Eyes on the prize, but not just at Cheltenham.
In the News
The biggest week in racing lies ahead and the excitement is building all around the Cotswolds. A veritable host of horses will swarm down to Prestbury Park, including two of our own and a few that were purchased through RHBloodstock. But it’s not all about Cheltenham. While the media will be strictly focused at Cleeve Hill, there will be plenty of racing elsewhere. It’s part of the reason that Chris Gordon’s incredible five-timer across two meetings has been missed on Monday. While the big meetings get all the attention and money, the smaller ones miss out on both and that’s a shame for the yards of this world that don’t have a big city banker or an oil sheikh to support them.
Last week’s runners
We had no runners last week.
This week’s runners
Four runners are set to go to post for us this week and heading them is the grey, Valadom. He is all set to take up his place in the Cross Country Chase on Wednesday. He ran well despite rain-softened ground in January and Jamie Bargary gave him a very good ride that day. Jamie has been in to school him around the course last week (ed.I assume from the video on your twitter) and he’s in fine fettle. Unlike some of these, he’s still young enough to be open to further improvement and he does seem to see out the trip now, based on his run up the hill last time. If he doesn’t get hassled for the lead by the McManus brigade, he has a good chance of hitting the frame.
On Thursday, Tahira is set to line up in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle. She’s got a tough task on her hands against a few very good mares like Let’s Dance and Airlie Beach for Willie Mullins, but she has done nothing wrong so far. She’s notched up two wins for us so far, including beating some very useful geldings in a Listed Novices’ race at Haydock under Harry Skelton. Harry is set to take the ride again and she could run another big race.
Away from Cheltenham, we have runners at Fakenham on Friday. First up, Caprice D’anglais runs in a selling hurdle over two miles. We’ve decided to put him back over the smaller obstacles to see what he can do over them. He doesn’t carry a penalty for his two chase wins so he’s well in off his hurdles mark.
Chic Name is entered at the same meeting, but he’s unlikely to run as he’s due to go down in the handicap and we’ll be able to find a better opening for him then.
Cobalt Marthen finally, is entered at Uttoxeter on Saturday and could make his debut in a the bumper there. He is a five year old gelding by Balko, who has produced some useful sorts like Balko Des Flos and Gitane du Berlais, out of an unraced mare.
Other
RHBloodstock purchase Petit Mouchoir ran an absolute stormer in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday. He led for a long way, but made a couple mistakes on the run in that meant he had to give up second to seasoned campaigner My Tent Or Yours. He showed great heart to keep on for third and there will be other days for him. He’s already a winner of two Grade Ones and on today’s performance, he’ll surely add to those at some point in his career