Tag Archive for: Cheltenham Festival

Lossiemouth leading Mullins’ team in Spring Juvenile Hurdle

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Lossiemouth is out to maintain her unbeaten record in the Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday.

She heads a six-strong Willie Mullins team that also includes interesting French recruit Gust Of Wind, Jourdefete, Tekao, Cinsa and Gala Marceau, with Brendan Duke’s hurdling debutant Darraby and Henry de Bromhead’s Ascending also in the mix.

Vauban won the race 12 months ago and went on to follow up at Cheltenham in the Triumph Hurdle, sporting the same pink and green Rich Ricci silks as Lossiemouth.

Mullins said: “Everyone knows Lossiemouth. She won in Fairyhouse and won at Christmas in Leopardstown.

“People are not so much aware of Gust Of Wind, who won a very good race in Auteuil. We managed to get him and gave him a little break and he’s coming back now.

“Hopefully he’s up to this standard, I think he is.”

Day one of the Dublin Racing Festival concludes with the Shabra Charity Oliver Brady Memorial Future Stars I.N.H. Flat Race, a Grade Two bumper Willie and Patrick Mullins have combined to win each of the past three years with Appreciate It, Kilcruit and Facile Vega respectively.

This time around Mullins junior had the pick of four runners and has sided with Fact To File over Chosen Witness, Special Cadeau and Largy Hill – but he insists it was not a straightforward choice.

He said: “It was very difficult to chose. Chosen Witness probably has the best run, but Fact To File is doing the best work.

“More often than not I’d go with the best run but with bumper horses it can be a bit different, they’ve only had the one run and can improve so I’ve gone for Fact To File. But I’m not certain I’m on the right one.”

While Mullins possesses a strong hand, it is his brother Tom who saddles the likely favourite in Fascile Mode, who impressed over the course and distance last month.

He said: “He has to back up his win but he’s been fine since and working well so we’ll have a go and see what he can do.

“He will be a stayer in the making I would say but I liked his turn of foot off a real good pace and it was a fast time that day. It was impressive and it was his first time out so hopefully he will improve a little again and if he does it might get him there.

“It’s only missing a couple of English horses and I think they are best that Gordon (Elliott) and Willie have at the moment, so if he beats them on Saturday he is probably the best bumper horse in Ireland.”

All eyes on Galopin Des Champs in Irish Gold Cup

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Galopin Des Champs is a red-hot favourite to enhance his Cheltenham Gold Cup claims with victory in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Incredibly the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was sent off a 100-1 no-hoper at the Dublin Racing Festival two years ago.

Yet since then his only blemish has been in last season’s Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham when he was in the process of handing out a wide-margin beating to Bob Olinger only to slip on landing after the last.

He made amends at Fairyhouse in April and began this campaign with an easy win in the John Durkan at Punchestown. However, despite having a Grade One win in his hurdling days over three miles, this will be his first time over the trip when tackling fences.

“He handled Leopardstown very well last year, which is why I don’t have much trouble going back there. He is a big horse, but when he handled the track there last year I’m happy to go back,” said Mullins.

“He does things in his races so easy, except for his little blip in Cheltenham last year where he slipped on landing.

“He’s never been over this trip over fences, but he has over hurdles and I was never really worried about his stamina. He always showed a nice turn of foot and we’ll find out, but I think he shouldn’t have any problem with it.”

Paul Townend will do the steering and said in his blog for Ladbrokes: “Galopin Des Champs really impressed me in the John Durkan. I love the way he settles and that will give him a brilliant chance of getting home.

“He is on the road for the Gold Cup so he will have to win this if he wants to be favourite for Cheltenham. We will focus on winning this first before getting ahead of ourselves. I think he will take a lot of beating, though.”

The champion trainer also runs Franco De Port, Leopardstown regular and 2021 winner of the race Kemboy and Stattler, winner of the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham who will be reunited with Patrick Mullins.

He was second to 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo at Tramore on his seasonal return but was conceding 8lb.

Stattler and Patrick Mullins on their way to victory at Cheltenham
Stattler and Patrick Mullins on their way to victory at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

His rider said: “I’m delighted to get back on him. Look, Galopin Des Champs is going to be very difficult to beat and Kemboy and Fury Road set a good benchmark, too, but I’m hoping he will be above that benchmark – I’d be hoping we can finish second and you never know.

“It was a great run at Tramore giving all that weight, especially as it was a home game for Minella Indo as he is only five minutes down the road.

“It was a close finish but I don’t think it was a hard race, they only hacked around before sprinting home. He should come forward from that.

“Obviously Stattler stays well, but I don’t think he’s slow. He’s a young horse who is improving and I’m hoping we haven’t seen the best of him yet.”

Ted Walsh’s Grand National stalwart Any Second Now and Peter Fahey’s Grand National aspirant The Bog Dog take on team Mullins, as does Gordon Elliott with Fury Road, a fine third to stablemate Conflated in the Savills Chase last time out.

“He’s in good form. It is a very competitive race and he faces a big step up. He ran well the last day at Leopardstown, so hopefully he runs well again. It is never easy when they come out of novice company,” said Elliott.

Longsdon ‘delighted’ after Snow Leopardess’ Cheltenham spin

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Charlie Longsdon’s Snow Leopardess has Cheltenham and Haydock options after her pleasing cross country debut.

The mare gained herself plenty of fans last season when claiming three successive victories that included the Becher Chase at Aintree and the Virgin Bet Mares’ Chase at Exeter.

Heading into the Grand National as a 10-1 chance as a result, Snow Leopardess was pulled up in the big race and then struggled hit last season’s form when starting out this term.

Longsdon decided to give the grey a run over Cheltenham’s cross country track to see if that could bring about an improvement and the 11-year-old seemed to take to the task well last Saturday.

Snow Leopardess at Haydock
Snow Leopardess at Haydock (Mike Egerton/PA)

Leading into the final bend after a solid round of jumping, Snow Leopardess faded slightly up the hill to finish an eventual sixth but still impressed enough to gain herself an entry for the Cheltenham Festival version of the race.

“I was delighted with her run at Cheltenham. It was her first time over those fences and she was a bit slow over a couple and looked at a few but she did seem to love it,” Longsdon said.

“She had I great time I think. If you rode her round again, you’d probably try to press on a bit more because that’s the way she likes to win her races, but for her first time over the fences, I couldn’t have been happier.

“She is in the Grand National Trial at Haydock and we will enter her for the cross country race at the Cheltenham Festival – we’ll see.”

Owners Group looking forward to festival targets

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Success continues to breed success for the Owners Group syndicate, who enjoyed their most successful weekend to date with five winners last week.

Donald McCain’s Maximilian landed the Grade Two River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster and the Paul Nicholls-trained duo of Stage Star and Hacker Des Places claimed handicaps at Cheltenham.

They were supplemented by the victories of Unit Sixtyfour at Fontwell and Richhill at Southwell on Sunday for the microshare syndicate.

Dan Downie, racing manager of the syndicate, said: “It was a very good weekend. We’d had a slow start to January, like everybody because of the weather, and we thought it was going to be a busy weekend but to have five winners was extraordinary.

“Donald told me Maximilian got a bigger cheer coming back in than when he won the Grand National!”

Despite winning a notable trial for the Albert Bartlett, though, Maximilian will skip the Cheltenham Festival and wait for the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

“I loved the way he looks after himself, he’s not particularly flashy and he’s almost lazy the way he goes through a race but he jumped the last, came alive and he’s got a lot up his sleeve it looks like,” said Downie.

“Donald said he’d almost given up and I started to think that, but then Brian (Hughes) gave him a squeeze and he came back on the bridle again. He’s very good. He races like a real staying hurdler. He wouldn’t be the biggest in the world and while all options are open, he does look a staying hurdler at this stage.

“We’d spoken previously about where we’d like to end up this year and we’re happy to miss Cheltenham and aim for Aintree with him.”

Stage Star jumped impeccably at Cheltenham
Stage Star jumped impeccably at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

Stage Star, a Grade One-winning novice hurdler, looked a class apart when defying top weight in the usually informative Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

“Stage Star was very impressive. On a day like that when everything goes well, he looks very good,” said Downie.

“To be fair to him, he has had excuses when he’s been beaten but he looked a very good horse on Saturday. It’s not like he just throws the towel in.

“We’ve had brief conversations with Paul but nothing is concrete. He will go to Cheltenham but we haven’t discussed it more than that really.

“Hacker Des Places is very tough, too. He’s not very big but he’s a strong traveller, he jumps well and loves those big fields and hopefully the Betfair Hurdle should suit him down to the ground.

“The aim is to just keep going and not lose sight of everyone who is involved, that’s the point. It’s not to get them involved, it’s to keep them involved.

“The horses are selling really well and I hope it is giving people a chance to get involved as we know how expensive having a racehorse is. Hopefully it is doing the job for everyone.”

Galopin Des Champs leads Mullins Leopardstown charge

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Galopin Des Champs is the star name among the seven runners declared for the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Already a hot favourite to provide trainer Willie Mullins with a third victory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup next month, the seven-year-old is widely expected to enhance his claims by securing a first chasing win over three miles on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival.

The champion trainer has saddled a record 11 previous winners of the Irish Gold Cup and also sends Stattler, Kemboy and Franco De Port into battle in his bid to make it a dozen.

Last season’s National Hunt Chase winner Stattler ran an excellent race on his only previous start this season when pushing former Gold Cup winner Minella Indo close at Tramore at New Year’s Day, while the 11-year-old Kemboy won the Irish Gold Cup two years ago and is out to regain his crown.

Gordon Elliott has won two of the last three renewals with Delta Work in 2020 and Conflated 12 months ago and this year relies on Fury Road, who finished third behind Conflated and Kemboy in the Savills Chase over the course and distance in December, a race in which Franco De Port also finished fourth.

The Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now and Peter Fahey’s The Big Dog complete the line-up.

Nine runners are set to go to post for the first of eight Grade Ones over the two days – the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Novice Hurdle.

The two-mile-six-furlong contest is one of the few races for which Mullins does not train the favourite, with that honour going to Barry Connell’s impressive course winner Good Land.

Good Land winning at Leopardstown
Good Land winning at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

Mullins is represented by Grangeclare West and Quais De Paris, Paul Nolan will have high hopes for Sandor Clegane and Elliott saddles American Mike, Absolute Notions and Cool Survivor.

British hopes are carried by the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Weveallbeencaught, with Henry de Bromhead’s Deep Cave the other hopeful.

Mullins holds the ace hand in the Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle, with his unbeaten odds-on favourite Lossiemouth joined by five stablemates in Gust Of Wind, Jourdefete, Tekao, Cinsa and Gala Marceau. De Bromhead’s Ascending and Brendan Duke’s hurdling debutant Darraby are the other runners.

It is a similar story in the Goffs Irish Arkle, with Appreciate It, Dysart Dynamo, El Fabiolo, Flame Bearer and Saint Roi all declared by Mullins. Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge, Peter Fahey’s Visionarian and Elliott’s Fil Dor complete a fascinating field.

Mullins fires a four-pronged assault at the concluding Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race, with Chosen Witness, Fact To File, Largy Hill and Special Cadeau all in the mix – but it is the Closutton handler’s brother Tom who saddles the market leader in impressive course winner Fascile Mode.

Better Days Ahead from the Elliott yard is another worthy of consideration in a Grade Two contest that promises to be hugely informative with the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in mind.

Solerina strike has sparked Festival dreams for Diamond team

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Blue Blood Racing Club members are dreaming of Cheltenham Festival glory following Ashroe Diamond’s victory in the Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

The Willie Mullins-trained mare has already tasted Graded success in the UK when plundering the mares’ bumper at Aintree last April and had highlighted her hurdling credentials with a pair of respectable performances when third in both Punchestown’s Royal Bond and the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown earlier this season.

Sent off the even-money favourite at Fairyhouse, she proved she is one of the leading lights in the mares’ novice division by quickening up smartly off a sedate pace and galloping on strongly in the hands of Danny Mullins.

Ashroe Diamond after winning the Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse
Ashroe Diamond after winning the Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse (PA)

“It was a messy type of a race really,” explained James Fenton, club manager for Blue Blood Racing.

“No one seemed to really want to make it, Davy Russell went on and jumped the first hurdle and you could see he took a little look at the big screen and slowed the pace right down again. They all kind of stacked up then and we ran into a bit of trouble and got boxed in.

“She was full of running and we were kind of sweating a bit going down to the last, hoping she would be able to get out and when she did get out, she put her head down and found another gear compared to the rest of them.”

She will now head to Prestbury Park as one of the favourites for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and Fenton is confident Ashroe Diamond has the right credentials to strike again at one of the major UK meetings.

“We were very happy with the performance at Fairyhouse and I would be of the opinion that a faster run race will suit her more,” he continued.

“Left-handed at Cheltenham will also suit her along with a sounder surface. So we look forward to going to Cheltenham now in six weeks.

“We’re looking at the Mares’ Novices’ for her at the moment. She might get an entry in the County Hurdle as well, we’re not sure yet – we leave that to Willie.”

He went on: “I always watch them go round the bend to see how long it takes them to pull up and Ashroe Diamond went right through the line. She has that gear which she couldn’t get into with being boxed in, but once she got into that gear, she went on and Danny took a fair while to pull her up – he said she was awesome.

“The excitement is building now and all the members are looking forward to it. Most had booked tickets and accommodation previously, it’s going to be an exciting six weeks and plenty of sleepless nights for me hoping nothing goes wrong.”

Henderson expects Leopardstown events to make Cheltenham picture clearer

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Nicky Henderson expects to have a clearer idea of who will prove the main danger to Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle after this weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival.

Constitution Hill is unbeaten under rules, making light work of a string of Grade One races when winning by facile margins, with the six-year-old a hot favourite at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Henry de Bromhead’s Honeysuckle has dominated the contest in the past three seasons but after losing her undefeated record to Teahupoo at Fairyhouse in December, she is on a redemption mission as she clashes with Willie Mullins’ State Man in Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Constitution Hill winning at the Cheltenham Festival last year
Constitution Hill winning at the Cheltenham Festival last year (Mike Egerton/PA)

Henderson expects the contest to provide a better picture of the Champion Hurdle field and further inform his decision on where to send Epatante, winner of the race in 2020 before being placed behind Honeysuckle for the past two years.

Epatante was well beaten by Constitution Hill in both the Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdle, but landed a Grade Two mares’ event at Doncaster by six and a half lengths last week.

Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, Henderson said of Constitution Hill: “The only thing that’s really happened since the Christmas Hurdle that would encourage you is that Epatante, who has been running round and finishing quite a way behind him on the last two occasions, comes out and, admittedly against much, much weaker opposition, but in a Grade Two hurdle last Saturday she won as far as she liked.

“That actually proves that Constitution Hill has been beating something, that’s about the only thing that has changed since Christmas.

“Epatante will go for the Mares’ Hurdle or the Champion Hurdle, I haven’t spoken much to JP (McManus, owner) about that but she proved she stayed two and a half (miles) and won really nicely at Aintree last year.

Epatante at Doncaster
Epatante at Doncaster (Richard Sellers/PA)

“We’ll see what JP wants to do, you’ve got Epatante there as a back up if Constitution needs a back up. That’s going to be very interesting, to see what happens this weekend and see how they all get on.

“Honeysuckle and Willie’s horse (State Man) will tell us quite a lot and I think the decision on Epatante will probably be made as a result of what we see there.”

Henderson is also expecting the Arkle field to take shape after the Dublin Racing Festival, with the current favourite Jonbon set to head to Warwick for the Grade Two Kingmaker before preparing for the Festival in March.

Jonbon heads the Arkle market
Jonbon heads the Arkle market (Steven Paston/PA)

“Jonbon is in good form, he worked yesterday and will school tomorrow,” he said.

“He’s on course for Warwick, he’s in great shape actually. He just wants one more run, he’s had a nice freshen up since the Henry VIII and hopefully this will put him right for the Arkle.

“We will be watching quite carefully, the good thing is that Constitution Hill and Jonbon don’t have televisions in their boxes so they won’t know what’s going on!”

Murphy mulling Cheltenham and Aintree choices for Strong Leader

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Olly Murphy is considering both Cheltenham and Aintree options for his promising hurdler Strong Leader.

The six-year-old has been beaten just once in five career starts, his sole loss being a second-placed run in a Cheltenham bumper in October.

After that the gelding made a seamless transition to hurdling, winning his debut at Uttoxeter before going on to land an Aintree novice by eight lengths from subsequent wide-margin winner Etalon.

Next came a Southwell novices’ hurdle on Sunday, a race in which Murphy’s charge cantered home to win by an easy 15 lengths under a penalty.

Strong Leader holds an entry for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and could head there next, but Murphy has an alternative plan that involves targeting the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton and then aiming for Aintree instead.

Strong Leader (left) at
Strong Leader (left) at Aintree (Nigel French/PA)

“He came out of his run well, we haven’t quite decided what we’re going to do,” he said.

“We’ll either go to the Dovecote and go to Aintree, or go straight to the Supreme.

“It’s just a little bit frustrating that he hasn’t gone up in grade at any point, just to dip our toe in the water and see where we are.

“There haven’t been options for him and he’s a horse who doesn’t want heavy ground, so that’s limited were we’ve been able to go, It is what is is and it’s the way the programme book works over here.

“The form has all worked out well, albeit I’d have loved to have run him in a graded race before going to Cheltenham, if that’s where we’re going to go, but he’s gained some more experience and he looks to be progressing nicely.”

Galopin Des Champs on course to cement Gold Cup claims

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Galopin Des Champs is the star attraction among the seven confirmations for the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The three-mile contest is the feature on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival and Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old will look to cement his place at the top of the ante-post lists for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March following a winning comeback in the John Durkan at Punchestown in December.

The master of Closutton, who recently passed 4,000 career winners, is also represented by last year’s National Hunt Chase scorer and recent Tramore runner-up Stattler, 2021 Irish Gold Cup winner Kemboy and Franco De Port.

Gordon Elliott has won the race twice in the last three years and relies on track-and-trip winner Fury Road, while Grand National hopes The Big Dog (Peter Fahy) and Any Second Now (Ted Walsh) complete the list of potential runners.

Mullins is responsible for five of the eight possibles in the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase, where Dysart Dynamo could be given the opportunity to build on his breathtaking course-and-distance success over the Christmas period.

Other Closutton inmates in the mix include former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Appreciate It, El Fabiolo, Flame Bearer and Saint Roi – who was the best part of 10 lengths clear of the reopposing Fil Dor when scooping Grade One honours over track and trip in December.

Appreciate It returns to the Naas winner's enclosure
Appreciate It returns to the Naas winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

Visionarian was second on that occasion and is another possible, along with Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge.

Vauban won the Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle in 2021 before going on to Triumph Hurdle success and Lossiemouth will be looking to repeat the dose for the same connections as she heads the 15 confirmations for this years running.

Rich Ricci’s filly is one of eight possible runners for Mullins in the Grade One event, with Blood Destiny, Gala Marceau and Gust Of Wind other notable names from Closutton that could line up.

The action kicks off with the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Nov Hurdle where a maximum of nine go to post and Good Lord heads the ante-post market for Barry Connell following his eight-length win here over Christmas.

Paul Nolan will be hoping Sandor Clegane can follow in the footsteps of Latest Exhibition and throw his hat in the ring for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, while Weveallbeencaught is a rare UK raider representing Nigel Twiston-Davies.

Tom Mullins’ Facile Mode created a deep impression when winning over track and trip on debut and tops the 12 engaged in the Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race.

Fascile Mode and jockey Charlie Mullins (centre) coming home to win the Plusvital INH Flat Race during day four of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse
Fascile Mode and jockey Charlie Mullins (centre) coming home to win the Plusvital INH Flat Race during day four of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse (Niall Carson/PA)

The last four winners of this have all subsequently gone off favourite for the Champion Bumper. Willie Mullins has won four of the five runnings and can select from Chosen Witness, Special Cadeau, Fact To File and Largy Hill this time.

Elliott’s eyecatching Fairyhouse winner Better Days Ahead is another name to note in the dozen that could go to post.

Bravemansgame ‘twice the horse’ he was at Cheltenham last year

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Paul Nicholls is increasingly bullish about the chances of Bravemansgame in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Owned by John Dance and Bryan Drew, the eight-year-old took the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day with a degree of ease, beating Royale Pagaille by 14 lengths.

It was his second success of the season, having sauntered to another easy victory in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby in October.

Though he has yet to tackle the extended three-and-a-quarter-mile test the Gold Cup presents, the champion trainer is happy to keep him under wraps until March 17.

“He is fine. We think he has a lovely chance,” Nicholls said.

“He is unbeaten this year, a different horse to last year. He is big and strong and well – a lovely chance he’s got.”

A best-priced 9-1 for the Gold Cup, which Nicholls has won on four occasions – including saddling the first three home in 2008 – Bravemansgame has yet to prove he has the stamina for this trip.

On his sole visit to Cheltenham, he finished third to Bob Olinger in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs in 2021.

Nicholls is left non-plussed by the naysayers. He said: “No one knows if he will stay three miles two (furlongs), as he has never been three-two.

“All I know he has won a King George and horses have got to stay to win a King George, and plenty of mine who have won a King George have won a Gold Cup.

“He won a point-to-point when he was four. You just take no notice of criticism and know your own thoughts.

“He wasn’t right last year. He ran at Cheltenham and he was third in that, but that was when he was a five-year-old. He was a young horse then and is twice the horse he was. He has strengthened up and is totally different.”

Bravemansgame travelled supremely well under Harry Cobden at Kempton and was not stopping at the end of the race.

Nicholls believes he will put it up to last year’s Gold Cup winner, the Henry de Bromhead-trained A Plus Tard and Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs, who is the current favourite, having landed the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown before Christmas.

Paul Nicholls feels Bravemansgame has a big chance in an open Gold Cup
Paul Nicholls feels Bravemansgame has a big chance in an open Gold Cup (Nigel French/PA)

Nicholls added: “He got the trip beautifully at Kempton. What I like about him, if the ground is half-decent, he has got enough pace to travel and he jumped well. He can just save and turn in, then I think he has got a lovely chance.

“I’m very happy with his prep and I think we are doing the right thing by not running him. He is very fresh and very fit.

“He will go on anything, but hopefully on Gold Cup day, unless we get torrent of rain, on that track you usually get good to soft, which will be perfect.

“It is an open race. The short-priced favourite is short enough, because of where he is trained. He has done well, but is short enough probably. But he’s the one we all have to aim at.

“It’s a Gold Cup and there are lots of good horses in the race, but it is an open contest. The waters were muddied a bit on Saturday (Cotswold Chase) and it is an interesting old race you know, but we are looking forward to it.”