WE MADE a couple of entries for the big races at Cheltenham in two weeks’ time including Countister and Marie’s Rock in the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle on 15th November. Obviously, much will depend on how Countister runs at Ascot with regards to her taking her chance and there’re plenty of options for Marie’s Rock but it’s a race that has eluded me, so pretty keen to crack it once and for all!
We entered Gold Present, Casablanca Mix, Precious Cargo and Mister Fisher in the November Gold Cup at Cheltenham and I’d imagine the ground will be the deciding factor as to who runs but at this stage the plan is for Mister Fisher to go there as he’s in great form and pretty forward.
Eight runners across two meetings on Saturday and my thoughts on their chances are below:
ASCOT
12:47 Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle
Known (Alfie Jordan)
Obviously the form of his third behind Shishkin at Newbury has worked out pretty well but he’s been handicapped accordingly so Alfie’s 10lbs is extremely valuable! He’ll be better once stepped up in trip and will more than likely be going over fences but this is a good starting point and it will be great to give Alfie his first winner because he’s a good guy who works hard and deserves his chance.
1:20 Novices’ Handicap Chase
Falco Blitz (Nico de Boinville)
He’s a very likeable chap who makes his chase debut here but has run in Point to Points and we’ve been looking forward to this with him. He was always going to be a chaser so now we’re going to get on with the proper job and he jumps very well. I’m extremely hopeful.
Under a canny ride from @JerrymcGrath, Falco Blitz prevails in a tight finish to end the card at @Ascot for @sevenbarrows… pic.twitter.com/2y9queAIDu
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 18, 2020
2:32 Novices’ Hurdle
Captain Morgs (Nico de Boinville)
He should have won his Bumper at Warwick the other day but it was one of those really messy races and he flew home but sadly it was too late. That will have been good education for him, however, and I think he’s a very nice horse. He does everything right at home and has actually been to Henrietta Knight’s because his jumping was a little bit sloppy early on but his time there really helped and now he jumps beautifully. I haven’t studied the race in massive detail but I do like his chance quite a lot.
3:05 Handicap Hurdle
Countister (Nico de Boinville)
She disappointed us last year and I can’t really put my finger on why because she was very good the season before when placed in the County Hurdle so we had quite high hopes for her this time last year, but she never looked herself which is why she hasn’t run since December. However, she is a much happier horse now and has done plenty of work so shouldn’t be wanting fitness-wise. We could go over fences but she’s not the biggest so I would imagine we’ll stick to Hurdles and on her very best form she could be quite competitive off 135.
3:40 G3 Handicap Chase
Valtor (Aidan Coleman)
James Bowen gets on very well with him but sadly he’s banned so super-sub Aidan Coleman has come in for the ride. In three runs at Ascot he’s been first, first and second so you don’t need me to tell you he likes the track and he won first time out last season (over hurdles). He’s been in very good form at home so I’m quite hopeful.
Might Bite (Nico de Boinville)
At the grand old age of 11, this is his first run in a Handicap over fences but we’re certainly not hiding anything from the Handicapper! He certainly doesn’t want it like a bog so I’ll be keeping an eye on the weather but he’s been in good form and this is a good place to start him off. Dave Fehily rides him every day and lets him play around all over the place which he enjoys and this should set him up nicely for the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham next month. He’s a dear old favourite at Seven Barrows and we all absolutely adore him – he owes us nothing.
4:17 Bumper
Arturus (Nico de Boinville)
He was with us last year and life hasn’t been easy for him but being a half brother to duel Unibet Champion Hurdle winner Hurricane Fly I suspect lots will be expected of him but it doesn’t really tell you anything.
He’s a big, raw horse who needed time to fill into his frame, but he’s grown plenty over the summer and this is a good place to kick his career off and we’ll have a much better idea of what we’ve got, but I wouldn’t get carried away simply because of his illustrious sibling.
WETHERBY
2:10 Listed Mares Hurdle
Verdana Blue (Jerry McGrath)
She got beaten in a very messy race at Kempton last time which developed into a sprint and she seemed to get caught a little flat footed for a stride or two but she’s come out of that in fine form and the conditions of this race are ideal. As you all know, we very much thought she HAD to have fast ground but after running two very good races on soft ground on the flat this summer we are starting to think now that she handles softer ground better than she used to.
