I thought they’d decided Bravemansgame would not be going to Cheltenham? I might have dreamt it though
Quite eyecatching that they will be going for the Betfair with Knappers Hill (135) rather than Stage Star (145). One of Mr Nicholls not mentioned above is Iceo. I thought his win over Christmas was probably the best juvenile performance I've seen this term. At the time though his trainer seemed very non-commital re Iceo and the Triumph - he also swerved the race with his best 4YO last season. Iceo may run this weekend so maybe we will learn more in a few days time re (i) how good he is and (ii) future targets.
SkyBet now NRNB all races at the Festival - https://www.sportinglife.com/racing...stival-races-and-we-have-the-best-bets/198000 In the same article Sporting Life come up with their 4 top NRNB bets. Agree totally with them re Iceo.
Id this injury just one of those things a horse can pick up or is it a bit more serious...?? Only asking as after reading about Ferny Hollow he seems to run a race then sit out for ages. Wins the Cheltenham Bumper, off for 254 days... Wins at Gowan, off the for 380... Would this be a worry going forward, maybe not, he's obviously got talent and is only 7 in the end, I'm just asking...??
The word "fragile" springs to mind. Suspensory ligament is the reported issue - apparently he had soreness there after his Leopardstown victory and they hoped a couple of weeks on the easy list would help him get over it. But after his first canter he was sore there again. A quick google led me to this: "Shockwave therapy and medication of the site of injury may be successful depending on the degree and duration of lameness. If this fails a surgical procedure called a 'Plantar Metatarsal Neurectomy and Fasciotomy' can be performed. This is a very common procedure and has a high success rate."
Gibbs made all the running on the classy Highway Jewel to beat her two opponents Singapore Saga and Al Shahir in the £1,000 INEOS Grenadier Mixed Open Qualifier. A winner of a Cheltenhamhunter chase lastseason,this high classmarewill be heading to the Cheltenham festival in March for the prestigious prize formerly known as the Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase, and could also take in the final of the INEOS series at Cheltenham in May. The trainer/ rider said, “I hope that Highway Jewel will be our number one for the Foxhunters, fingers crossed, and Premier Magic will be our back up. She (Highway Jewel) missed a month’s work with a sarcoid earlier in the season. We went a sensible pace today and she was popping away. I was delighted." Quote from Go Pointing Magazine
HIGHLAND JEWEL (121) recorded the fastest performance of the weekend with an authoritative win at the Tiverton . She is now on course for the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup. Strictly on form she ranks a few pounds behind the best but conversely she has now won seven of her eight starts – only being beaten by Latenightpass (4th in the Cheltenham showpiece last year) on Heavy ground at Warwick last February. A course winner as well, she makes massive appeal as an ante-post each-way wager with odds of 20/1 currently available.
Honestly, after what happened last year I would be happy with her being on the start line, the opportunity was last year and it went up in smoke. It's almost a personal matter. I didn't know she had had an operation, let's hope it hasn't affected her too much. Thank you very much for the information.
I like Rivière D’Etel, too, at 7/1. I also like the way she hung onto Ferny Hollow last time. Yes, she had a big weight pull but will get 7lbs in The Arkle. Trouble is, Skybet only offer 5/1NRNB! Typical!
Yeah, bloody awful. I’ll take your tip, Oddy, and back her on the day. Seems like I missed out not backing Champ, but you’re never sure what race he’d contest. I should add, though, that there’s no way Klassical Dream gave his running this week. Maybe he felt the exertions when beating Flooring Porter. Straight to Cheltenham now, I should think.
I couldn't believe how quickly Klassical Dream seemed to empty out. His trainer said (on Sporting Life): "I wanted to get another run into Klassical Dream in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle and change tactics but the horse took over and just ran too free. There was possibly a bit of a bounce factor and maybe we gave him too much of a break after Christmas. We’ll see but I think we’ll have him right for Cheltenham." I guess he does have that all-important festival form but it remains a concern that he ran so freely again.
So, Paisley Park threw his hat back in to the ring for a shout in the Stayers Hurdle, or dos he...?? The bookies have the recent Cleave Hurdle winner around the 7/1 mark, cut down from a recent 14/1 mark, though i see Billy Hills currently have him at 25/1, which is more realistic in my eyes... Current market, using BET365 odds... Flooring Porter @ 7/2 Champ @ 9/2 Thyme Hill @ 9/2 Klassical Dream @ 5/1 Paisley Park @ 11/2 Royal Kahala @ 7/1 10/1 bar the rest It will be interesting to see how the market forms closer to the race as i can see some of these both shortening and drifting. We might not have them all at their very top form at the moment, but it could be a very good race come the day...
Skybet introduced Streets of Doyen into the betting for the Pertemps Final yesterday (they are the only firm currently offering odds re him) at 33/1 and already he has been cut to 18/1. This bet is offered on a NRNB basis. Streets of Doyen not yet qualified for the Final but is entered in the Musselburgh qualifier on Sunday - off 140. The 9YOs last 3 runs have been over fences (formline -13R) but his last 3 runs over hurdles were all at all Grade 1 level - including an Albert Bartlett 3rd at the '21 Cheltenham Festival.
Santini team eager to take Cheltenham Gold Cup test So Team Santini think the Gold Cup is on after his run at Cheltenham last weekend... Good luck as they would say...!!
If Santini does go for the CGC I would imagine it would be as a GN 'prep'. As I've said before the race fits in very well between the Cotswold Chase and the GN, itself. You couldn't, realistically, see him figuring in Cheltenham's big race but what the event would do would blow away the old cobwebs and put him spot on for an Aintree tilt. The race would be his 'Greenham' if you wish.
A good a prep for Aintree. GN weights will already be out and a top 6 finish will keep him ticking over. Seemed to be still full of running at the end on Saturday.