Straight From The Trainers Mouth 13/3/13

Straight From The Trainers Mouth

Day 2 Cheltenham

13:30 John Oaksey National Hunt Chase

Merry  King –

He jumps grand for a novice and settles well. We don’t know if he’ll get four miles and he is also in the Kim Muir but I think he’d be a really good ride in the four-miler. – Jonjo O’Neill

Drawn N Drank –
think I'm riding Drawn N Drank for Enda Bolger in the four-miler (John Oaksey National Hunt Chase), if he gets in," said McNamara.
"Enda quite likes him but he's not certain to get in just yet. If he doesn't get in I'd imagine I'll be riding one for Jonjo (O'Neill). – JP McNamara

Godsmejudge - “I’m very happy with the horse,” said King. “I think he’s one of my best chances.” Alan King

Back In Focus - Back In Focus stays all day. He has the same owner as Boston Bob and they won't go for the same race. Back In Focus could go for either the four-miler or the RSA – Willie Mullins

Rival D’Estruval –

He's on track for the four-mile John Oaksey race at Cheltenham so fingers crossed he stays in one piece and we get there. He goes really well fresh. We purposely gave him a break for this race. I think he has the right profile for the National Hunt Chase as he stays well but has enough pace to run well over two and a half miles.With a bit of luck there’s no reason why he can't go there and run a big race. We've spoken with Derek O'Connor and he has agreed to ride him if he runs, which is fantastic.- David Parker.

Buddy Bolero –
was given a fair shout. He didn't run in last year's festival as he didn't feel that it was right for the horse at that stage of his career. Although it was a modest race it won at Leicester he feels that he is improving off his mark of 142. Looks a Welsh National type for next season as all he does is gallop and stay. – David Pipe

Same Difference –

I wasn’t really disappointed with his run on Saturday. I think he ran a good race – a novice against old handicappers. He was running on well at the end and is in the four-mile race (John Oaksey National Hunt Chase) and I would have thought we would look at that.” – Nigel Twiston Davies

14:05 Neptune Investment Management Novice Hurdle

Puffin Billy –

I didn't take him anywhere in the end after it was frozen off on Sunday,” said Sherwood. “We just brought him home - it wasn't a fitness issue with him going to Newbury, we just wanted to take him out.

“He worked super this morning. I was absolutely delighted with him. It's all systems go for the Neptune now. -  Oliver Sherwood

Pont Alexandre –

He has answered every question we've asked. His target is the Neptune and if he gets better ground than he's had in Ireland this winter then I believe he'll be even more effective as he's from a good-ground family. I rate his chances in the Neptune very strongly.  He looks to be one of the best novice hurdlers we've had, apart maybe from Hurricane Fly.

I'm looking forward to going to Cheltenham with him and particularly looking forward to novice chasing with him next year. He is a gorgeous horse with a great temperament

– Willie Mullins

Pont Alexandre –

Pont Alexandre is as close to a nap at the festival as you will get, he looks like a Denman in the making. But if you were to look for value, Puffin Billy is a good option. –Barry Geraghty

Pont Alexandre –

Pont Alexandre is a gorgous big horse. Jumps. Stays. Has a huge future. Nothing not to like, he ticks all the right boxes – Ruby Walsh

The New One –

He will be going for the Neptune Hurdle and is in good nick.
“The big difference this time is that it will not be desperately heavy ground. He has obviously got a huge burst of speed and in hindsight we probably used it a bit too soon last time.
“He will probably take it up going to the last I would expect. There is no point sitting there, making a mistake at the last and getting run out of it. It is difficult but the ground cannot be as horrible as it was last time.
“I would hope all my horses have good chances but he would be the shortest-priced and the bookies are cleverer than most of us so maybe he is our best chance.
“There will be pace in the race. I don’t really worry about the others – on the day I will obviously but we have just got to go there as fit as we can – what will be will be – Nigel Twiston Davies

Rule The World - if my horse goes to Cheltenham he’ll go straight there and two and a half miles might be as far as he'd want to go around Cheltenham at the moment, although I’ve also entered him for the three-miler (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle).

“I don't think the ground really matters to our horse but he might be a bit better on better ground. – Mouse Morris

Taquin Du Seuil –

We have a lot horses at the Festival with chances but he is the one that excites us. There is improvement in him. He ran quite a few times on the Flat in France so is a hardened performer.

‘If we can keep him sound we will have a lot of fun with him because he is a big horse who’ll also make a cracking chaser.

‘I did enter him in the three-mile novice hurdle but he is unproven at that trip. I also hope AP (McCoy) can ride him. He has a chance of riding doing that in the Neptune but would not have any chance in the three-miler. – Jonjo O’Neill

Two Rockers –

It would have to be soft ground for Two Rockers to go to the Festival, and he is very much a horse for next year," King said on www.alankingracing.co.uk.
"So, while I would not be against bringing him back in trip for the Neptune if conditions were right, equally I would not be too perturbed if we had to give it a miss." – Alan King
Flying Cross -
This is probably the darkest horse we send to the Festival. Never run over hurdles. He won't go for the Champion Hurdle now. I've spoken to Robin Geffen [owner] and the plan is to go for the Supreme or the Neptune. He'll be left in both, probably, at the five-day stage. Very good horse on the Flat with Aidan O'Brien, finished third in the Irish St Leger, was rated 111 and if he can translate that to hurdles, he could be a very nice horse. Schooled nicely at home, all he's done is improve. He had a tendon injury, hence he's been off for a long time. We've had him for a long time, about nine months, put a lot of work into him, he's improving daily. It's a big ask but it's one we hope he's up to. He deserves to take his chance. He's an out-and-out galloper, doesn't mind cut in the ground. Is still a colt, quite laid back but the more you ask, the more he gives you. He worked this morning and that was probably the best work he's done. It's not impossible. He'll probably go there without a run. He's been jumping quite quick and flat, so, when he makes mistakes at home, he doesn't lose much ground. [Might he be a stallion one day?] That's the idea of keeping him an entire, is that, if he does well over hurdles, he could be a dual purpose stallion. We've taken our time with him, didn't want to rush him. Touch wood, his legs are good and he's doing plenty of work nowadays. – David Pipe

RSA Chase

Lyreen Legend –

I'm leaning towards running Lyreen Legend in the RSA Chase as the distance of the Jewson [2m5f] might be too short,” he said.

“We'll probably leave a final decision until the weekend but it's between those two races.

 – Dessie Hughes

Lord Windermere –

He came out of the race very well and we are preparing him for Cheltenham now,” said Culloty.

“He made a very bad mistake early on, he literally broke a fence, and you don't tend to win Grade Ones after doing that, so to finish so close was a great effort.

“He's never run a bad race over fences yet and we are waiting to step him up in trip on some nice ground.

“To say he was half a length behind Boston Bob must give us a little chance. 

“But the price our lad is might have something to do with the fact he's trained by Jim Culloty and not Willie Mullins! – Jim Culloty

Dynaste –

He's run very, very well again," said Scudamore. "You couldn't fail to be impressed with him. As boring as it sounds, it's just straightforward with him.

"He jumped superbly as ever. He's quick and neat and just a very straightforward and good horse.

"It's difficult to compare him with Grands Crus (last year's winner). Grands Crus beat Silviniaco Conti and Bobs Worth in what felt like a proper championship race.

"They didn't go very quick (today) and I'm not sure it rode like such a good race, but it could be all the more impressive from Dynaste that he made it so straightforward – Tom Scuadamore

One of the shorter-priced favourites at the meeting, still in the two races [RSA and Jewson] and will probably still be in the two at the five-day stage. He's in good form, he's done nothing wrong. He's bigger, stronger this year. He's won over two and a half miles twice and then a very good performance in the Feltham. Won't mind what the ground is. Very similar profile to Grands Crus from last year but he's a more straightforward horse than Grands Crus. [As horse plays up, laughing:] He'll be going back in his box very shortly. [what will affect choice of race] Opposition, really. [which distance will suit him better eventually?] Not sure. Maybe three miles, I don't know. He's a good traveller, jumps nicely, straightforward and has a nice engine. Any weaknesses? I hope not. I don't know of any. Anyone know of any weaknesses? He looks rock solid. I know Grands Crus looked rock solid last year and he was a shorter price. I didn't think this year's Feltham was as strong as last year's and I think it's wrong to really compare Grands Crus and Dynaste anyway. I didn't think it was that hot a Feltham this year but Hadrian's Approach ran a very good race behind Unioniste, so that franked our form. He's got rock solid form and getting there in good form. – David Pipe

Dynaste –

Race revolves around Dynaste – could be 7/8lbs ahead of everything. – Ruby Walsh

Unioniste -
Five-year-old who's had a really good season with us since he came over from France. I bought him in the summer, did win a race at Auteuil, just an ordinary race. Won for us at Aintree first time out, he then raced at Cheltenham behind Dynaste when we made the running with him. He was just a little bit green. I think he had a really nice handicap mark and he won the Paul Stewart Gold Cup at Cheltenham in December, stayed on strongly, jumped well and won really well. Gave him the rest of the winter off, went to Newbury the other day, won the three-mile novice chase on Denman day, the race Denman won on his way to the RSA Chase. He's kept on improving, he jumps great and the other day he was probably about 80% right, had a huge blow afterwards. We knew it was always going to be a tricky race and in a small-runner race, we didn't want to be in front too soon. He idled a lot all the way up the straight and eventually won by a head but I always remember Kauto Star winning the Aon Chase by a head and went on and won the Gold Cup. That was his prep race, he's improved enormously for that run and he'll be better, like he was at Cheltenham in December, when they get plenty of runners, they go a true gallop and you haven't got to be in front with him. He stays, he jumps, goes well at Cheltenham and I think is definitely in with a chance if he can get cut in the ground in the RSA. He is still in the Jewson over two and a half and if you suddenly got torrents of rain the week before and the ground was bottomless, we could switch him to the Jewson and bring in Rocky Creek into the RSA, who at the moment I'm leaning towards going somewhere else, though that has yet to be decided. – Paul Nicholls
Boston Bob –
Like Hurricane Fly last season, Boston Bob has never pleased me all year.

'He’s improving all the time and doing alright but I just hope I’ve done enough with him early on in the season to take on the sort of horse he’ll meet in the RSA. – Willie Mullins

Goulanes –

I think he’s a good horse and we think a fair bit of him,” said Scudamore. “He’s very tough and has guts and talent to burn.

“He’s not a flashy, impressive horse but knows where the winning line is and that’s all that matters.

“The Wetherby contest rode like a good race and we went a good gallop. There were horses in that race with serious RSA Chase ambitions.” – Tom Scudamore

Goulanes –

is entered in both the RSA and the National Hunt Chase. His owner Roger Brookhouse seems to prefer the RSA and he feels that we will need all of the three miles to be seen at his best. He is far from flashy but is gutsy, stays well and is still progressive. Although he has only run once over fences he has run twice over fences in the point-to point field – David Pipe

Hadrians Approach -

Dynaste is likely to run here but wherever he goes he will run a huge race. He is the real deal, near impossible to beat. I would love to ride him, could be the English banker. Hadrians Approach has a chance and is working well – Barry Geraghty

15:20 Sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase

Sanctuaire
Hasn't had the best of seasons. He's in the Champion Chase. Obviously, Sprinter Sacre's red-hot favourite, we're playing for crumbs really. Didn't run particularly well in the Victor Chandler in January, when the ground was really soft and he's never very good at this time of year. If the ground could dry up and you could ride him like he needs to be, a little bit handier, he's a horse who could definitely pick up a bit of place money. He's won well at Sandown but quite honestly his Gold Cup is probably at Sandown, right at the end of the season. He loves it round there on fast ground. Sprinter Sacre looks nailed on, very much like Master Minded used to be, he looks invincible but this horse looks way better than he ever did in the middle of January. It'd be unrealistic to say we fancy him to win because it would be impossible, on form. Probably not a Grade One horse, he's won Grade Twos and that's probably where he'll always be but if we can place him right, we can pick up some good money with him. – Paul Nicholls

Somersby –

He came out of Ascot grand and we've decided we're going for the big one with him - the Queen Mother,” said Channon.

“We were happy enough with his last run. He was beaten eight lengths. He travelled into the race very strongly but it looked like he didn't stay the extended two mile five furlongs. He moved into it well and then found nothing off the bridle.

“It wasn’t the end of the world, he seems in good form so we'll go to Cheltenham and see how he gets on. – Mick Channon

Wishfull Thinking –

Realistically Wishfull Thinking will probably run in the Champion Chase because Menorah will run in the Ryanair Chase. It's the same ownership.

“If we could guarantee second place now I'd be delighted to have second prizemoney because that won’t be easy, as you would expect in a Champion Chase. I'm sure there will be other horses in there we'd be worried about – Phillip Hobbs

Sprinter Sacre –

Sprinter Sacre
He's as good a looking horse as I think you'll ever see. You put it all together, it doesn't always work. Bobs Worth is no oil painting, he's just a nice horse but when Sprinter comes along, it's a totally different ball game. He's just a gorgeous horse that has got a lot of natural talent. It's all just terribly easy for him. We won't be complacent, he's got to learn not to be. He hasn't been yet but he doesn't want to be. They all say he hasn't beaten anything but you can only beat what's put in front of you and he's just kept doing that and our job is to make sure that that continues. – Nicky Henderson

Sprinter Sacre –

is better this year than last. He has speed, jumps, stays; he loves fences more than hurdles. At the moment he is in  a league of his own, he has everything!!  - Barry Geraghty

Sprinter Sacre –

Unless Nicky Henderson’s horse box breaks down on the way to the track, Sprinter Sacre will win! Mail de Bievre could be e/w value. – Ruby Walsh

Finian’s Rainbow -
He's the reigning champion chaser. I'd have to admit, that was disappointing on Saturday, although I hardly went in there full of confidence. But Barry [Geraghty] is absolutely adamant that he does not go in soft ground. He was the one that we felt had to have a race because he's only had one run this year and he's a different type of horse altogether to a Grandouet or a Bobs Worth. He desperately needed a run. OK, so you might say, I wish I hadn't done it but I was talking to Michael [Buckley, owner] this morning and just said, I've watched it 100 times, maybe it wasn't quite as bad as it looked. He just doesn't operate on that [going]. Barry said, about four or five out, he went to go long and it was the first time in his life he's ever let him down. And that is just ground, ground, ground. He won't go Gold Cup, that you can rest assured. I think there's every possibility he'll come back to two. But it's got to be good ground. That's our line of thought at the moment – Nicky Henderson
Mail De Bievre –
has been supplemented for the Champion Chase. The drop back in trip should be to his advantage, making use of his long stride and jumping. He has delighted us with his work since his reappearance at Newbury last month. – Tom George

16:00 Coral Cup Handicap Chase

Wonderful Charm -
This is an interesting horse, you've only seen him once in this country. He won the Persian War at Chepstow in October. We've had a little bit of an issue with his breathing before that day, we didn't think he was that clear and during the race, Ruby said, he was choking on and off and he ran a little bit in snatches, so straight afterwards we decided to get on and sort his breathing out. He had a breathing operation. I never was going to be that keen to run him until after Christmas. He's in the Coral Cup and I should think that's favourite, where he's going to run. He's got a mark of 149 and at the moment I don't know whether that's good, bad or indifferent. But he's good form in Auteuil, graded form, and he won the Persian War. In a normal year, if the ground hadn't been so bad, he'd have had a couple of runs by now and we might be heading down the World Hurlde route, he's actually in the World Hurdle. But having not been able to run him, I think we'll go down the handicap route first with him and then see as the season progresses where we end up with him. He's a horse we like a lot. He's going to Kempton on Saturday to have a racecourse gallop. I'd be hopeful he'd be a few pounds off top weight [in the Coral Cup] and he'd go there with a realistic chance. – Paul Nicholls

Orsippius –

He’s absolutely flying at home and I'm just crossing my fingers he gets in,” said trainer Smith.

“He gave Peddlers Cross a real fright at Musselburgh a couple of weeks ago and the winner had the benefit of a run in a bumper.

“We'll improve a good deal for that and he'll go close in the Coral Cup if he gets in. He absolutely loves Cheltenham – Michael Smith

Noble Prince –

He had to have some time off after splitting his hoof at Aintree but is back in work now and seems well,” said County Wexford-based trainer Nolan.

“It's a case of so far so good with him and hopefully if everything continues the right way, we'll have him back in time for Cheltenham.

“We'll probably give him a prep run over hurdles somewhere and then go to Cheltenham, where he could have a go at the Coral Cup.

“He ran well in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham a few years ago when fifth behind Thousand Stars and we probably picked the wrong race - we probably should have gone for the Coral Cup then.

“Fingers crossed everything continues to go well – Paul Nolan

Meister Eckhart - Meister Eckhart has really put a spring in my step as the race attracted a very strong representation from Paul Nicholls. He ran a huge race to be second as this was his first run of the campaign.
"I had done plenty with him beforehand but I would still expect some improvement from that and he could now head for the Coral Cup. – Alan King
Master Of The Sea -
He has been a revelation this season, going up a lot in the handicap. He will go for the Coral Cup at The Festival.
“We have not got to the bottom of him yet – he keeps improving. I would be very excited about the Coral Cup – Nigel Twiston Davies

4:40 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Megalypos –

Megalypos could be the one for this. He has progressed well, good e/w bet. – Barry Geraghty

Ptit Zig -
He's in the Fred Winter and at the moment he's favourite, a bit of money around last week and he soon shortened up. He's by Great Pretender, a sire I like by King's Theatre. We have one other horse by the same sire, Mr Mole. This lad, he'd had three runs in Auteuil, fourth, eighth and second, ordinary enough form. We bought him just before Christmas, thinking he was possibly one that could run in the Fred Winter. He went to Ludlow the other day on his first run for us, from New Year's Day, who runs today. He was quite green but showed plenty of promise, won really nicely. He had a handicap mark of 126, he's gone up 4lb. I suppose 130 is OK, we don't know enough about him but 130 is a nice mark to be running in a race like that. He'd definitely be in with a chance. He would want plenty of cut in the ground, he wouldn't want it to dry, he's a big, chasing sort of horse. Pleased with him since he won at Ludlow. We haven't had him long enough or done enough to really know where he is. Sanctuaire [who won Fred Winter for PN] was on a really good mark when he won that day. I'm not so sure about this lad, I think he's a big baby, different type to Sanctuaire, very much a chaser, would have a chance if there's cut in the ground. – Paul Nicholls

5:15 Weatherbys Champion Bumper

Blackmail –

Blackmail is a lovely horse, a good ride to get. It’s a wide open race but I think he has a rock solid chance. – Barry Geraghty

Briar Hill –

Willie’s won it God know’s how many times. Union Dues Briar Hill and Sizing Tennesse are likely runners. I was far from impressed with Golantilla but one who did catch my eye was Blackmail . I could be on Briar Hill as Patrick will probably ride

Union Dues with Andrew Lynch on Sizing Tennessee – Ruby Walsh

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The Liquidator –

was second in a bumper at Cheltenham at the back end of last year and has subsequently bolted up at Exeter in what he described as merely "a racecourse gallop". He felt the horse was similar to Liberman and was fairly hopeful of his chances. – David Pipe

Pure Science -

By Galileo, he is a very smart horse. He is in the bumper if he gets in. He may not because he got beat the other day at Newbury – they went too slow for him then – Nigel Twiston