Tag: Jonjo O’Neill

Midlands Grand National Preview

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The Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter has been dominated by David Pipe in recent seasons. He has won the last four runnings but has not been able to prepare one for the race this year. Tony McCoy won this race on Synchronised for Jonjo O’Neill in 2010 and that horse went on to win the Gold Cup.

It has been an emotional week for the champion jockey, winning the Ryanair on Uxizandre for Alan King but not quite able to sign off on a winning note with Ned Buntline finishing fourth. There was disappointment for his legion of supporters in the Gold Cup with Carlingford Lough but they will be out to recoup losses here with Catching On.

The seven-year-old won his last race over hurdles last year off a mark of 113 at Wetherby but looks a good deal better than that over fences. He fell on his chasing debut at Market Rasen in November and was given a confidence-boosting run round Wetherby next time. He stayed on well to win over three miles at Huntingdon last month and was put up 9lbs to 124 last time at Exeter.

Wayne Hutchinson was in the saddle that day and always had matters under control. He led two from home and eased clear to win by nine lengths from Coolking. He incurs only a 6lbs penalty and it seems safe to assume that the handicapper will double that for future races. This race is really testing but he didn’t look like stopping over three and three-quarter miles in heavy ground at Exeter. He could develop into the gamble of the day as punters bid to put off those post-Cheltenham blues!

Top weight Shotgun Paddy has done us a favour or two in the past but he will do well to lug 11st 12lb to victory in these conditions. Emma Lavelle’s gelding was third to Hawkes Point in the Classic Chase at Warwick in January with the winner wearing blinkers for the first time. He had looked really sluggish in the Welsh National in December and he could be a threat if the blinds are as effective this time.

Any Irish raiders are usually worth a second look in this race and Jim Dreaper sends Goonyella across the Irish Sea. The gelding has disappointed at Chepstow and Aintree in the past but looked to be on the way back when third to Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam at Gowran Park in the Thyestes Chase.

Catching On 3.50 Uttoxeter @4-1 William Hill

Sandown Friday Preview

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The racing has been pretty poor in the UK this week with Cheltenham looming on the horizon. The action perks up a little this weekend at Sandown with the Grand Military Gold Cup and Imperial Cup.

The Grand Military used to be a matter of picking the best jockey but the standard has definitely improved over the years. Paul Nicholls looks to have a strong hand this year with Howlongisafoot and Merrion Square and the market suggests that they will finish in that order.

Howlongisafoot ran well in a couple of handicap hurdles at the start of the season, finishing fifth at Cheltenham behind Unique De Cotte. The winner is a leading fancy for the Martin Pipe Hurdle next week at the festival. He ran here over fences in December and was beaten only a length and a quarter by Generous Ransom, another horse that is festival-bound.

He was well backed last time in a minor race at Taunton and beat Freckle Face by five lengths. He is only up 5lbs for that victory and should give Jody Sole a second winner in the race. He rode Merrion Square to victory here in 2013 but that horse may be in need of the outing this time. He was well beaten at odds-on at Worcester in August on his last start.

For the double I am going for Nicky Henderson’s Lessons In Milan in the handicap hurdle. It has not been the best season so far for the Lambourn trainer but his last four runners have won including 12-1 shot Hurricane Higgins on the flat. That augurs well for his runners next week including Peace And Co and L’Ami Serge.

Lessons In Milan is a lightly-raced seven-year-old by St Leger winner Milan out of a mare by Doyoun. He won a point-to-point in Ireland and was pitched in at Ascot on his debut against odds-on stable companion Out Sam. He was not disgraced in third and then romped to a 37-length victory at Lingfield. Admittedly it was a very poor contest but the handicapper has taken a chance by giving him a mark of 126 here.

His main danger will probably be Ustica for the Jonjo O’Neill – Tony McCoy combination. He has a similar profile but was far less impressive when scrambling home at Uttoxeter from Jalingo. The handicapper has rated him on the same figure as Lessons In Milan.

Howlongisafoot 3.25 @13-8 Paddy Power

Lessons In Milan 4.00 @3-1 Ladbrokes

Wetherby Wednesday Preview

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Wetherby stages an interesting card on Wednesday with several promising horses in action. The big stables are only just starting to introduce their better horses but Jonjo O’Neill is wasting no time in unleashing Fort Worth for his hurdling debut.

The gelding by Presenting was bought after finishing fourth in a point-to-point in Ireland and races in the colours of Messrs Magnier, Smith and Tabor. They don’t tend to invest too much in the National Hunt game so it is usually worth noting those that do carry their silks.

Fort Worth won with embarrassing ease at Huntingdon last November under Richie McLernon in a bumper on soft ground. It is true that the horse he beat has not managed to chalk up a success in five subsequent attempts but the style of Fort Worth’s victory suggests that he is worth following. The son of Presenting will need to be half-decent to beat Lady Buttons who was second at Aintree in the spring and also makes her hurdling bow.

The handicap hurdle at 3.25 also has several interesting horses including Goodwood Mirage for the O’Neill/McCoy team. He was bought to win a Triumph Hurdle but never looked likely to justify such high ambitions. He practically up-rooted a hurdle on the way to winning at Kempton and was brought down in his diverted target race, the Fred Winter Hurdle.

I am not convinced that he is in love with this game and the one that catches my eye is the grey Fair Loch. He has only had four races for Karl Burke but he impressed me when finishing third to First Mohican at Doncaster. Alan King had high hopes for the winner at the time and Fair Loch was bowling along on the bridle alongside two from home.

Things have not quite gone so well since but he has come up against some decent novices in Oscar Hoof and Yorkist. If Burke has him in good shape for his seasonal reappearance, he could go in at a decent price. Tidal Way was backed as if defeat was out of the question last time for Charlie Longsdon and he was going well when unseating at the seventh flight. That was a costly error and punters will be hoping to retrieve their cash with interest on Wednesday. He should go well but it was only a Bangor handicap and this looks tougher.

Tips

Fair Loch 3.25 Wetherby @8-1 Betfair

Fort Worth 4.35 Wetherby @3-1 Betfair

Grand National Trial Update

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The scourge of ante-post betting is of course the dreaded non-runner. Monbeg Dude has been scratched from Saturday’s Haydock Grand National Trial because his scope was less than 100%. That’s thrown a spanner in the works but don’t rip up your ticket just yet, the meeting could yet be abandoned. At least we still have 8-1 about Hawkes Point who is now as short as 5-1 in places.

The most interesting development is the booking of Tony McCoy for our old friend Merry King. You may recall that we backed the horse each-way in the Hennessy (5th) and the Welsh National (5th). The old saying about follow them over a cliff springs to mind but it wouldn’t take a lot of improvement to win this.

On his last start he looked well beaten turning for home but then seemed to get his second wind and ran on to be a close third. That was with a first time visor and the jury is still out as to whether or not it helped. He is 4lbs better off with the winner Wychwoods Brook and it would seem daft not to include him each-way at 9-1.

Another old favourite of mine, Burton Port, was taken out along with Scottish National winner Godsmejudge. I would imagine that the likely heavy ground was the reason for both. I’ve seen a couple of speculative tips for Burton Port for the Grand National.

He is certainly well enough handicapped if he returned to the kind of form that enabled him to finish fourth in the Gold Cup. Unfortunately he hasn’t shown the slightest glimmer as yet this season but Donald McCain will do his best to rekindle the flame. I am not tempted in at this stage but he’s one to keep an eye on.

The other big weekend races, weather permitting, are the Ascot Chase and the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton. I don’t think either will have much of a bearing on the Cheltenham festival, although it will be interesting to see Zarkandar in action against Melodic Rendezvous. Paul Nicholls is aiming Zarkandar at the World Hurdle this season but he’s racing at two miles for his prep.

Captain Chris ought to win the Ascot Chase as he’s meeting lower rated rivals at level weights. Many of those are under a cloud including Riverside Theatre and Medermit. If there is a horse capable of causing a surprise it is probably Rolling Aces. For whatever reason, he folded tamely last time out but had previously won at Down Royal and showed some decent form last year.

Merry King (each-way) at 9-1 Coral

Peter Marsh Chase Preview

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Wedding Ring (5-2) and Emirates Flyer (4-1) gave us a very profitable day at Meydan on Thursday. Wedding Ring earned a 25-1 quote for the 1000 Guineas, although I still rate her below stable companion Ihtimal for the fillies’ classic. Perhaps Godolphin mean business this season after the nightmare of 2013.

It’s a far cry from Dubai to Haydock on a saturated Saturday but the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase is our next big race preview. My regular readers will know that I’ve been following Merry King and I’m giving him a third and final chance here. He ran well enough in the Hennessy to finish fifth to Triolo D’Alene, seemingly being outpaced in the home straight after closing up turning for home.

That looked a decent enough trial for the Welsh National but he produced an almost identical performance. He jumped safely and moved on to the heels of the leaders three out but made no further progress, again having to settle for fifth place. Jonjo O’Neill is sticking a first-time visor on him on Saturday, he’s run well at the track before and looks worth another chance at 11-2 or thereabouts.

I’m also going to support Aintree winner Chance Du Roy at 10-1 with Coral. That looks like outstanding each-way value with the Philip Hobbs stable in great form at present. The form of the Becher Chase is nothing to shout about with the veteran Baby Run in second but Mr Moonshine (3rd) did win convincingly at Musselburgh next time.

Vino Griego is top weight, although Joshua Moore takes off a handy 3lbs. He bolted up at Sandown but I’m just not sure how he will run at Haydock. He’s handled Ascot and Cheltenham well enough in the past but can be a bit awkward at his fences and he may not like some of these big black obstacles.

Venetia Williams runs Katenko who is trying to work his way back to form after suffering an injury last season. I felt that everyone got rather carried away by talking about him as a Gold Cup horse and I’d like to have seen more from him when he trailed home behind Unioniste at Aintree.

Vintage Star was just behind Merry King at Chepstow but I’ll be disappointed if the O’Neill horse can’t beat him here whilst Sydney Paget dropped out tamely at Wetherby. It wasn’t a great Rowland Meyrick by any means and perhaps Sydney Paget was flattered by his wide margin win over course and distance previously.

Merry King 11-2 Coral

Chance Du Roy 10-1 Coral

Welsh National Ante-Post Preview

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The Hennessy Gold Cup provided us with a 25-1 winner in Triolo D’Alene on Saturday and I believe that it may also have given us a clue to the outcome of the Welsh National.

Trying to second guess the running plans of the leading National Hunt stables is a gamble in itself but we got it right with Nicky Henderson’s runner. Apparently jockey Barry Geraghty had been pleading with the Lambourn trainer to keep Triolo D’Alene for the Grand National but he’s likely to be faced with a steep rise in the weights now. Geraghty tried to convince a group of journalists that a 3-4lb rise would be sufficient for Saturday’s victory but the general consensus is that he will go up by 10lbs.

There is one potential loophole for Henderson and that is the possibility of running Long Run. As a former Gold Cup winner he would automatically get top weight and Triolo D’Alene might get in off around 11 stone. As a previous winner of the Becher Chase, he has got a proper Aintree pedigree so I’m going to invest a little of Saturday’s winnings at 20-1 for Aintree.

Moving on to the prospect of a slog around Chepstow over Christmas and my eye-catcher from Newbury was Merry King. Jonjo O’Neill is a great supporter of the Welsh National and won it with Mini Sensation and Synchronised. In Merry King I believe that he as another ideal candidate.

I first noted him last season when he produced a gutsy display to finish second in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock. He refused to give in and just kept battling away right to the line, losing out on the nod to Cannington Brook. On his seasonal debut he ran on from midfield to finish second to Houblon Des Obeaux with Triolo D’Alene behind in third.

I always wondered if he would quite have the pace for the Hennessy and he was outpaced when they turned for home, plugging on at the one pace to finish fifth. The only horse that put up a more promising run with regards to the Welsh National was Rocky Creek but connections have stated their intention to run him in the Lexus Chase instead.

Another stable with multiple options is the in-form yard of Lucinda Russell. She has Silver By Nature and Nuts N Bolts entered and both ran well at Haydock recently. It appears that she is leaning towards running the former in Ireland but Nuts N Bolts would also be a leading contender here. Sydney Paget is the early favourite after winning easily at Haydock but he has gone up in the weights and is another with alternative engagements.

Grand National – Triolo D’Alene 20-1 Bet365, Coral

Welsh National – Merry King 14-1 Bet365, Coral