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....First Flow heading to Champion Chase:
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Big thanks to anyone posting targets in here, for those of us who don’t get the chance to follow every piece of news it is extremely useful.
Keep up the good work...Comment
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Metier straight to supreme 14 minutes inComment
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Jonjo stable tour.....
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Updates on some of the hendo horses.
Not sounding great for Champ and looks like hes leaning towards the mares hurdle for DDCComment
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Doesn't sound at all confident Allart will be there does he. Gallyhill might !Originally posted by KingSprinterSacre View PostComment
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Nicholls festival stable tour in tomorrow’s RPComment
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Willie Mullins column in Sporting Life
”I’m aiming James Du Berlais at the Unibet Champion Hurdle, that’s his main target. We’ll see whether he runs in the Red Mills at Gowran first but the main aim with him is Cheltenham.”Comment
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Today columnComment
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Hendo said about lecales article..made a u turn we think? Sure he said prob miss Cheltenham before. ?
I asked about Gallyhill and Nico said the boss can answer that one and then he did answer with my preferred answer.Comment
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....Willie Mullins reflects on DRF and highlights his weekend runners:
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Colreevy chat here - https://t.co/U1tgRnV27Z
They would love to do a Meladon with Colreevy but the most suitable race for the seven-year-old is in open mares’ company, and the conditions are unfavourable. A 12-length cruise in a Grade Two novice mares’ chase at Thurles at the end of January has provided food for thought though.
“We had more or less decided to give the Mares’ Chase a miss, but the manner of her victory at Thurles has made us think,” admits Flynn of his homebred daughter of Flemensfirth.
“She couldn’t have done it any easier.
“The conditions of the (Cheltenham) race mean that she would actually have to give Benie Des Dieux seven pounds, as a winner of a Grade One chase this year. She would have to give weight to Elimay too.
Another factor is that she has run at Cheltenham twice and while she hasn’t run deplorably, she hasn’t run up to her best either, finishing seventh in the Champion Bumper in 2018 and fifth in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle last year.
“We just haven’t made a decision yet though.”
No doubt trainer, Willie Mullins will have his say and it is notable that the Closutton boss also stables the two high-class mares referred to by Flynn. So his input will be significant.
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Paul Nicholls stable tour in the RP today for The Festival
Even by his own high standards it has been a standout season for Paul Nicholls, who is on course for his 12th trainers' championship and is readying a small but select team for the Cheltenham Festival.
The trainer will be hoping for a repeat of last year when Politologue led home a one-two for the yard in the Grade 1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, a race Nicholls has landed six times.
Politologue will head a talented team next month including Bravemansgame, a leading contender for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, and Frodon, who is in great form ahead of the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup.
"We didn't have a runner on the opening day last season and we might not have many this year due to the way the races are scheduled," Nicholls says. "We'll have a small but select team.
"I've learned over the years the festival is not the be-all and end-all, you should only send horses who have decent chances. Some of ours will swerve and go to Aintree or be left for the future. You want to have horses good enough but you can't be blinded by Cheltenham.
"We'll have some exciting novices in Bravemansgame, Barbados Buck's and Next Destination, as well as the likes of Politologue. We're lucky with our record in the big races but those horses don't come along often so it was special to win the Champion Chase last year."
Ashutor
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase
He did really well last summer, winning three times in seven starts between June and September. He's subsequently been off all winter as he was quite busy. He travels well and will have a prep run at Fontwell. He's rated 139 and novices have a good record in the race.
Barbados Buck's
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
He keeps improving, stays forever and deserves to take his chance. It wouldn't surprise me if he won and he should run well. His win at Kempton showed he was impressive. He defied a 10lb penalty and Harry Cobden got off him and said you wouldn't know what's in the tank. He will gallop all day and that's what you need to win this. It's a step up in grade but he's rated 139 so he deserves to be there. It's great to have a nice young horse for his owner Andy Stewart.
Bob And Co
St James's Place Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase
Bob And Co is already qualified and his owner David Maxwell would ride him if he's allowed. He's the highest-rated of all our hunter chasers with a mark of 146. He won two races last season but he struggled a bit with his breathing and has had a wind op. That's improved him a lot. He could run very well and I'm hopeful that amateurs can ride – it's their Gold Cup and they ought to be there.
Bravemansgame
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
He's one of our best chances on paper. There are some good Irish challengers in the race, but this lad has done nothing wrong and won the Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury impressively last time. He can't do any more than keep winning and this will be a stiffer task against the best of the best. He's improving all the time and we're thrilled with him. I can't wait for him to go chasing next season too.
Cyrname
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup
He's going to run in the Betfair Ascot Chase next Saturday provided the ground is not heavy. He'd be 33-1 in the Gold Cup and he's favourite next week. I'd quite like him to go to Aintree, but if he doesn't run at Ascot then I would love to run him in the Gold Cup. He can be a bit sulky, but when it goes right he's hugely talented. He keeps winning big races. I thought his Charlie Hall win at Wetherby showed he could be on the fringe of being a Gold Cup horse at some point. He's got enough speed to handle Cheltenham's undulations and doesn't need to make the running.
Duc Des Genievres
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
He's entered, but I wouldn't want to run him if the ground was too soft. He ran well on his first start for us behind Put The Kettle On at Cheltenham when he didn't quite get up the hill. The ground was too heavy at Ascot when we held him up on his most recent start. He has breathing issues, which doesn't help him, but if the ground is decent he could run.
Frodon
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup
He was brilliant in the King George at Kempton. It was an extremely competitive field but he won cosily and had the run of the race. He's arguably even better going left-handed as he jumped to his left a bit around Kempton. He's shown he loves Cheltenham as a Cotswold Chase and Ryanair winner. I don't think there's an issue with him staying now as he's crying out for the trip. The thing is you wouldn't want him to get into a scrap with the likes of Native River so he'd have to be ridden sensibly. You don't need to make the running in a Gold Cup. There are a lot of positives and I think it's a very open race. I think we all have to beat last year's winner Al Boum Photo, but there are question marks surrounding several in the field. You know he'll run his race as he's tough and genuine.
Greaneteen
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
Ryanair Chase
He'll run in the rearranged Game Spirit Chase at Newbury next Sunday and that will give us a clue as to whether to go for the Champion Chase or Ryanair. He's still a young, improving horse and I'm not sure he wants a scrap against all those older horses just yet in the Champion Chase. When Harry got off him at Sandown after the Tingle Creek he said he might want two and a half miles.
Hell Red
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
He was very impressive on his first run at Chepstow in October, when he hosed up by 12 lengths. He then pulled up at Cheltenham the following month and has had a breathing operation since. He's been given a mark of 134, which is fair. At one point he was leading the betting for the Triumph, and he could have a prep race at Wincanton next Saturday.
Houx Gris
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
He came over from France and hadn't been with us long before finishing third on soft ground at Chepstow last month. He travelled beautifully but just got a bit tired after the second-last. He's got a fair mark of 128, travels well and should be suited by better ground.
McFabulous
Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle
He had good form going into the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on his second start of the season and did well to finish third behind Thyme Hill and Paisley Park. It looked like he might win jumping the last, but he got outstayed and if we rode the race again we might have done things differently. He won nicely at Kempton last month and, stepping him back up to three miles, he might be better on a flat track so the plan is to go for the National Spirit [February 28] and then Aintree. However, if the ground was very soft at Fontwell, we might be open to running in the Stayers' if it was good ground. He wasn't far off the market leaders at Newbury, but at the moment he seems suited by flat tracks. He's good enough to be at the festival.
Next Destination
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
He joined us last June and has been a revelation this season. He ran very well when second behind Roksana at Wetherby in October after a 920-day absence. Then he won well at Newbury and Warwick. The ground at Newbury was as quick as he'd like and he jumped well at Warwick but is probably better on a galloping track. He will make a high-class chaser next season and deserves to run. Monkfish is the one we've all got to beat, but he can only go and do his best. Anything can happen in the novice chases at Cheltenham.
Politologue
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
The race cut up a bit when he won last year, but it was a brilliant performance. He ran a solid race the other day too. I was impressed with Chacun Pour Soi and if he replicates his win in the Dublin Chase then he's going to be very hard to beat. We've got to do the best we can and Politologue is genuine and tough. He runs with his heart on his sleeve and will do the same this time. He's a good Grade 1 winner who has deserved to win his races, but this will be difficult.
Real Steel
Ryanair Chase
He definitely wants better ground than he's been running on and he travelled well in the King George. It looked like he had a good chance before fading out of it and it transpired that he bled. I've always seen him as a middle-distance horse so the Ryanair on decent ground should suit. He's come along well and is getting used to our way of doing things.
Sametegal
St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase
He has to be placed in another hunter chase before the end of the month to go. I was thinking of going to Aintree with him, but if he got in at Cheltenham then he could be another entry. We've had a lot of good times in the race. Bryony Frost launched her career in it.
Shantou Flyer
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
He was placed in the hunter chase last year. He joined me only a month ago with the plan of going hunter chasing, but everything changed due to the pandemic as David [Maxwell] couldn't ride him. We ran him at Wincanton last month and I thought he would run well, but he just needed it. It would have brought him on and he loves Cheltenham. He's a nice, solid chance for us in the Kim Muir.
Southfield Harvest
Pertemps Final
I'm sweet on him for this race. His half-brother Southfield Theatrewas beaten by a head in this so it would be nice to go one better. He's progressive and will love the trip. Harry will take the ride. He is scheduled to run at Exeter on Sunday.
Storm Arising
Pertemps Final
He's improved this year and won nicely at Lingfield. He pulled himself up a little while in front at Sandown on his penultimate start and probably should have won that day. He then won nicely at Chepstow last month. He will once again be ridden by Bryony.
Thyme White
Randox Health County Hurdle
I've always thought this race would suit him. He won impressively at Chepstow on his first start of the season but then unseated Harry while going well at Newbury. He hasn't been able to run since due to the ground. He's due to run in the rearranged Betfair Hurdle next Sunday, but if he can't because of the ground then he could go for the County Hurdle and then the Scottish Champion Hurdle.
Remaining runners
Plans for all the handicaps have not yet been finalised, but I expect to send a strong team of runners, which could include Betfair Hurdle winner Pic D'Orhy, Christopher Wood and Wild Max.Even by his own high standards it has been a standout season for Paul Nicholls, who is on course for his 12th trainers' championship and is readying a small but select team for the Cheltenham Festival.
The trainer will be hoping for a repeat of last year when Politologue led home a one-two for the yard in the Grade 1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, a race Nicholls has landed six times.
Politologue will head a talented team next month including Bravemansgame, a leading contender for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, and Frodon, who is in great form ahead of the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup.
"We didn't have a runner on the opening day last season and we might not have many this year due to the way the races are scheduled," Nicholls says. "We'll have a small but select team.
"I've learned over the years the festival is not the be-all and end-all, you should only send horses who have decent chances. Some of ours will swerve and go to Aintree or be left for the future. You want to have horses good enough but you can't be blinded by Cheltenham.
"We'll have some exciting novices in Bravemansgame, Barbados Buck's and Next Destination, as well as the likes of Politologue. We're lucky with our record in the big races but those horses don't come along often so it was special to win the Champion Chase last year."
The owls are not what they seemComment
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I take it Wild Max would be County?Comment
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