Tag Archive for: grand-national-festival

Williams on weather watch for National hope Royale Pagaille

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Venetia Williams will keep an eye on the weather before deciding whether or not Royale Pagaille will run in the Randox Grand National.

The Rich Ricci-owned nine-year-old had chased home Bravemansgame in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and was then held back for a crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

However, the mud-loving gelding did not get the ground connections had hoped for and he finished sixth to Galopin Des Champs.

Williams became only the second woman to train a Grand National winner after Jenny Pitman following Mon Mome’s 100-1 shock victory in 2009.

She has Royale Pagaille and both Haydock’s National Trial winner and third, Quick Wave and Cloudy Glen, in consideration for the Aintree spectacular on April 15.

The Kings Caple-based handler is now waiting on the weather forecasts before making any decisions, in particular where Royale Pagaille will run next, with both the Grand National and the Irish edition of the race – where he would shoulder top-weight – under consideration.

She said: “They are all fine. Royale Pagaille ran well.

“A week before, I thought he would get the ground he liked, with all the rain that was promised, yet it didn’t really come.

“But he still ran a super race. He will have have another run. He is in both the Irish and the English Nationals and there is no decision yet as to where he goes. Likewise, we will see how the others are before making any plans.”

Williams gained Grade One glory with L’Homme Presse in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and Chambard took the Kim Muir at last year’s Festival, while Funambule Silvola was a gallant runner-up in the Champion Chase and Pink Legend finished runner-up in the Mares’ Chase.

Following that was always going to be a big ask and she did not have the same fortune at the National Hunt highlight this time round.

Reflecting on the meeting, she said: “We had such an amazing Cheltenham last year, we ended up running everything that got a run in it this year, which was probably a bit more gung-ho than we should have been.

“We still had some good runs. Pink Legend was third in the Mares’ Chase, and that was a fantastic run in a much deeper race than last year. She reversed placings with the horse that beat her last year (Elimay).

“Green Book finished fourth in the Pertemps, only beaten three lengths, and Royale Pagaille we were delighted with.

“Funambule Sivola was fine after his fall in the Champion Chase. That was a real disappointment, as I thought he had a really good chance of running into a place again.

“He has been such a brilliant jumper that it caught him by surprise, as it did everyone else. He is fine, though.”

Flooring Porter aiming for Aintree redemption

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Flooring Porter is being prepared for a return to Aintree next month after coming up short in his bid for a Stayers’ Hurdle hat-trick at the Cheltenham Festival.

The eight-year-old was a brilliant winner at Prestbury Park in both 2021 and 2022 but endured an interrupted preparation ahead of his return due to a post-Christmas setback.

Trainer Gavin Cromwell stated in mid-January that his Cheltenham hopes were “hanging in the balance” and he was no better than “50-50” to make the trip to the Cotswolds.

Flooring Porter was ultimately deemed fit enough to defend his Stayers’ Hurdle crown, but after adopting his customary pacesetting role for much of the three-mile contest, he weakened in the home straight and had to make do with a gallant fourth.

Gavin Cromwell was pleased with Flooring Porter's performance in defeat at Cheltenham
Gavin Cromwell was pleased with Flooring Porter’s performance in defeat at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

Cromwell was proud of his stable star’s performance in defeat, though, and is now targeting a second tilt at Aintree’s Grade One Liverpool Hurdle on Grand National day – a race in which he finished second to this year’s surprise Stayers’ Hurdle winner Sire Du Berlais last April.

“All is good with Flooring Porter – he came out of Cheltenham fine, which is obviously the main thing,” said the trainer.

“I suppose, considering he missed a bit of work, he ran well (at Cheltenham). He was beaten three and a half lengths, hopefully he’ll come on for it and we’ll take the positives out of it.

“We’ve a bit of extra time between Cheltenham and Aintree this year, which is also a help – we’ve a week more than last year.

“Hopefully we can build on Cheltenham – we might be on an upward curve.”

While Cromwell failed to add to his tally at this Festival, Flooring Porter was one of a number of horses to perform creditably.

Stumptown was beaten just a neck after being sent off favourite for the Kim Muir, while Final Orders finished fifth in his bid for a sixth successive win in the Grand Annual.

Letsbeclearaboutit was another Cromwell inmate to shape with promise, passing the post a close-up fourth in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Cromwell added: “Final Orders didn’t really handle the ground and, all things considered, he ran a good enough race. We have him entered in the Topham at Aintree and that’s definitely a possibility.

“Stumptown ran a cracker and there were no excuses or hard-luck stories, he just bumped into one on the day and that’s it.

“I think we’ll probably look at the Irish Grand National with him. I know Easter comes quite soon, which is not ideal, but he has come out of Cheltenham well and it’s certainly a big possibility.

“Letsbeclearaboutit was too keen all the way in the Albert Bartlett and ran very well considering. If he had of settled, I think he would have finished closer.

“There’s two-and-a-half and three-mile novice hurdles for him in Aintree and there is also a race for him in Fairyhouse. I’m not sure where we’re going to go yet, but hopefully he’ll be running at some of the spring Festivals.”

Longhouse Poet primed for repeat of National service

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After two near-misses at Cheltenham last week, trainer Martin Brassil could do with a change of luck as he prepares Longhouse Poet for another run in the Randox Grand National next month.

Having his first try over the unique spruce-topped fences in last year’s renewal, he travelled strongly and was still in with a chance two out before fading to sixth under Darragh O’Keeffe.

A general 20-1 chance for the race this time, he is on an unchanged rating of 155 and is currently due to carry 4lb less than last year’s 11st for his return in the Liverpool spectacular.

The nine-year-old has had his chase mark protected by running over hurdles this term and he was quick enough to land a two-and-a-half-mile handicap at Limerick on Boxing Day.

Though he unseated JJ Slevin at the first obstacle on his return to fences in the Bobbjo Chase at Fairyhouse, he showed his well-being with victory over Roi Mage over three and a quarter miles at Down Royal last Friday.

Brassil feels that prep run will bring him on and said: “He came out of the race great and we are really looking forward to Aintree with him.

“He just did a bit too much in the race last year. He over-raced a bit.

“It was his first time there and he was very exuberant. He is such a good jumper, he was making ground over the fences and Darragh (O’Keeffe) was inclined to let him enjoy it.

“He needed to have a little quiet time at some stage in the race, to slot in behind a few. He did all the donkey work, really.”

Brassil is hopeful Slevin will be able to take the ride this time, but is anxiously awaiting the outcome of a possible totting-up suspension for the rider.

He explained: “JJ Slevin will ride hopefully. He is not sure yet because he got an eight-day ban for An Epic Song and he got three the other day for something else.

“So he is having a look at that and hasn’t yet come back to me to tell me what’s the story. I haven’t got anyone else in mind, though.”

Though hopeful of another big run, dangers abound and Brassil, who won the National with Numbersixvalverde 17 years ago, thinks there are some well-handicapped horses in opposition.

He added: “You can never be confident in the National. The horse who beat Fastorslow at Cheltenham (Corach Rambler) seems to be fired in on his form and has no weight.

“Roi Mage has a nice weight too and that grey horse of Gavin Cromwell’s (Vanillier), he is nicely-in, too – he’s a nice staying type of horse.”

Martin Brassil hoping for another big Aintree run
Martin Brassil hoping for another big Aintree run (Julien Behal/PA)

For the Kildare handler it was a case of so near but yet so far at Cheltenham, with Fastorslow beaten a neck in the Ultima and An Epic Song downed by Langer Dan in the Coral Cup, a head separating the pair.

“Even if one of them won it would have been great,” said Brassil. “It was a great meeting, but I felt a bit sorry for Fastorslow, as the winner got the ride of the meeting, I’d say.

“It happened right for that horse in particular, but if we’d have got to the front a bit sooner, we might have beaten him.

“He’s come home great from it and we are very happy with him.

“There are no plans for Aintree, but Punchestown maybe. There will be something for him anyway, although I haven’t looked at it yet.”

An Epic Song, who was equipped with cheekpieces for the first time, may be held back for a novice chasing campaign next season, should the ground firm up.

Brassil added: “We were thrilled with his run, but I think the winner was laid out for the race, because he had a bit of bad luck the last couple of years. He ran into a machine the first time (in Galopin Des Champs) and then he was brought down the following year. I’d say they had the plan for that.

“The cheekpieces seemed to work, but the ground on the slow side helped him more than anything, He is very ground dependent.

“We have to wait and see what the ground is, but he will probably go chasing in the autumn.”

Big end-of-season handicaps in mind for Threeunderthufive

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Threeunderthufive will be aimed at either the Coral Scottish Grand National or bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown having been scratched from the Randox Grand National.

Although a four-time winner over the larger obstacles as a novice – including twice in Grade Two company – things have not gone as smoothly for Paul Nicholls’ charge when tackling some hot handicaps this term, unseating at the first in the Coral Gold Cup before struggling to make his presence felt in both Warwick’s Classic Chase and most recently the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival.

Those performances have only underlined the belief of connections that a tilt at the Merseyside marathon may come a year too soon for the eight-year-old and he will skip Aintree to continue his big-field education either at Ayr on April 22 or a week later at Sandown on the final day of the season.

Threeunderthrufive with a stable hand during a visit to Manor Farm Stables
Threeunderthrufive with a stable hand during a visit to Manor Farm Stables (Adam Davy/PA)

“It was always the case we thought the National might come a season too early for him, but if he was to run well in the Ultima his mark would have gone up and he would have been well-in for a National,” explained Iain Turner, racing manager for owners the McNeill family.

“So when he didn’t (run well) and he was subsequently dropped 3lb there was no need keeping him in a Grand National.

“He will probably go for the Scottish Grand National or to Sandown for the bet365 Gold Cup.”

Reflecting on Threeunderthrufive’s eighth-placed finish in the Ultima, Turner believes the performance has been reflective of his season as a whole, with the gelding having to adapt from racing in small-field novice chases to the hurly-burly of some of the calendar’s most fiercely-competitive handicaps.

He continued: “I think for some of these novices coming out of novice chases, if you’re not going to be one of the graded ones it becomes a big leap to run in these significant double-figure field races.

“In novice chases Threeunderthrufive was able to get an easy lead with novices not wanting to go on, while in the Ultima you line him up with the intention of sitting in the first three or four and he’s taken completely off his feet. It was probably a credit to himself he’s managed to hang on and finish eighth.

“While it was disappointing and we hoped he would be competitive, I think the experience he’s had will help him be a better horse next year when he’s actually used to running in these bigger-field races and he can carry that experience with him.

“If we go to Scotland it won’t be any easier for him, but if anything, he’s going to be 3lb lower and he’s going to be learning and getting some more big-field experience.”

Nolan rules Aintree out for Sandor Clegane

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Paul Nolan has ruled Sandor Clegane out of an immediate Aintree rematch with his Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle conqueror Stay Away Fay.

There were few stronger finishers at Cheltenham than the strapping six-year-old, who flew home from an impossible position to finish a length and a quarter behind the Paul Nicholls-trained winner.

A smart bumper performer, finishing second to Facile Vega at last year’s Dublin Racing Festival, he relished the step up in trip at Punchestown in November when sauntering to a 12-length maiden hurdle win.

Given a couple of months off, he returned in the Grade One Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown, where he finished third to Good Land.

Sandor Clegane appeared to improve again at Cheltenham, despite suffering little luck in running before powering up the hill under Sean O’Keeffe.

Nolan is in no rush to map out immediate plans, however.

He said: “He ran a stormer. We expected him to. I knew he was better than he was at Leopardstown.

“I know we can’t keep going on about it, but I thought he was a little bit unlucky. He didn’t get much luck in running.

“He got shuffled back to last nearly twice and he just wasn’t lucky, yet was only beaten a length.

“He flew up the hill and made more ground up than anything in the race.”

A tall, scopey individual, Sandor Clegane would appear to have a bright future, but Nolan is prepared to bide his time with the Kay Browne and Anne Coffey-owned gelding.

He added: “We will see the way he goes. He is on a wee break now. We won’t make any rash decisions on whether he will run again this season.

“He is only six, but at the end of the day he is born to run.

“We haven’t rushed him this season. We haven’t over-faced him. We had a plan and stuck to it.

“Unfortunately, it so nearly went our way at Cheltenham, but it just didn’t work out.”

Horse Racing – Hennessy Gold Cup – Leopardstown Racecourse
Paul Nolan (right) hoping there will be big days to come from Sandor Clegane (Niall Carson/PA)

Any thoughts of taking on Stay Away Fay or his River Don Hurdle conqueror Maximilian in the Cavani Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree were scotched by Enniscorthy handler.

“He definitely won’t go to Aintree,” said Nolan. “Punchestown would be the one place he’ll go if that happens, but I won’t make a call on that yet.

“He’s huge – he’s 17 hands and is bigger than you think. That’s why we hope he’ll get stronger. I was happy enough he’d improved going into Cheltenham, but for 10 horses to pull up in a Grade One, it shows you what a rough race that was.

“I think there is more to come, but you can’t keep saying this that and the other, and I’m not going to come out with the cliché that he’ll be better over a fence and all that. You live in the present, but we’re hopeful he will improve.”

Marie’s Rock team sticking to three-mile plan at Aintree

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Marie’s Rock will pursue her planned step up to three miles at Aintree after a disappointing Cheltenham Festival performance.

The Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old was vying to defend her title in a red-hot renewal of the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, but did not land a blow when coming home in seventh place.

Despite the line-up being especially competitive, connections felt the run was far from a true reflection of Marie’s Rock’s abilities and she was ultimately unsuited by how the contest unfolded tactically.

Both the mares’ race and the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival were under consideration, with her team eventually deciding on the former and a step up to three miles pencilled in for the Grand National meeting at Aintree instead.

Marie’s Rock winning at the Cheltenham Festival last year
Marie’s Rock winning at the Cheltenham Festival last year (Nigel French/PA)

That remains the plan and the JRL Liverpool Hurdle over three miles and half a furlong is next on the agenda.

“She’s come out of Cheltenham fine, it was obviously a bit of an unsatisfactory race,” said Tom Palin of owners Middleham Park Racing.

“They went a bit of a crawl and it was the first two home that had the correct set of fractions, they were well positioned throughout and then it became a bit of a sprint and that was always going to suit a Champion Hurdle winner.

“That’s racing, it was run in a manner which didn’t show her to the best of her ability but there’s nothing wrong with her, nothing’s come to light.

“She’s not had a hard time of things, Nico (de Boinville) looked after her once it became clear they were scattering away from her. We were weighing up whether to go up in trip at Cheltenham, but I still think we made the right decision as the ground was pretty testing for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

Trainer Nicky Henderson and Marie’s Rock
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Marie’s Rock (David Davies/PA)

“She will go up to three miles for the Grade One on Grand National day, the Liverpool Hurdle. It looks an exciting race, I think Champ’s going there and they’re talking about it with Blazing Khal.

“The trainer and jockey firmly believe that’s where we should be pitching her now, hopefully it’s good ground. It’s a nice, flat track and they should go a good gallop so she can settle for the first mile and a half.”

Though disappointed with his runner’s performance, Palin was still able to enjoy the poignant success of the now-retired Honeysuckle, who bowed out on a high in an emotional victory for Henry de Bromhead.

Honeysuckle's victory was a popular result
Honeysuckle’s victory was a popular result (Tim Goode/PA)

He said: “It was very deflating and disheartening on the day, but the story in the end was fantastic. It was a brilliant story for racing and that was about the best hour of jumps racing you should wish for.

“It was meant to be Love Envoi, Epatante, Marie’s Rock and Honeysuckle jumping the last together and may the best filly win. It was a bit unsatisfactory for us, but the broader outcome was great.

“The fact that we never landed a blow and we were never involved tells us it was a draw a line through it stuff, hopefully she’ll bounce back at Aintree and that will make next year’s plan very simple.”

Willmount to bypass Aintree and go novice hurdling next year

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Neil Mulholland’s Willmount will be saved for next season after a highly promising bumper campaign.

The five-year-old, who was a costly purchase at £340,000, won an Irish point-to-point as a four-year-old before changing hands and stables.

On his bumper debut and his first start for Mulholland at Doncaster in January he cruised home to win by 13 lengths, beating Nicky Richards’ subsequent winner Luckie Seven.

At the same track in March he was a winner again, taking another National Hunt Flat contest with a four-and-a-half-length victory when carrying 22lb more than the runner-up.

Cheltenham was never a target for the gelding and Aintree was only loosely mentioned, but connections have agreed that his season has come to a close and he will return for a novice hurdling campaign next term.

“We’ll just keep him for novice hurdles next year, I spoke to the owner last night and he’s not going to go to Aintree,” Mulholland said.

“He’s won his two bumpers, we’re very happy with what he’s done. We’ll put him away for next year and away we go.

“He can’t do any more, he won his bumper first time out by 13 lengths. The horse that finished second has come out and won a bumper since.

“We won his second bumper giving 22lb away to the second horse. Two runs, two wins – he’s done what we wanted.

“He’s a very nice horse, an exciting horse for the future, and we’re looking after him.”

Reveley in race against time to be fit for Roi Mage National ride

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James Reveley is still holding out faint hopes that he will be fit to ride Randox Grand National outsider Roi Mage at Aintree.

Reveley, who was crowned French champion jockey for a third time in December, adding to his previous titles in 2016 and 2021, has been sidelined after breaking a leg in a fall at Pau on February 19.

Now he is facing a race against time to be fit for a rare opportunity to ride in the world’s most famous steeplechase.

“I’ve got a fractured tibia and I’m on the mend, but it could be touch and go for the National, to be honest,” said Reveley.

“I’m looking to get back around Easter. My target is April 8 to be back riding.

“I’m actually getting operated on to remove a screw, as it has come a bit loose and we will see how things go over the next week to 10 days.

“You can’t rush bone injuries and I have the leg to build back up. I’m slowly getting there but it takes a bit of time and work.”

The Patrick Griffin-trained Roi Mage is a general 50-1 shot for the April 15 National, having chased home Longhouse Poet at Down Royal on Friday.

The 11-year-old carries just 10st 8lb at Aintree, having missed the cut for the big race by one last year.

Reveley has won on Roi Mage before and partnered him when a close-up third tn a Listed event at Compiegne in November.

Though keen to renew the partnership, he fears he may be fighting a losing battle.

He added: “It is up in the air, but I spoke to James (Griffin, assistant trainer) and we said we’d make a decision over the first couple of days in April as to whether I would be fit to ride.

“I said I’d love to ride him and I know the horse quite well. I think he’ll suit the track.

“It is in the balance. I would say it is more unlikely than likely, but you never know. We’ll see.

“I was looking forward to it. It is a shame really, because most of the years I can never ride in the National because it falls on the same day as the big trials in Auteuil.

“This is the first year it has been separate weekends, so if I can’t make it, I’ll be gutted.”

Maximilian all set for Stay Away Fay rematch at Aintree

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Donald McCain will relish the challenge of taking on Stay Away Fay again at Aintree as Maximilian bids to frank the form of his Doncaster victory.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Stay Away Fay impressed when taking the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last week, having previously been beaten a length by McCain’s charge in the River Don Novices’ Hurdle on Town Moor.

Winner of three of his four stats over hurdles for the Owners Group 099 syndicate, the seven-year-old bypassed Cheltenham in favour of the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle on day two of the Aintree Grand National Festival.

“It’s a great form boost,” McCain said of Stay Away Fay’s success.

“Obviously Paul and everybody thought they should have won on the day (at Doncaster) – we’ll see if he’s right.

“We are running at Aintree. I don’t care who’s running against us!

“Paul’s horse won well. It was nice to see. He was good and Harry (Cobden) gave him a good ride and he won very well.”

McCain is happy for Maximilian to play the underdog again at Aintree and he goes there a fresh horse, having last run in January.

He added: “We didn’t want to go to Cheltenham as we always wanted to go to Aintree.

“Touch wood at the moment he gets there in once piece and everything is good at the moment. I’m very happy with him.

“I don’t think Maximilian will ever be impressive in anything he does, but he keeps winning and that’s very important.

“He saves a bit for himself and those kind of horses go under the radar a bit, but that’s fine – that suits us.”

Ayr raid for Notlongtillmay if Aintree deemed to come too soon

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Laura Morgan could bypass Aintree and run Notlongtillmay at Ayr next month after his gallant runner-up effort to Stage Star in the Turners’ Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last week.

Sent off an unconsidered 40-1 chance, despite winning all three of his previous runs over fences, Adam Wedge’s mount just fell short to Paul Nicholls’ runner in his first attempt in Grade One company.

Morgan’s burgeoning and in-form Leicestershire operation did gain a measure of compensation with Big Changes winning a Doncaster handicap chase on Friday, followed by Whistleinthedark downing the Nicholls-trained Cap Du Mathan at Kempton on Saturday.

“It was a great week,” said Morgan. “Notlongtillmay well deserved to be there after what he’d gone and done.

“I suppose some people will think ‘smaller trainer’, and he has won around tracks like Musselburgh and Wetherby, so there was a question mark about going there in their minds.

“But he ran a screamer, especially off level weights, so we are delighted with him.”

Notlongtillmay, owned by former Nottingham Forest and Leicester City defender Alan Rogers, could head to the Manifesto Novices’ Chase, the opening race at Aintree’s Grand National Festival.

However, the promising seven-year-old may instead be held back for the Jordan Electrics Ltd Future Champion Novices’ Chase at Ayr on April 22.

Morgan added: “He seems to have come out of it really well. I’m really pleased with him. He’s squealing and bucking in the field. He’ll have an easy week of it this week and then back to it again next.

“Aintree or Ayr will be the plan. One or the other. It depends. He’ll tell me, I think. We won’t rush anything. If I don’t think he is on the form he was going into Cheltenham, then he won’t go to Aintree.

“We will just give him an extra week for Ayr and he will tell us.”

Nicholls was one of the first to congratulate Morgan following Whistleinthedark’s success under 3lb claimer Patrick Cowley.

“We got our revenge on Saturday,” added Morgan. “Paul came up to me and said, ‘Ah well, you beat us today!’.

“I thought, ‘I’d sooner have beaten you on Thursday!’, but it was brilliant.”

Whistleinthedark has won all three of his starts over fences and the eight-year-old could have his sights set a little higher now.

“He looks very progressive and very exciting,” said Morgan. “He will either go to Aintree or maybe Ayr.

“It is nice to have a few to be going to these bigger meetings with. It’s nice to give the big boys a bloody nose once in while, otherwise it gets boring!”