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The name changing can be confusing!!! In my last job, was only me and let's just say an older generation man who was into horse racing, some great conversations had about our love for the sport, bit confused me sometimes with calling races by what they used to be known as. I'm sure when I'm older and a young buck starts I my place I will be calling Races such as World Hurdle, JLT and whatever and they will look at me as if my head is cut!
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Haha what a melon I am! Thanks both, I was just about to red line my spreadsheet !Comment
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Yep, I was heading straight for cashout myself right before it dawned on meOriginally posted by Garrison Savannah View Post
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Dan Skelton is likely to make a late call as to which race Roksana will contest at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Alcester trainer will keep a close eye on the weather as the meeting approaches before making his decision.
Should conditions be soft or worse for the start of the four-day fixture, Skelton would be tempted by the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle on the Tuesday – which Roksana won in 2019.
However, if the ground is good to soft then Roksana could wait for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle two days later.
The nine-year-old has leading claims for both races, and showed her well-being with a convincing victory over Magic Of Light at Ascot last month.
Betfair - Build Your Free Pot For Cheltenham offer
“I’m really happy with her,” said Skelton.
“She’s come out of Ascot well and she will either run in the Mares’ or the Stayers’. It will depend a little on the ground.
“If the ground was just good to soft, then I think she’d have to go three miles. If it was a very wet forecast in the build-up, and we were going to get very wet ground on the Tuesday, she could go to the Mares’.
“It’s a hard thing just to say ‘yes, definitely’ we’ll go for one or the other, at this point.”
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Stayers does look strong fav then based on that.Comment
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Gordon on a few of my Cheltz fancies in an interview on National team................
Farclas
“He will probably go for the 2m 5f handicap at Cheltenham but the one thing we have to worry about him is the trip. We will go to Cheltenham first then see what happens.”
Run Wild Fred
“I might keep him for the Irish Grand National this year. He is a consistent sort. He ran well in the Thyestes the last day. He is a good horse. I’m thinking the Grand National will be for him next year.”
Shattered Love
“She will go to the new Grade Two mares’ chase at Cheltenham next and we will see about the National after that. I thought she ran very well over two miles at Naas on Saturday as that trip would have been way too short for her.”
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Hmm to cash out run wild Fred or believe Gordon is playing games...Comment
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Any word on Fakir D'oudairies and Elixir D'Ainay?Last edited by Sprinter Sacre; 16 February 2021, 05:14 PM.Comment
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Just to make it even more confusing , The old brown advisory /merriebelle etc is now " The Paddy Power Plate " .Originally posted by Big Bucks View Post
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It has already been a season to remember with four Grade 1s locked and loaded, but things could get a whole lot better for Henry de Bromhead at Cheltenham next month.
Honeysuckle joined exalted company when landing back-to-back Irish Champion Hurdles at Leopardstown, and she will put her unbeaten record on the line in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
De Bromhead could also be represented in the race by lively outsiders Aspire Tower and Jason The Militant.
The Waterford trainer has similar strength in depth in the WellChild Gold Cup with A Plus Tard and Minella Indo set to do battle, while last season's Arkle winner Put The Kettle On and Notebook are set for the Betway Champion Chase.
Away from the established runners, De Bromhead has a wealth of emerging talent, including leading Ballymore contender Bob Olinger, Brown Advisory Novices' Chase fancy Eklat De Rire and Arkle challenger Captain Guinness.
A Plus Tard
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup
I'm probably biased, but the Savills Chase looked to be one of the strongest Gold Cup trials, if not the strongest, run all season. He seemed to do it very well and the form got franked by Kemboy in the Irish Gold Cup. We are very lucky to have two horses like him and Minella Indo in the race and we have purposefully kept this fella fresh for the Gold Cup. We are very happy with him.
Aspire Tower: a dark horse for the Champion Hurdle
Patrick McCann
Aspire Tower
Unibet Champion Hurdle
He has really strengthened up since Christmas and looks amazing. He definitely has claims in the Champion Hurdle and is in mighty form, and I would be hoping that there is a lot more improvement in him. We purposely said we'd go straight from Christmas to the Champion Hurdle and we will try to have him spot-on for the day.
Henry de Bromhead on Bob Olinger: "He’s a Grade 1 winner over two and a half miles so I would imagine we would be leaning towards the Ballymore"
Patrick McCann
Bob Olinger
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
He has always worked like a really nice horse and thankfully he has shown that on the track. We were delighted with him when he won the Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle and he seems to have taken that race really well. Blue Lord was second to us at Naas and he went on to chase home Appreciate It at Leopardstown so it looks like it was good form. He's in the Ballymore and I would say that is where we will go, but he's in the Supreme as well and nothing is set in stone. However, he's a Grade 1 winner over two and a half miles so I would imagine we would be leaning towards the Ballymore.
Captain Guinness
Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase
We are looking at the Arkle for him. It was just a silly fall at Leopardstown. He looked like he was going to run well before coming down at the second-last and I think this horse will be a lot better for better ground as well; nice spring ground will suit him. We've been very happy with him since Leopardstown. Obviously it's not ideal going to the Arkle off the back of a fall and we need to improve, but he's in good form and he usually jumps really well. Rachael [Blackmore] felt there was a huge difference between Naas and Leopardstown in him for the marginally nicer ground so you would be hoping for better again come the spring. Hopefully that would bring him into the picture in the Arkle.
Chris's Dream
Ryanair Chase
I think we are going to go for the Ryanair. We said we'd train him for that race and he seems to be in good form.
Eklat De Rire
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
He goes for the three-mile novice chase. Touch wood his jumping has been very good and he has looked good in winning both of his starts over fences for us – he was very good at Naas the last day. Monkfish obviously looks a very good horse, but we are happy with Eklat De Rire and are looking forward to him.
Henry de Bromhead on Honeysuckle: "We are happy to go for the Champion Hurdle with her"
Patrick McCann
Honeysuckle
Unibet Champion Hurdle
She was brilliant at Leopardstown. We just feel very lucky to have her. She seems in mighty form since so touch wood it is all systems go for Cheltenham. It was a very impressive performance at Leopardstown. I'm not saying I was expecting her to go out and win the Irish Champion Hurdle by ten lengths, but nothing surprises me with her because she is just so good. She has only had two runs this season whereas this time last year she had three. It's just the way things fell. Last year there was a lovely race to start off in before the Hatton's Grace, but this year she went straight to Fairyhouse. She probably got me out of trouble there, to be fair to her, but thankfully she did. Touch wood she jumps really well and we are happy to go for the Champion Hurdle with her.
Irascible
Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle
He's in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and I'd imagine that's where he'll go. That's the plan at the moment anyway.
Jason The Militant
Unibet Champion Hurdle
He runs in the Red Mills Hurdle on Saturday and we'll see how that goes. If it works out well then he could run in the Champion Hurdle. He could be a dark horse for Cheltenham.
Minella Indo: a different horse around Cheltenham, according to de Bromhead
Patrick McCann
Minella Indo
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup
I know A Plus Tard is shorter than Minella Indo in the betting, but we also know Minella Indo comes alive around Cheltenham. The main objective was a clear round at Leopardstown the last day after falling in the Savills Chase, and I was very happy with him bar the second-last. Kemboy got an easy lead and I think Minella Indo ran well in the circumstances given it was effectively his first race in open company. I think we will see a different horse in the Gold Cup and I'm very happy with him. If you look at his beginners chase before Cheltenham last year, he wasn't that impressive either, but he has a habit of raising his game for the festival.
Notebook
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
We said we'd give forceful tactics a go at Leopardstown last time and, between that and the ground, it just didn't work. His best form is on better ground and I think he's entitled to go for the Champion Chase. Obviously he was disappointing in the Arkle last year, but his form has been good this season so I think we will go and take our chance.
Put The Kettle On
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
We are leaning towards the Champion Chase with her. Arkle winners have a fantastic record in the race and we know how much she loves Cheltenham. She has improved a huge amount since she has come back to two miles and she has a great record around Cheltenham, she is unbeaten round there, so I would say we are leaning towards that. Obviously the Mares' Chase is an option, but that race is over two and a half miles. It's something we are in discussion over, but I think we are leaning towards the Champion Chase. I would never have thought a big open track like Leopardstown would have suited her and she seems to just love it at Cheltenham so hopefully we can see the best of her next month.
Other runners
Telmesomethinggirl will probably go for the Mares' Novice Hurdle and Minella Melody will go for the Mares' Hurdle. Champagne Gold has a few options. He's in the Supreme and will also be entered in the County and the Martin Pipe.
Read our other festival stable tours . . .
Colin Tizzard: 'He's got a massive day in him and is getting better as we step him up in trip'
Nicky Henderson: 'You wouldn't be complaining with the runners we have for the festival'
Paul Nicholls: 'He keeps improving and deserves his place – it wouldn't surprise me if he won'
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FIRST PUBLISHED 6:00PM, FEB 16 2021
I know A Plus Tard is shorter than Minella Indo in the betting but we also know Minella Indo comes alive around CheltenhamRelated stories
Where were the viewers? Why alarm bells are ringing loud for Irish racing We're set for a different Cheltenham - and Aintree could be the beneficiary 'He's got a massive day in him and is getting better as we step him up in trip' ITV to show six Cheltenham Festival races live each day for the first time 'You wouldn't be complaining with the runners we have for the festival' 'He keeps improving and deserves his place - it wouldn't surprise me if he won' Key data
Henry De Bromhead
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Can anyone post any information or a link on Kim Baileys comments about Happygolucky running in the Ultima please?? Was it live on ATR or in a stable tour??Comment
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Lee is readying two more stable stars for Cheltenham, in Storm Control and Happy Diva.
“It’ll be Storm Control (Kim Muir), Happy Diva (Mares’ Chase) and this chap,” she said. I’ve only got 20 to run – so that’s not bad, is it? We like a bit of quality.”
Storm Control also has a Randox Grand National entry – but well down the order after the publication of the Aintree weights on Tuesday, Lee is realistic about his prospects of making the cut.
“He is in the National, but I’m not sure he’ll get in,” she said “I had a quick count down and thought ‘aah’. We’ll concentrate on Cheltenham.”
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