Tag Archive for: National Hunt Chase

Churchstonewarrior primed for Cheltenham test

Churchstonewarrior will head into the unknown when he runs in the Wellchild National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

The lightly-raced eight-year-old, who has had just four starts over fences, was runner-up to Gaillard Du Mesnil in a three-mile Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas before going one better in the Grade Two Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan last month.

Jonathan Sweeney’s stable star is poised to take on the Willie Mullins-trained Gaillard Du Mesnil once more at the Festival, with connections hoping to find improvement over three miles and six furlongs after being beaten seven and a half lengths in their last meeting.

“I was very happy with his last run, couldn’t be happier. I’m looking forward to going now,” said Sweeney.

“The form of his race at Navan looks good. Three-mile-six is an unknown, but you’d imagine he’s the type of a horse who will handle that sort of distance.

“He jumped a little right on occasion last time, but I don’t think that will be an issue.”

Though his last run was his sole success over fences to date, Churchstonewarrior has not yet finished outside the first two and is a general 6-1 chance to claim Festival glory, with amateur rider James Hannon taking over in the saddle from Aidan Coleman.

“You would just be hoping the ground was safe. I’d have thought there would be a better chance (of softer ground) on the first day,” Sweeney added.

“You would not be confident – not at Cheltenham – you’d be just hoping for things to go right and that he’ll run his race.”

Churchstonewarrior also holds an entry in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on April 10.

Sweeney said: “He is entered in the Irish National but we will take it one day at a time. If we get to Cheltenham, we’ll have to see how things go and how we come out of it.”

McConnell mapping Cheltenham Mission for Mahler

John McConnell’s Mahler Mission has the Cheltenham Festival in his sights after an impressive Navan success.

The seven-year-old was a high-quality hurdler and made the transition to chasing this season, starting off at Cheltenham before finishing third in a Punchestown contest on New Year’s Eve.

At Navan on Saturday he lined up for a three-mile beginners’ chase and demonstrated his potential when jumping fluently and sauntering to an unchallenged 10-length victory under Ben Harvey.

“We were delighted but we weren’t surprised. We thought he’d come forward from his run at Punchestown last time and we rode him a bit more confidently this time and it paid off,” said McConnell.

“I suppose it was only a beginners’ chase at the end of the day, so we can’t get too excited or carried away, but it was a good performance.

“He jumped very well, he picked up from the back of the third last and he won well. He didn’t have a hard race and we were really happy with him.”

The National Hunt Chase, a three-mile-six-furlong affair at the Cheltenham Festival in March, is the likely target now, with McConnell undecided as to whether the gelding will have another outing in the meantime.

“I would say we’ll go for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, I think he’s entitled to go,” he said.

“I don’t know what mark he’s got yet in the UK, but I’m sure it’ll be high enough. Whether he’ll have a run beforehand, I’m not sure, I’d say that’s it’s probably less than a 50 per cent chance.

“He stays very well, the trip won’t be an issue at all. He jumps well, he’s jumped around Cheltenham before so that box is ticked there. He could go for a Grade Two in a couple of weeks here but we’ll see, we’ll bask in the victory a bit longer!”