Alex Hammond racing blog: A Christmas full of crackers!
By Alex Hammond
Last Updated: 01/01/15 2:59pm
Sky Sports News presenter Alex Hammond looks back at the Festive action and previews Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
We've enjoyed some superb racing this Christmas period with some quality performances, none more so than Silviniaco Conti in the King George. He stamped his authority on the staying chasing division with his second successive victory in the Boxing Day showpiece at Kempton.
I was very confident of a classy performance from the Paul Nicholls-trained horse (see last week’s blog) and we got just that as he beat off the rest with a smooth performance under Noel Fehily. Silviniaco Conti now has to prove he is as effective at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup for which he's now 11/4 with Sky Bet for the festival Blue Riband.
The eight-year-old is 0/3 at the track but Nicholls said afterwards he doesn’t think his charge has any aversion to Prestbury Park as any horse that can lead going into the last fence in a Gold Cup must act on the track. I have to say I wholeheartedly agree and think he is staying better as he gets older. He is a worthy favourite.
As for his possible rivals, Bobs Worth is out to 16/1 and Lord Windermere 12/1 after they ran disappointingly in the Lexus Chase behind new leading Irish Gold Cup contender Road To Riches (8/1 for the Gold Cup).
There was an element of a shock victory about last season’s Gold Cup and Jim Culloty’s horse has to prove that wasn’t the case. Nicky Henderson put Bobs Worth’s tame effort down to conditions at Leopardstown. I hope that’s the case as it didn’t fill you with confidence even given it was his first run since March. His record at Cheltenham is excellent though with five wins from six outings and given better conditions on the big day it would be foolish to write him off.
Road To Riches has apparently been transformed by a new diet as his record this season confirms with back to back Grade 1 victories. He’s only seven years old and he has been allowed to go largely unnoticed until now; what’s not to like about this consistent gelding. His current price doesn’t seem unattractive and although I am a huge fan of Silviniaco Conti and have fancied him for the last two runnings of the Gold Cup, this horse is a major threat if he gets to Cheltenham in one piece.
Faugheen continues to impress and whilst he didn't have a huge task on his hands to win the Christmas Hurdle, he was virtually flawless once again and has cemented his position at the top of the market for the Champion Hurdle as 5/4 favourite ahead of The New One (11/4).
Faugheen can make a few jumping errors and that’s something you’d like to see ironed out before Cheltenham and at the prices I’d be keen on backing last year’s unlucky third. Faugheen’s stable-mate Huricane Fly continues to impress as he won his 21st Grade 1 at Leopardstown on Monday beating current champion Jezki for a battling win.
He turns 11 on New Year's Day and his star shows no sign of waning just yet. Come March time though, things will be tougher when he bids to win a third Champion Hurdle. Ruby Walsh will no doubt be on board Faugheen and it’s hard to get away from the unbeaten six-year-old’s obvious claims.
The Fly is a credit to Mullins though and whilst we get used to him dominating the jumps scene in Ireland, we mustn’t underestimate the job he does with this horse. To keep a horse of his age sound and enthusiastic about the job takes serious skill and that shouldn’t be taken for granted. As for Jezki, he has a good chance of a rare reversal back at Cheltenham. He is being aimed for a repeat bid in March and anything before that is a bonus.
Whilst Nicky Henderson had to Bobs Worth run poorly at Leopardstown, he had some good news this week as Sprinter Sacre returned to a racecourse for the first time since pulling up at Kempton with a heart problem last Christmas.
Henderson chose Newbury on Monday to unveil his stable star and was pleased with what he saw from the 2013 Champion Chase winner. I'm not so sure Barry Geraghty will have been quite as comfortable when the eight year old stood a mile off the open ditch - his second fence – and had to stretch to get over it. It was a heart-stopping moment (excuse the pun), but Henderson put that down to exuberance. His next appearance on a racecourse will hopefully be in the Clarence House Chase on 17 January if all goes well and he is now 7/4 for the Champion Chase.
One more post-script from the Christmas period, and I’d love to see Coneygree continue to reward his connections. The Mark Bradstock-trained novice looked superb when winning the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day. He jumped really well, which can apparently be attributed to son Alfie, who is making a name for himself on the show jumping circuit and is based with Graham Fletcher. Things haven’t gone entirely to plan for the Bradstocks with the horse with that high profile withdrawal from a race at Plumpton, but that is behind them now….unless he wins at the Festival and they miss out on the £60,000 bonus available of course! He’s 12/1 for the RSA Chase.
Well, onto this week’s action and there is a busy New Year's Day programme with Cheltenham taking centre stage.
There are some exciting novices declared for the BetBright Dipper Novices’ Chase with Ptit Zig going for a fourth win in a row since switching to fences. I didn’t fancy him for the Ascot race he won last time out as I thought his jumping had been a bit deliberate, but he proved me wrong by beating the well fancied Josses Hill in style. His main danger this time appears to be Champagne West for Philip Hobbs.
He’s two from two over fences and won a small-field race over this course and distance last time out. He is all about stamina and whilst he has a bit to find on official ratings with the Paul Nicholls trained horse, he’s a tough sort who can win again.
Staying at Cheltenham and the BetBright Handicap Chase is an open-looking affair. Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Caid Du Berlais is back at the venue of his biggest triumph. His chance of following up that win in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup was scuppered by a bad mistake and he was quickly pulled up. He runs off the same mark here.
Splash of Ginge was another that was undone by a mistake in that same race when falling four out on what was his handicap debut. He has a chance to make amends here off the same mark.
Tenor Nivernais is trained by Welsh National-winning handler Venetia Williams. This horse returned after 20 months off to win at Kempton further advertising Williams’ skills. The bounce factor can often be a worry after such a layoff, but he has had plenty of time to get over Kempton and I’m not unduly concerned. There wasn’t much the handicapper could do for a short head success and a 3lb rise doesn’t look insurmountable. He’s at the right end of the handicap and isn’t exposed over fences.
Rolling Aces is another for Paul Nicholls. This horse has had his breathing issues, but has some smart top-level form if he can overcome top weight.
If Champion Court can improve for a return to his favourite venue then he could be one at a bigger price. He ran over the National fences at Aintree last time, but never really got into things despite getting round. He has run here more than anywhere else for local trainer Martin Keighley and has a good record. He has dropped to a mark that commands respect, but needs to re-find some of his sparkle. Conditional jockey Conor Shoemark takes off another valuable 3lb.
So, a few ifs, buts and maybes, but I think last season’s Betfair Hurdle winner Splash of Ginge deserves another chance after his mishap last time out.
You can’t rule many out in a classy-looking Dornan Engineering Hurdle. Vaniteux is the market leader for Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty. He was second in the Greatwood and then second to The New One in the International Hurdle last time out. It’s well known that his trainer thinks he’ll be a better chaser than hurdler and expects to see him in the 2016 Arkle. For now, he’s not doing a bad job of hurdling.
His stablemate Beat That is also amongst the final declarations. Andrew Tinkler rides the six year old who is having his first run since April. He should take high order this season, but jockey bookings suggest he may improve for the reappearance.
Rock On Ruby won the Relkeel Hurdle at this track last time out and it looks like he could be back at Cheltenham in March for the World Hurdle, or Aintree is also an option for the former Champion Hurdle hero.
Paul Nicholls runs Silsol, who surprised his trainer when winning at Newbury in November as he thought he needed the run. He takes the step up to take on the big boys now so will need to have improved but is expected to have done so.
Cole Harden is a horse I like enormously. He seems to prefer to go left handed and the form of his Wetherby win is good. He was second in the Long Distance Hurdle last time out, but picked up a bit of birch in his knee that day which caused him to miss some work and bypass a possible race in Ireland over Christmas. I’m not sure this will be enough of a test for him which is my primary concern here, but he should run well.
I’m going to go with Rock On Ruby, he has an excellent track record and has plenty in his favour including the consistently good run of his trainer Harry Fry.
Elsewhere on the card, I like Zeroshadesofgrey in the opening Neptune Novices’ Hurdle. He made quite an impression when winning at Doncaster last time out when winning his third race on the bounce. His trainer Neil King has always been a very capable handler, but since his move from Newmarket to Barbury Castle in Wiltshire things have got even better. This is a nice horse to have.
I’m going to give Saint Are another chance in the BetBright on Mobile Handicap Chase. I gave him a good mention on the blog for the Becher Chase on his second start for his new trainer at the beginning of December. He ran well, staying on into third, and now cheekpieces are added to the tongue tie he wore at Aintree. Whilst he doesn’t have a good record at Cheltenham, he is incredibly well handicapped if his trainer can squeeze that bit of extra out of him.
At Musselburgh, there is some decent prize money on offer for their jumps card and the Totepool Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle is the most valuable contest. Dan Skelton has sent a couple of decent looking horses up to the track including Stephanie Francis who looks unexposed and carries bottom weight in this two-mile contest. Her main dangers look to be hat-trick seeking Lightening Rod and the horse he beat at Wetherby last time out, Fisher. The Skelton horse should be in the shake up, but I’m going with Lightening Rod for Mick Easterby.
Workbench can make Skelton’s trip to Scotland worthwhile in the Totequadpot Scottish Premier Handicap Chase. He fell in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham last time out, but prior to that he ran well to be third in the Badger Ales Chase (fourth past the post) at Wincanton two starts back over a trip that probably stretched him. He ran off a 1lb higher mark that day than the one he’ll race off at Musselburgh and if he can put that fall behind him, should be a real threat over a trip that looks more suitable.
Have a great day and enjoy your racing. Happy New Year!
New Year's Day Selections:
Cheltenham:
Zeroshadesofgrey in the opening Neptune Novices’ Hurdle
Saint Are in the BetBright on Mobile Handicap Chase
Champagne West in the Dipper Novices' Chase
Splash of Ginge in the BetBright Handicap Chase
Rock On Ruby in the Dornan Engineering Hurdle
Musselburgh:
Lightening Rod in the Totepool Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle
Workbench in the Totequadpot Scottish Premier Handicap Chase