WE head to Sandown for what will hopefully be a brilliant ‘Jumps Finale’ but I have to admit I am extremely worried about the ground as there’s been no significant rain at the course. I’ll be monitoring the situation very closely over the next 24 hours and speaking with Andrew Cooper tonight before walking the track first things tomorrow morning.

Obviously we all want to run but we simply cannot risk it unless the ground is suitable. I had to pull out a whole host of runners at Ayr two weeks ago for exactly the same reason so I hope we are not in a similar scenario tomorrow.

It’s been a great season for all of us here @sevenbarrows and I’m extremely lucky that I have such a talented and dedicated team who work alongside me. Sadly we couldn’t quite hold onto the championship but that’s the way the cookie crumbles so I would like to extend my congratulations to Paul Nicholls and all his team at Ditcheat.

Paul is a great friend and rival – we’ve had plenty of fun together over the years. He is the most driven person I have ever seen. Despite a few quiet years, by his very high standards, he and his team have come back fighting, and I wish them all the very best of luck for next season, although all of us here at Seven Barrows will come back fighting more than ever to regain our title!

Martin Pipe ✅
Nicky Henderson ✅
Paul Nicholls ✅

Paul Nicholls joins the 3,000 jumps winners club with the victory of Kupatana at Cheltenham this afternoon.

Great achievement pic.twitter.com/c3rqW4exBI

— Grosvenor Sport (@GrosvenorSport) April 18, 2019

I would also like to pay tribute to Dan Skelton who trained his 200th winner of the season earlier this week. What Dan, Harry and Nick have achieved in such a short space of time is simply phenomenal and he deserves all the plaudits he receives. Dan was obviously a pupil from the Nicholls academy himself so couldn’t have learnt his trade from a better person and it’s clear that we will all have to take him very seriously as a champion trainer contender himself next season.

Richard Johnson will be crowned champion jockey for the fourth time (I think) which is wholly deserved bearing in mind he’d been bridesmaid to AP for so many years. ‘Dickie’ is a true professional who started out with the Duke yonks ago but has forged strong relationships with Alan King, Philip Hobbs and even seems to ride as number one for Gordon Elliott when he send his horses to the UK! These jockeys have a tough life driving up and down the country day in day out and put their lives at risk every time they sit on a horse so their achievements are all the more meritorious and I wish to offer my congratulations to Richard, too.

I’m afraid I have some very sad news to report that we unfortunately lost She Mite Bite earlier this week. She was fighting a major battle after injuring herself at Newbury and looked to be doing well but unfortunately things went the other way and she had to be put to sleep. It is a terrible, terrible shame for all of us involved in her and she will be sorely missed by each and every one of us at Seven Barrows.

Sandown

 

1:50 Handicap Hurdle

Dream Du Grand Val (Nico de Boinville)

He got stuck in the mud in the EBF Final last time so wouldn’t want it like a bog, but equally wouldn’t want it like a road so his run very much depends on what the weather does. He’s a horse with plenty of class and it will be nice to see him win before going to the sales because all of the Million In Mind horses are dispersed at Doncaster next month. I’ve been very happy with him at home and if the ground is suitable, he could run a big race.

Heatstroke (James Bowen)

He didn’t do much wrong at Wincanton last week but sadly got beaten by a horse carrying 6lbs less and there was only a head in it so I wouldn’t be too disappointed with that. He’s a flat horse that has had leg problems in the past so he wouldn’t want it fast here but I do think he’ll enjoy this and he’s in good form. But again, the ground is vital.

2:25 G2 Oaksey Chase
 

Gold Present (Jerry McGrath)

He took a right tumble at Ayr but got up quickly, shook himself down and just got on with it which was good to see and he’s been absolutely fine ever since. He had a school the other day and I was very happy so we’re coming here. He is suited by good/fast ground so if there is no rain, he certainly comes into this with a great chance over a trip which is ideal.

Josses Hill (Nico de Boinville)

This is a good race for him as he has to go right handed and the trip is right up his street. He probably isn’t the force he was but he still retains plenty of ability and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him put up a brave show.

3:00 G1 Celebration Chase

Altior (Nico de Boinville)

We toyed with the idea of going over 2m4f at Aintree but Nico felt he wasn’t fully over his Cheltenham exertions so we took the decision to give him more time and go for this race again. Everything has gone to plan and I don’t think he could be in any better form. Everyone is talking about him breaking the record for most consecutive jumps wins, and it would obviously be fantastic to achieve that but when you consider what Winx has done over in Australia we’ve still got a long way to go!

There’s not much else I can add that hasn’t already been said about Altior; he is simply awesome and it’s a great privilege to be able to train him; the way he jumps and gallops is monstrous and I thought his win in the Tingle Creek was particularly good bearing in mind how heavy the ground was, and the competition he faced, but he just oozed class and put up a tremendous performance. The King George is obviously going to be considered next season and who knows where we go beforehand but let’s get today out of the way and hope we can still have that ‘problem’ to contemplate during the summer!

3:35 Handicap Chase

Beware The Bear (Jerry McGrath)

The ground was much too fast at Ayr two weeks ago so I had to take him out of the Scottish Grand National which was a real shame because he was going into the race in fantastic form. I think this track will really suit his running style and we’ll just allow him time to get into a rhythm and creep into the race whenever he’s ready rather than rush and push him all the way. Jerry gets on with him ever so well and will be playing the waiting game. Hopefully the rain will come and while he’s off a career high mark, I’d still like to think he can be competitive if things fall his way.

Vyta Du Roc (Daryl Jacob)

Things haven’t really gone right for him this season and I’m not sure how much love he has for the game which is why we ran him in the Cross Country last time and to be fair he got round and seemed to enjoy the day out but we’re switching back to conventional fences and putting a set of visors on which may help him concentrate. He was second in this race of 137 two years ago and is 6lbs higher now which obviously puts him up against it.

4:10 G2 Hurdle

Thomas Campbell (James Bowen)

He can’t run in Handicaps because he’s too high and I had to pull him out of Cheltenham last week because of the ground. To be honest this isn’t a bad race for him and while he gets three miles, he won’t have an issue with this trip and if the ground is good he won’t be far away on his best form.

On The Blind Side (Nico de Boinville)

I am trying to get his confidence back as he completely lost his way over fences and we’re putting the cheek pieces on. He’s won around here before and back over hurdles I think he can run a big race. He’s a lovely big horse with lots of talent and I wouldn’t rule him out just yet.

With Discretion (Jerry McGrath)

She has to have soft ground so we’ll see what the weather gods do and she’ll probably need a real deluge to be seen at her best. She’s very likeable, however, and has been working well at home.

5:15 Handicap Hurdle

Colonial Dreams (Nico de Boinville)

I think he would have a very realistic chance as he ran well at Taunton but just didn’t seem to handle the track at all so I think he’ll enjoy it around here and any ‘good’ in the ground will suit. He’s in the handicapper’s grip but on his best form, he shouldn’t be far away.

 Questions to @Sevenbarrows

@_TomLFC_

Would you say this season has been a success? A few disappointments but surely more highs than lows?

We certainly can’t complain about the season we’ve had but yes, as there always are, several highs and several lows. Obviously Altior has been a major high all season but I have to nominate Verdana Blue who should get special recognition as she’s been on the go since about August and has won on the flat, the Unibet Elite Hurdle, Beat Buveur D’Air in the Unibet Christmas Hurdle and then absolutely bolted up in the Scottish Champion Hurdle. She’s quite remarkable!

@simonsanders
Congrats on another fantastic season and thanks for hosting us @Lambournopenday, it was great to see Sprinter in magnificent form. What has given you most pleasure this season and who is the one to watch for next season?

It was great to welcome you Simon and I hope you had a fantastic day. As I said above, Verdana Blue has given us all an immense amount of pleasure but Pentland Hills would certainly go down as one who has given us all, including his large group of owners, a lot of fun. In January I certainly wouldn’t have thought he’d end up unbeaten over hurdles and won two grade ones! Chantry House (who runs at Punchestown next week) , Rathill, Birchdale are the ones I’d look out for next season.

 

@MarcusLeasley
Do you go on holiday at all, Nicky, and if so, are you constantly wanting to get back home to the horses?

Ha ha! Yes, I do manage to get away for a week up in Scotland but a week is usually seven days too long and I’m always itching to get back!
 

@ShaneMoodySmith
What’s the latest with Charli Parcs?

We had to insert a screw into his joint, but afterwards he was lame (again) so we took it out and he was unsound again so I’m afraid he’s struggling at the moment and I’m not sure what the future holds for him at this stage.

 

@PaulWoloszyn
Did anything come to light re Epatante’s poor performance at Cheltenham? Hopefully she’ll resume the promise she was showing as she looked very exciting.

Not really, unfortunately because I thought she was one of our best chances at the Festival but it wasn’t meant to be. She’ll come back next season and I hope we can resume her career and get it back on track.

 

@ajk0842

What plans for Call Me Lord? I hope he is well.

He ran a very good race in the Imperial Cup but unfortunately came back with an injury which caused us to draw stumps and I just hope we can get him back for next season.

 

@Dcsportsvalue

If you could choose just one, would you prefer to regain the Trainers’ Championship or win the Aintre Grand National?

There’s only one answer to that and it happens to be a 4m4f race in Liverpool!

 

@jsfletch92

Congrats on another great season. Which races do you have in mind for Santini for the first part of next season.

There’s an intermediate Chase at Sandown which we won with Might Bite two years ago so we’ll probably start there and then have a look at the Ladbrokes Chase as second season novices have a good record in it.

 

@5simdog

Being a local to Kempton, am I going to see Altior on Boxing Day?

I hope so. All being well, that is what we are seriously considering.

 

@erika_erika10

Which of your horses has proved the most challenging this season, ie due to injury or training setbacks?

Training horses is always very challenging but it was a miracle that we got Santini to Cheltenham as we’d had so much trouble with his foot beforehand. The Equine Flu was also rather challenging!