Tag: Nicky Henderson

Leopardstown Sunday Preview

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Dodging Bullets (7-2) was one of five winners for us on Saturday but what a brave run by Sprinter Sacre in second. Post-race reports suggest that he will be able to try to regain his Champion Chaser crown at the Cheltenham Festival, despite bleeding from a nostril. Nicky Henderson will of course be guided by the very best veterinary advice but hopefully we will see a re-match in March.

The pick of Sunday’s action is over the water in Ireland with Boylesports sponsoring a couple of cracking handicaps. The Boylesports Handicap Chase has attracted a field of fifteen but Foxrock stands out after his fine run in the Paddy Power Chase.

Ted Walsh’s gelding was carrying 11st 7lb that day but looked like winning until headed on the run-in by Living Next Door. The winner was receiving nearly a stone so it was a gallant effort by Foxrock who looked like developing into a useful stayer last season. He disappointed slightly at the festival in the National Hunt Chase but his stamina could be the key to Sunday’s race.

Several of the market leaders have form over shorter distances and the heavy ground will make this seem more like an extended three miles. Foxrock finished third in his previous race despite losing both of his front shoes and he could be up to defying a 5lbs rise in the handicap.

The Boylesports Hurdle could go to leading Irish owner JP McManus who won the race last year with Gilgamboa. Finishing well in seventh that day was Henderson’s Snake Eyes and he is back for another tilt at the valuable prize.

The seven-year-old must have had his training problems as will be having only the seventh start on Sunday. He has always shown plenty of potential but has not proved the easiest horse to settle, twice having been turned over a long odds-on. Tony McCoy managed to nurse him home at Sandown last time off a mark of 123 and he must still be a contender off a 5lb higher mark. My main worry with him is that he does not look the easiest ride and has an awkward head carriage.

That just makes me lean towards another McManus runner, Waxies Dargle. He won at Fairyhouse in November for Noel Meade under a typically confident Paul Carberry ride, easing down to a walk in the closing stages. He was entitled to win that day but was value for much more than the two and a half lengths winning margin over Digeanta.

Foxrock 2.20 @6-1 Ladbrokes

Waxies Dargle 2.50 @10-1 Ladbrokes

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Horse Racing Preview 17th January

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The attention of the horse racing world will be firmly on Sprinter Sacre as he is expected to make his long-awaited return to action in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

Trainer Nicky Henderson is understandably nervous about the prospect, just over a year after the horse was pulled up with a fibrillating heart at Kempton. He has been given the best possible veterinary care since and would not be risked unless everyone was happy with his condition. Even so, it will still be remarkable if he is able to bounce back with a win.

Not since my 33-1 bet on Yahoo was denied by Desert Orchid have I been happy to see my horse finish second but I am going to oppose Sprinter Sacre on Saturday. I felt that Dodging Bullets put up a first class display to win the Tingle Creek and is over-priced at 3-1. He is probably not in the same league as the favourite but there must be a big doubt about Sprinter Sacre’s fitness.

Whatever happens with his stable star, Henderson should be in the winner’s enclosure at the start and the finish of the card. I was impressed with Top Notch on his debut and he looks to have an easy task in the first. He will undoubtedly be shortened for the Triumph Hurdle if he does win so I’m going to have a small each-way ante-post investment.

Likewise, Out Sam should underline his festival claims in the last. He only won a four-horse race at Newbury last time but all of his three rivals that day have come out and won since. They include last weekend’s embarrassingly easy Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle winner Tea For Two. It will be a major shock if Out Sam is beaten on Saturday and the Neptune looks likely to be his festival target.

Haydock has to survive an 8am inspection with frost and snow threatening the meeting. The New One is expected to take another step towards the Champion Hurdle in a weak trial so the main betting interest is in the Peter Marsh Chase. Broadway Buffalo easily beat Toby Lerone here in the Tommy Whittle but I was disappointed with him at Wetherby last time. The ground cannot get too heavy for Toby Lerone so he is the each-way selection.

They are racing on the all-weather at Lingfield and Godolphin can land a quick double with Emirates Skycargo and History Book. The latter is trying her hand at sprinting after being edged out over a mile and seven furlongs. She has bags of early speed and is worth a chance at around 9-2. Andrew Balding’s Melvin The Grate can land the featured Ladbrokes Handicap at 2.35 after coming from last to first on his most recent start.

Top Notch 12.40 Ascot @4-7 Bet365

Emirates Skycargo 1.25 Lingfield @4-5 Betfair

History Book 2.0 Lingfield @9-2 Coral

Melvin The Grate 2.35 Lingfield @7-4 Coral

Dodging Bullets 3.00 Ascot @3-1 Coral

Toby Lerone 3.15 Haydock @10-1 Skybet

Out Sam 3.35 Ascot @4-6 Bet365

*Ante-post

*Top Notch – Triumph Hurdle @20-1 William Hill

*Out Sam – Neptune Hurdle @16-1 William Hill

Henderson delays Sprinter Sacre decision

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National Hunt fans will have one eye on the weather for the rest of this week in the hope that Saturday’s card at Ascot can go ahead. The meeting is not currently in danger but Nicky Henderson has warned that he will not risk stable star Sprinter Sacre on heavy ground. A final decision may be left as late as Saturday morning.

The gelding established himself as the best chaser in training in 2013 when romping to victory in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham festival. He followed up at Aintree and Punchestown and only Arkle and Flyingbolt now stand above him in Timeform’s all-time steeplechase ratings.

There was media speculation that Henderson would be tempted to run him in the King George VI in 2014 but the Lambourn trainer decided to keep him to two miles. He suffered his first defeat over fences in unfortunate circumstances when pulled up at Kempton just over a year ago with a fibrillating heart. There were fears that we would not see him back on a racecourse but he has made a steady recovering under the finest veterinary care and attention.

Had it not been for his health problems, Sprinter Sacre would be long odds-on for Saturday’s Clarence House Chase. He is rated more than 20lbs higher than any of his five rivals but there are obviously going to be fitness concerns. Barry Geraghty seems confident that he is back to his best after riding him over five fences at Newbury after Christmas. Even so, he is not likely to push his ears off if he starts to labour in the closing stages.

With doubts still surrounding the participation of Sprinter Sacre, Dodging Bullets has been cut to a best price 7-4. He did this column a favour when landing the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at rewarding odds and represents Paul Nicholls who has been successful four times in this race.

I fancied Dodging Bullets in last season’s Arkle but he had to settle for fourth place behind shock winner Western Warhorse. He shaped well when finishing second to Uxizandre at Cheltenham in November and that clearly sharpened him up for Sandown. He should confirm supremacy over Somersby who was two and a half lengths away in third and reaching the autumn of his career at ten years of age.

Willie Mullins is represented by Twinlight who beat Hidden Cyclone in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Chase last time. He is not the safest of jumpers and tends to jump out to his right. He made a couple of blunders at Kempton on his only previous trip. The race will lose a lot of its interest if Henderson pulls out Sprinter Sacre but Dodging Bullets can continue his progression towards the Champion Chase in March.

Dodging Bullets @7-4 Ladbrokes

Lanzarote Hurdle Ante-Post Preview

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After a very quiet week, National Hunt action picks up again this weekend with good quality cards at Kempton and Warwick. The feature race on Saturday’s Kempton card is the William Hill Lanzarote Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has three entries with Aintree winner Dawalan along with Hammersly Lake and Royal Irish Hussar. Barry Geraghty has already been pencilled in for the ride on Dawalan which suggests he is the stable’s first choice.

The grey was considered a possible for the Triumph Hurdle last season but Henderson diverted him to the Fred Winter Hurdle when it was clear that he was not going to be good enough. He was never in with a chance in that hotly-contested handicap and time has shown that he is really more of a stayer. Stable companion Sign Of A Victory walked all over him at Ascot but he improved when stepped up to two and a half miles at Haydock behind On Tour.

He looked to be going nowhere with two to jump but finished best of all. He was made favourite for Aintree next time and rallied from the last to beat Bear’s Affair by three-quarters of a length. He is up 9lbs here but will be staying on when most of these have cried enough. He looks a good each-way bet at 9-1 in the ante-post lists.

Hammersly Lake was never really travelling like a winner last time but stayed on from the last behind Silsol. He looks more of a chaser in the making whereas Royal Irish Hussar has not recaptured his early juvenile form.

The bookmakers’ favourite is Tea For Two who won easily at Towcester last month. He is a course and distance winner and Lizzie Killy takes a useful 7lbs off his back. Hello George was sixth in the Ladbroke over two miles at Ascot and goes up in trip for Philip Hobbs while Warrantor steps out of novice company for Warren Greatrex. He was impressive at Market Rasen, as was runaway Haydock winner Kilcooley.

He chased home last week’s Tolworth Hurdle winner L’Ami Serge before winning by 23 lengths in heavy ground last time. Dawalan had him well behind at Ascot and is 8lbs better off here so I am sticking with the Henderson horse.

Dawalan @9-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Sussex National Day Preview

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Plumpton used to be my local course so I always look forward to the Sussex National meeting which takes place on Sunday.

It has attracted a typically strong field including Reblis who did this column a favour a year ago when sluicing through the mud for Gary Moore. He is back attempting a repeat victory and is 2lbs lower in the weights than last season after some moderate efforts. It seems safe to assume that this race has been the target for him but I just wonder if it is going to be soft enough for the son of Assessor.

Venetia Williams runs two here in Tarraco and Gorgehous Lliege. The former has had a hike in the weights after winning easily last time but the punters have gone for Gorgehous Lliege in the early betting. I watched his run closely last time and he was almost carried out by a rival, losing all momentum and never managing to get back into the contest. He didn’t quite do enough for me that day and I’ll side with Tarraco who looks better value at around 10-1.

Nicky Henderson claimed the big prize on Saturday with L’Ami Serge at Sandown and he should be on target with Caracci Apache in the 1.50. This one got up late to beat stable companion Clean Sheet last time out and the runner-up has gone in since. He looked as though he may only be fourth approaching two out but stayed on very strongly and stamina can again win the day here. Kilgeel Heel is the obvious danger but may not have quite as much scope as the Henderson horse.

Pain Au Chocolat should get punters off to a winning start at 12.50 after a very promising first run for the Million In Mind Partnership. He didn’t do anything wrong but was just outpaced from the last and will have learned a lot from the experience. The useful flat performer Devilment is the main threat for John Ferguson.

The novice chase at 1.20 may only have four runners but three of them are clearly above average. Chris Pea Green has bolted up here on his last two starts and was a fair hurdler last season while Grumeti was placed in the Triumph Hurdle a couple of seasons back. I am going to oppose both with David Pipe’s Sail By The Sea who won a hurdle by 25 lengths and receives weight from his rivals.

Pain Au Chocolat 12.50 @Evens Betfair

Sail By The Sea 1.20 @5-2 Bet365

Carraci Apache 1.50 @13-8 Bet365

Tarraco @10-1 Betfair

Sandown Tolworth Hurdle Day Preview

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Splash Of Ginge was one of three winners for us at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and attention now turns to the Tolworth Hurdle card at Sandown on Saturday.

The feature race has a very disappointing turn-out of just four runners, one of which pulled up at Plumpton on his most recent outing over two years ago. That is a pretty abysmal entry for a £22,000 event and the odds-on favourite is Nicky Henderson’s L’Ami Serge. He was very impressive at Newbury but was presented the race at Ascot last time when Emerging Talent fell two out. It was too early to say whether he would have won but L’Ami Serge is clearly an above average novice.

I have followed the career of Aurore D’Estruval with interest and John Quinn’s five-year-old should have the class to win the 12.40. The only question mark is the distance as she steps up to two and a half miles for the first time. I would be more concerned if the going was heavy but she can take this at the expense of the consistent Mischievous Milly.

William’s Wishes was a smart chaser a couple of seasons ago for Evan Williams but has obviously had his problems since. He showed that he may be on the way back when a respectable sixth in the Tingle Creek last time out. He has Mr Mole and Brick Red to beat, first and second at Exeter last month.

I like the chances of Song Light in the 3.00 despite a hefty 10lbs hike in the weights. The gelding was a close third in a very competitive race at Cheltenham in November and was never going to get caught at Huntingdon last time. Kevin Jones rode him in both races and takes a valuable 7lbs off here, allowing him to race off just 10st 5lb. I fear the Paul Nicholls-trained Bouvreuil most of all, a French import at the foot of the weights having his first run for the yard.

The closing race looks no easier to solve but it may be worth sticking with hat-trick seeking Bertie Boru. Not many meetings go by without a Philip Hobbs winner and this eight-year-old has got up late in both of his starts this season. He looked to have no chance jumping the last at Newbury but wore down Phone Home in the shadow of the post. The runner-up ran moderately last week but Bertie Boru should give us a run for our money.

Aurore D’Estruval 12.40 @5-4 Ladbrokes

William’s Wishes 1.50 @7-2 Coral

L’Ami Serge 2.25 @1-2 Bet365

Song Light 3.00 @6-1 Paddy Power

Bertie Boru 3.35 @9-1 BetVictor