Tag Archive for: Colonel Harry

Snowden able to look back with pride on efforts of Cheltenham team

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Jamie Snowden had a surprisingly clear head the morning after You Wear It Well took the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and is in no rush to make plans for the Grade Two winner.

Nine years on from the Lambourn trainer’s first Festival success with Present View, Gavin Sheehan’s mount was up there all the wa and held off Magical Zoe to score at odds of 16-1.

“She trotted out like a gazelle,” Snowden said. “She’s fantastic, still biting everyone.”

The six-year-old, who is owned by Sir Chips Keswick, could head to Fairyhouse for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final on April 9.

Snowden said: “We will see how she is before making a plan. She is obviously still in the Grade One at Fairyhouse over Easter. I put her in that a couple of weeks ago.

“That is still an option, but we’ll see how we go with her.”

He added: “We will certainly jump a fence with her before her summer holiday and see where we go next year.”

Meanwhile Ga Law, winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November before falling when looking the likely winner of Doncaster’s Sky Bet Chase in January, could still run in a Grand National, albeit the Scottish version.

The fast-improving seven-year-old stayed on to finish fifth to Envoi Allen in the Ryanair Chase.

Ga Law could run in a Grand National after all - at Ayr
Ga Law could run in a Grand National after all – at Ayr (David Davies/PA)

“I thought it was a good run,” said Snowden. “Obviously we know he wants further than that trip, but we were caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

“The Gold Cup was a silly option and the Ryanair was too short, but I think he has run to the same level of form he did in the Sky Bet Chase, which was improved form on the Paddy Power.

“I thought it was a cracking run, especially on the back of a nasty fall.

“The long-term plan will be next year’s Grand National. He stays very well, he’s just not very quick. He was outpaced all the way in the Paddy Power and stayed on up the hill.

“He has possibly run a career-best over a trip that is too short, first time up in Grade One company, so he’s run a belter to finish fifth.”

“He’s not qualified for the Grand National next month, so that is a great shame, as that would have been great for him.

“There is obviously the option of going for the Betfair Bowl at Aintree. There is the Grade Two Oaksey Chase at Sandown, which we will consider, and there is half an eye on the Scottish National as well. We have got a couple of options.”

Snowden is also looking to the future with Colonel Harry, whose brave effort to make all the running in the bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso two weeks ago was scuppered when narrowly beaten by Nemean Lion.

The six-year-old had finished just behind Kerry Lee’s runner when fourth in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown and, having backed that up with victory at Newcastle, Snowden was content to see the the Grade One form hold fast.

Snowden is excited by the prospect of seeing Colonel Harry jumping fences next season
Snowden is excited by the prospect of seeing Colonel Harry jumping fences next season (Steven Paston/PA)

“It was a great run at Kelso, “ said Snowden. “That was over two miles two (furlongs). A lot of his pedigree is over two miles.

“I think he wants two miles on deep ground – I think that’s his ideal.

“It was a brave effort and it upheld the Tolworth form with Nemean Lion.

“He will be a lovely chaser for next season. We might have half a look at Aintree, depending on what the weather does, but he’s certainly one I’m looking forward to over a fence next year.”

Premier prize in Colonel Harry’s sights

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Colonel Harry will bid to give the Tolworth Hurdle form a boost when he lines up in the Grade Two bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso on Saturday.

Jamie Snowden’s six-year-old won a heavy-ground Sandown maiden hurdle in November before finishing fourth in the Grade One Tolworth over the same course and distance.

Though he jumped left on occasions, finishing six and a quarter lengths behind Tahmuras, he backed up that promising run with an eight-length success in a Newcastle novice.

Back up in class, he again takes on Nemean Lion, who was two and three-quarter lengths ahead of him in third at Sandown.

Snowden said: “It is a competitive race, but obviously our lad has won two novice hurdles and he ran very well at Sandown, when he jumped slightly out to his left, in the Tolworth.

“That probably looks the best form coming into this and Nemean Lion was only just in front of us that day, so hopefully a reproduction of that form on a left-handed track might see him to better effect.

“He is a nice horse, but I hope the ground is what they say it is. He definitely wants softer ground – he wouldn’t want good ground.”

Accidental Rebel goes in search of a fifth win in six and will carry top weight, shouldering a penalty for landing Chepstow’s Grade Two Persian War Novices’ Hurdle when equipped with first-time cheekpieces on his previous start.

The headgear remains and trainer Fergal O’Brien is hopeful he will be fresh for his first run in 148 days.

He said: “He has done very well and we gave him a break after he won the Persian War.

“We had him back in for the Challow, but the ground went bottomless, so we have been waiting ever since to get a bit of decent ground.

“Hopefully he will run well. I see the ground has gone soft up there, but hopefully it won’t get too soft for him.”

Dan Skelton is looking to the future with Hoe Joly Smoke, who has finished placed on both starts over hurdles at Chepstow, latterly when third to the unbeaten Doyen Star.

“He ran a nice race at Chepstow,” said Skelton. “He’s in at the deep end, but if he finished nicely in this, he’s had three good runs over hurdles without losing his novice status and he’d be a maiden for next year.

“Then he’ll be one of the higher-rated, more experienced ones of that pack.”

Lookaway has schooled well under Jack Quinlan
Lookaway has schooled well under Jack Quinlan (David Davies/PA)

Lookaway was unbeaten in two bumpers for Neil King, including a Grade Two contest at Aintree in April last year.

He has had two subsequent starts over hurdles and has yet to deliver on last season’s promise, but King retains plenty of confidence in his charge as he returns from a three-month break.

He said: “I’m looking forward to see him running – it has been a long time.

“On his bumper form he’s over-priced, but on what he has achieved over hurdles on his first two starts, he isn’t.

“But we had a rotten middle part of the season. My horses were badly out of form, so we have just given them all the time needed to come right. They now seem back in good order.

“Two-miles-two on what sounds like beautiful jumping ground around Kelso should be ideal for him. We’re looking forward to seeing him getting back to his best.

“Jack (Quinlan) came and schooled him the other day and he jumped electrically, so we are very much looking forward to it.”