Tag Archive for: Chepstow

Tzarmix and Shomen Uchi make it a good day for Sam Thomas

/in /by

Sam Thomas has plenty to look forward to having enjoyed a fruitful time at Chepstow on Sunday, saddling a double at his local course.

Based at The Hollies on the outskirts of Cardiff, the Gold Cup-winning jockey has sent more of his string to Chepstow than any other track since joining the training ranks – a move that paid dividend when Tzarmix took the opening Cazoo Novices’ Hurdle.

Sent off at 16-5 against Tolworth Hurdle second L’Astroboy, Tzarmix was smuggled into the race by Harry Cobden before taking dead aim and running down his rival when Evan Williams’ odds-on favourite – who had traded at the minimum 1.01 on Betfair – tired after the last.

“We are thrilled with him, he’s a work in progress,” said Thomas.

“I don’t want to get too carried away, the second horse was out in front a long time and in those conditions it probably didn’t suit him. It’s nice to go and beat a well-touted horse, but I just hope the handicapper doesn’t take it literally. It’s a lonely old place up in front at Chepstow and it’s nice we had something to aim at rather than the other way round really.

“Harry has ridden him to run well basically and I think if he had ridden him to win he wouldn’t have won so it’s funny how it worked out.”

The winner will be left to swim in calm waters for the time being – given plenty of time to continue his racing education.

“He’s got so much still to learn,” Thomas continued. “He doesn’t jump the most fluently and show his hurdles respect at the minute so he has got a lot of practice to do at home. He has always been the same, he doesn’t have much regard for a hurdle.

“Hopefully as he picks up more runs he will learn on the job alongside his practice at home. But he’s clearly got an engine and is very much a work in progress.”

Another of the Thomas string held in high regard is Shomen Uchi, who sailed to to an easy 11-length victory in Cazoo Maiden Hurdle – Charlie Deutsch simply having to point the 11-10 favourite in the right direction.

After running with credit at Aintree in the Grade Two bumper last term, Shomen Uchi could return to the Merseyside track during the Grand National Festival next month.

“It’s only a maiden at the back-end of march so I don’t want to get too carried away, but he’s a horse I’m very fond of,” said Thomas.

“For whatever reason we haven’t been able to get him out as much as I would have wanted this season, but he’s very talented and loves soft ground. He will be a lovely staying chaser in time.

“I’ve always thought a lot of him and it just goes to show, if you are not over-racing them, what they can achieve – the more time we give this horse the better he will be.

“We’ll see if the handicapper gives us a mark now and if it is a rating that would warrant us going to one of the handicaps we will consider Aintree, but it is not the be-all and end-all if we don’t go there.”

Baker hoping to chart Pertemps path with Mullins recruit

/in /by

Jon Snow is pencilled in for his British debut at Chepstow on Saturday, as he looks to book his slot at the Cheltenham Festival.

The French-bred gelding was previously run in the Susannah Ricci silks and trained by Willie Mullins, winning five times over hurdles and fences before changing hands last autumn.

George Baker is now the eight-year-old’s trainer after he topped ThoroughBid’s Autumn Sale at £50,000 and is looking forward to running him for the first time for new connections at the weekend.

Entered in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow, the horse’s performance will determine which race he lines up for when the Festival gets under way at Cheltenham in March.

“All being well, Jon Snow’s entered up at Chepstow in the Pertemps qualifier on Saturday,” said Baker.

“If he finishes in the first four on Saturday and he qualifies for the Pertemps, he’ll go there.

“That’s over the extended trip, the three-mile trip, which I think would suit him.

“If he doesn’t finish in the first four on Saturday then we have the option of the Coral Cup, he will probably run in one or the other of those two – those are my thoughts are the moment.

“Let’s hope he gets through Saturday in good form, we’re pretty excited to get him out on the track.”

Jon Snow is partly owned by Paul Bowden, the same man also involved in the ownership of Flat campaigner Lucander – a horse likely headed for the Winter Derby at Lingfield after a successful bout in the desert of Bahrain.

Few owners can say they have switched their attentions from the Bahrain Flat scene to the Cheltenham Festival in the space of a month, but Baker’s wide-lens approach has paid dividends for connections so far.

He said: “It’s brilliant really, Paul Bowden has been a fantastic supporter of ours.

“You’ve got to make this game fun for the owners and if that means searching for opportunities on foreign shores then that’s great, and it’s also fantastic to be involved in the bigger races back home.”

Day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting lost to cold snap

/in /by

Day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million weekend on Friday has been abandoned.

With temperatures reaching below minus 6C at the course on Monday night through Tuesday morning, an early bulletin had stressed the track needed fortune to be on their side for the first of their three-day meeting to go ahead – and following a 4.45pm inspection racing was abandoned due to a hard frost with limited improvement and the further poor forecast.

Friday’s card was set to feature the £110,000 Sovereign Handicap Hurdle and the £50,000 Class 2 Godstone Chase – a handicap run over two miles and the British Horseracing Authority and Lingfield have acted quickly to add these two races to Sunday’s fixture.

The final day of the meeting, which also hosts the weekend’s flagship Fleur De Lys Chase, will now be a nine-race card and officials are cautiously optimistic rising temperatures over the weekend will allow both Saturday’s all-weather card and Sunday’s action on the turf to go ahead.

“We’re heavily frozen in places today and the reality is we got to 1C today for about four hours and we’ll have another hard frost tonight and the next couple of nights,” said George Hill, clerk of the course for Lingfield.

“The forecast basically has no chance of improving before Friday so we felt as a team in conjunction with the BHA that the best course of action would be to save the best two races from Friday and put them on Sunday to make that a nine-race card.

“We’ll obviously need improvement in the forecast, but at least there is scope for the forecast to improve on Saturday into Sunday, where we kind of know what the forecast is for the next 48 to 72 hours – we’re fairly confident what that forecast is.”

He continued: “It gives us the best chance of saving as many races in the current situation we are faced with and the latest challenge of the weather.

“If we can manage to get Sunday on and Saturday’s all-weather Flat card as well, which will be a good day, then at least it will be a decent nine-race card with a hell of a lot of prize-money up for grabs. It’s not really what we wanted but it’s the best of the bad situation we are in.”

Meanwhile officials at Ascot have admitted the change in forecast “may present some challenges” in being able to stage Saturday’s card – which is headlined by the LK Bennett Clarence House Chase.

Temperatures dropped as low as minus 6C on Monday night through to Tuesday morning and clerk of the course Chris Stickles has indicated a changing forecast suggests the cold weather may now extend into the weekend.

He said: “The going remains soft, good to soft in places on the chase track and good to soft, soft in places on the hurdles course. We’re obviously frozen on both courses in places this morning following minus 6C overnight and temperatures are still below freezing now.

“The forecast now indicates that this cold spell could last into the weekend, so it has changed since yesterday. So that may present some challenges.

“Temperatures aren’t due to get much above 4C on any given day and we’re still below freezing at the moment. Its not likely to get as cold as it did last night again currently, but although it’s not forecast to get as cold as it did last night it does look like sub-zero temperatures each night.

“We’ll continue to monitor and update accordingly.”

Haydock are also “50-50” to stage their Saturday fixture where the use of frost covers may not be enough to save the Peter Marsh Chase card.

Ground staff out on the track in the fog and frost to prepare the track before a previous meeting at Haydock Park
Ground staff out on the track in the fog and frost to prepare the track before a previous meeting at Haydock Park (John Giles/PA)

“I would say we are 50-50 realistically,” said clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright. “We were minus 3C last night and we’ve got several more nights to get through.

“Frost covers are down but they will have their work cut out on the worn ground. There is no sign of any sun today for instance. It’s just above zero but we’ve got fog pretty much slowing down any thawing activity out there.

“We’ll just have to play it as it comes. We would very much like to race and will do everything we can.”

Freezing temperatures have already took their toll on the week’s racing programme with Chepstow on Tuesday and Newbury on Wednesday abandoned due to frost.

Newcastle have taken the decision to abandon for Thursday following an inspection late on Tuesday afternoon due to a hard frost and a minimal opportunity in the forecast for conditions to improve.

Plumpton will stage a second inspection at 8.30am ahead of their meeting on Wednesday.

Frost covers are down but it reached minus 6C on Monday night. However, Tuesday evening was not set to be as cold with -2C forecast and officials are hopeful of racing.

Officials at Ludlow have announced a precautionary inspection for 9am on Wednesday ahead of the track’s scheduled Thursday fixture, while Wincanton inspect at 8am on Thursday ahead of their Somerset National card later that day.

Forecast leaves ‘challenges’ ahead for Ascot’s weekend fixture

/in /by

Officials at Ascot have admitted the change in forecast “may present some challenges” in being able to stage Saturday’s card – which is headlined by the LK Bennett Clarence House Chase.

The two-mile Grade One is due to feature Willie Mullins’ Champion Chase hero Energumene against Alan King’s Arkle winner Edwardstone.

However temperatures dropped as low as minus 6C on Monday night through to Tuesday morning and clerk of the course Chris Stickles has indicated a changing forecast suggests the cold weather may now extend into the weekend.

He said: “The going remains soft, good to soft in places on the chase track and good to soft, soft in places on the hurdles course. We’re obviously frozen on both courses in places this morning following minus 6C overnight and temperatures are still below freezing now.

“The forecast now indicates that this cold spell could last into the weekend, so it has changed since yesterday. So that may present some challenges.

“Temperatures aren’t due to get much above 4C on any given day and we’re still below freezing at the moment. Its not likely to get as cold as it did last night again currently, but although it’s not forecast to get as cold as it did last night it does look like sub-zero temperatures each night.

“We’ll continue to monitor and update accordingly.”

Haydock are also “50-50” to stage their Saturday fixture where the use of frost covers may not be enough to save the Peter Marsh Chase card.

Ground staff out on the track in the fog and frost to prepare the track before a previous meeting at Haydock Park
Ground staff out on the track in the fog and frost to prepare the track before a previous meeting at Haydock Park (John Giles/PA)

“I would say we are 50-50 realistically,” said clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright. “We were minus 3C last night and we’ve got several more nights to get through.

“Frost covers are down but they will have their work cut out on the worn ground. There is no sign of any sun today for instance. It’s just above zero but we’ve got fog pretty much slowing down any thawing activity out there.

“We’ll just have to play it as it comes. We would very much like to race and will do everything we can.”

Freezing temperatures have already took their toll on the week’s racing programme with Chepstow on Tuesday and Newbury on Wednesday abandoned due to frost.

Newcastle have taken the decision to abandon for Thursday following an inspection late on Tuesday afternoon due to a hard frost and a minimal opportunity in the forecast for conditions to improve.

Plumpton will stage a second inspection at 8.30am ahead of their meeting on Wednesday.

Frost covers are down but it reached minus 6C on Monday night. However, Tuesday evening was not set to be as cold with -2C forecast and officials are hopeful of racing.

Officials at Ludlow have announced a precautionary inspection for 9am on Wednesday ahead of the track’s scheduled Thursday fixture.

Wincanton inspect at 8am on Thursday ahead of their Somerset National card later that day, while Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting on Friday also looks in some doubt.

The entire track was covered on Monday but it is frozen under the covers after a minus 6.7C last night.

The going report states: “Highs of +1/+3C today. Cold spell continues with averaging -2/-5C overnight and day time highs of between +3/+5C. Will need some good luck from what the latest forecast states.”

Cold spell beginning to hit racing hard

/in /by

Freezing temperatures are beginning to take a toll on the racing programme with Chepstow on Tuesday and Newbury on Wednesday abandoned due to frost.

With temperatures falling dramatically across the country for the second big cold snap of the winter, Chepstow and Newbury were added to Fontwell on Monday as meetings lost this week.

Chepstow were due to inspect at 7.30am but the decision to abandon was taken before then after it reached -6C overnight at the Monmouthshire venue.

Conditions at Newbury were already testing after over 60 millimetres of rain in the past week.

However, it was frost that put the nail in the coffin, with a -4C on Monday night and another hard frost forecast for Tuesday, with -5C possible.

Clonmel’s meeting in Ireland on Tuesday did survive an inspection, though.

Plumpton will inspect at 2pm on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s meeting.

Frost covers are down but it reached -6C on Monday with temperatures not getting above freezing until 10am with a possible high of 3C.

Tuesday evening is not set to be as cold with -2C forecast.

The going report read: “Temperatures dropped much lower than forecasted overnight. With frozen areas will inspect at 2pm hoping to see improvement, with the feeling if the frozen areas come out today we would have a good chance with temperatures not forecasted to drop as low tonight.”

Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting on Friday looks in some doubt, however.

The entire track was covered on Monday but it is frozen under the covers after a -6.7C last night.

The going report states: “Highs of +1/+3C today. Cold spell continues with averaging -2/-5C overnight and day time highs of between +3/+5C. Will need some good luck from what the latest forecast states.”

Ascot’s Clarence House Chase card on Saturday is being protected by frost sheets on the take offs and landings and the shaded area in the home straight.

While temperatures are due to be below freezing every night this week, daytime temperatures of of 4C offer encouragement.

Haydock reports that temperatures in the Merseyside area are due to rise towards the end of the week, although there is a risk of snow on Wednesday.

Gethings hoping Chepstow double can spark more success

/in /by

Ciaran Gethings was the man to follow at Chepstow on Sunday, with the jockey hoping a double on the card aboard Galice Macalo and Moonlighter will kick start his season.

Gethings first got on the scoresheet aboard Jane Williams’ Galice Macalo in the Best Odds Guaranteed At Vickers.Bet Everyday Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

The jockey has now ridden the seven-year-old in her last four outings and was confident a switch back to hurdles would see the 3-1 favourite at her best.

Warwick Races – October 1st 2020
Galice Macalo, here winning at Warwick, made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure under Ciaran Gethings at Chepstow on Sunday (PA)

“I quite fancied her,” he said. “She’s not quite a natural chaser, she’s a little bit careful over her jumps. So we said last time we would step her back over hurdles and she was much happier over them and won well.

“She was down to a good mark and she was a really classy mare in her day, so it was good to get her head back in front and also get a winner for Jane which is nice.”

It took just 30 minutes for Gethings to add to his tally as the 10-year-old Moonlighter showed plenty of guts to rally once headed and get off the mark for trainer Kim Bailey in the Go Racing With Vickers.Bet Handicap Chase.

He continued: “He’s not the easiest and there is a lot that could be said for his jumping sometimes, but I’ve done quite a bit of schooling with him at home.

“He hasn’t ran bad for Kim the last twice, but I think the wind operation helped him breath and he wasn’t panicking as much.

Moonlighter, here winning at Sandown, got on the scoresheet for the first time since switching to Kim Bailey at Chepstow on Sunday
Moonlighter, here winning at Sandown, got on the scoresheet for the first time since switching to Kim Bailey at Chepstow on Sunday (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“He jumped brilliantly today and he is so hardy and so genuine as well – he’s had a few tumbles and it obviously doesn’t knock him. He got into a battle after the last and stuck his head out.”

The two victories took the rider up to 16 for the current campaign and with a first double of the season in the bag, he is hoping more opportunities present themselves in a campaign hindered by poor weather.

“I’m probably a little bit slow on numbers this year, but getting two on the board takes you back up the list a bit,” said Gethings.

“It’s just been a quieter year through weather and abandonments, so I’m a little down on rides, but hopefully I’ll be able to get near mid 20 winners again this year – that is always the target.”

Elsewhere on the card, Jonjo O’Neill Jr gave his father’s Monbeg Genius (5-4 favourite) a cute ride to follow up a wide-margin win at Newcastle last month with another five-length success in the Vickers.Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Comfort Zone digs deep in Finale prize

/in /by

Comfort Zone was made to work very hard to justify odds-on favouritism in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow.

Paying a handsome compliment to the Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth, the current Triumph Hurdle favourite who had him back in third las time out, Joseph O’Brien’s charge was a rare winner of the Grade Two event for Ireland.

Comfort Zone travelled through the race like much the best horse and until the run to the final flight, those who had backed him at 10-11 will have been feeling confident.

However, once Jonjo O’Neill’s mount went two lengths clear, Comfort Zone did not really increase his advantage.

Dixon Cove made Comfort Zone battle to the line
Dixon Cove made Comfort Zone battle to the line (David Davies/PA)

It was Paul Nicholls’ filly Dixon Cove who gave the favourite most to do, and in receipt of the 7lb sex allowance it looked like she may get on top on the run to the line.

Comfort Zone dug deep, though, and got the verdict by a neck with Perseus Way two lengths away in third.

O’Neill told Sky Sports Racing: “It was a messy race but he came alight quicker than I thought he would.

“He jumped very well and he was very honest after the last. Joseph told me to keep it simple – which I didn’t do!

“He had some smart form with Lossiemouth winning yesterday, so it looked like he had a good chance and luckily he pulled it out of the bag.”

Nicholls hoping Truckers Lodge can give Freddie Gingell poignant Welsh National winner

/in /by

There would be no more popular winner of the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on Tuesday than Truckers Lodge.

Third in the prestigious marathon chase 12 months ago, the Paul Nicholls-trained 10-year-old will be ridden by Freddie Gingell in a race that is run in memory of his late mother, Kim Gingell.

“This race has always been the plan, and the more rain before the race the better it will suit him,” Nicholls told Sky Sports Racing.

Truckers Lodge ran off a mark of 150 last year and is rated 141 on this occasion.

Freddie Gingell, pictured at Kempton Park
Freddie Gingell, pictured at Kempton Park (John Walton/PA)

Nicholls added: “Freddie is taking 7lb off that which will be handy, the race is named after his mother and what a story that would be if he could run well for him.”

Truckers Lodge is not the only horse that would be a poignant victor, as Kim Gingell’s brother Joe Tizzard saddles The Big Breakaway.

The Chepstow feature has twice gone to the Tizzard family from the last six runnings, courtesy of Native River in 2016 and Elegant Escape two years later.

Third to Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2021, The Big Breakaway has not had that much racing since but ran a fine race on his reappearance to be second at Haydock in November.

Native River was a stable star for Colin Tizzard
Native River was a stable star for Colin Tizzard (Simon Cooper/PA)

Tizzard, who now holds the licence at Venn Farm after taking over from his father, Colin, said: “He seems in beautiful form at home and I’m really pleased with him. This has been the target for him and he seemed to build in confidence throughout the race at Haydock the other day and was unlucky not to win.

“The bit of rain we’ve had will mean it is lovely ground for him and I think the tempo of the race will suit him.

“We struggled with sore shins with him last year and this year he has got over that and he’s always been a horse we have held in high regard, so hopefully he will now pay us back for our patience.”

Welsh-trained contenders have taken the last three renewals and a leading chance for the home team this year is The Galloping Bear, who is trained by Ben Clarke.

He has the look of an ideal type for this race and enjoyed a recent spin over hurdles at Carlisle, which was a first outing for 281 days.

He will once again be ridden by Ben Jones, who said: “He went up to Carlisle for a little prep run just to clear the old cobwebs away. We were very happy with his run as he’s not a hurdler at all.

Ben Jones riding The Galloping Bear
Ben Jones riding The Galloping Bear (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s a proper workmanlike ride, you have to ask for every little bit out of him. Even when he grinds it out and wins nicely in the end, he’s always got a little bit left under the bonnet.

“The more you ask the more he keeps giving and that’s why we don’t mind the weights going up. It’s not that we want to carry more weight, it’s that we want the other horses to carry more weight to make it a proper staying test.

“He’s carried top-weight around Lingfield on heavy ground, he just bounced out in front, galloped all the way and made it look easy.”

Ask Me Early is another having a second run after a lengthy break and there was plenty of encouragement to be taken from his third at Bangor.

“We were delighted with his comeback run at Bangor and obviously the form has worked out well, with the winner (Le Milos) doing particularly well at Newbury (winning the Coral Gold Cup),” said trainer Harry Fry.

Ask Me Early is a
Ask Me Early is a “relentless” galloper (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He’s come out of that in good form and come forward for it as we’d hope and expect.

“We’ve made no secret of the fact we’ve been targeting this race. We didn’t get to run in it last year, but we’re on course to go there this year.

“From the first day he came into the yard we wondered whether we had a racehorse or a hunter on our hands as he only has one gear! Thankfully that gear lasts a very long time – he just seems to be relentless.

“He’s got a good record at the track and the more rain the better for him. It’s a hugely competitive race, but we’re going there with high hopes that he can be competitive.”

Venetia Williams’ Quick Wave is also a major fancy, and is a proven stayer who won the three-mile-five-furlong London National at Sandown when last seen.

Peter Fahey’s The Big Dog carries a live chance for the Irish but must shoulder top-weight as he looks to continue the winning streak that has seen him land the Munster National and the Troytown Chase this season.

The Big Breakaway seeking more Welsh National glory for Tizzards

/in /by

The Big Breakaway brings a touch of class to the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on Tuesday.

He also brings high hopes of another winner in the prestigious marathon for the Tizzard family, twice successful from the last six runnings, courtesy of Native River in 2016 and Elegant Escape two years later.

Third to Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2021, he has not had that much racing since but ran a fine race on his reappearance to be second at Haydock in November.

Native River was a stable star for Colin Tizzard
Native River was a stable star for Colin Tizzard (Simon Cooper/PA)

Joe Tizzard, who now holds the licence at Venn Farm after taking over from his father, Colin, said: “He seems in beautiful form at home and I’m really pleased with him. This has been the target for him and he seemed to build in confidence throughout the race at Haydock the other day and was unlucky not to win.

“The bit of rain we’ve had will mean it is lovely ground for him and I think the tempo of the race will suit him.

“We struggled with sore shins with him last year and this year he has got over that and he’s always been a horse we have held in high regard, so hopefully he will now pay us back for our patience.”

Welsh-trained contenders have taken the last three renewals and a leading chance for the home team this year is The Galloping Bear, who is trained by Ben Clarke.

He has the look of an ideal type for this race and enjoyed a recent spin over hurdles at Carlisle, which was a first outing for 281 days.

He will once again be ridden by Ben Jones, who said: “He went up to Carlisle for a little prep run just to clear the old cobwebs away. We were very happy with his run as he’s not a hurdler at all.

Ben Jones riding The Galloping Bear
Ben Jones riding The Galloping Bear (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s a proper workmanlike ride, you have to ask for every little bit out of him. Even when he grinds it out and wins nicely in the end, he’s always got a little bit left under the bonnet.

“The more you ask the more he keeps giving and that’s why we don’t mind the weights going up. It’s not that we want to carry more weight, it’s that we want the other horses to carry more weight to make it a proper staying test.

“He’s carried top-weight around Lingfield on heavy ground, he just bounced out in front, galloped all the way and made it look easy.”

Ask Me Early is another having a second run after a lengthy break and there was plenty of encouragement to be taken from his third at Bangor.

“We were delighted with his comeback run at Bangor and obviously the form has worked out well, with the winner (Le Milos) doing particularly well at Newbury (winning the Coral Gold Cup),” trainer Harry Fry told Sky Sports Racing.

Ask Me Early is a
Ask Me Early is a “relentless” galloper (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He’s come out of that in good form and come forward for it as we’d hope and expect.

“We’ve made no secret of the fact we’ve been targeting this race. We didn’t get to run in it last year, but we’re on course to go there this year.

“From the first day he came into the yard we wondered whether we had a racehorse or a hunter on our hands as he only has one gear! Thankfully that gear lasts a very long time – he just seems to be relentless.

“He’s got a good record at the track and the more rain the better for him. It’s a hugely competitive race, but we’re going there with high hopes that he can be competitive.”

Venetia Williams’ Quick Wave is also a major fancy, and is a proven stayer who won the three-mile-five-furlong London National at Sandown when last seen.

Peter Fahey’s The Big Dog carries a live chance for the Irish but must shoulder top-weight as he looks to continue the winning streak that has seen him land the Munster National and the Troytown Chase this season.