2025 Novice Hurdlers

[EnvoiAlien]

He said: "Paul Townend has done a lot of schooling on her and she jumps very well. When we break in horses at home, we do a lot of loose schooling and she was always a very natural jumper. She pricks her ears a couple of strides before a hurdle and takes it on and gets down nice and low. We just need the right race and right ground for her now and she's all set.

"Plenty of winners came out of her Punchestown bumper and the form is turning out to be competitive. We just don't know how good she is but she's showing plenty and her schooling has been very professional.

"The aim is to turn up at Cheltenham for the Mares' Novices' and we still have plenty of time. We don't want to rush her and we want to mind her, especially a mare of that calibre."

Funny but the other day wasn't the yard saying they don't do much schooling at home,or is that just the mantra when they can't jump in public..

[Carnage at Taunton]

Funny but the other day wasn't the yard saying they don't do much schooling at home,or is that just the mantra when they can't jump in public..

Fair point, I was definitely reading that on here the other day

[Liammet]

So, this weekend then the DRF and that's Salvator Mundi qualified for the handicaps! It's all about the wins...

Could double him up with Lubumba in the Boodles

[EnvoiAlien]

Fair point, I was definitely reading that on here the other day

Indeed,I was surprised to see it myself,knowing its total bollocks as well.

[somer1]

Kargese ready to rattle and roll

at-the-races

Willie Mullins’ Kargese is nearing a return to action, as connections chart a course to the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

As well as being a dual Grade One winner as a juvenile with big victories at both the Dublin and Punchestown Festivals, the Kenny Alexander-owned five-year-old also gave high-class rivals Majborough and Sir Gino plenty to think about when runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle and at Aintree in the spring.

The aim is to go one better at Prestbury Park in March and Kargese could follow the route Lossiemouth took to the Mares’ Hurdle by running in the Unibet Hurdle on Festival Trials day later this month.

“Willie seems very happy with her and she’s very close to a run he’s said, she’ll run sometime this month,” said Peter Molony, Alexander’s racing manager.

“She could go to Cheltenham at the end of the month possibly, or there are other options, but we will see, we just decided to give her a bit of time in the early part of the season. The Mares’ is where I would have thought we are heading.”

Kargese’s conquerors Sir Gino and Majborough look set to carry all before them over fences this term and their early chasing escapades give connections plenty of confidence Kargese can also continue to flourish this term.

Molony continued: “Watching back those two races in the spring, coming to the last she was absolutely galloping over both Majborough and Sir Gino, but having pulled quite hard early, she just ran out of steam.

“If she learns to settle, I think she could be very exciting.”

Alexander-owned stablemate Jade De Grugy was another to land top honours last term, but plans for an intended chasing campaign have been put on hold for the time being following an interrupted first half of the season.

Also quoted at single-figure odds in the betting for the Mares’ Hurdle, it is hoped she will return before the end of the campaign, but there is no timescale being placed on her reappearance.

“She’s very exciting and the plan was to go chasing with her, but she had a small setback and she’s had a few weeks off and only just come back into training,” added Molony.

“At this stage we will probably stick to hurdling with her as it will be the latter third of the season when she will be running, so there is no point running over fences at that stage of the year.

“It’s just a watching brief at home, but hopefully we will see her at some point.”

There was also a reminder from Molony not to forget Gala Marceau, a Grade One winner and Triumph runner-up in her juvenile days, but not seen at her very best during the last campaign.

Last sighted chasing home Lossiemouth at Punchestown, she is soon to reappear following a setback that has kept her sidelined so far this winter.

“She had a knee operation at the beginning of the season, just for something niggly that was giving her a few problems last year,” explained Molony.

“She will be due back in the next few weeks. She’s a super mare who definitely wasn’t at her best last year, so hopefully she will be a better mare this season. She’s grown over the summer and strengthened, so we will see.”

[Rooster Booster]

Absolutely galloping over Maj and SG …no pressure then…

[Carnage at Taunton]

Indeed,I was surprised to see it myself,knowing its total bollocks as well.

What, You mean top trainer sending horses to the races without sufficient schooling?
Yes, hard to fathom that imo

[Birds Nest]

Nice to see joystick with an entry for the nathanial lacy, could really put a marker down for the albert bartlett if he turns up.

[JackieMoon33]

Nice to see joystick with an entry for the nathanial lacy, could really put a marker down for the albert bartlett if he turns up.

I'm expecting Final Demand to take his chance, be PT pick and take the honours. The question will be whether he moves up to AB or back to the Turners. The AB is the only race I'd back him for but that doesn't mean he wouldn't take his chance in the Turners. Willie has won this race and sent horses to both festival races so there is no clear trend.

[Exar Essay]

I'm expecting Final Demand to take his chance, be PT pick and take the honours. The question will be whether he moves up to AB or back to the Turners. The AB is the only race I'd back him for but that doesn't mean he wouldn't take his chance in the Turners. Willie has won this race and sent horses to both festival races so there is no clear trend.

Agreed. I don't think the winner of the Nathaniel Lacy has won the Turners before... but am struggling to check as RP helpfully put the "past winners" section behind the paywall yesterday.

9/2 on first show for the Nathaniel Lacy was a great price. 3/1 is fine too, IMO.

[HoldenTheReins]

RP helpfully put the "past winners" section behind the paywall yesterday.

Probably the start of more to come, tossers

[JackieMoon33]

Agreed. I don't think the winner of the Nathaniel Lacy has won the Turners before... but am struggling to check as RP helpfully put the "past winners" section behind the paywall yesterday.

9/2 on first show for the Nathaniel Lacy was a great price. 3/1 is fine too, IMO.

The winner hasn't won the Turners but Willie has sent two of his winners to the AB and one to the Turners.

[Istabraq]

Probably the start of more to come, tossers

They've become the epitome of commercial piss taking, I still buy a paper at £4.90 midweek £5.20 Sat, that goes us the week before Cheltenham and my guess is it'll go to £5.20 and £5.50, they're literally pushing everyone to the machine and then saying you get nothing unless you pay us.
I've started using the Racing TV app which is OK, but I do like RPRs as a guide for novices so need to switch...

[Rooster Booster]

They've become the epitome of commercial piss taking, I still buy a paper at £4.90 midweek £5.20 Sat, that goes us the week before Cheltenham and my guess is it'll go to £5.20 and £5.50, they're literally pushing everyone to the machine and then saying you get nothing unless you pay us.
I've started using the Racing TV app which is OK, but I do like RPRs as a guide for novices so need to switch...

Cancelled my digital subscription when it hit £50 per month and don’t miss it at all. Now buy two vinyls each month instead and get a lot more out of that. They would be wise to keep in mind they are in an entertainment business.

[archie]

The winner hasn't won the Turners but Willie has sent two of his winners to the AB and one to the Turners.

He also sent the 2017 winner, Let's Dance, to win the MNH. They thought that was their best chance of collecting the bonus on offer.