Weekend Review: Gold for Carruthers in the Hennessy

Weekend Preview/Review / Timeform / 28 November 2011 / Leave a Comment

Carruthers jumps the water on his way to Hennessy glory.

"Carruthers, under jockey Mattie Batchelor, proved triumphant in the Hennessy Gold Cup, a race that is now established as one of the highlights of the national hunt season..."

Timeform look back at a weekend of racing featuring the fantastic spectacle that is the Hennessy Gold Cup, a relative stroll around Newbury racecourse for Big Buck's in the Long Distance Hurdle and the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle...

The Mark Bradstock-trained Carruthers, under jockey Mattie Batchelor, proved triumphant in the Hennessy Gold Cup, a race that is now established as one of the highlights of the National Hunt season.

Carruthers had become very well treated on his solid form in the top Graded races in 2009/10, and was racing off a 10 lb lower mark than when sixth in this event last year. He was forcefully ridden throughout, and did extremely well to fend off various challengers from four out, particularly when considering the mistakes he made early in the race. The Welsh National is reportedly his next target, for which Carruthers is currently available at [12.0], and he should remain with some potential in handicaps judged on his best form.

The Philip Hobbs pair, Planet of Sound and Fair Along, ran excellent races in second and third respectively, with Fair Along doing particularly well to finish as close as he did after somewhat blundering his way around. Planet of Sound has had a couple of problems, resulting in him racing only twice last season, but this fine effort off a high mark clearly suggests that those problems are behind him. If he stands further racing, he could well be competitive in Graded events like in the 2009/10 season, in which he was a Grade 1 winner.

David Pipe's PP Gold Cup winner Great Endeavour finished fourth, shaping like the best horse for much of the way. His task from now on will be that much stiffer, as he is due to go up a further 6lb, although it is not out of the question that he could still improve, with the overriding impression being that he will be suited by distances of up to three miles.

Big Buck's extended his unbeaten run over hurdles to 13 when landing the Long Distance Hurdle for a third successive year. Those in opposition were very much in a race for second place, a position filled by stable mate Five Dream who ran as well as he ever has, seemingly rejuvenated for the switch back to hurdles and the removal of blinkers. Sparky May left the impression once again that she does not stay three miles, looking second best until emptying in the after the second last - she is one of the top mares and should still win races.

With the competition in the staying hurdle division not looking as hot this year, due to both Grands Crus and Bobs Worth being switched to chasing, Big Buck's is going to continue to be exceptionally difficult to beat.

Rock on Ruby, last season's Grade 1 Neptune Novices' Hurdle second, produced a tremendous performance to defy top-weight when beating Empire Levant and Raya Star in the Gerry Feilden.

Rock on Ruby, trained by Paul Nicholls, had an excellent first season over hurdles in 2010/11, placed in three Graded events after winning on debut, and resumed that progressive thread, having little trouble in dispatching his rivals. The [23.0] currently available about him for the Champion Hurdle looks tempting, given the good pace usually set in that race and the ease with which he handled the return to two miles on Saturday - he could well be a live outsider with the potential to still improve.

Prospect Wells, also trained by Paul Nicholls, ran out an easy winner of a novices' hurdle on Newbury's Saturday card, defying a penalty having already proved himself at a higher level when second to Steps to Freedom at Cheltenham in a Grade 2. He got the better of a useful recruit from the flat in the form of All the Aces, who should have no trouble winning a similar affair, and a step back up in class for the winner now beckons.

Newcastle staged the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle on Saturday, which saw Overturn, trained by Donald McCain, become the first horse to win the North East track's two big prizes after winning the Northumberland Plate on the flat in 2010. This win came just a week after landing a Grade 2 at Ascot, again demonstrating a really likeable and willing attitude in beating former Champion hurdler Binocular.

Nicky Henderson's Binocular shaped as if in need of his reappearance, as he has done in the past, though he does have something to prove after a disappointing campaign last season. His next target will be the Christmas Hurdle, a race he won last season when beating Overturn.

Overturn is currently available at [6.0] to be placed in the Champion Hurdle , a division lacking depth this season and, whilst not in the same league as Hurricane Fly in terms of ability, the way he goes about his races would make him an attractive place proposition.

The top-class Peddlers Cross gained a second course win within a month at Bangor, and an across the card double for Donald McCain, though this race had much more substance to it with the presence of fellow Grade 1 winning hurdler Minella Class. That rival shaped well, and should easily take a similar event, but simply was not up to the class of Peddlers Cross, who is looking the one to beat in the two mile novices division. He is currently favourite for the Arkle at [5.1] and all the signs so far suggest that he is worthy of that standing.

Attention turned to Ireland on Sunday, where Navan staged a Grade 2 novices' hurdle and the Troytown handicap chase.

The first mentioned was won by Mount Benbulben, trained by Gordon Elliott, a horse who had looked well up to Graded company when winning on his previous start at Thurles. This success confirmed that impression, and he could yet go on to better things, as the [14.0] currently available for the Albert Bartlett highlights.

The Troytown Handicap Chase, a fiercely competitive event with 25 runners, was decided in a tight finish as Groody Hill prevailed by half a length from Ad Idem. Groody Hill was scoring a hat-trick, following on from wins at Punchestown and Wexford, and being a five year-old, there is likely to still be room for further progression.

Timeform look ahead to a weekend that sees the return of Big Buck's in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, the Fighting Fifth Hurdle up at Newcastle, and one of the most competitive handicaps of the year in the form of the Hennessy Gold Cup......

Incredible scenes followed the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on Saturday after Kauto Star had showed just why he is one of the all-time National Hunt greats, while Master Minded got back on track in the Amiln Chase at Ascot......

Timeform look ahead to a weekend featuring a high-quality Betfair Chase at Haydock, as well as good racing at Ascot on Saturday and in Ireland on Sunday......

Betfair website

Hennessy Gold Cup: Pipe has Great expectations

News / Timeform / 22 November 2011 / Leave a Comment

Great Endeavour will take his chance in the Hennessy.

Great Endeavour is on course in his bid to complete a November Gold Cup double in the Hennessy at Newbury on Saturday following his win in the PP Gold Cup at Cheltenham...

Trainer David Pipe is leaning towards running the grey, rated 155 by Timeform, in the prestigious staying handicap chase following Monday's confirmation stage, for which he can currently be backed at [8.2].

Great Endeavour gave Pipe his first win in the PP Gold Cup, a race his father, Martin, claimed eight times.

And the present incumbent of Pond House is now hoping to make some more family history as his father won both races with Celestial Gold in 2004.

Celestial Gold, like Great Endeavour, carried the colours of David Johnson and was regularly ridden by Timmy Murphy.

"The plan is to let our winner of the PP Gold Cup take his chance in which only 19 remain at the five day stage," the trainer told www.davidpipe.co.uk.

"While I have some reservations about the trip of three miles, two furlongs, especially if we have significant rain in the run up to Saturday, I am encouraged by the fact that he was able to finish a close third in a Cheltenham handicap hurdle on soft ground in November 2009.

"He will be ridden accordingly and we are hopeful that he will be able to put up a bold bid to emulate my father, who completed the double with Celestial Gold back in 2004."

Cue Card will bid to make amends for his Cheltenham mishap at Newbury on Friday, where he could clash once again with Grands Crus......

Melbourne star Craig Williams gained a Group 1 consolation win of sorts in Perth on Saturday when he rode top class mare Ortensia to her second win in the $500,000 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot......

Two more European-trained fillies attempt to follow up Snow Fairy's success in Japan last weekend when they tackle the Mile Championship at Kyoto on Sunday......

Betfair website

Irish Weekend Preview: Stars on show at Hennessy meeting

Timeform Features / Timeform / 04 February 2011 / Leave a Comment

Willie Mullins: Has chances in three of the four Grade 1s at Leopardstown

"The defection of Pandorama means that the result of the Hennessy itself is unlikely to have much of an impact on the current Gold Cup market, but the absence of Noel Meade’s stable star has made this contest much more interesting from a betting point of view. "

The Irish Hennessy meeting at Leopardstown is the last stepping stone before the Cheltenham Festival for many leading ante-post fancies from across the Irish Sea and the four Grade 1 events on the card all promise to be high-class renewals.

The defection of Pandorama means that the result of the Hennessy itself is unlikely to have much of an impact on the current Gold Cup market, but the absence of Noel Meade's stable star has made this contest much more interesting from a betting point of view.

Unexposed British raider Pride of Dulcote is the one that has the potential to shake up the Gold Cup betting the most, with many people seeing Paul Nicholls' progressive second-season chaser as a dark horse for the Blue Riband event in March. However, the form of his narrow win over Punchestowns in a graduation chase at Newbury in December took a knock when that rival disappointed at Cheltenham last weekend and he looks to represent little value at current odds given the amount he needs to find with the likes of Joncol and Money Trix.

Last year's winner Joncol bounced right back to his high-class best when third to Pandorama in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and he filled the same place in that race last season before getting the better of Cooldine in a tight finish in this corresponding event. Paul Nolan's runners weren't in much form before the turn of the year, and it wouldn't come as a great surprise to see Joncol turn around form with the runner-up Money Trix and follow up last year's win.

The Deloitte Hurdle promises to be the best novice run in Ireland this season and it will feature the return to action of Zaidpour. Prominent in the market for both the Supreme and Neptune Novice hurdles at the Festival, the useful Flat recruit will be looking to regain the winning habit after being turned over at short odds here over Christmas.

Zaidpour may not have been able to maintain his unbeaten record over hurdles, but he did still shape as if the best horse in the race, staying on strongly when eventually asked for maximum effort after the last and beaten only a neck by First Lieutenant. Willie Mullins' representative remains an exciting prospect and should be given another chance to build on the excellent impression he made when running out a facile winner of the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse earlier in the season.

Hidden Universe made up for disappointing in the Champion Bumper at the Festival by going on to win each of his two subsequent starts last season, including a Grade 1 event at Punchestown in April, and made a really encouraging start over hurdles when running out a very easy winner of a maiden at this track over Christmas. The level of form he achieved in bumpers suggests he could prove the biggest threat to Zaidpour.

Willie Mullins is also responsible for the market leader in the DR P .J. Moriarty Novice Chase with Mikael d'Haguenet. Mikael d'Haguenet looked a top-notch prospect over hurdles in 2008/9 before he missed last season through injury, and looked set to beat Jessies Dream before falling at the last in the Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse in December. He was sent off a hot favourite at Leopardstown next time, but, perhaps understandably given the absence that preceded it, seemed not to be over his Fairyhouse exertions fifteen days previously. He's been given a break since, but still doesn't look a solid betting proposition for the time being, especially at odds-on.

The other that deserves a mention is the Dessie Hughes-trained Magnanimity. Last seen when lowering the colours of Jessies Dream in the Grade 2 Killiney Novice Chase at Leopardstown, Magnanimity benefitted from a sound tactical ride that day and showed a really likeable attitude to repel the challenge of Gordon Elliott's charge close home. Magnanimity remains open to improvement over fences, but this drop back in trip is unlikely to play to his strengths and he will be of more interest

All the betting moves ahead of the evening racing at Wolverhampton...

Timeform look over the weekend's action......

The Irish Hennessy meeting at Leopardstown is the last stepping stone before the Cheltenham Festival for many leading ante-post fancies from across the Irish Sea and the four Grade 1 events on the card all promise to be high-class renewals....

Betfair website