DESPITE a few unsatisfactory blood test and having to swap a few horses around we’re still performing to a 38% strike rate so it all can’t be that bad and I’m quite happy with the wellbeing of our runners as we head into an important weekend with plenty of clues looking towards the spring.

We enjoyed a four timer at three meetings last Saturday and obviously Altior was the main attraction. To be honest I have absolutely nothing whatsoever to say about him jumping left. It is something that has been completely overplayed and isn’t even a story. I read Nico’s Unibet blog last night and he had it absolutely spot on so there is nothing more that needs to be said, it’s as simple as that.

Downtown Getaway finally got the job done in the Novice Hurdle at Ascot but wasn’t very tidy about his jumping and there are a lot of things we need to sharpen up which will come with experience and we might even need to go over a little bit further as well. He’s come out of the race in good form and I think we’ll crack on with him now.

I was very impressed with Mister Fisher in the Rossington Main at Haydock and thought he did nothing wrong. His jumping was good and I think the second horse is pretty respectable and we were giving him 3lbs so it was a very pleasing performance. As you all know we were going to run Angel’s Breath but switched to this lad instead and that experience will have done him plenty of good so that’s probably him done now until Cheltenham. As for Angel’s Breath, it was a shame that I had to take a pull with him but he’s absolutely fine now and Nico rode him this morning and was particularly happy. I don’t know here we will go next as I don’t want to rush him back but he’s fine and we will look for something suitable in the next few weeks.

Sticking with the Novices, I see that lots of people have asked about Champagne Platinum and I’m pleased to report that he absolutely fine and will probably have one more run before Cheltenham. We’re thinking of keeping him to two miles (and Barry tends to agree) because we’ve already got the 2m4f division covered with the likes of Champ and much of it also depends on what happens with Birchdale tomorrow. Sadly one horse who we can pretty much rule out of these sort of races is Rathhill who has a bit of a problem and will, in all probability, sit out the rest of the season. He’s a lovely horse with a lot of ability so we may do the best thing and save him for next term.

Runners at Cheltenham, Uttoxeter, Doncaster and Fontwell this weekend and my thoughts on their chances are below.

CHELTENHAM

12:40 G2 Juvenile Hurdle

Adjali (Daryl Jacob)

I have always liked him and I hope this horse starts off what could be a big day for Simon and Isaac who will be at Cheltenham tomorrow so we have been planning for them to have plenty of action! This was the natural place for Adjali to come since the G1 Finale Hurdle at Chepstow and he’s been in good form at home. Despite getting beaten I think he did nothing wrong and two good horses fought out a very good finish but sadly there could only be one winner. They finished a long way clear and to be fair Paul’s horse just wasn’t for passing, no matter how hard we tried, but luckily we haven’t got him to contend with here! I would have thought this track will be an asset to him and he’s in good shape. Good to Soft ground is absolutely fine for him and I’m very hopeful.

1:50 Handicap Chase

Janika (Daryl Jacob)

Hell’s Kitchen got a loose lead up front at Ascot last time and we just couldn’t get anywhere near him, although he still ran a very good race. To be honest we didn’t know a great deal about him then but do now. He wasn’t dramatically unfit at Ascot so I’m not sure how much improvement there is fitness-wise and he’s not a particularly big horse so giving weight all around wont be the easiest thing for him to do, but he has to go somewhere and I’m very happy with his wellbeing at home.

2:25 G2 Cotswold Chase

Terrefort (Daryl Jacob)

I don’t really know what to make of this race to be honest and both of these horses are unknown quantities. Daryl came in yesterday to schooled both of them and they each jumped absolutely beautifully which made his decision extremely difficult. There was lots of ‘umming and ahhing’ around the breakfast table, I can tell you! But in the end, he opted for this horse because he knows what he’s capable of from last season and we just have to put that Sandown run behind us because he was never jumping and it was a major blip. We have treated his muscle problem and done everything we can to get him back and he’s perfectly fine now and in great shape. He still shows absolutely zilch on the gallops but I’m not worried as he’s always been like that so it doesn’t concern me at all. We know he stays the trip and of the two, he will be better suited to the ground, therefore I’m hopeful of a bold show.

Valtor (James Bowen)

James was on board at Ascot so it makes sense for him to ride again and we will know much more about whether he’s a Gold Cup or Grand National horse after this. I certainly didn’t expect what we saw at Ascot which was pretty amazing but consequently he’s put himself in a horrible position where we’re not particularly well off at the weights with Frodon, but we have to put him in here and if he doesn’t win, maybe the Handicapper will take a look at it and say ‘perhaps we over-reacted a little bit’ and drop him back down, I don’t know, but he was really impressive on the day and just has to go out and do it again.

3:00 G2 Novices’ Hurdle

Birchdale (Barry Geraghty)

We were forced to miss Warwick because he wasn’t 100% but we gave him a blood test yesterday and nothing appears to be wrong so we’re good to go. The reason we are running this horse, and not Champ, is because we want to give him as much experience as possible (which Champ has plenty of) whereas Birchdale has only had two runs so could even have another run after this. This is a good test for him and the form of his win has worked out well with Clarendon Street scoring at Wetherby which obviously gives me confidence. Jarvey’s Plate was very impressive on New Year’s Day when beating one of ours in I Can’t Explain and to be honest on what I’d seen at home I expected I Can’t Explain to win but he never really looked like getting his head in front and in all fairness he wouldn’t be that far off the ability of Birchdale on their homework so it’s difficult to put Jarvey’s Plate’s win into context (as far as I am concerned) because I don’t think our horse performed to his best that day. Birchdale could be very high class, he’s got to go out and prove it now.

DONCASTER

3:15 Listed Chase

O O Seven (Nico de Boinville)

He won around there last time and I would expect him to have come on a lot for it. He loves good ground and his work has been excellent. Dingo Dollar is the obvious one to beat but he’ll probably go forward which will give us a nice lead and I’m quite hopeful.

4.25 Bumper

Nonesuch (Nico de Boinville)

She ran a nice race at Ludlow when she was very green and I think she will have learnt plenty from it and come on enough to be very competitive here.

UTTOXETER

1.40 Maiden Hurdle

Captain Woodie (Jerry McGrath)

He missed the whole of last season and taken a long old time to get him back, so I suspect he will need this. It will be soft ground there so I’d just like to see him run respectably and come out of the race safe and sound. He has a very big future over fences when the time comes.

SUNDAY – FONTWELL

1.30 Handicap Hurdle

Dream Du Grand Val (Nico de Boinville)

He got a nasty cut behind after running at Cheltenham which kept him off for a while and I’m not convinced that this is the best track for him as he’s a big galloper who would probably prefer a stiffer test. He has just got to learn to settle and race properly, but he jumps well and this looks quite an open race so if he can get some cover (which may be hard in a small field like this) he should run a good race.