Posts Tagged ‘On the Nose’

Frankel ridden to victory in the 2000 Guineas

This month always provides some fabulous racing with the Eclipse at Sandown, the July festival at Newmarket followed by the Darley Cup at the same track and the Betfair week-end at Ascot. But with the summer sun still high in the sky, Pimms flowing and more than it’s fair share of glamorous celebrities swanning about “The World’s Most Beautiful Race Course”, Glorious Goodwood is surely the highlight. With five days of high-class racing on the banks of the Lavant, the meet has plenty for us in the Levante to look forward to. Read the rest of this entry »

Well there’s been mixed results for the odds-on backers of late. Kauto Star well beaten by suffering from a burst blood vessel, Master Minded run close by Somersby in the Victor Chandler. (I confess a little birdie told me that there were some concerns over the age of Kauto now echoed by Nicolls). What have the results so far this season told us about the fortunes for the leading contenders for honours at Cheltenham? This month we preview the Champion Hurdle of which there are been four trial races to mull over, as we look at the chances of the leading contenders.

With memories of the great Istabrak, the Champion Hurdle is always a favourite with punters at Prestwick Park and is the feature race on the first day’s card. Run over two miles 110 yds, the race is for 4 yo+ with eight hurdles to jump around the Old Course.

Last year Binocular bolted up to win the race and is the ante-post favourite this time around. Defeat  by 7l to Peddler’s Cross first time out in the Fighting Fifth in November has been bolstered by victory in another Cheltenham trial, the Christmas Hurdle. McCoy believes that he was a little fresh for the first out at Newbury and the ground didn’t suit him at Kempton so perhaps he is on the up. McCoy himself says that the one to watch is Hurricane Fly winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle. The Willie Mullins trained horse seems to go on any ground and is coming off the back of three Grade 1 wins this season.

Menorah another contender has had fantastic start to the season winning both the Greatwood Hurdle and the International Hurdle. Irish horses have a fair record in the Champion Hurdles producing six wins from the last twelve runnings and having won at Cheltenham before is certainly a plus.

Age is important for the Champion Hurdle, the prime age is 7-8. Katchit in 2008 was the first 5yo winner for 23 years and over the last ten years 70% of the winners have been  7yo+ . That said, older horses have not faired well either perhaps in part due to the always fast pace of the race. Only 4 horses over the age of 8 has won this race in the last 50 years.

Scoring with The Champion Hurdle is always a great way to start the festival so what-ever you back – good luck.
On the Nose - The Sentinella – February 2011

Well as the New Year comes around punters thoughts inevitably turn towards the Cheltenham Festival as they pick the bones out of the festival trials and endeavour to make sense of the form. Weather permitting, January provides a number of opportunities to see the leading festival contenders from the UK stables, and of course, the Irish raiders.

Held at Ascot on 22^nd January the Clarence House Chase better known as the Victor Chandler Chase has in recent years has provided decent run outs for some of the leading contenders for the Queen Mother’s Champion Chase, the feature race on day two of the festival. Three horses have won both races in the same season, Viking Flagship (1994), Call Equiname (1999) and Master Minded (2009). Indeed who can forget the impressive style in which Master Minded won the Queen Mother’s the year before in 2008 as a 5yo.

Maturity in both races seems to be the key as 70% of winners have been 7yo+, so Master Minded as an 8yo should come into his own and looks good to follow up on his 8l victory in the Tingle Creek Chase in December. The Irish have a good record in this race and Big Zeb should not be ignored to follow up on last year’s victory, even as a 10 yo.

Quality rather than quantity is what the Queen Mother’s is all about. Sizing Europe, last year’s winner of the Arkle, is many people’s fancy and previous winners of the Arkle have a good record here.  Another Irish trained horse he is certainly a decent type, but has he got it in him against the really top class chasers. He was beaten comfortably by Kauto Star at Down Royal last time out, just holding on to second place from China Rock.

The Queen Mother’s Champion Chase is set to provide race goers with another classic this year. What-ever you back – good luck!!
On the Nose - The Sentinella – January 2011