Tag Archive for: Navan

Blazing Khal makes eagerly-awaited return at Navan

/in /by

Blazing Khal makes his long-awaited return in the William Hill Boyne Hurdle at Navan on Sunday.

The Charles Byrnes-trained seven-year-old is three from three over obstacles and beat Gelino Bello in back-to-back Grade Two novice events at Cheltenham in the autumn of 2021.

But while Gelino Bello went on to strike Grade One glory at Aintree, Blazing Khal spent the rest of his novice campaign on the sidelines and has been off the track for over 400 days.

Byrnes said earlier in the new year his stable star was “50-50 at best” to make this year’s Cheltenham Festival, but he is now set to make his comeback in this weekend’s Grade Two contest.

“He’s in good shape and working well – we’re hoping for the best,” he said.

“We’ve had a good run for the last few weeks, so fingers crossed.”

Blazing Khal is a 9-2 shot with the sponsors for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 16, a race Byrnes memorably won with Solwhit 10 years ago.

However, the Ballingarry handler is keen to see how he performs this weekend before making future plans.

He added: “We’re not really looking beyond this weekend, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Gordon Elliott with Delta Work at his yard
Gordon Elliott with Delta Work at his yard (Niall Carson/PA)

Blazing Khal is one of nine runners declared for the Boyne Hurdle, with Gordon Elliott represented by top-weight Sire Du Berlais, Grand Roi and Delta Work, with the latter warming up for his defence of the Glenfarclas Chase at Cheltenham.

Noel Meade has saddled the last two winners of the two-mile-five-furlong contest in Beacon Edge and Thedevilscoachman and Beacon Edge is in the mix once more, as is stablemate Highland Charge.

Dreal Deal (Ronan McNally), Meet And Greet (Oliver McKiernan) and Saint Sam (Willie Mullins) complete the line-up.

On the same card Grade Three honours are up for grabs in the William Hill Ten Up Novice Chase.

Likely contenders for this three-mile heat include Jonathan Sweeney’s Churchstonewarrior, Elliott’s Front Assault, the Mullins-trained Glengouly and Mahler Mission from John McConnell’s yard.

Mahler Mission winning over hurdles at Doncaster
Mahler Mission winning over hurdles at Doncaster (Tim Goode/PA)

The latter won by 10 lengths over the course and distance on his latest appearance and is prominent in ante-post lists for the National Hunt Chase at the Festival in March.

McConnell said: “It looks a competitive race. There doesn’t look to be a superstar in it, but it’s competitive all the same.

“Obviously he’s jumped around the track no problem, so we’re hopeful of a good run.

“That (National Hunt Chase) is the plan. We’re very hopeful that he’ll be competitive in it.”

Elliott saddles three of the 10 runners declared for the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle in American Mike, Imagine and Deeply Superficial.

American Mike, runner-up to Facile Vega in last season’s Champion Bumper, has been off the track since disappointing in the Monksfield Novice Hurdle in November, having missed an intended engagement at last weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival due to a death in the owners’ family.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t run American Mike in Leopardstown the other day. He scoped bad after Navan and there was something wrong with him, so we’ve missed a good part of the season,” said Elliott.

“I was looking forward to running him the other day, but couldn’t due to personal reasons.

“He’s running over two miles on Sunday, which isn’t ideal, but I kind of need to get a run into him because he can be a fresh horse and I just want to knock the freshness off him.”

The Mullins-trained pair of Hunters Yarn and Tactical Move also merit consideration in an intriguing Listed event, as do Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin and Peter Fahey’s The Big Doyen.

Lingfield call morning check ahead of Sunday jumps action

/in /by

Sunday’s meeting at Lingfield will need to pass a precautionary inspection at 8am on raceday if it is to go ahead.

The feature event of a planned nine-race fixture is the £165,000 Fleur De Lys Chase, with two other hurdles events worth £110,000 and £100,000 also on the card, which is the culmination of the Winter Million weekend.

The first of three days of action was claimed by the weather on Friday but Saturday’s all-weather card went ahead as planned.

While clerk of the course George Hill reported the track to be fit for action on Saturday afternoon, another chilly night is forecast and he admits some luck is required with the course covered overnight.

Lingfield raced on the all-weather track on Saturday
Lingfield raced on the all-weather track on Saturday (Steven Paston/PA)

He told Sky Sports Racing: “We have passed our 4pm inspection, we’re happy with conditions at the moment and we have now got a precautionary inspection for 8am.

“We’ve had a big team on track today. We’ve had a massive group effort with teams from Fontwell, Brighton, Uttoxeter, Windsor, Chepstow, head office – we had about 45-50 people on track, running our all-weather meeting too.

“It’s been pretty busy and hectic on site. Everyone has worked extremely hard and we’re trying out best. We’ve had a great day today and we’re excited for tomorrow.

“We need the better end of the forecast for tonight. It is going to be a cold night, we’ve done our best and covered up (the track), it’s been a big effort and we need the lower end of the forecast to be OK tomorrow morning.

“We will know by 8am what the weather has done, what the forecast is going to do and where we go from there.”

Should Lingfield get the go-ahead, it will break a barren spell for British National Hunt racing, with Hereford the last track to stage turf action on Monday.

Ffos Las has a jumps meeting on Monday
Ffos Las has a jumps meeting on Monday (David Davies/PA)

Saturday’s meetings at Ascot, Haydock and Taunton were all called off due to frozen tracks, while Sunday’s other jumps fixture at Fakenham was also cancelled.

Wolverhampton’s Saturday evening card drew to a close earlier than planned, with fog forcing its abandonment with four races still to run.

Ffos Las is due to race on Monday, with no issues reported at present, but Tuesday’s card at Exeter is subject to a 4pm inspection on Monday.

Leicester and Market Rasen are also scheduled to race over jumps on Tuesday, with both courses currently frozen.

It’s For Me states Cheltenham claims with Navan romp

/in /by

It’s For Me shot to the head of the betting for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham with an impressive victory at Navan on Saturday.

Making his debut for trainer Willie Mullins, It’s For Me was sent off the 4-9 favourite for the Racing Again February 12th (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race after winning his only point-to-point start last year.

Ridden by the handler’s son Patrick, the five-year-old travelled supremely well throughout and was cantering in behind before taking control around two furlongs out.

Mullins only had to push him out to come home 10 lengths clear of Suttons Hill and Paddy Power installed him as the 5-1 favourite for the Cheltenham bumper, before further cutting him to 4s.

Patrick Mullins said: “He’s much better on the track than he is at home, at home he doesn’t flash.

“Looking at the price he went off in his point-to-point, it was obviously a similar story there. He’s much better on grass.

“That was very impressive. He was a bit keen all the way but he quickened up very well.

“That was as good as anything that has been seen this year.

“When you don’t have one of Gordon Elliott’s in there to maybe have a measure, it’s a bit easier.

“The bumper horses seem to be hitting top gear now, they were a bit hit and miss before Christmas.”

When asked if the Champion Bumper was tomorrow, would he ride him, Mullins added: “I don’t know what I’m going to ride there.”

Shanbally Kid initiated a Mullins double
Shanbally Kid initiated a Mullins double (Gary Carson/PA)

The Closutton team had earlier been on the mark with Shanbally Kid (11-10 favourite) in the Buy Your Navan 2023 Membership Maiden Hurdle.

He let down his supporters when only fourth on his hurdles bow but made amends with a length-and-three-quarter verdict over Monty’s Star in the hands of Paul Townend.

“It took me a while to get him jumping to be honest,” said the winning rider.

“I was probably there a bit soon on him as he didn’t do a whole lot when he hit the front, but I was always holding them behind me.

“He’s still quite a raw individual. I kind of settled the race really quickly and then he was just doing enough. I’d say there is a bit more in the tank.

“The further he went, the better he jumped, he’ll be fine and should progress again. You’d be going out in trip with him rather than back, I’d think.”

Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue were also in double form via Path D’Oroux and Pure Sirloin.

Path D’Oroux (3-1) ran out a cosy winner of the Welcome Back To Navan Racecourse Rated Novice Hurdle, in which three of the key players failed to finish.

“I know there were fallers but he won the race in a nice manner,” said Cromwell.

“He travels lovely every day, even in the Royal Bond he travelled very well but he cut out in a matter of 50 yards.

“He ran a lot better in Leopardstown the last day and hopefully he’s on the way back.

“The ground is no bother to him as he’s a big strong horse and he has plenty of gears too.

“I suppose the owners would like to go to Cheltenham for something, so we might look at one of the handicaps.”

Pure Sirloin completed the Cromwell-Donoghue double
Pure Sirloin completed the Cromwell-Donoghue double (Gary Carson/PA)

Pure Sirloin (7-1) has less lofty targets after his win in the Ardmulchan Handicap Hurdle.

Cromwell added: “He would want to learn to jump better but he was good over the last two which got him out of jail.”

“He made plenty of mistakes and Keith gave him a smashing ride to land him there. He’s a work in progress and we’ll look for something similar again.”

Mahler Mission (100-30) was cut from 33-1 to 12s by Betfair for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham after coasting home by 10 lengths in the Wilkinstown Beginners Chase.

Mahler Mission returns to the winner's enclosure
Mahler Mission returns to the winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

Winning trainer John McConnell said: “We put him in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham this week and we’ll certainly look at it, you wouldn’t be averse to going after that.

“He’s going to get a big enough mark, so we’re going to be restricted where we can go but in a good way.

“I was bottling it last night, thinking of taking him out, and looking at other alternatives. There is nothing in Ireland though bar a couple of Grade Twos. We could do that or could go straight to Cheltenham.

“All the big handicap chases are on the agenda as well, there are a lot in the UK worth a lot of money. There are loads of options with him, he’s only a young horse.”

No anchoring HMS Seahorse at Navan

/in /by

HMS Seahorse made a stylish return to action in the Navan Handicap Hurdle, putting himself in the frame for the Cheltenham Festival in the process.

The five-year-old finished fourth in the Fred Winter at Prestbury Park last term before claiming a distant third upped to Grade One level at the Punchestown Festival, but he had been off the track since finishing down the field in the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh in September, having been gelded in the interim.

Sent off a 15-2 shot in the hands of Sean O’Keeffe, HMS Seahorse was settled on the heels of the leaders on the rail in the two-and-half-mile heat as 11-4 favourite Lucky Max set out to make all.

The market leader gave a bold sight and was still in front jumping the last, but HMS Seahorse was travelling well in behind and swept through to grab the lead on the run to the line.

Paul Nolan’s runner went on to score by two and a quarter lengths from Felix Desjy, with Rebel Ivy a further neck back in third.

Paddy Power make HMS Seahorse a 12-1 shot for the Coral Cup, while also offering 20-1 about his chances in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle and the County Hurdle – although the first event listed could be the preferred choice for connections.

“He gave him a brilliant ride. Sean said he came for him every time he asked him,” said Nolan.

“He needed to jump the last and he was long at it. He seems to be jumping far better since he was gelded.

“In Galway he jumped poorly when he was odds-on favourite and the jumping just didn’t work.

“He’s a bit more clinical now, he’d never go long before and he was very good today.

“We might look at the Coral Cup with him. That’s where the lads would love to go.

“We’d have to look at a Pertemps qualifier as well, it would be great to have more options, but that might be tight enough.”

Haydock calls off Peter Marsh Chase card

/in /by

Saturday’s meeting at Haydock has been called off due to a frozen track.

Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright had planned to hold a precautionary inspection at 8am on raceday to assess conditions ahead of the card, which was set to feature four Grade Two contests including the Peter Marsh Chase.

However, he brought that check forward after temperatures dropped to minus 3c overnight, leaving the course unraceable.

Lingfield hosts the feature all-weather meeting
Lingfield hosts the feature all-weather meeting (Julian Herbert/PA)

Haydock’s cancellation means it will be a fifth day in Britain with no jumps action as Ascot and Taunton had already abandoned, with Lingfield, Southwell and Wolverhampton flying the flag on the all-weather.

Lingfield are also scheduled to hold a classy National Hunt card on Sunday, but that meeting hinges on a 4pm inspection on Saturday.

There will be a jumps meeting in Ireland though, as Navan’s Saturday fixture will go ahead as planned after the chase track was declared fit for action following a morning check.