Supreme Trail Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle.

Olly Murphy says he would not swap Chasing Fire
Olly Murphy says he would not swap Chasing Fire (David Davies/PA)

Having won his bumper, he is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles, both victories coming at Market Rasen.

“We are taking a step up in class and that will hopefully tell us where we are moving forward,” said Murphy.

“We were delighted with his run last time and while it looks a decent race – I know Dan (Skelton) likes his horse (Pembroke) and Paul’s (Nicholls) horse (Toothless) won well at Fakenham last time – I wouldn’t swap my fellow for anything.

“If he comes out of this well, we will likely head for the Supreme, but this will tell us where we are with him.”

Nicholls saddles the ex-French Toothless in the seven-strong line-up, the son of Authorized having produced a facile success on his British debut.

“He made an eyecatching debut for us by winning a maiden hurdle at Fakenham by 35 lengths on New Year’s Day and Bryony Frost was so enthusiastic about him afterwards,” added Nicholls.

“His form in three starts in France last spring was ordinary so we gave him plenty of time and felt he had improved massively in his home work before Fakenham.

“This is a big step up in grade for Toothless who I’d say is a smart horse. He is certainly bred in the purple and is a half-brother to the classy dual-purpose horse Sceau Royal.”