County Hurdle 2013

[Old Vic]

THE VINCENT O’BRIEN COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE
Class 1, Grade 3 Race £80,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 2.05pm, Friday, March 15, 2013, two miles and one furlong. For five-year-olds and upwards. Penalties: after February 24, a winner of a hurdle race 5lb. No penalty to increase a horse’s weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed February
19 (121 entries), entries released February 21, weights revealed February 27. Six-day confirmation stage March 9, final declaration stage 10.00am, March 14. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, February 18, 2013. May not include some
overseas form. Maximum number of runners - 28.

Form Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer
0-51125 PETIT ROBIN (FR) 10-11-12 S W Group Logistics Limited Nicky Henderson
10-4321 SO YOUNG (FR) 7-11-08 Mrs M McMahon Willie Mullins IRE
00-2334 BRAMPOUR (IRE) 6-11-07 Arron & Katya Banks Paul Nicholls
1F1131- GRUMETI 5-11-06 McNeill Family Alan King
613110 CAUSE OF CAUSES (USA) 5-11-05 Timeform Betfair Racing Club Ltd Gordon Elliott IRE
306/1//1-0 SNAP TIE (IRE) 11-11-03 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
064-112 MIDNIGHT GAME 6-11-03 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE
111U3-2 COTTON MILL 6-11-03 Bloomfields John Ferguson
53-2041 PROSPECT WELLS (FR) 8-11-03 Andrea & Graham Wylie Paul Nicholls
U-31003 BALDER SUCCES (FR) 5-11-02 Masterson Holdings Limited Alan King
F-1222(2) HINTERLAND (FR) 5-11-01 Chris Giles & Potensis Limited Paul Nicholls
121-043 HISAABAAT (IRE) 5-11-01 Dr Ronan Lambe/Dominick Glennane Dermot Weld IRE
1141 FORGOTTEN VOICE (IRE) 8-11-00 Susan Roy Nicky Henderson
16-2233 EDGARDO SOL (FR) 6-11-00 Axom XXXII Paul Nicholls
21/406/-2 KHYBER KIM 11-11-00 Caroline Mould Nicky Henderson
00-6140 MUIRHEAD (IRE) 10-10-13 Mrs Pat Sloan Noel Meade IRE
63-5345 SAILORS WARN (IRE) 6-10-11 Patrick Wilmott Edward O'Grady IRE
0/3F6/-4P RONALDO DES MOTTES (FR) 8-10-11 K & D Ives David Pipe
661112 BRICK RED 6-10-11 Julian Taylor & Andrew Brooks Venetia Williams
115-2U0 CASH AND GO (IRE) 6-10-11 Robin Geffen Nicky Henderson
661-0P1 BALLYNAGOUR (IRE) 7-10-10 Allan Stennett David Pipe
0-060F(0) STARLUCK (IRE) 8-10-10 Andrew Wates David Arbuthnot
1/1123-1 NATIVE GALLERY (IRE) 8-10-10 William Tyrer Ben De Haan
(4)03-0(4)3 CLERK'S CHOICE (IRE) 7-10-09 Michael Banks Michael Banks
2F50-10 OLOFI (FR) 7-10-09 McNeill Family Tom George
301125 SHRAPNEL (IRE) 7-10-09 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
13160B RATTAN (USA) 8-10-08 J A Coleman Willie Mullins IRE
412-340 DONNAS PALM (IRE) 9-10-08 Ian Beach Tim Vaughan
--------------------------------
Cut off before withdrawls

30-1011 TENNIS CAP (FR) 6-10-08 Violet O'Leary Willie Mullins IRE
5-12113 TANERKO EMERY (FR) 7-10-08 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Egan Waste Ltd David Pipe
1-0P405 LOCH ARD (IRE) 5-10-07 Wicklow Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
2F11-0(2) RANJAAN (FR) 5-10-07 Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – Ranjaan Paul Nicholls
2100//-60 PUNJABI 10-10-07 Raymond Tooth Nicky Henderson
111442 DISCOTECA 5-10-07 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
6-00144 BOURNE 7-10-07 Timeform Betfair Racing Club & M Taylor Donald McCain
3-4511 MR WATSON (IRE) 6-10-06 Gay Smith Jonjo O'Neill
1210-2P IT'S A GIMME (IRE) 6-10-06 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
663/0-21 ABBEY LANE (IRE) 8-10-06 Martin Lynch Willie Mullins IRE
1-112 PENDRA (IRE) 5-10-06 J P McManus Charlie Longsdon
51-6260 PRINCETON PLAINS (IRE) 7-10-05 J P McManus Edward Harty IRE
1200-0 SHADOW CATCHER 5-10-05 Mrs Pat Sloan Gordon Elliott IRE
03-P333 DAN BREEN (IRE) 8-10-05 Stuart & Simon Mercer David Pipe
1111-13 SWING BOWLER 6-10-05 David Johnson David Pipe
2-4123P FAR AWAY SO CLOSE (IRE) 8-10-04 Gigginstown House Stud Paul Nolan IRE
311333 BLAZING TEMPO (IRE) 9-10-03 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
530-405 IL FENOMENO (ITY) 7-10-03 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
6114- FORMIDABLEOPPONENT (IRE) 6-10-03 J P McManus Noel Meade IRE
133///-110 KING OF QUEENS (IRE) 8-10-03 Miss Ashley Scanlon Tom Mullins IRE
U14/0/2-0 GENERAL MILLER 8-10-03 Henry Ponsonby Nicky Henderson
1-121 MR MOLE (IRE) 5-10-03 J P McManus Paul Nicholls
0-31101 IFANDBUTWHYNOT (IRE) 7-10-02 Claire Hollowood & Henry Dean David O'Meara
1030/3/-0 MANYRIVERSTOCROSS (IRE) 8-10-02 Mrs M C Sweeney Alan King
P6-6031 PRINCE OF FIRE (GER) 8-10-02 J P McManus Charlie Swan IRE
00-0325 ARNAUD (IRE) 5-10-02 Gigginstown House Stud Charles Byrnes IRE
2511-30 CLARET CLOAK (IRE) 6-10-02 Hawksmoor Partnership Emma Lavelle
2P020B THOMAS EDISON (IRE) 6-10-02 J P McManus Tony Martin IRE
4-21013 VALDEZ 6-10-02 Riverdee Stable Alan King
2FP404 BALLYADAM BROOK (IRE) 9-10-01 W Horgan Terence O'Brien IRE
4-31023 TED VEALE (IRE) 6-10-01 John Breslin Tony Martin IRE
4262-13 KNIGHT IN PURPLE 9-10-01 A J Wall, G Hicks & N Hooper John Mackie
155002 CONSTANT CONTACT 6-10-00 Delboy & Rodney Charlie Longsdon
1-F222U CARAVEL (IRE) 9-10-00 Oceans Racing Tim Vaughan
PF2110 BEEF TO THE HEELS (IRE) 7-10-00 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
30-5225 DISTANT MEMORIES (IRE) 7-10-00 Oceans Racing Tim Vaughan

----phil smit estimated cut off
0-21121 KIAN'S DELIGHT 5-9-13 Yeh Man Partnership Peter Bowen
210-100 LYVIUS 5-9-13 Trevor Hemmings Nicky Henderson
1140-00 KAZLIAN (FR) 5-9-13 Twelve Pipers Piping David Pipe
040/00-0 THE BETCHWORTH KID 8-9-13 Henry Ponsonby Michael Bell
36300-3 REDERA (IRE) 7-9-13 Peter William Partnership Tony Martin IRE
2F1332 KINGS LAD (IRE) 6-9-13 G F Gingell Colin Tizzard
214-134 COURT MINSTREL (IRE) 6-9-12 Janet Davies Evan Williams
61P1 MINELLA DEFINITELY (IRE) 6-9-12 Wellcroomed T/A eyewearoutlet.co.uk Neil Mulholland
1F3121 AHYAKNOWYERSELF (IRE) 7-9-12 G Carstairs & R Marker Dr Richard Newland
311426 CHANGING THE GUARD 7-9-12 BetterTipster.co.uk Dr Richard Newland
51224-0 TANGO DE JUILLEY (FR) 5-9-11 Muhammad Nadeem Khan Venetia Williams
36331-4 ST DEVOTE (FR) 8-9-11 Dubs V's Culchies Syndicate Eoin Griffin IRE
12-13U0 STORMY WEATHER (FR) 7-9-11 Keith Hanson & Steve Catchpole Brian Ellison
0020(3)P FIRST IN THE QUEUE (IRE) 6-9-11 Liam Breslin Nicky Henderson
653U39 ESCORT'MEN (FR) 7-9-11 Macable Partnership Anthony Middleton
311 PINE CREEK 5-9-11 Bloomfields John Ferguson
1-12056 MONTE CAVALLO (SAF) 8-9-11 Gearoid Costelloe Rebecca Curtis
1U3-25 DILDAR (IRE) 5-9-11 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls
12-1250 PRINCELY PLAYER (IRE) 6-9-11 Thurloe 52 Philip Hobbs
0B/-0102 WHITBY JACK 6-9-10 Chris Stedman Gary Moore
120-220 NEW YEAR'S EVE 5-9-10 Bloomfields John Ferguson
21-1011 SPORTING BOY (IRE) 5-9-10 Wayne Clifford Michael Blake
10-0500 PAINTBALL (IRE) 6-9-10 Alan Halsall Charlie Longsdon
5/-03406 QUEIROS BLEU (FR) 9-9-09 Alan & Ann Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE
6-F5000 CITIZENSHIP 7-9-09 Fresh By Nature Syndicate Jessica Harrington IRE
31-5110 SOLARAS EXHIBITION (IRE) 5-9-09 C Davies Tim Vaughan
101 TOMINATOR 6-9-08 Patsy Byrne Jonjo O'Neill
2B0-231 KANDARI (FR) 9-9-08 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
0111- CORBALLY GHOST (IRE) 6-9-08 Mrs M Cahill Noel Meade IRE
0412U CAYMAN ISLANDS 5-9-08 Bloomfields John Ferguson
F1U-001 BARIZAN (IRE) 7-9-07 P Conway & John Lee Jones Evan Williams
2-01054 SCORCHED SON (IRE) 10-9-07 Diamond Racing Ltd Tim Vaughan
20511-2 MAKBULLET 6-9-07 David Armstrong Michael Smith
111122 HOME RUN (GER) 5-9-07 W Frewen David Pipe
200209 ROCKY WEDNESDAY (IRE) 6-9-07 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
321213 IVAN VASILEVICH (IRE) 5-9-06 Carl Hinchy Tim Vaughan
1154P3 GUS MACRAE (IRE) 9-9-06 Quicksilver Racing Partnership Rebecca Curtis
1-23 STONE LIGHT (FR) 5-9-06 Andrew Brooks Venetia Williams
2150-F0 INIS MEAIN (USA) 6-9-06 Barry Connell Denis Hogan IRE
321042 KATKEAU (FR) 6-9-06 Prof C Tisdall, J A Gent, R Wilkin David Pipe
0-5230 SOFTSONG (FR) 5-9-06 Andrew Cohen Philip Hobbs
160-FUF AKULA (IRE) 6-9-06 Jay Three Racing Mark Tompkins
-120145 MEGANISI (IRE) 6-9-06 M A Sherwood Rebecca Curtis
423-312 BARNEYS HONOUR (IRE) 9-9-05 Anthony Deegan Gordon Elliott IRE
405425 ULTIMATE 7-9-05 Dan Gilbert Brian Ellison
430-12P THE BEAR TRAP (IRE) 6-9-04 J P McManus Rebecca Curtis
1-134 UNIQUE DE COTTE (FR) 5-9-03 J P McManus David Pipe
26-52F0 ABLE DEPUTY 6-9-03 Bill Ives Kim Bailey
01-0503 STAR OF ARAGON (IRE) 7-9-03 Holly's Buddies Syndicate James Nash IRE
022U/-F2 MEETINGS MAN (IRE) 6-9-03 Paul, Vicky, Gabby, Tom & Hattie Snook Micky Hammond
133P24 ROMAN FLIGHT (IRE) 5-9-03 Favourites Racing David O'Meara
630P-16 WHITE FUSION 5-9-03 G Clarkson, D Dodsworth, K Looney David O'Meara
1B262-3 CRY OF FREEDOM (USA) 7-9-02 Bloomfields John Ferguson
63/-0120 OPEN DAY (IRE) 7-9-00 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
P/1/-111P ALBERT HALL (USA) 8-8-12 Claudine Minier Arnaud Chaille-Chaille FR
4F-4117 DRUSSELL (IRE) 7-8-09 Walid & Paula Marzouk Martin Bosley
LYSSIO (GER) 6 NQ Jack Callaghan Jim Best
121 entries, 34 Irish-trained, 1 French-trained

[Old Vic]

Court Minstrel ...cant see prices anywhere and no Betfair Market yet

The Evan Williams-trained six-year-old threatened to get involved at the finish in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday before the testing ground took its toll up the hill and he was just run out of third place.

Williams was pleased with his performance, however, and feels Court Minstrel would have finished much closer on better ground.

"I've looked at the tape again and he ran with credit. He came to win the race, but he just didn't pick up in the ground," said the Llancarfan handler.

"He looked like playing a part at one stage, which is what we needed to see - we didn't want him beaten half a mile out.

"If he goes to Cheltenham he won't run before then, he's had his three runs over hurdles now. It will be interesting to see what the ground is like over the next few weeks, though.

"I think he'll be better suited to handicaps, just the way they are run with a fast pace. It might just be a year too soon for him to run him in a handicap at the Festival this year but if he did go to Cheltenham it could be for something like the County Hurdle rather than a novice. One day I think he's got a big handicap in him."

[Lester]

http://www.fatjockey.com/cheltenham-festival/featured_cheltenham_races.php?County-Hurdle-2013-Contenders-and-Odds-90

[mayo]

another for Court Minstrel

Friday – County Hurdle: COURT MINSTREL (20-1 Bet 365)
A novice blessed with an abundance of speed, Court Minstrel looks sure to win big races in his career, hopefully starting at Cheltenham in March.

A useful bumper horse, but with a tendency to pull hard in his races, this season has been as much about educating him to settle so far, a task that jockey Paul Moloney seems to be performing well. Held up in rear for all three of his hurdles races, he went straight into my notebook when winning at Cheltenham’s opening fixture of the season on good ground. A ridiculously slow pace did for his chances at the same track when third to Dodging Bullets next time and it was only the heavy ground that slowed him at Sandown on Saturday in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle, having travelled like the best horse for 90 per cent of the race.

I was expecting to put him up for the Supreme Novice Hurdle, only to find that trainer Evan Williams has nominated his target as the County Hurdle where the fast pace and huge field will play to his strengths as he will be nicely settled under cover out the back to come with a late charge, especially if the ground continues to dry out.

[Old Vic]

Think Prospect Wells might be a Coral Cup horse ..Willie Mullins is bound to have something for this.

[Old Vic]

Tom Mullins


King Of Queen's
8-y-o b g Dalakhani - Caerlina
Continually progressive hurdler who has won his last two over hurdles and was third in a Grade One juvenile hurdle in 2008 prior to a lengthy injury setback. Rated 70 on the flat on his last run and all runs over hurdles have come on soft ground or worse.
"He is in good form and we didn't go to the Ladbroke at Ascot as they were saying it might be called off at one stage so we weren't going to run on horrendous ground. We will go to the Boylesports Hurdle now at Leopardstown and see where we go from there. He's in the Champion Hurdle but will get an entry for the County Hurdle and the Coral Cup. I would probably only think of the Champion if Hurricane Fly was to come out of it, but I think 'The Fly' is a few pounds better than the rest of them. I have always thought this lad was a nice horse."

[Lester]

Arvika Ligeonniere's trainer Willie Mullins still grabbed a double through Fatcatinthehat and Abbey Lane.

The latter came with a strong late run to claim the valuable Boylesports.com Handicap Hurdle.

Ridden by the trainer's nephew Emmet Mullins, the 16/1 shot battled on stoutly on the run-in to win by two-and-a-half lengths.

"I'll have to have a chat with the owner but maybe we'll have a look at the County Hurdle at Cheltenham," Willie Mullins said. Stan James gave Abbey Lane a 16/1 quote for the County Hurdle.

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

Mrs Harrington

Citizenship ran his best race for ages. He showed all his old enthusiasm, travelling well. He actually led at the last but made a mistake.

I’m not saying he’d have won had he jumped it well but he’d have been a lot closer. He will go for either the County Hurdle or Coral Cup at Cheltenham.

[Statto]

Paul Jones

The Betfair Hurdle has been a good guide to the Coral Cup and Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle. Not so long ago it was also a noteworthy guide to the Stan James Champion Hurdle with Make A Stand completing the double and Flakey Dove going two places better at Cheltenham than here. Rooster Booster was also second off top weight here before filling the same berth when attempting to defend his Champion Hurdle title. With regards to the Coral Cup, three winners of that 2m5f at Cheltenham ran in this handicap from the last eight occasions when it has beaten the weather and it has also featured the last two runners-up in Bothy and Get Me Out Of Here. Regards to the County Hurdle, Spirit Leader, Sporazene and Pedrobob ran in the Betfair Hurdle in the last ten years before winning the equivalent race at the Cheltenham Festival. It would appear that it is J P McManus’ intention to run the novice, My Tent Or Yours, which could be a significant pointer to the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as the last two novices to run in his silks in the Betfair Hurdle were Get Me Out Of Here (won) and Darlan (fell when travelling strongly) who then both finished second in the Festival’s traditional curtain-raiser.

[mayo]

Edeymi narrowly failed to land the Fred Winter at last year's Festival and, after a recent win on the all-weather, Martin thinks he could be hitting top form at just the right time.

"He was runner-up in the Fred Winter last year but had run poorly since before taking a 1m4f maiden at Dundalk last month," says Martin in Tuesday's Trainer File in the Racing & Football Outlook.

He continues: "When he gets proper spring ground again he's on a mark that, I hope, will see him competitive. The plan is to go back to Cheltenham for one of the big handicaps, ground permitting."

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

County Hurdle more likely imo..

Connections of Steps To Freedom anticipate further progress in the coming months following his winning return at Dundalk on Friday night.

Jessica Harrington's dual-purpose performer trounced a good field in the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Race by upwards of four and a quarter lengths.

It was his first outing since he finished last in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh in September.

Jockey Shane Foley said: "He's a class horse and he did that well.

"He had a nice blow and there's plenty of improvement in him.

"He'd been working well at home."

Steps To Freedom still holds an entry in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is as low as 40-1 in the ante-post markets.

[mayo]

Still looking at the champion ?

The County Kildare handler told her website, www.jessicaharringtonracing.com: "He had course form and we went back there as there was nowhere else to go with him the way the ground is.

"He did it well and has come out of the race well.

"I was concerned that the trip may have been a bit short for him but he was the class act in the field and that showed.

"He has given us something to think about now in regards to the Champion Hurdle and we will see how the ground turns out at Cheltenham.

"I was very happy with him."

[Yeehaa]

Steps to Freedom isnt in county ...

Forgotten Voice wins at Kempton a cut across the board for this. Had been flagged up in the catching pigeons column on sporting life.

[Old Vic]

@BetfairRacing #askpaul what are the plans for Hinterland?

Betfair Racing @BetfairRacing

PN: County Hurdle


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wont have my £££

[Morning Glory]

Like what you ave done with weights on front page ...the amount of Mullins trained or McManus owned horses in hot zone between present cut off and phil smiths final one !

Mullins ....Tennis cap , loch Ard , Abbey lane ?
JP ... Mr Mole, Pendra, Thomas Edison ?

Few likely looking Gigginstown ones too and Punjabi off 10 7 ?