Tag Archive for: Rare Edition

Longsdon keen on Edition’s Supreme claims

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Charlie Longsdon retains full faith in Rare Edition and believes he has a genuine each-way chance in the curtain-raising Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

The six-year-old won his only bumper and his first three novice hurdles, including a convincing victory over subsequent Dovecote winner Rubaud at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Longsdon had hoped he would rubber stamp his Cheltenham claims in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon last month, but he was turned over at a short price by Fergal O’Brien’s Marble Sands.

“I think Rare Edition’s probably the best novice hurdler we’ve trained to date and he really does have a good each-way chance in the Supreme,” Longsdon told Betdaq.

“We’ve drawn a line through his run in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon, but his run at Kempton on Boxing Day was very good and the form looks strong.

“I think we’ve got him back to the right form now and if he can run up to the form we know he’s capable of, I think he’ll definitely be knocking on the door.”

Longsdon has yet to taste glory at the Festival, coming closest with Pendra who was beaten less than in length in the 2017 Kim Muir, and he admits it is a scratch he needs to itch.

“It’s a sore point, not having had a Cheltenham Festival winner. It’s been a topic of conversation leading up to the Festival every year. It’s slightly different this year in the fact that we’ve actually got horses that might have a little bit of a chance,” he said.

Joining Rare Edition on the trainer’s Cheltenham team is Hector Javilex and Glimpse Of Gala in the Pertemps, Snow Leopardess in the Glenfarclas Chase and possibly Guetapan Collonges in the Kim Muir, though he may wait for the Midlands National at Uttoxeter.

Cheltenham run not ruled out for Rare Edition

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Rare Edition is reported to have scoped dirty following his second in the Sidney Banks, but Charlie Longsdon is willing to let him take his chance in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle providing he works well prior to the Cheltenham Festival opener.

The six-year-old won his first three outings over timber in impressive fashion and was sent off the 4-5 favourite to extend his winning run at Huntingdon last week.

Forced to make his own running in a muddling three-runner affair, he failed to pick up in his usual manner when challenged by Fergal O’Brien’s Marble Sands, who took advantage of Rare Edition’s off day to scoop the Listed prize.

Having not shown his usual zest, Longsdon is now keen to give him a thorough MOT before building up to the Festival – where the gelding will drop back to two miles if his homework sends out the correct signals.

“Rare Edition, he’s fine,” said Longsdon. “He didn’t scope quite clean after the race and I will get him investigated properly next week.

“I take nothing away from the winner because he’s a good horse, but he didn’t pick up like he usually does. Whether a muddling race didn’t suit him I don’t know, but a proper pace where he can sit in behind, he’ll jump better. He was looking around and everything and it just didn’t work.

Rare Edition ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies goes on to win the at Kempton on Boxing Day
Rare Edition ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies goes on to win the at Kempton on Boxing Day (John Walton/PA)

“He’ll be fine and if he works well before Cheltenham, he’ll go to Cheltenham. He’ll stick at two miles – a strongly-run two miles will be fine.

“I’m not too concerned (about the defeat), I just want to make sure he’s all right as he just looked a bit flat.

“We’ve still got four weeks (until Cheltenham) and I’ll get him properly checked over at the beginning of next week. We’ll just see and I’ll get him out in the field as much as possible – he will be all right.”

Meanwhile Longsdon is eyeing a return to Uttoxeter for the Midlands Grand National with Guetapan Collonges following the seven-year-old’s victory over Mister Coffey at the Staffordshire track on Saturday.

“He ran really well and he learnt a lot from running at Warwick,” continued Longsdon.

“He learnt a ton and therefore he was more streetwise for this. He was a baby in the Classic Chase and it was the making of him at Warwick.

“I would love to go back to Uttoxeter for something like a Midlands National, but I will leave that to Frank (Berry) and JP (McManus) and let them decide.

“He’s going the right way. I said after the Classic Chase he was a bit too weak at the moment, but he’s learning the whole time.”

Marble Sands gets the better of Rare Edition at Huntingdon

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Marble Sands upset short-priced favourite Rare Edition to take the M1 Agency Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon.

The latter was a 4-5 shot when lining up for the race undefeated under rules, having won a bumper and four hurdle contests by a combined 29 and a half lengths.

For trainer Charlie Longsdon and Sam Twiston-Davies Rare Edition made the running until the just after the second from last, when the Fergal O’Brien-trained Marble Sands – last seen finishing fifth to Hermes Allen in the Challow Hurdle – took up the lead under Kielan Woods.

Despite hanging right and then left between the penultimate fence and the line, Marble Sands was still able to pull away from the favourite and record a two-and-three-quarter-length victory at 9-2.

O’Brien said: “That is a fantastic win. Kielan gave him a fantastic ride. He would not be straightforward at home as he is very gassy.

“He is a fine horse and that is three he has won this season. He has done it well today. He missed the last and lost his shoe and we have beaten a very good horse.

“If we had finished second we would have been very happy as it would have been a good run, but I’m absolutely over the moon.

“It was much different ground at Newbury, but he didn’t run badly as it was a very good Challow Hurdle. That is where the team have been great they have brought him back from a very tough race and produced him for today.

“He was very keen in Challow and probably pulled his way out of a chance. Kielan spoke to Paddy (Brennan) and he said ‘your best chance of winning today was taking your time and coming with one run’ and it worked so I’m delighted.”

The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is now an option, with the grey a 25-1 chance with Betfair and 33-1 with William Hill.

“We will go back and have a look, but he has done plenty this season to deserve a go at the Ballymore probably so fingers crossed. We will go back and speak to Graeme, David and Jackie (owners) and see what they want to do,” said O’Brien.

Connections were disappointed with the performance of Rare Edition and will make sure there are no underlying issues behind the defeat before considering next steps.

Syndicate manager Bill Esdaile said: “We will get him home and see if anything comes to light. We know he can hurdle better and travel better. It is one of those things and that is racing.

“Sam felt he didn’t get the same feeling as he did at Kempton Park. It might have been the ground as it was plenty quick enough. He is still a very good horse.

“I’d rather him run with a bit of cover, while the trip was a bit of a question mark. I’m not ruling Cheltenham out at the moment.

“When a bubble gets burst everyone is disappointed. One thing I would say is that Menorah got beat over two miles three before coming back and winning the Supreme over two miles.”

Longsdon sets out Sidney Banks assignment for Rare Edition

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Charlie Longsdon’s unbeaten hurdler Rare Edition will head next for the Urban Logistics Reit Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon.

The six-year-old was placed behind good horses in two point-to-points in Ireland, with Saint Davy and Kalanisi Star finishing ahead of him before going on to impress in their own early careers.

In a sole bumper start Rare Edition was a two-length winner, after which he transitioned to hurdling and has won three consecutive novices by a combined 27 and a half lengths.

A step up in grade and trip for the Listed Sidney Banks now awaits on February 9, with the gelding then holding entries for both the Supreme and Ballymore Novices’ Hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival.

“The plan is the Huntingdon race, the Sidney Banks, then we will have to go from there,” Longsdon said.

“He seems very well in himself, he jumped on Monday and worked on Tuesday morning. The plan will be to go there and take it from that race onward.”

Longsdon also provided an update on Tea For Free and Lilly Pinchin after their heavy fall at Doncaster in the Sky Bet Chase.

The combination started as 3-1 joint-favourites for the big handicap and were in contention up the home straight, but a fall at the second-last saw them crash out of the race and looked nasty for both horse and rider.

Pinchin sustained a broken collarbone as a result and faces several weeks on the sidelines, whereas Tea For Free will sit out the remainder of the season as he is given time to recover from the affects of the fall.

“Tea For Free is fine, he’s on box rest for a while as he ruptured some ligaments in a hind leg, but that should be fine for next season,” Longsdon said.

Tea For Free suffered a fall at Doncaster
Tea For Free suffered a fall at Doncaster (Nigel French/PA)

“I did think he was a goner but thankfully he’s OK, which is the main thing, and should be back next season.

“Lilly has done her collarbone, she tells me two weeks but I think it could be longer than that. She’s very tough!”

Conditions key to Rare Edition’s Haydock hopes

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Charlie Longsdon will be keeping a keen eye on conditions at Haydock – with Rare Edition set to be rerouted to Huntingdon if the ground on Merseyside proves too testing for his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle contender.

The six-year-old has put himself in the picture for the Cheltenham Festival opener with some faultless displays this season, winning all three of his assignments with the minimum of fuss to back up a successful rules debut in a Southwell bumper last spring.

He is currently as short as 14-1 in places to land an early blow for the home team at Prestbury Park following an emphatic victory over a useful cast at Kempton on Boxing Day and is one of nine entries for Saturday’s Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

However, if the ground is not to Longsdon’s liking, it will be Huntingdon’s Urban Logistics Reit Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle – won by Shishkin in 2020 – where the son of Califet will put his Cheltenham aspirations to the test.

“He is entered for the Rossington Main, but if it is this (heavy) ground I won’t go,” said Longsdon.

“I won’t go on heavy ground. He’s a big, weak baby – a classy baby – but he won’t go on heavy ground.

“If he doesn’t go to Haydock, he’ll go to the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon. I think that is the more likely target at this stage because we know what the ground is going to be like realistically.

“I know that is two-miles-three, but it’s a sharp two-three.”

He added: “I’m looking forward to where he goes next and I was amazed when I heard him described as the best two-miler we’ve got in this country. Yes there are probably half a dozen better ones in Ireland, but it’s fun for us to have a good horse.

“Everything matches up right, it’s there and clear to see. He deserves to be where he is and as people say, if he was trained by a Henderson or Nicholls, he would be half the price. We’re lucky to have him.”

If running at Huntingdon on February 9, Longsdon will get the chance to see his star novice in action up in distance – something the Chipping Norton-based handler has mentioned could suit in the past.

However, despite still holding the view that an extended trip would help Rare Edition’s jumping, the Sky Bet-backed Supreme remains the number one assignment for the Festival.

Trainer Charlie Longsdon is excited to see Rare Edition in his next outing
Trainer Charlie Longsdon is excited to see Rare Edition in his next outing (Zac Goodwin/PA)

“I think he’ll want a step up in trip in time, but his two-mile figures at the moment you can’t ignore,” continued Longsdon.

“Over two and a half, I think it would help his jumping – at the moment he’s a bit careful and jumps a bit like it’s a fence.

“That is no bad thing for the long term and I don’t want to ruin that jumping either.

“So I do think two and a half might help him, but the Supreme would be our favoured option at this stage.”

Olly Murphy has Chasing Fire entered at Haydock
Olly Murphy has Chasing Fire entered at Haydock (Mike Egerton/PA)

The Olly Murphy-trained Chasing Fire would appear to be a leading rival to Rare Edition should he run at Haydock, having won each of his two hurdles starts so far while Howlingmadmurdock from Tom Lacey’s yard and Evan Williams’ Doyen Star have also won their only hurdles outings.

Pembroke and War Soldier have each won their last two for Dan Skelton and Sandy Thomson respectively, with Matata, Poetic Music and Toothless completing the list of possibles.

Nicky Henderson has entered Epatante and First Street in the New One Unibet Hurdle.

There are nine possibles, with Nigel Twiston-Davies keen to win the prize with I Like To Move It given the race is named after his former stable star, The New One.

Longsdon mulling Rossington run for Rare Edition

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Charlie Longsdon believes he will have to give Rare Edition more hurdling experience if he is to fulfil his massive potential, following an impressive success at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Under Sam Twiston-Davies, the Califet gelding stayed on strongly to take a two-mile novice event by seven lengths, completing a hat-trick under a penalty.

Now unbeaten in four races under rules, Longsdon is pondering a step into Grade Two company for the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock on January 21 for his charge.

“He’s taken the race really well,” said Longsdon. “He seems very well after the race. We haven’t done much with him since but we will gradually, quietly pick and choose where we go.

“We might look at Haydock in three weeks’ time, but only if the ground is not too soft.”

While plans are fluid, with Huntingdon’s Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle on February 9 also a possible landing spot, Longsdon says Rare Edition is not yet the finished article and he will need to brush up on his hurdling.

“If he doesn’t go to the Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle, we might look at the Sidney Banks, something like that,” he added.

“We might work a lot on his jumping over the next few weeks.

“His jumping is very neat and tidy, but it is almost too careful at the moment. I want to do quite a lot of work in that area over the next few weeks.

“That is one area where he can improve and when he steps up in grade, he can’t be too careful – he has got to be a bit slicker.

“He has clearly got a motor on him and, don’t get me wrong, the jumping will come with time, but when he is running in big races, I don’t want to be losing the odd half-length like he did at Kempton.”