Festival Fever Building!

Last week was certainly a productive one! Thankfully our case of seconditis cleared up and three winners meant that our seasonal tally ticked over to 74. Meanwhile we were also busy making entries for some of the big races for the Cheltenham Festival including the centrepiece, The Cheltenham Gold Cup. With further races closing tomorrow, for all the latest news on our Cheltenham team as well as all the other goings-on in the yard, read on…

Without further ado onto the Cheltenham Festival, and can you believe that there only eight weeks left until the finest four days of jump racing anywhere in the world? The proximity of the meeting is really brought home when the big race entries begin to close and they do not come much bigger than the Gold Cup. We are doubly represented in the blue ribband event this year with both Dynaste and star novice Kings Palace engaged. I will point out at this time that Kings Palace (pictured above) is extremely unlikely to run in the race this year, but I have always been a firm believer in keeping all bases covered and we would be foolish not to have the option at this stage.

Meanwhile last season’s Ryanair Chase hero Dynaste has also been entered in that race again and a decision on which race he participates in will not be made until much nearer the time. He is likely to have one more run between now and the festival and with the Gold Cup looking to be wide open again this year (with the possible exception of Silviniaco Conti) I am sure no one would blame us for carefully weighing up the options. Our other entry in the Ryanair Chase is last season’s Byrne Group Plate winner Ballynagour. He proved himself of Grade One ability when a close third at Aintree last term and followed that up with another good effort at the top tier at Punchestown. His run in the Hennessy can be easily forgiven and a race such as the Ryanair could prove ideal for him, while he will probably also be entered once again in the Byrne Group Plate (which closes at a later date).

Races close tomorrow for the Champion Hurdle, World Hurdle and OLBG Mares’ Hurdle and while I do not envisage having anything for the Champion Hurdle, I would imagine that Un Temps Pour Tout (pictured right) will be entered in the World Hurdle. Although yet to run this season, he is pleasing me at home and is not far from a run, indeed I intend to run him in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on 24th January. His form from last season looks rock solid and I believe he could prove even better over three miles. While further improvement is required to figure in a championship race such as the World Hurdle, it is not beyond the realms of possibility and he is thoroughly deserving of an entry. I will bring you news of the remainder of our big race engagements next week.

One horse who sadly will not be joining our Cheltenham Festival team is Red Sherlock, winner of six of his seven career starts. Unfortunately when he arrived back from pre-training at Timmy Murphy’s yard his scans were not satisfactory and after facing a race against time with him, we have decided to draw stumps for the season. He is far too good a prospect to rush and so he will be given all the time he requires to return to 110%. It is extremely disappointing for everyone at the yard and of course his owners; although I am sure he will be well worth waiting for.

Looking back to last week, it was good to get among the winners again and following a horrible fall at Huntingdon on his penultimate start I was delighted to see Saint John Henry show a willing attitude to see out the three mile handicap hurdle at Bangor in tenacious style. He isn’t the biggest, but he has a heart nearly as big as himself and he has improved for the step up in trip, hopefully he can maintain his progressive profile.

Rathlin Rose duly went one better than on his rules debut when taking the three mile maiden hurdle at Taunton. I think he was value for a bit more than the winning margin as he was only dossing once in front and when he had a loose horse for company in the closing stages, he stayed on very well. He will continue to improve with experience and is a staying chaser in the making.

Our third and final winner of the week was Bidourey who made short work of defying a penalty at Leicester on Thursday in the novices’ hurdle. Our four year old is now unbeaten in four starts and is clearly a useful prospect – he was bought as a chaser for the future so these successes are a welcome bonus. Pundits had mentioned races such as the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival although that may come a little bit soon in his career – I will chat with his owners during the coming weeks, although it is not inconceivable that he will sidestep Cheltenham altogether. Whatever route we decide to go with him, he will make a lovely chaser in time.

While we are on the subject of last week’s runners, I should also mention former Pond House inmates Consigliere, Junior and Dan Breen, all of whom were in action in point-to-points over the weekend. Both Consigliere and Junior were successful in men’s’ opens at the weekend (Consigliere at Ampton and Junior at the Yorkshire track, Sheriff Hutton), while Dan Breen finished a close second in the ladies open at Wadebridge on his first start for Gerry Supple, so well done to connections of all three. It is always great to hear of former inmates continuing to do well once their rules racing careers are finished.

Looking ahead and it is a quiet start to the week for the stable with no runners today (Monday). Tomorrow Low Key is our sole representative at Fakenham when he makes his hurdling debut in the maiden. He was the facile winner of his only start for us on the level during the summer when successful in a ladies’ race at Newbury under Alice Mills. He looked a useful recruit on that occasion and has since schooled well over timber. While there are a couple of potentially useful types in opposition, a race of this nature should be within his compass.

On Wednesday Brook and Chic Theatre are intended runners at Newbury, although they may yet be joined by others. I was a little disappointed when Brook finished fourth on his debut for the stable at Chepstow in October, although as things have turned out, it was a decent contest with two of the leading juveniles, Karezak and Golden Doyen ahead of him that day. He has taken a little time to come right since, but he is pleasing me again now. A bit like Bidourey, he looks more like a chaser than a juvenile hurdler and is another very promising individual for the future. Meanwhile Chic Theatre is making his racecourse debut in the bumper and while he goes nicely enough at home, we will know a lot more about him after the race.

Plans for later in the week are still fluid at this stage, but we have plenty of entries. For all the latest news on our runners, as usual you can keep up to date with Chester’s Daily Chat or follow us on Twitter @DavidPipeRacing