IT wasn’t the greatest day at the office last Saturday with a few disappointments including Rathill in the Unibet Tolworth Hurdle but we discovered that he wasn’t 100% sound after the race and are going to do further investigations on Monday. It’s obviously a real shame but, hopefully, it’s nothing too serious and we can get him back on track. At least we have a reason for the below-par run.
We have quite a lot of smart novices and it’s been quite tricky trying to keep them all apart and find the most suitable races. Many people have been asking about Angel’s Breath and I’m pleased to say that he has come out Ascot really well. He’ll work tomorrow and if all goes well he’s a possible for Haydock next Saturday in the Rossington Main Supreme Trial. Mister Fisher worked very well this morning and we’ve just got to make a plan for him. There’s nothing for him at Cheltenham on Trials Day so Haydock is also a very small option, although I suspect Angel’s Breath is more likely. He could go to Kempton for the Dovecote Hurdle on February 23rd but that’s a while away so we may look at something else beforehand, but where, I’m not quite sure.
We Have A Dream has been given an entry for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury next month along with Apple’s Shakira, Countister and Style De Garde and at this moment in time I wouldn’t rule any of them in or out. We Have A Dream would perhaps be the more likeliest if I was pushed and I’m still unsure about Style De Garde who ran a good race back over hurdles the other day so he could come into the equation but it hardly looked like a performance to win a Betfair Hurdle so we may even go back chasing with him.
It's time for a #TBT to our second race fixture of last year and our second Grade 1 of last year!
The Scilly Isles Novices' chase was won by Terrefort
Trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Daryl Jacob!
Who wins this year? pic.twitter.com/G7iIYoi5l0
— Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) January 10, 2019
Of the chasers, I’m delighted to report that Terrefort is doing really well and seems over the muscle problem he picked up at Sandown in November and I think the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on January 26th is very much a possibility for his return. I’m very pleased with the way he’s coming along and he’s moving very nicely. He’ll work again tomorrow and we’ll have a better idea after that but Anthony Bromley (racing manager for Simon and Isaac) is very good at finding races and this could be ideal. We gave him an entry in the Magners Gold Cup, along with the Ryanair Chase, but all of that is a long way off.
Thoughts on the Seven Barrows squad heading to Kempton and Warwick on Saturday are below:
KEMPTON
12:20 Unibet Juvenile Hurdle
Chaparral Prince (Nico de Boinville)
He clearly benefitted from a wind operation after running much better when second over course and distance last time and his behaviour at home has been much better too. He enjoyed himself the other day when making the running and he’ll love the ground around there and if he can reproduce that last run I think he has a great chance. If you would have asked me a month ago if the Fred Winter was on the agenda I would have said that was extremely ambitious but if he wins tomorrow we would definitely be looking at it, for sure. The form of that race has worked out very well after Prebani, who was behind us there, won the Chatteris Fen at Huntingdon today.
12:55 Novices’ Hurdle
Lomachenko (Daryl Jacob)
We cauterised his palate after Fakenham in October and it clearly did the trick as he improved to win very nicely at Leicester last month. We’re going up to three miles which is a slight question mark but he stayed 2m4f around Leicester which has a stiff uphill finish and he travelled really well throughout the race. This has cut up quite considerably but he will love the ground and should go well.
2:05 Listed Chase
Top Notch (Daryl Jacob)
There’s absolutely nothing between him and Charbel on ratings (both 162) and Black Corton is no slouch so this is a proper race! He probably ran slightly better than I expected in the Long Walk at Ascot on his first run back but will have come on plenty for it and he’s been in very good form since. He was quite a sick horse in the autumn when he reacted very badly to a flu vaccination which knocked him sideways for a month, but he’s back to full health now and should run another big race, but I was very impressed with Charbel the other day…
EXTRA PLACE PAID IN THE NEXT…
2:40 Unibet Lanzarote Hurdle
Doux Pretender (Noel Fehily)
He didn’t stay three miles at Cheltenham so will be much happier back at this trip and the ground will really suit. To be honest I’m hoping he can be very competitive as he has lots going for him and is still on the upgrade.
3:15 Unibet Handicap Chase
Josses Hill (Nico de Boinville)
He absolutely loves it around Kempton and good ground is what he has to have which he gets here. There is only one horse that isn’t wearing some kind of headgear or contraption which means they’re a barrel load of monkeys but our horse is in good form and we’ll see how things pan out for him.
WARWICK
1:50 Novices Chase
Ok Corral (Mr Derek O’Connor)
He made a very pleasing debut over fences at Plumpton and did what he had to do. This looks the next logical step and we’ve got Derek over to ride him as the plan is the National Hunt Chase. Touch wood Ok Corral has been much easier to train this season which makes my job easier and for a 9-y-o there are still hardly any miles on the clock. There are only four runners, although Rocky’s Treasure has good form and will be hard to beat, but I’m very happy with our horse and expect him to put up a big show.
QUESTIONS TO @SEVENBARROWS
Thank you to everyone who tweeted questions on @Sevenbarrows there were so many this week so unfortunately I’ve not been able to answer them all but check below to see if yours is there!
@smudgergiggs – Are you getting Downtown Getaway out again soon, Nicky?
He will probably run at Ascot next Saturday.
@andy_waldis – Where is Clarendon Street likely to go next?
I don’t know! I was very pleased with him last time and he’s come out of the Wetherby race in good form.
@FluffyPickle – Hi Nicky! How is Whisper, is he back in training now? Thank you.
He’s not back in training just yet, but there may be some good news as he had his leg scanned last week and they were very pleased with the results so we are considering bringing him back into training, although I have to properly discuss it with Dai Walters. Obviously, we won’t get him back in time for Cheltenham but we might be able to have a look at something further down the line; we don’t really know at the moment. All I can say is that the scans were very encouraging.
@stu_irving – Gold Present, was the ground against him last time and where next?
Yes, most certainly. I was thinking of the Great Yorkshire (SkyBet Chase) at Doncaster on 26th January but while the ground was too soft last time, it was pretty quick at Doncaster at their last meeting and you can’t run a big horse like that on fast ground so maybe I’ll have to make another plan.
@oufcstevens – Could you name us your five horses to follow?
Now there’s a question! Off the top of my head, I’ll give you three – FUSIL RAFFLES was supposed to run at Kempton this weekend but got a bout of colic earlier in the week, but I think he’s nice. SUNRISE RUBY is a smart filly and YELLOW DOCKETS looked good at Warwick last time.
@TipsWhisperer – How does Angel’s Breath compare to your last Supreme winner? He isn’t a bad yardstick, is he…
He certainly wasn’t a bad yardstick and Angel’s Breath is very good but I think the only similarities they have is both their names begin with an A!
@Pbaines – How is Terrefort? Is he likely to run again this season?
He’s in good form and is moving very well again now. The Cotswold Chase is a possibility later this month.
@Blue_Bajan – Hi Nicky, what are the plans for the rest of the season for Rather Be? Many thanks.
I don’t really know as he was very unlucky in the BetVictor and may well have won but didn’t show up at all in the Caspian Caviar three weeks later. Jerry did say to me, however, that he felt the horse was very much dead as though he had hypothermia because there were down at the start for 7 minutes before the off time. Obviously, it’s the same for all of them but if you remember it was the coldest day I’ve ever experienced at Cheltenham so you never know, it may account for something. Jerry said the horse was just shaking because he was so frozen and I think he died a cold before the race had even begun.
@AdamWebb122 – Is Soul Emotion recovering well after Ascot?
He’s actually at Bristol University at the moment undergoing tests. They haven’t come to any conclusion as to why he collapsed after the race at Ascot but we have to get to the bottom of it before we can even think about running him again as we can’t have a repetition of what happened last time.
@98906ea07ad1413 – Hi Nicky, as a shareholder in Pentland Hills, can you tell me how he schooled this week after his bout of ringworm?
He’s fine and coming along well. All of his hair has been restored and his schooling has been very good.
@On_TheNod – What’s the latest with Humphrey Bogart?
He’s progressing nicely but the ground is plenty quick enough for him at the moment so when a bit of rain arrives we’re hopeful that it won’t be too long before he returns to action.
@nickyPhx – Hi Nicky, when can we expect to see Adjali run again? Is the Triumph Hurdle still the plan?
Yes the Triumph is definitely still the plan and he will run again before it but I can’t tell you whereas he has various entries.
@SteveAl57304183 – Will we see Brain Power and Terrefort out again before a tilt at the Unibet Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup? Both, in my opinion, are a live each-way punt.
Re Terrefort, see above. If the ground is good Brain Power will head up to Haydock for a crack at The New One Unibet Champion Hurdle Trial.
@GaryStJohn – Hi Nicky, my question is who do you fear in the Champion Hurdle and do you think Buveur D’Air is good enough to win a third Champion Hurdle given his defeat last time by Verdana Blue.
Yes I do think Buveur D’Air is definitely good enough to win a third Champion Hurdle, in fact I’m sure he is. He wasn’t perhaps at his best at Kempton last time but Verdana Blue very much had conditions in her favour and I don’t think we learnt anything from Laurina at Sandown last week. With Samcro out of the equation, Apple’s Jade could come into the reckoning and I think the Irish have quite a strong hand but I’m very happy with what I’ve got, thank you. Things may be a little clearer after Buveur D’Air has run in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on 2nd February.
@Jaymoroy83 – How is Daphne Du Clos? Has she recovered and will we be seeing her soon? She looked really exciting.
Yes, she was, and could still be, very exciting. She worked this morning and jumps very well and is a very talented mare. I think she will be appearing very shortly as I want to get two runs into her before the Trull House Mares’ Novice at the Festival.
@NUNNERS67 – Hi Nicky, are there any spring aims for Apple’s Shakira? Maybe the Mares’ Hurdle?
That’s a possibility although she hasn’t really sparkled yet this season but is coming along and I’m very happy with her at the moment. She got bogged down at Sandown in the atrocious ground where Barry looked after her and I did have her entered in a Handicap this weekend but she should be running in Listed races so we’ll take our time.
