Tag Archive for: Stayers’ Hurdle

Flooring Porter takes on 10 rivals in Stayers’ hat-trick bid

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Gavin Cromwell’s Flooring Porter will face 10 rivals as he bids to win the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Thursday for the third time.

He has already joined the likes of Galmoy and Baracouda as a dual victor in the race and a third triumph would emulate Inglis Drever, although the indomitable Big Buck’s stands alone having won the race four times.

Flooring Porter has suffered an interrupted preparation this year but Cromwell has been pleased with his progress in recent weeks.

Winning connections celebrating Flooring Porter's success in the World Hurdle last year
Winning connections celebrating Flooring Porter’s success in the World Hurdle last year (Steven Paston/PA)

Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoo is one of the young pretenders aiming to take his crown.

He caused a shock when downing Honeysuckle in the Hatton’s Grace and then proved his stamina in the Galmoy Hurdle.

Joseph O’Brien’s Home By The Lee was sixth in the race 12 months ago and has improved this term to win the Lismullen Hurdle and Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Blazing Khal is unbeaten in his last five races and returned from a mammoth absence to win on his only outing this season in the Boyne Hurdle, but trainer Charles Byrnes has endured a difficult time with him since that Navan run last month.

Klassical Dream faded into fifth when beaten favourite in this race last year and is another who has not enjoyed a straightforward preparation.

Sire Du Berlais and Ashdale Bob also represent Ireland.

The home team is consists of just two, previous winner Paisley Park and Jeremy Scott’s Dashel Drasher.

Dashel Drasher was second in the Cleeve Hurdle to Gold Tweet, who is trained in France by Gabriel Leenders. He has been supplemented along with fellow French challenger Henri Le Farceur.

Blazing Khal given go-ahead for Stayers’ Hurdle challenge

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Charles Byrnes has given Blazing Khal the go-ahead for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Thursday.

The seven-year-old won back-to-back Grade Two novice prizes at Prestbury Park in the autumn of 2021, but missed the rest of the season through injury and did not ultimately not return for 14 months.

An impressive comeback in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan in mid-February catapulted Blazing Khal to the head of the Stayers’ Hurdle market, but Byrnes later revealed his stable star had returned with a “a few bits of nicks” that required treatment.

However, while his preparation has clearly not been ideal, Byrnes confirmed Blazing Khal will take his chance in a race the County Limerick handler won with Solwhit 10 years ago.

He said on Friday: “He worked at the Curragh earlier this week. We decided against taking him back there today as we felt it would be counter-productive.

“But I had a chat with the owner this morning and we decided we’re going to run him.”

Blazing Khal is set to lead a small but select team of five Festival runners for Byrnes along with Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle contender Byker, Coral Cup hopeful Run For Oscar, Pertemps Final favourite Shoot First and Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle runner Grozni.

Trainer Charles Byrnes (right) after winning the Stayers' Hurdle with Solwhit
Trainer Charles Byrnes (right) after winning the Stayers’ Hurdle with Solwhit (David Davies/PA)

“I’m bringing five and it looks a nice team,” the trainer added.

“The preparation for all the rest of them has gone very well.

“Soft ground would inconvenience Run For Oscar more so than any of them, I would say, but I’d say it won’t be too bad.”

Blazing Khal is one of 15 horses in Stayers’ Hurdle contention following Friday’s confirmation stage, with France’s Cleeve Hurdle winner Gold Tweet and his compatriot Henri Le Farceur both supplemented at a cost of just under £15,000.

Flooring Porter on his way to winning last year's Stayers' Hurdle
Flooring Porter on his way to winning last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle (Steven Paston/PA)

Flooring Porter will bid for a third successive victory in the race for Gavin Cromwell, Gordon Elliott is set to be represented by Teahupoo and Sire Du Berlais and Willie Mullins still has three in the mix, with Asterion Forlonge, Klassical Dream and Sharjah all standing their ground.

Marie’s Rock is a leading contender for Nicky Henderson, with connections planning to make a late call on whether she will run in Tuesday’s Mares’ Hurdle or take on the boys two days later.

Ashdale Bob (Jessica Harrington), Beacon Edge (Noel Meade), Dashel Drasher (Jeremy Scott), Home By The Lee (Jessica Harrington) and Paisley Park (Emma Lavelle) complete the acceptors.

‘No firm decision’ as connections of Marie’s Rock weigh up Festival choice

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Connections of Marie’s Rock are still no nearer to determining whether she will defend her Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle or instead attempt to land the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next week.

The Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old made a sparkling return to action, winning the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day, having not run since taking a second successive Grade One victory in the Mares’ Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last April.

The Middleham Park Racing-owned mare will be seeking a fifth consecutive victory regardless of which race she contests.

She is a general 3-1 joint second-favourite behind Honeysuckle for the two-and-a-half-mile Mares’ Hurdle on Tuesday and a general 7-2 second-favourite for Thursday’s three-mile Stayers’ Hurdle.

Middleham Park racing manager Tom Palin said the weather will play a major part in their decision.

He said: “There are no firm plans, I’m afraid. I know Nicky is championing the Stayers’ but in our conversations, there isn’t a firm decision.

“He wouldn’t be solely in the Stayers’ camp, nor am I solely in the Mares’ camp.

“I think I’d be right in saying neither of us would want to try her over three miles on the testing course at Cheltenham in soft ground.

“We do need to see just what the weather does and that is obviously very unsettled at the moment.”

Blazing Khal has headed the Stayers’ Hurdle market since winning the Boyne Hurdle at Navan last month, on his first start in 14 months.

However, he subsequently suffered a setback and trainer Charles Byrne will give him a final piece of work on Friday before determining whether or not he will take his chance.

“Blazing Khal has a date with destiny tomorrow by all accounts, so that is something to factor in,” added Palin.

“If the Stayers’ Hurdle favourite isn’t in the race tomorrow afternoon, that is something sizable to take in. There is nothing set in stone.

“We will probably make the decision at 9.50am on Sunday. If there hadn’t been any rain around and Blazing Khal was out, I would say that would have a very, very big swing on where we go, I would imagine.

“But it doesn’t look like it will be guaranteed good ground at this point.”

Henderson also has the JP McManus-owned Epatante – who was overturned by Marie’s Rock when odds-on favourite at Punchestown – entered in the Mares’ Hurdle.

Potentially the race registered at the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle is one the most competitive events of the four-day meeting.

Nicky Henderson also has Epatante in the Mares' Hurdle
Nicky Henderson also has Epatante in the Mares’ Hurdle (David Davies/PA)

Palin added: “If it is soft ground, like it is probably going to be on Tuesday, the extra stamina that we might have in a Stayers’ will surely come to the fore in the Mares’.

“Soft ground, up that hill, is Epatante guaranteed to get it in soft ground? That is a question.

“Lest we forget, we are 1-0 against her, having beaten her at Punchestown.

“It could be a mouthwatering race. The winners of the last three Champion Hurdles taking each other on, and you put in there Marie’s Rock, who is no slouch and is defending champion, and arguably the best filly in training this side of the Irish Sea, then chuck in young pretenders like Love Envoi, Brandy Love and Theatre Glory, and it really is the race of the meeting!”

Gold Tweet leading two-pronged French raid on Stayers’ Hurdle

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France will have two runners in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in two weeks, with both Gold Tweet and Henri Le Farceur set to be supplemented for the race.

The Gabriel Leenders-trained Gold Tweet has already shown his ability to British racegoers, winning the Cleeve Hurdle at the track in impressive fashion in January.

He will be joined by Henri Le Farceur, winner of a Grade Two at Auteuil on his last run in December and trained by Hugo Merienne.

Gold Tweet had three lengths to spare over Dashel Drasher in the Cleeve and is a general 8-1 shot for the March 16 showpiece.

Leenders feels he will have no excuses, whatever the pace of the race.

He said: “We are ready to run in the big race. He is relaxed and prepared. He will have some work on Saturday and then a gallop on the grass on Wednesday and then he will be ready.

“He jumps fast and is a very strong horse. He is not a big horse, but he is very strong. If we follow, he has a fast finish, which is perfect in an English race.

“If the race is fast, it is no problem. If the race is steady, it is no problem. He will relax and have enough to finish.”

With the exciting Noel George-trained unbeaten hurdler Il Est Francais looking poised to run in Britain next term, there could soon be a French invasion to mirror those great raids by Francois Doumen a few years ago.

The shoots of a truly international Festival are already beginning to flourish and Leenders added there is plenty of expectation across the English Channel.

“Everybody is excited, I think a lot of French people will come to the Festival and follow him, because it is very exciting for France,” he added.

Henri Le Farceur is another intriguing runner for the three-mile contest on March 16.

The six-year-old has won four of his 17 starts for Merienne, who said: “He is a nice horse. He will like the extra distance and I think he will like the track.

“Let’s have a try – it is a challenge, but we will see. We need to come and improve out knowledge for the future as well.

“He had a long year last year and we gave him a few weeks off.

“A lot of young French trainers who have worked in Ireland and England have come to Cheltenham to watch as a visitor. It is a bit of a dream for us to come here – it is like the World Cup, so let’s try.”

Flooring Porter ‘on target’ for Stayers’ Hurdle defence

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Flooring Porter is “on target” for a Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle hat-trick bid, according to trainer Gavin Cromwell.

The eight-year-old was magnificent from the front in the hands of Danny Mullins in both 2021 and 2022, but his chances of lighting up Prestbury Park for a third time appeared to be in the balance having met with a setback following defeat in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

His hopes of making the Festival were described as no better than “50-50” at the time, but connections are now happy with their charge, who returns to his beloved Cheltenham as the 6-1 joint-fourth favourite with the race sponsor.

“We’re happy now and we’re on target to run,” said Cromwell.

“Obviously he missed a bit of work and that isn’t ideal, but we’re happy with him nonetheless. He’s in good form and hopefully now we can get him over there in one piece.

“With such an unideal prep, hopefully he doesn’t have as big a target on his back and we can be slightly under the radar.

“But we’re delighted to be getting him there – a month ago we were very unsure whether we would, so it’s great to be thinking he’s certainly going to run.”

Cromwell is also hoping that Vanillier can sparkle in the spring when he heads to the Randox Grand National on April 15 following a pleasing display in Fairyhouse’s Bobbyjo Chase.

Vanillier here winning at the Cheltenham Festival, is set to line up in the Randox Grand National
Vanillier here winning at the Cheltenham Festival, is set to line up in the Randox Grand National (Michael Steele/PA)

The former Albert Bartlett winner was coming off a back of a fall at the Dublin Racing Festival when lining up in the Grade Three contest, but produced a clean round of jumping to finish just half a length behind Kemboy in second.

He is now likely to head straight to Aintree and saw his odds trimmed to a general 25-1 for National glory.

Cromwell continued: “I was delighted with the run. He jumped and travelled well and it was a good run to finish so close to Kemboy. I suppose the third horse was a bit behind on ratings which wasn’t ideal, but it was a good run nonetheless.

“I would say he is unlikely to run again between now and Aintree, but he’s not definitely not going to run again.

“We don’t know which way he will take to the fences, but hopefully he will and we’re looking forward to it.

“He’s a horse who seems to come good in the spring, so hopefully that is the case.”

Flooring Porter making good progress towards Stayers’ Hurdle defence

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Gavin Cromwell is “pretty optimistic” Flooring Porter will return to full fitness in time to bid for a third victory in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

The eight-year-old was a brilliant all-the-way winner of the three-mile showpiece in 2021 and was similarly impressive when successfully defending his crown last season.

He has been beaten in both the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan and Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle so far this season, but as that was also the case last term there was no serious cause for alarm.

Gavin Cromwell (left) and jockey Danny Mullins celebrate after Flooring Porter's second Stayers' Hurdle success
Gavin Cromwell (left) and jockey Danny Mullins celebrate after Flooring Porter’s second Stayers’ Hurdle success (Steven Paston/PA)

However, Cromwell revealed in mid-January his stable star had suffered a setback that meant his hopes of making the Festival were no better than “50-50” and “hanging in the balance”.

A month on, though, and the County Meath handler issued a more positive update on Flooring Porter’s well-being, saying: “He’s done plenty of work and has taken it all good so far, so we’re pretty optimistic at this stage.

“As things stand I’d say we’re 70-30 or 80-20 (to make Cheltenham).”

In Flooring Porter’s absence a number of horses have thrown their hat in the Stayers’ Hurdle ring.

Blazing Khal heads the Stayers' Hurdle market
Blazing Khal heads the Stayers’ Hurdle market (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Charles Byrnes-trained Blazing Khal is the new favourite after making a successful return in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan, Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoo staked his claim by winning the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park and French ace Gold Tweet came from nowhere to beat the best of the British in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.

With Flooring Porter’s Navan and Leopardstown conqueror Home By The Lee also in the mix, the reigning champion is as big as 10-1 to join Inglis Drever as a three-time winner

“A few horses have come into it over the last few weeks and we’re just hoping we can get our horse back to Cheltenham in the same nick he has been the last two years,” Cromwell added.

Pace key to Paisley Park’s Festival hopes

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Emma Lavelle believes a quicker pace in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle is vital if Paisley Park is to reclaim the title.

Winner of the race back in 2019, he has finished third behind Gavin Cromwell’s Flooring Porter for the last two years.

Despite being 11, he showed he is still a force to be reckoned with when winning the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton, but he was almost 10 lengths behind French raider Gold Tweet in the Cleeve Hurdle last time out.

“Paisley Park has come out of the Cleeve Hurdle well and seems in good order,” said Lavelle.

“He has had an easy time of it since, but we will start to build him back up for the Stayers’ Hurdle this week and roll into Cheltenham.

“I only feel he needs to step back up a little bit and if he does, then he won’t be far away in the Stayers’ Hurdle. They just didn’t go quick enough in the Cleeve.

“He hasn’t suddenly sprouted wings, the only reason he was in that position (handy) is that they hadn’t gone quick enough for him and then the quickening happened too late.

“When that happens he can’t then hit his flat spot and stay on while the others are coming back to him, which is what happened in the Cleeve.”

Lavelle also feels the form of her yard at the time may have played its part.

Emma Lavelle has her horses back in form
Emma Lavelle has her horses back in form (David Davies/PA)

“Our horses, until recently, haven’t been running great and we have had a number of them coughing and a few with snotty noses,” she said.

“I know he won a Grade One through all of that at Kempton Park over Christmas, but why wouldn’t he have something on him when everything else in the yard appears to have had it.

“He has been great for us for a good few seasons but we know it isn’t going to last forever as he is 11 years old now.

“He has been rated in the 160s for five seasons and there are not many horses, as the statistics show, that are rated above 150 in this country.

“When you look at how hard it is to get horses to be vaguely competitive at Cheltenham, we are lucky to have him.”

Cleeve hero Gold Tweet to be supplemented for Stayers’ Hurdle

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Gold Tweet is on course for a tilt at the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, with trainer Gabriel Leenders confirming he intends to supplement his Cleeve Hurdle winner for the Cheltenham Festival contest.

Although not among the original entries for the Thursday feature, Gold Tweet shot towards the head of the market for the three-mile Grade One when becoming France’s first Graded winner at Cheltenham in 18 years on Festival Trials Day.

Sent off a rather unfancied 14-1 for the Cleeve, he travelled strongly into contention in the hands of Johnny Charron before scooting clear of the game Dashel Drasher after the last to record a taking three-length victory.

Gold Tweet ridden by Johnny Charron (left) before going on to win the Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham
Gold Tweet ridden by Johnny Charron (left) before going on to win the Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

Connections were initially lukewarm about returning to Prestbury Park, but Leenders has now signalled his intention of stumping up the £14,787 supplementary fee for Gold Tweet to take part in the March 16 event.

He said: “We have no problem supplementing him for the Stayers’ Hurdle, the race on the Thursday.

“I’m very excited and it is a dream for me and all my team.

“It’s a better level race and the Irish horses are a different quality I think.

“We will come like last time, relaxed and we will see. If he has a good chance then we are happy, but we are relaxed. We won last time but now the race is better.”

Marie’s Rock options open, with Festival picture ‘changing daily’

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Connections of Marie’s Rock are set to leave a decision over her Cheltenham Festival destination as late as possible.

The star of Middleham Park Racing’s National Hunt string won the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park in 2022 and is as short as 5-2 to defend her crown following a successful reappearance for the Nicky Henderson-trained mare in the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day.

That race gained a new favourite on Tuesday when connections of three-time Festival winner Honeysuckle confirmed the Henry de Bromhead-trained nine-year-old for the two-and-a-half-mile event, while Marie’s Rock’s stablemate Epatante, Harry Fry’s Love Envoi and the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Brandy Love and Echoes In Rain are others in the mix for what is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the week.

However, she also holds an entry in the Stayers’ Hurdle later in the week and the ever-changing picture of both possible races has the Marie’s Rock team contemplating a step up to three miles for the Paddy Power-backed Grade One – a race for which she is priced at 5-1 with the sponsor.

“I saw her this morning and she is in great form – we are really happy with how she is,” said Middleham Park Racing’s Tom Palin.

“She’s in both races, we kept her in both races and are keeping both options open. We are considering both options pretty much equally and the situation seems to be changing on a daily basis at the moment.

“We don’t actually need to make a decision until March 12 which is declaration day for the Mares’ Hurdle. That is only the day we need to come down on a decision and that is probably when I will make it until something becomes painfully obvious before then.”

In possession of the defending champion, Palin is excited about the prospect of being part of a red-hot renewal of the mares-only contest, but admits Marie’s Rock’s dominant display at Prestbury Park in the Relkeel is making the move to three miles a tempting proposition.

“The Mares’ Hurdle is a mouthwatering race this year,” he continued.

“It has been slated over the past five or six years, but I think it is arguably the race of the meeting – how many Grade Ones has that field won?

“It will be a fascinating race and we won’t be afraid to take the challenge on if that’s what we decide at the time.

“It’s just at the back of my mind how well Marie’s Rock saw out the Relkeel when we knew she was a little bit short.

Nico De Boinville and connections of Marie’s Rock celebrate after winning the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle during day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse
Nico De Boinville and connections of Marie’s Rock celebrate after winning the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle during day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse (Nigel French/PA)

“At the start of the year I wasn’t really on board with it (three miles), but after that Relkeel we need to see it. She’s bred to get the trip and I don’t think she is a nightmare to settle anymore because Nico (De Boinville) and the team have done a fantastic job.

“She improved a stone if not a little bit more for two and a half and if she does that again moving up, then that puts her bang there in any Grade One over three miles.

“We will be looking at three miles in the not too distant future, if it’s not Cheltenham it will be Aintree, so its very much up in the air and both races at Cheltenham are being considered equally.”

Explaining some of the variables that will make up the decision-making process, ground features highly, as does the well-being of some potential rivals over the extended distance – with many heading to the Festival under a cloud.

He went on: “If it was shaping up to be bottomless on the Thursday for the Stayers’, would it really be sensible experimenting over three miles on really soft or heavy ground. That would also play into Teahupoo’s strengths as well the soft ground.

“But there are also plenty of marginal horses – Flooring Porter, Blazing Khal and Klassical Dream. Those three have all been quoted as being 50-50 to make the Festival.

“So let’s just see how it all pans out. I would love to say it’s definitely this race but the news is changing daily – Honeysuckle was being retired a few days ago and now she’s in the Mares’ Hurdle.

“Lets just see how it all pans out and I would love to be on her side in whatever race we come down on.”

Lavelle backing Paisley Park to close gap with Flooring Porter

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Paisley Park is reported to be in “great order” ahead of a fifth run in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Emma Lavelle’s stable star won the Paddy Power-backed Thursday feature in 2019 and his name was among the 28 possible runners for the contest when the entries were released on Tuesday.

Last seen defying the tight turns of Kempton when landing the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle on Boxing Day, the 11-year-old will attempt to win the Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle for a fourth time on January 28 as he completes his on-track Festival preparations.

And his trainer is proud to see him still competing at the highest level despite his advancing years.

“It just goes to show that you should never pigeonhole Paisley and I couldn’t have been happier with him on a track (Kempton) that probably doesn’t play to his strengths,” said Lavelle.

“I was very proud that he’s still winning at that level as a 10-year-old.

“Touch wood, he’s in great order – good, fresh and well and he’ll go to the Cleeve Hurdle first and the Stayers’ Hurdle is his big aim as ever. He’ll do one more piece of work on the grass next week (ahead of the Cleeve) but he’s in good form.”

Paisley Park has finished placed behind Gavin Cromwell’s hat-trick seeking Flooring Porter in the past two years, but Lavelle has hopes of a reversal this time.

Jockey Aidan Coleman (right) in the parade ring after winning the Long Walk Hurdle on Paisley Park at Kempton on Boxing Day
Jockey Aidan Coleman (right) in the parade ring after winning the Long Walk Hurdle on Paisley Park at Kempton on Boxing Day (John Walton/PA)

On turning the tables with the defending champion, she continued: “I certainly hope so – I do think so far this year that he has been performing better than last year and if he can keep that up, I’d like to think we’ll be finishing closer or hopefully in front of him.”

The Paddy Power market is dominated by Irish-trained entries with Flooring Porter heading the betting at 5-1 and closely followed by Joseph O’Brien’s Christmas Hurdle scorer Home By The Lee and Willie Mullins’ Klassical Dream.

The latter is one of eight for the Closutton handler with the possible Mullins runners including the Rich Ricci-owned pair of Chacun Pour Soi and Monkfish and last year’s Ballymore winner Sir Gerhard.

Charles Byrnes won the race with Solwhit in 2013 and could be represented by Blazing Khal, while the shortest-priced British-trained entry is Nicky Henderson’s Marie’s Rock, despite last year’s Mares’ Hurdle champion most likely to defend her title over shorter on the Tuesday of the Festival.

However, one whose name was missing from the list of entries is Seven Barrows stablemate Champ, who will bypass Prestbury Park in favour of a trip to Merseyside.

“Champ is on a little break so he won’t be running at Cheltenham,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.

“He will be freshened up for Aintree, that is the plan with him.”