Tag Archive for: Jamie Snowden

You Wear It Well heading Snowden’s likely Aintree squad

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Jamie Snowden is looking to continue a fine season as his Cheltenham heroine You Wear It Well heads to Aintree.

The six-year-old has been beaten just once all term when second in the Grade One Challow Hurdle, outside of which she has been a decisive winner of four contests.

Her most recent success came in the Jack de Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, a Grade Two event at the Cheltenham Festival.

That two-and-three-quarter-length victory was a first Festival success for Snowden since 2014, when Present View struck for the same owner in Sir Chips Keswick – the former Arsenal chairman.

“Having worked for both Nicky (Henderson) and Paul (Nicholls) beforehand, I kind of thought, rather naively, that these things were going to happen rather more regularly,” Snowden said of the nine-year gap to a second Festival win.

Jockey Gavin Sheehan You Wear It Well
Jockey Gavin Sheehan You Wear It Well (Tim Goode/PA)

“To wait nine years for our next winner was incredibly special and very poignant that our children were there picking up the trophy that was the Jack de Bromhead trophy this year.

“It was a very special moment. It was a great boost for everyone at Folly House, it is all credit to the whole team, I’m delighted with how the season is going.”

You Wear It Well will head next for either the Top Novices’ Hurdle or the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, both Grade One races run over two miles and two and a half miles respectively.

“She’s bouncing, she’s taken all her races well and has improved with every start,” said Snowden.

“She won the two-mile-four-furlong Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle then dropped back in trip to win over two miles at Cheltenham.

Jamie Snowden at the Cheltenham Festival
Jamie Snowden at the Cheltenham Festival (Tim Goode/PA)

“She looks versatile trip wise, so we will see what the ground is like and entries and make a decision.

“She handles a bit of cut in the ground but with it having been a relatively dry season, she has also handled the better ground too.

“I think she is hopefully a good mare that can handle all ground conditions, but a bit of cut would certainly help her.”

Kiltealy Briggs is another likely to head to Aintree, with the Topham Chase as his aim having schooled well over Lambourn’s National-style fences in preparation.

“He goes well fresh, his handicap mark has dropped down to below his previous winning mark and the plan has been to go to the Topham,” said Snowden.

Kiltealy Briggs at Cheltenham
Kiltealy Briggs at Cheltenham (Steven Paston/PA)

“He is out of a sister to Ballabriggs who won the Grand National, so we are very keen to get him over the National fences, he is a proper jumper.”

Colonel Harry is pencilled in for the Top Novices’ Hurdle at the meeting but also has an alternative option in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr.

“Colonel Harry has had a wonderful season; he has won a couple of races and was a very good second in the Grade Two Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso and ran a cracking race in the Tolworth Hurdle,” said Snowden.

“We will now decide between Aintree or Ayr.”

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.”

You Wear It Well makes class count for Snowden

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Gavin Sheehan gave You Wear It Well a fine front-running ride to claim the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Despite having a strong book of form to her name – including a second in the Challow Hurdle and a victory in the Grade Two Jayne Seymour last time out – she was sent off an easy to back 16-1, with 5-4 favourite Luccia was the only horse punters wanted to be on.

Keen to put her proven stamina to good use Sheehan went straight to the front aboard the Jamie Snowden-trained six-year-old and never saw another rival as she showed a tremendous attitude to keep galloping and responding to her rider’s urgings when the pack began to bare down on her in the closing stages.

Henry de Bromhead’s Magical Zoe performed with great credit to take the runner-up spot in the race named in memory of the trainer’s late son, who tragically lost his life in a pony racing accident in September.

An error at the last cost Tony Mullins’ Group One-winning Princess Zoe finishing any closer than fifth.

The winner follows in the footsteps of Love Envoi who triumphed at Sandown before scoring at Prestbury Park, while for Snowden it was somewhat fitting that his second Festival success came in the same colours of Sir Chips Keswick as his maiden winner at the big meeting Present View, ending a long nine-year wait between drinks.

Snowden said: “She’s following the Love Envoi route and is a very talented individual and also a strong stayer at that trip.

“With Honeysuckle retired who knows where she will end up?”

Sheehan added: “I love her, she is a diamond. She tanked the first furlong and a half and she did prick her ears the last time I rode her, but it was honestly poetry in motion today. I just filled her up and when something came on her outside her ears went back.

“We owe a lot to Jamie’s head girl who rides her all the time.

“She’s not easy at home and she will tear up, but once jumping she’s on her game and Jamie is the nicest man.”

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.”

Ga Law could tackle Gold Cup before Grand National

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Ga Law could bid to secure his Randox Grand National ticket by having a run in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

A faller when looking poised to win the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster, the Jamie Snowden-trained Ga Law is still not qualified for the Aintree spectacular.

The seven-year-old, who won the Paddy Power Chase at Cheltenham in November, would need to finish in the first four in the Gold Cup to get into the National.

Snowden has something of a dilemma, as the seven-year-old is much better fancied for the Ryanair Chase at the Festival in two weeks’ time.

Speaking at the Cheltenham handicap weights launch, Snowden said: “He won the Paddy Power here through stamina over two and a half miles.

“We were keen to go up in trip, and went to the Sky Bet Chase. He came to win the race and he fell at the last.

“He got a nasty cut on the leg that day, so has taken his time to get over that.

“We are very keen to try and qualify him for the National if we could. The handicapper put him up 2lb for the Sky Bet Chase fall, which suggests he’d shown improved form over three miles.

“It is obviously a little bit frustrating that you have to finish in the first four in order to qualify for the National, so we had him in at Kelso at the weekend over three miles. I think that might come just a little bit too soon, so we are still in the dilemma of trying to chase Shishkin home for a bit of prize-money in the Ryanair, or whether we go for Gold and try to pick up fourth and qualify for the National.”

Ga Law was a talented novice chaser whose upward trajectory was cruelly halted by a tendon injury just before the spring festivals in 2021.

A dejected Johnny Burke after Ga Law fell at Doncaster
A dejected Johnny Burke after Ga Law fell at Doncaster (Richard Sellers/PA)

That season, he won the Rising Star Novices’ Chase and was third behind Allmankind when tested at the top level in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase in December.

Back after 603 days off, he showed plenty of ability when third in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree before his win in the Paddy Power.

“As a novice chaser, he was borderline championship class,” added Snowden. “He has got form with Envoi Allen, Hitman, Allmankind, all those horses in the Henry VIII, Rising Stars’ and Pendil and the likes as a novice chaser.

“He was mixing it with the very best, but obviously had a year out and on the back of that it meant he was quite nicely handicapped going into races like the Paddy Power.

“He definitely has the ability to run in these kind of races, we just have to got to plot a route.

“I was kind of thinking he might be one for the Gold Cup next year as opposed to this year, but with the Grand National weights as they are, I think he’s nicely handicapped for that, if we can get the qualification in time.”

He added: “Michael Wainwright of Boodles, who is part-owner, wants to go for the Gold Cup, so it would be quite fitting if he ran in and won the 100th Gold Cup.”

Snowden also had news of You Wear It Well, runner-up in the Challow Hurdle before winning in great style at Sandown and on course for the Jack de Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in preference to the Albert Bartlett or Ballymore.

He said: “She is doing really well. She is a classy mare and has won three of her four novice hurdles this season and just got beat by Hermes Allen over two and a half miles. We held her up that day, but she is a quite keen going and free sort. She finished second and it was a great run.

“Had we gone forward who knows what might have happened. At Sandown we went forward with her and she won that pretty impressively. Luccia is obviously favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and we have some form lines that tie in closely with that, but she is a nice mare and we will go for that race.”

Snowden favouring Mares’ Novices’ contest for You Wear It Well

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Jamie Snowden is leaning towards the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with his star six-year-old You Wear It Well.

The talented mare has won three of her four starts over obstacles this term, with her only defeat coming when a gallant second to the highly-regarded Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle favourite Hermes Allen in a red-hot running of the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.

She was shortened to a general 8-1 for the mares’ event on the back of a commanding victory in the Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown recently, but also holds entries for both the Ballymore and Albert Bartlett at the Festival and connections were unwilling to pin their colours to a particular mast in the immediate aftermath of victory in Esher.

However, she now appears destined to follow the same route as last year’s Festival hero Love Envoi, who triumphed in the Sandown Grade Two before following up at Prestbury Park.

“I would say we will probably go to the Mares’ Novices’,” said Snowden.

“It’s on the New Course, so there is more of a need for stamina on the New Course than the Old Course and I think it makes sense to keep her amongst her own sex.”

The Folly House handler went on to analyse the claims of his charge in respect of the challenge presented by Nicky Henderson’s Luccia – using Dan Skelton’s Sandown runner-up She’s A Saint as a vital reference point.

He added: “Luccia has obviously achieved a great deal by winning a couple of Listed races. We’ve obviously beaten She’s A Saint by further than Luccia did.

“So you could say she is probably bang up with the best hurdle form on this side of the Irish Sea and deserves to take her chance at Cheltenham.”

Passing Well primed for Prestige prize

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Jamie Snowden’s Passing Well will look to continue his progression with a step up in trip for the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

The six-year-old has been making a success of his early hurdling career so far, winning on debut and then finishing fourth when stepped steeply up to Grade One level in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle.

Then returned to slightly less exalted company in a Newcastle novice, the gelding defied a penalty to win comfortably when coming home five and a half lengths ahead of his nearest rival.

The form from the Challow has begun to look increasingly solid in the meantime, with the fifth-placed Marble Sands going on the win the Sidney Banks and Snowden’s own You Wear It Well, second, bolting up in the Grade Two Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Passing Well holds an entry for the Albert Bartlett, and after this Grade Two the contest could be another stepping stone to a novice chasing campaign for him next season.

Snowden said: “He won very nicely first time out this season, then ran well when fourth in the Challow.

“He won very nicely on his last start under a penalty. He’s in the Albert Bartlett and we’ll have to see where we go with him next, but he’s a very exciting horse and he will be especially so next season when he goes novice chasing.”

Paul Nicholls’ Makin’yourmindup is also due to run in the same race, another step forward in a novice hurdling career that has seen him win twice and then finish second on his most recent start.

The latter performance saw him defeated two lengths on soft ground at Kempton and his trainer is hopeful that a run on better going will be of benefit.

“He shapes like an out-and-out stayer, won his first two starts for us this season and was then far from disgraced when finishing second to Collectors Item at Kempton five weeks ago when he wasn’t suited by the slow pace of the race,” he told Betfair.

“He didn’t enjoy the attritional ground that day and will appreciate a stronger gallop at Haydock in a competitive race.”

Joe Tizzard’s Scarface, Richard Bandey’s Saint Palais and Ben Clarke’s Dr Kananga all line up alongside Collectors Item – the winner of Makin’yourmindup’s last start.

More Grade Two honours are on offer in the Betfred Rendlesham Hurdle, a stayers’ contest run at a trip of just over three miles.

Nick Kent’s Erne River is well-fancied for the race having switched back to hurdles recently, with Venetia Williams’ Green Book also in the reckoning after a valuable success last time out.

Snowden working out route to National tilt with Ga Law

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Options are open for Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law as he looks to resume his path towards big spring targets.

The seven-year-old hit his stride instantly when starting the season with a second-placed run in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, after which he headed to Cheltenham to contest the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

At Prestbury Park he was a three-quarter-length winner over Mouse Morris’ French Dynamite, a performance that left him well-fancied for the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster in late January.

For almost all of the race he looked worthy of his 3-1 joint-favourite status, but a fall at the last robbed him of what appeared a winning chance.

The bay sustained a few cuts as a result, but is now back in full training and could follow a number of paths to high-profile races at the peak of the season.

Ga Law winning the ‘Rising Stars’ Novices’ Chase at Wincanton Racecourse
Ga Law winning the ‘Rising Stars’ Novices’ Chase at Wincanton Racecourse (Michael Steele/PA)

The Grand National has been pencilled in for Ga Law for some time and Snowden would like to aim the bay at Kelso’s Premier Chase in preparation, but if that fixture looms too soon then the Cheltenham Festival may come into the equation.

The horse holds entries for the Ryanair, the Gold Cup and the Ultima Handicap, each one possessing both pros and cons that will have to be discussed by connections.

Snowden said: “He’s bounced out of the Doncaster race, he had a couple of cuts but thankfully they’ve all healed well and he’s back into his normal routine now.

“We’ve got various options with him, if he is going to go to the Grand National then he’s probably got to go the Premier Chase at Kelso.

“That might just come a little bit too soon, so we’ll have a look at Cheltenham as well. He’s got options in the Ryanair, the Gold Cup and maybe a handicap, but he would be carrying a fair bit of weight in the Ultima.

Ga Law with proud connections after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup
Ga Law with proud connections after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)

“The Gold Cup is obviously a big step up in class, so certainly the Ryanair comes into consideration – especially with Allaho out.

“We’ll have a chat with the owners and work out a plan going forwards.”

You Wear It Well the latest flying the flag for red-hot Challow form

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You Wear It Well will hunt for a first Graded-race victory in the Weatherbys-sponsored Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Thursday.

The Jamie Snowden-trained six-year-old, who has good bumper form to her name, was last seen finishing second to Hermes Allen in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury in late December.

Prior to that she was the winner of two novice hurdles in the autumn, making a successful debut over obstacles with a seven-length success at Worcester and then trouncing nine rivals to triumph by 22 lengths at Hexham.

Since Newbury her stock has risen due to the resulting form of the race, with four Challow contenders going on to the win on their next start.

Among them is Snowden’s own Passing Well, fourth in the race and a good winner at Newcastle since, and Fergal O’Brien’s subsequent Sidney Banks victor Marble Sands.

Snowden reports his mare to be in good form ahead of her next target, a Grade Two event which will pave the way to one of a handful of Cheltenham Festival options over varying trips.

He said: “She’s in great order. She’s been pretty progressive all the way through the season, winning her two novice hurdles.

“She ran a cracker when stepped up in trip when second behind Hermes Allen in the Challow at Newbury.

“This looked the obvious step for her, going forward, and she’s in a couple of races at the Festival but we’ll cross this bridge first and see how we go.

“She’s not devoid of speed, but equally there is a lot of stamina in the pedigree so hopefully she’s one of those horses that can be equally effective over any trip.”

Of the Challow form boost he added: “The race has worked out really well, we had the fourth horse, Passing Well, and he’s won since, so has the fifth-placed horse (Marble Sands). ”

Elsewhere in the race there is a sole Irish entrant in Gordon Elliott’s Deeply Superficial, who will be ridden by Davy Russell.

Dan Skelton is set to saddle both She’s A Saint and Vicki Vale, with Touchy Feely, Nicky Henderson’s two-time winning hurdler, completing the field of five.

Plenty of encouragement to take from Ga Law run despite late exit

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Jamie Snowden has plenty of positives to take from Ga Law’s Sky Bet Chase run after a late fall denied him success at Doncaster on Saturday.

The seven-year-old went into the race as the 3-1 joint-favourite, a status owed in no small part to his victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November.

That win saw him carry top-weight of 12st on Town Moor for his first attempt over three miles, with Jonathan Burke in the saddle as he was at Cheltenham.

Ga Law was handling both the burden and the extended trip with aplomb when approaching the final fence level with eventual winner Cooper’s Cross, but a slightly low jump saw him brush through the fence and fall.

Both horse and rider got to their feet and as Ga Law picked up a few nicks his trainer will take stock before planning his next outing.

Ga Law winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase
Ga Law winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (David Davies/PA)

“He’s OK, he was coming to either win his race or finish a very good second, which would have been a great run off that kind of welter burden for his first time over three miles,” said Snowden.

“He definitely stayed. It’s always a shame to come down at the last and nobody knows what would have happened, but he certainly would have been either first or second. It’s a great shame but it was a hell of a run under that kind of weight, we’re pleased with how he ran but of course disappointed with the result.

“He stayed well and was running a big race, we’ll just get him right and see where we are from there.

“He sustained a couple of small cuts so we will get those sorted out, get him back schooling and see where we want to go.

“We had a few plans up our sleeve had he won, but I think for now we’ll get him right, he’ll tell us how he is and we can go forward from there.”