2016 Champion Bumper

[mayo]

His best chance to saddle a Cheltenham Festival winner at the final attempt, however, could come in the Bumper, the target for the five-year-old High Bridge.

Even by Ferguson’s standards, High Bridge has a pedigree from the top drawer. He is by Monsun, an outstanding sire of stayers whose offspring include Estimate, the Queen’s Ascot Gold Cup winner, and consecutive Melbourne Cup winners in Fiorente and Protectionist. His dam, meanwhile, was Ameerat, the winner of the 1,000 Guineas in 2001.
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High Bridge has not seen a track since December, when he thrashed two subsequent winners by 13 lengths in a bumper at Catterick. It was a hugely impressive success and it will be surprising if High Bridge does not start at a shorter price than the 20-1 which is still widely available.

“He won very well at Catterick and since then he’s thrived and thrived and thrived, and I’ve purposely left him alone,” Ferguson said.

“I’m not a betting man and I certainly won’t be getting involved but I’ve finished second in the Bumper with New Year’s Eve and fifth with Purple Bay, so we have a pretty good idea of what’s required.

“All I’m saying is that he’s given me every indication that he can be a player, but we need good ground. If I’m turning up on heavy ground, my ballerinas are going to be in trouble.”

[mayo]

No OK Corral

The Weatherbys Champion Bumper
Grade 1, £70,000 total prize fund. 5.30pm, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, two miles and half a furlong (2m 87yds). For four, five and six-year-olds only which have not run under any recognised Rules of Racing, except National Hunt Flat races, Irish National Hunt Flat races or French AQPS races. Horses are not to have run in more than four National Hunt Flat races and, before March 1, 2016, must have been placed first, second, third or fourth in such a race. Weights: 4-y-o: 10st 12lb, 5-y-o and 6-y-o: 11st 5lb, fillies and mares allowance 7lb. Entries closed March 1, entries revealed March 2 (32 entries), six-day confirmation stage March 10, final declaration stage 10.00am Tuesday, March 15. Maximum 24 runners.

Horse Age Owner Trainer
ANY DRAMA (IRE) 5 Nicholas Cooper Harry Fry
ASPEN COLORADO (IRE) 4 J P McManus Aidan O'Brien IRE
AUGUSTA KATE 5 The Masters Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
AUGUSTIN (FR) 6 Luke McMahon Willie Mullins IRE
AVENIR D'UNE VIE (FR) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE
BACARDYS (FR) 5 Shanakiel Racing Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
BALLYANDY 5 Options O Syndicate Nigel Twiston-Davies
BALLYMALIN (IRE) 6 Nigel Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies
BATTLEFORD 5 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
BLOW BY BLOW (IRE) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE
CASTELLO SFORZA (IRE) 5 J P McManus Willie Mullins IRE
COEUR BLIMEY (IRE) 5 Keith Harris Susan Gardner
COMPADRE (IRE) 5 Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith & Michael Tabor Jonjo O'Neill
CRIQ ROCK (FR) 5 The Trouble Partnership Alan King
DRUID'S FOLLY (IRE) 6 C R Trembath Rebecca Curtis
FIRST FIGARO (GER) 6 Bellamy Syndicate Dermot Weld IRE
GEORDIE DES CHAMPS (IRE) 5 Trembath, Outhart, Moran & Costelloe Rebecca Curtis
GOOD THYNE TARA 6 Nigel King Willie Mullins IRE
HIGH BRIDGE 5 Bloomfields John Ferguson
JAM SESSION (IRE) 4 Michael H Watt Ian Williams
JOT'EM DOWN (IRE) 5 Simon Hunt David Bridgwater
KING UTHER 6 Anthony Ward-Thomas Chris Gordon
NEW TO THIS TOWN (IRE) 5 New To This Town Syndicate Jessica Harrington IRE
ONTHEWESTERNFRONT (IRE) 6 Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith & Michael Tabor Jonjo O'Neill
PRIDE OF LECALE 5 Paul & Clare Rooney Fergal O'Brien
RATHER BE (IRE) 5 Matt & Lauren Morgan Nicky Henderson
SPIRIT OF KAYF 5 Sprayclad UK Sandy Thomson
TURCAGUA (FR) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
UTILITY (GER) 5 Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith & Michael Tabor Jonjo O'Neill
VERY MUCH SO (IRE) 6 Supreme Horse Racing Club/Brett Graham Willie Mullins IRE
WESTEND STORY (IRE) 5 Mick Fitzgerald Racing Club Philip Hobbs
WINSOME BUCKS (IRE) 6 Robert Sinclair Tom Hogan IRE
32 entries
14 Irish-trained

[mayo]

donn

Mares may be under-rated

Since the possibility of Augusta Kate running in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham has gathered momentum, it is worthwhile taking stock of the performance of mares in the race. Just two mares have won the race since its inauguration in 1992: Mucklemeg in 1994 and Total Enjoyment in 2004. (And no, 2006 winner Hairy Molly was not a mare.)

It is not a great return on the face of it, just two wins in 23 runnings, so just 8.7% of the winners were mares. The logical conclusion, therefore, is that Augusta Kate is up against it.

But dig a little deeper. Not many mares run in the Champion Bumper. In the 23-year history of the race, there have never been more than three mares in one renewal, this in a race that usually boasts between 22 and 25 runners. In total, 32 mares have run in the race from a total of 535 runners. That’s under 6%. So, actually, 8.7% of the wins from under 6% of the runners is a good return.

Also, since 2008, a total of just three mares have run in the race. There were none in any year between 2010 and 2013 inclusive, there was just one in 2014, Izzini, a 50/1 shot, and just one again in 2015, Montana Belle, another 50/1 shot, who finished eighth.

Finally, when Total Enjoyment won the Champion Bumper in 2004, there were just three mares in the race. One of the others, Refinement, finished second to Tom Cooper’s mare, and the other, Blazing Liss, fell. When Mucklemeg won it in 1994, Aries Girl chased her home. They were the only two mares in the race, and they finished first and second.

So perhaps the task that is facing Augusta Kate is not so daunting after all.

[jkite16]

donn

Mares may be under-rated

Since the possibility of Augusta Kate running in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham has gathered momentum, it is worthwhile taking stock of the performance of mares in the race. Just two mares have won the race since its inauguration in 1992: Mucklemeg in 1994 and Total Enjoyment in 2004. (And no, 2006 winner Hairy Molly was not a mare.)

It is not a great return on the face of it, just two wins in 23 runnings, so just 8.7% of the winners were mares. The logical conclusion, therefore, is that Augusta Kate is up against it.

But dig a little deeper. Not many mares run in the Champion Bumper. In the 23-year history of the race, there have never been more than three mares in one renewal, this in a race that usually boasts between 22 and 25 runners. In total, 32 mares have run in the race from a total of 535 runners. That’s under 6%. So, actually, 8.7% of the wins from under 6% of the runners is a good return.

Also, since 2008, a total of just three mares have run in the race. There were none in any year between 2010 and 2013 inclusive, there was just one in 2014, Izzini, a 50/1 shot, and just one again in 2015, Montana Belle, another 50/1 shot, who finished eighth.

Finally, when Total Enjoyment won the Champion Bumper in 2004, there were just three mares in the race. One of the others, Refinement, finished second to Tom Cooper’s mare, and the other, Blazing Liss, fell. When Mucklemeg won it in 1994, Aries Girl chased her home. They were the only two mares in the race, and they finished first and second.

So perhaps the task that is facing Augusta Kate is not so daunting after all.

Great stats here Mayo, and one that are all positives for me (with a hefty stake on Augusta Kate at 25/1)... Lets hope she ends up here now and not Sandown!

[mayo]

New to this town bought by Potts....

[Istabraq]

Nice angle on the mares mayo.
Augusta Kate has a great chance but is priced as though she may not run, if Mullins confirms she will go I suspect she'll be 4/1 in minutes.
What worries me is that Mullins alwasy had other targets for the horse, perhaps she doesn't have the character for the hustle and bustle despite winning a 15 runner event at Navan ?

[Old Vic]

Nice angle on the mares mayo.
Augusta Kate has a great chance but is priced as though she may not run, if Mullins confirms she will go I suspect she'll be 4/1 in minutes.
What worries me is that Mullins alwasy had other targets for the horse, perhaps she doesn't have the character for the hustle and bustle despite winning a 15 runner event at Navan ?

3 of the books NRNB at 7s Istabraq.

[Istabraq]

3 of the books NRNB at 7s Istabraq.

Hadn't realised that OV, price has shortened since I last saw that market.

There's a big bumper at Newbury on Sat with a number of possible high class horses entered, could cut up of course and I could swear by it but I doubt there have been many champion bumper winners who ran 10 days or so before the race

[Bayoffreedom]

There's a big bumper at Newbury on Sat with a number of possible high class horses entered, could cut up of course and I could swear by it but I doubt there have been many champion bumper winners who ran 10 days or so before the race

I don't think so Istabraq; actually none of Saturday's runners are entered in the Bumper. The only horse entered in the Champion Bumper who is even entered this weekend is Good Thyne Tara of Mullins. I would guess she was only entered in case they needed to get her rating up if there had been lots of entries. Seeing as there's only 32 entries she's probably done enough to get in anyway. She could be interesting on better ground actually; decent enough form first time at Limerick (May) and then got stuck in the mud at Fairyhouse in January. I'm not a fan of any of the Mullins horses from this season except for Augusta Kate (but it seems that WPM is very concerned if she will be able to take the Cheltenham atmosphere) but am very intrigued by Good Thyne Tara (it's a tough race for mares but, at least, she's a 6 y-old) Turcagua and Very Much So of his.

[Istabraq]

Of course, I'd forgotten entries had closed.
How's your beast doing ?

[jonthehammer]

If you look at the form check out the race Very Much So won on his only start.

Horses that finished 2 to 7 in that race have all been out and won and some more than once. The form stacks up well and so does his time in the race he won.

Only negative is his time off the track but the yard are confident he will run a good race and if Ruby rides you wont get 16/1 on the day

[Bayoffreedom]

Of course, I'd forgotten entries had closed.
How's your beast doing ?

Will be seeing him myself next week but to quote Mr Fahey "he's a different horse" He should be after running last year with a displaced sternum and an undetected Grade 4 ulcer - all is good now and virtually no scar tissue from the ulcer. He has an automatic feeder in his box and is eating around the clock (Best way to prevent ulcers) We're planning to run him early April in a 2 1/2mile maiden and, let's just say, we're excited. I will let you know when he's entered. Thanks for asking!

[loveracing]

Will be seeing him myself next week but to quote Mr Fahey "he's a different horse" He should be after running last year with a displaced sternum and an undetected Grade 4 ulcer - all is good now and virtually no scar tissue from the ulcer. He has an automatic feeder in his box and is eating around the clock (Best way to prevent ulcers) We're planning to run him early April in a 2 1/2mile maiden and, let's just say, we're excited. I will let you know when he's entered. Thanks for asking!

Good luck on BOF and do let us know when he's back in action.

[Morning Glory]

If you look at the form check out the race Very Much So won on his only start.

Horses that finished 2 to 7 in that race have all been out and won and some more than once. The form stacks up well and so does his time in the race he won.

Only negative is his time off the track but the yard are confident he will run a good race and if Ruby rides you wont get 16/1 on the day

Welcome Jon.

Yep. He has won a 100K bumper but in the same tent as MTOY. Not seen since April 14.

[Istabraq]

Will be seeing him myself next week but to quote Mr Fahey "he's a different horse" He should be after running last year with a displaced sternum and an undetected Grade 4 ulcer - all is good now and virtually no scar tissue from the ulcer. He has an automatic feeder in his box and is eating around the clock (Best way to prevent ulcers) We're planning to run him early April in a 2 1/2mile maiden and, let's just say, we're excited. I will let you know when he's entered. Thanks for asking!

Good to hear, wish him well...