Tag Archive for: Kim Bailey

Lingfield cancellation leaves Bailey to puzzle out Gold run

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Kim Bailey is facing a puzzle over what to do next with Two For Gold following the abandonment of Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase.

The 10-year-old was all set to defend his crown in the Winter Million weekend feature before the race was lost to the recent cold snap, but Bailey now finds himself short of options.

Two For Gold followed up last year’s victory at Lingfield by giving Fakir D’oudairies a fright when second in the Betfair Ascot Chase and that contest is in Bailey’s mind once again.

However, the Grade One event on February 18 is also the intended target of stablemate First Flow, with the Thorndale Farm handler unsure whether to let both of his star chasers take their chances.

David Bass riding Two For Gold (left) on their way to winning the Fleur De Lys Chase during day three of The Winter Million Festival at Lingfield Park last year
David Bass riding Two For Gold (left) on their way to winning the Fleur De Lys Chase during day three of The Winter Million Festival at Lingfield Park last year (Steven Paston/PA)

“Ascot is definitely in the equation, but the trouble is I have also got First Flow in the race,” said Bailey.

“In a perfect world they wouldn’t be meeting, but it’s not a perfect world unfortunately.

“This has been First Flow’s intention since the Peterborough Chase so it is a tricky one really, but we can’t do anything about it.

“It’s quite difficult because Two For Gold wants soft ground, three miles is his max and he’s quite high in the handicap. There is a handicap at Ascot the same day, but whether that is where he wants to be going, I don’t know. There are few and far between races for him.”

Bailey is also pondering his options for crack novice hurdler Chianti Classico, who has racked up three victories on the bounce since tackling obstacles this term.

He has been given an entry for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, but an appearance at Prestbury Park looks unlikely with his handler stating a preference to stick to handicaps off his current mark of 133.

“He is having a bit of a break at the moment and comes back into training this weekend.” continued Bailey.

“He has an entry at Cheltenham (Albert Bartlett), but I don’t think he’ll take it.

“I think he falls in the category of not quite being good enough for Cheltenham and having a rating of 133. It’s a prime case of these early closing races where you make the entry on behalf the owners and it ends up probably being a complete waste of money.

“For a horse like him, he probably has to be in there and given the entry, but I don’t think we’ll be going there and he will end up running in a handicap off 133 somewhere instead.

“He will run at some point in February, but if he does that he won’t be going to Cheltenham as it takes him around six weeks to get over his races.”

He went on: “Now they have brought in the qualification rule where novices have to have four runs, races like the Coral Cup which would have been a potential option are now out of the question.

“This year with the dry autumn and then losing so much racing, it has been very hard to try to get four runs into a novice with the view of going to Cheltenham.”

Happygolucky day in store at Cheltenham for Bailey

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Kim Bailey believes ground conditions are the key to Happygolucky’s chance in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

The son of Jeremy has won three of his six starts over fences to date, with his most recent triumph coming in a Grade Three handicap on the undercard of the 2021 Grand National at Aintree.

A subsequent injury kept Happygolucky on the sidelines for 18 months, but he proved his ability remains very much intact with an excellent comeback effort when third in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle.

That form looks rock solid in light of results over the Christmas period, with the winner L’Homme Presse booked for second in the King George at Kempton before unseating his rider at the final fence, while the runner-up Into Overdrive went one better in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby.

Happygolucky steps down in trip for his latest assignment and Bailey is hoping the heavens open at Prestbury Park ahead of Cheltenham’s £100,000 handicap.

He said: “I’ve been happy with him since Newcastle and the more rain we can get the better. We’re going back in trip and I’d prefer proper soft ground.

“He’s come out of Newcastle very well. That was a good run and the form has worked out.”

Happygolucky is one of 17 runners declared for the extended two-and-a-half-mile contest, with Dan Skelton’s Midnight River and the Paul Nicholls-trained Il Ridoto two of the market principals after finishing third and fourth respectively in November’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at the track.

Nicholls also saddles the seventh from that prestigious handicap in Simply The Betts.

Il Ridoto at Newbury
Il Ridoto at Newbury (Steven Paston/PA)

“Il Ridoto finished a decent fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and missed out when the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham was abandoned with the rest of Cheltenham’s Saturday card,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“The three in front of him in the Paddy Power all had the advantage of a previous run and he would have been close but for making a mistake at the last fence. He has improved for that run and will enjoy easier ground at Cheltenham.

“Simply The Betts gave David Maxwell a great spin in the Paddy Power. They were handy the whole way, in touch with the leaders before tiring on the flat after being hampered.

“Simply The Betts is one of ours who is still probably 10lb too high in the handicap, but he has won twice at the track and always runs his race. He is sure to give David another exciting ride.”

Other leading contenders include Brave Seasca, an impressive last time out winner at Aintree for Venetia Williams, and Ben Pauling’s recent Exeter scorer Shakem Up’Arry – owned by former football manager Harry Redknapp.

Pauling said: “He definitely stayed two and a half at Exeter last time for the first time in his career and we’re leaving the tongue-tie on.

“He’s been in good order at home and we’re looking forward to seeing how he fares in a decent handicap for the first time.”

The Sam Thomas-trained Stolen Silver, who unseated when favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, also returns the Cotswolds, while Joe Tizzard saddles both War Lord and Lostintranslation.