Tag: Saphir Du Rheu

Aintree Friday Preview

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Day 1 of the Grand National provided its usual share of thrills and spills, unfortunately including our selection Arctic Fire crashing out at the last in the Aintree Hurdle. On The Fringe spared us from a complete whitewash but it would have been so much better had Call The Cops held on in the last.

Friday’s card, dare I say it, looks even tougher at first glance. The first race is a wide open two and a half mile handicap. I was taken by the style of Theinval when he won at Kempton on similar ground and he just about gets the vote at a tempting 11-1. Pearl Swan and Snake Eyes are others to note but you could probably make a case for half of the field.

I’ll probably bring the Nicky Henderson stable to a grinding halt but I fancy Cardinal Walter to run well in the second as well. I was surprised when he was beaten by Qewy at Newbury but this quicker surface could see the form turned on its head.

If there is a “good thing” on Friday, it is probably Saphir Du Rheu. He was runner-up in the World Hurdle and now has a second tilt at a chasing career having fluffed his lines at Kempton last time. He is the class horse of the race but you wouldn’t want to take too short a price.

The Melling Chase is a real cracker with Sire De Grugy, Don Cossack and Champagne Fever heading the field. Champagne Fever was bitten by a stable companion on his journey over for the festival so missed the Queen Mother Champion Chase. I believe that two and a half miles is probably more his trip anyway.

The Topham Chase looks almost impossible to solve but I’m going to take a stab with Bless The Wings for Gordon Elliott. The stable had a first day double and this one is very well weighted with Darna on previous form. Likewise, Mouse Morris has his table firing on all cylinders so Alpha Des Obeaux looks overpriced in the 4.40. He was second to Doucan last time out, admittedly without getting the Supreme Hurdle winner off the bridle, but this looks wide open.

Finally, Paul Nicholls can continue a fine meeting for the stable with Persian Delight in the closing bumper. He cruised home in a poor race on his debut but is highly regarded at home.

Theinval 1.40 @11-1 Bet365

Cardinal Walter 2.15 @8-1 Paddy Power

Saphir Du Rheu 2.50 @7-4 Totesport

Champagne Fever 3.25 @10-3 Coral

Bless The Wings 4.05 @22-1 Ladbrokes

Alpha Des Obeaux 4.40 @18-1 Bet365

Persian Delight 5.15 @4-1 Paddy Power

Cheltenham Preview – Thursday 12th March

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The World Hurdle takes centre stage at Cheltenham on Thursday with Paul Nicholls hoping to add to Wednesday’s impressive haul. The Ditcheat trainer interrupted the domination of Willie Mullins by firing a 1430-1 treble including Dodging Bullets in the Champion Chase.

His World Hurdle hopes are Zarkandar and Saphir Su Rheu and I just prefer the claims of the latter. He progressed through the handicap last season and narrowly beat Whisper in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. That horse went on to win the Coral Cup and followed up in the Aintree Hurdle. Nicky Henderson has endured a miserable two days but I am hoping that Whisper can give him something to smile about.

The action starts at 1.30 and Coral are offering 5-1 about the favourite Vautour finishing in the first three here (new customers only). If you don’t already have a Coral account it may be worth considering to a maximum £10 stake. I think Ptit Zig looks the more attractively priced at 4-1 and he could provide Nicholls with his fourth winner of the meeting. He was unlucky to fall at Ascot last time but has jumped around here safely before and should go well.

The Pertemps Final looks wide open and there has been good money for Edeymi and Call The Cops this week. It does not usually pay to back horses that win handicaps impressively on the eve of the festival so Henderson’s horse might not be great value despite carrying only a 5lbs penalty. I am going to side with Big Easy although the handicapper keeps putting him up for being beaten. The Cesarewitch winner has a touch of class and could make the frame.

Johns Spirit loves it round here and looks worth a bet at 11-1 with Paddy Power in the Ryanair Chase. Don Cossack and Balder Succes are the pick on form but Johns Spirit can cut them down late on if Richie McLernon does not go too soon.

The last two races look almost impossible to solve but David Pipe’s Monetaire has a chance in the Kim Muir. He has only raced twice since arriving from France and did well to finish third here after a couple of mistakes on his first run. Lucinda Russell could give Scotland a winner in the last with Clondaw Knight who lost a shoe when beaten last time.

1.30 Vautour @5-1 Coral to finish in first three (new customers only – max. £10)

1.30 Ptit Zig @4-1 BetVictor

2.05 Big Easy @12-1 Totesport (each-way)

2.40 Johns Spirit @11-1 Paddy Power (each-way)

3.20 Saphir Du Rheu @6-1 Paddy Power

3.20 Whisper @11-1 William Hill (each-way)

4.00 Monetaire @8-1 Betfred

4.40 Clondaw Knight @20-1 BetVictor (each-way)

Cheltenham World Hurdle Preview

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Paul Nicholls served up a big-race double at Cheltenham on Wednesday with victories in the Coral Cup and Queen Mother Champion Chase. That sets him up perfectly for Thursday’s Grade 1 World Hurdle where he saddles the first two in the betting, Zarkandar and Saphir Du Rheu. Here is our big race guide.

Zarkandar (5-1 888Sport)

Zarkandar won the Triumph Hurdle here in 2011 and was trained for the Champion Hurdle for the following two seasons. He did finish fourth to Hurricane Fly in 2013 but ran as though already needing a greater test of stamina. Since moving up in distance he has won in France and finished a close second to Reve de Sivola at Ascot. Many observers felt that he downed tools on the run-in that day and Noel Fehily will be keen to arrive as late as possible here.

Saphir Du Rheu (5-1 Paddy Power)

Nicholls had intended running Saphir Du Rheu in the RSA Chase but a fall at Kempton persuaded connections to put his chasing career on hold. A victory in the Cleeve Hurdle suggests that they made the right decision and he looks to have a major chance.

Whisper (11-1 Ladbrokes)

It has not been a great week so far for Nicky Henderson but he could receive a tonic if Whisper recaptures his best form here. He was a game winner at the festival last year in the Coral Cup before winning the Aintree Hurdle. The ground should give him every chance of staying this extended trip and he looks good each-way value.

Lieutenant Colonel (9-1 Ladbrokes)

The Gigginstown House Stud colours are carried by the six-year-old Lieutenant Colonel, trained by Sandra Hughes. He has got the better of Jetson at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown and has been backed at big prices in recent days.

Un Temps Pour Tout (12-1 Ladbrokes)

David Pipe’s Un Temps Pour Tout has not quite lived up to his enormous reputation but was not beaten far in the Cleeve Hurdle. He looks like a future chaser in the making and would probably have appreciated a little more cut in the ground.

Monksland (14-1 Ladbrokes)

Noel Meade’s Monksland has shown all of his best form in deep ground and renews rivalry with Dedigout after losing out by a short-head at Gowran Park. It should be close between the pair but both may be tapped for toe in the closing stages.

Nicky Henderson also runs Blue Fashion who would have an outstanding chance on his run behind Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen in November. He has yet to race beyond two and a half miles while At Fishers Cross is tried in blinkers for the first time after some disappointing efforts. Reve De Sivola was fourth in this race in 2013 but will do well to improve on that here.

Verdict

  1. Saphir Du Rheu 2. Whisper 3. Zarkandar 4. Lieutenant Colonel

World Hurdle Preview

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The World Hurdle is the big staying hurdle of the Cheltenham festival and looks wide open this year. Big Buck’s dominated the event for Paul Nicholls between 2009 and 2012 but has now been retired while More Of That is not able to defend his title due to injury.

Annie Power remains favourite with some firms but looks virtually certain to run in the Mares’ Hurdle instead. Willie Mullins is presumably leaving her in here until the last moment in case of any calamities in the earlier race. Nicholls could easily start with the two joint-favourites here in Saphir Du Rheu and Zarkandar.

Saphir Du Rheu did this column a couple of favours last season when winning at Kempton and Chepstow. His excursion over the bigger obstacles did not go to plan and connections wisely decided to revert to hurdling after he failed to complete for the second time in three starts. He only had a neck to spare over the gallant Reve de Sivola at Cheltenham in the Cleeve Hurdle but he travelled like the winner throughout.

Zarkandar won a valuable race in France over three miles earlier this season and looked set to follow up in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. He found very little off the bridle from the last and allowed Reve de Sivola to get back up and beat him. He was probably just idling but you can be sure that Noel Fehily will be delaying his challenge until as late as possible here. Of the Nicholls duo, I just prefer Saphir Du Rheu who looks a straight-forward ride.

If you fancy Saphir Du Rheu, it is very difficult to ignore the claims of Whisper at 14-1. Nicky Henderson’s gelding won the Coral Cup last season to give us a 28-1 winning ante-post tip. He showed that he was better than a handicapper when winning the Aintree Hurdle and he is another one who did not take to fences. He could still be improving and must have each-way claims.

Rock On Ruby has been winning over two and a half miles but is yet to show that he stays this trip. The Irish pair Monksland and Dedigout surely need plenty of cut in the ground and that seems unlikely at present. There is even talk of the possibility of watering during the meeting. Un Temps Pour Tout would also appreciate some give in the ground and looks more of a chaser in the making.

Saphir Du Rheu @5-1 Bet365

Whisper @14-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3 (non-runner – no bet)

16-1 Whisper for Coral Cup

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Surprisingly, all three national hunt meetings went ahead on Saturday despite the heavy rain of recent days. With inspections called at Sandown, Ffos Las and Wetherby, I had virtually given it up as a lost cause and focussed on the all-weather at Lingfield.

Admittedly, Sandown had been forced to abandon their hurdle races in favour of an all-chase card, but it was turf racing nonetheless. Nicky Henderson elected to run Oscar Whisky with good prize money on offer and little in the way of opposition. Sent off at 1-6, I was beginning to wonder if he may be pulled up at one point. Barry Geraghty clearly wasn’t that happy on the horse but was still close enough if his two rivals wilted in front of him.

That is pretty much what happened but I wonder what effect that race will have on his Cheltenham plans? Both trainer and jockey felt it was simply the going and the fact that Oscar Whisky is a stuff horse. With rain still lashing down in many parts, there were precious few genuine Cheltenham prospects on show but I believe the Welsh Champion Hurdle is a different matter altogether.

Since backing Saphir Du Rheu to defy a 15lbs rise in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton, I’ve become a fan of the grey. I was quite confident that he could defy another 13lb hike at Ffos Las and he duly obliged, but only just. The reason was a terrier-like performance from Henderson’s Whisper who had finished nearly ten lengths adrift of Saphir Du Rheu at Sandown.

Whisper had gone on to win easily since and the net result was that he was 16lbs better off with the Nicholls’ horse. Harry Derham, who must be just about the best 5lb claimer about, elected to make the running and Andrew Tinkler followed his every move. The two horses drew nearly 20 lengths clear of the third horse on the run to the line, Saphir Du Rheu clinging on by a short head.

The bookmakers have put up Saphir Du Rheu as favourite for the Coral Cup but I don’t think he will run. Nicholls is itching to put him over a fence and is already talking Gold Cups. I just don’t see him running the horse with the best part of 12 stone on his back in a 30-runner field. As far as I know, there are no such provisos about Whisper and he looks worth a bet at 16-1.

Whisper (Coral Cup) at 16-1 Paddy Power