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Monday 4th December

The sparkling success of Hermes Allen in the Grade 2 John Francome Novice Chase at Newbury on Friday was the highlight of another fruitful week for Team Ditcheat.

We had planned to give him his debut over fences a bit earlier in the season until a minor foot issue forced us to take a pull. It took a while to diagnose the problem so he missed a fair bit of work while he was on the easy list and is bound to come on plenty for the outing given that he also had a wind op in the summer.
It was encouraging to see Hermes Allen travel well in a racecourse gallop at Newbury with Complete Unknown on November 21st and I was thrilled with the way he jumped on Friday on his way to a decisive victory against some useful opponents. He isn’t the biggest but he has plenty of class, and his schooling was spot on ahead of Newbury. Although he landed the Challow at the track last season on bottomless going he is more effective on the better ground he encountered on Friday. Likely to go next to The Noel Novice chase at Ascot on December 22nd.
Kandoo Kid completed a really good day for us with a battling win in a £26,000 handicap Chase over two and a half miles in the colours of Michael Geoghegan. Raised 6lbs for a narrow defeat at the previous Newbury meeting he finished with purpose to beat Frero Banbou by two and a half lengths.
Kandoo Kid has needed time but he is getting there now and shapes as though he will stay further in time. Might go over 3 miles at Kempton on 27th December.
A disappointment on Friday was the performance of Hugos New Horse who struggled from an early stage in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle and was eventually pulled up. He was choking on the way round, and will be off for wind surgery this week and back again in the spring.
On Saturday Complete Unknown found the ground was too quick in the Coral Gold Cup Cup. Harry Cobden said the horse was always in top gear and sensibly looked after him once he couldn’t finish in the money.
Complete Unknown still ran tidily and there are plenty of options for him this winter when conditions are in his favour including the Coral Welsh National and chases at Warwick and Lingfield where the going is usually deep at this time of year.
Emailandy ran a very nice race in finishing third under a penalty in a decent novice hurdle and would have gone close to winning but for a mistake at the final flight and Irish Hill ran as if he wants a bit further.
We enjoyed success with two more of our talented bumper squad on their racecourse debuts earlier in the week with Just Lucky Sivola on the mark at Southwell on Tuesday and Jackpot Des Bordes winning a day later at Hereford.
This week we are sending Stay Away Fay to Sandown on Friday for the three mile Grade 2 Esher Novice Chase and Insurrection goes for the Grade 2 Ballymore Winter Novice Hurdle the same day.
The following afternoon Iceo is on course for the Grade 1 Betfair Henry V111 Novice Chase.
We could also have runners at Aintree on Saturday while on Sunday we will definitely be sending a team to Kelso including Truckers Lodge who tackles the four mile chase.
For the latest news on all our Saturday runners please be sure to check out my Betfair column which goes live the previous day.

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Magnificent Four Timer

We ended a highly productive week with a four timer on Saturday at Ascot, all well ridden by Harry Cobden, and a good run by Bravemansgame into second place in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

The positive results moved us clear at the top of the trainers’ table with £900,000 in prize money from 44 winners at a strike rate of 25%.
Bravemansgame was in top form going into the race and travelled and jumped with his usual zest before perhaps just getting outstayed by Royal Pagaille from the back of the second last. He got a great ride from Daryl Jacob and was fine on Sunday morning. We will get him fresh and well for his bid to land the King George V1 Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day for the second year running.
Brave Kingdom’s fine victory at Plumpton on Monday on his return from a long absence set the tone for the week. He was given an excellent ride by Bryony Frost.
We then enjoyed doubles at Wincanton on Thursday and Chepstow on Friday before all four of our runners were successful at Ascot on Saturday.
Farnoge was the first to strike with a fluent win under a penalty in a Class 2 Novice Hurdle over two miles, five and a half furlongs. He is a horse I really like and could be one for the Leamington Spa Hurdle at Warwick. It wouldn’t surprise me if he becomes a candidate for the Albert Bartlett Hurdle.
Pic D’Orhy was then well on top in the Grade 2 Nirvana Spa 1965 Chase. Obviously it helped that the favourite Shiskin refused to start but Pic D’Orhy was hard fit and I was confident beforehand. He is a big horse and might have found the ground at Ascot quicker than ideal after a dry week. I’ve not made a plan for him yet.
Blueking D’Oroux completed a rapid double for the de la Heys with a really pleasing victory in the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle.
While he had a bit to find on ratings I was expecting a decent show and he didn’t disappoint as he stayed on stoutly to beat Strong Leader by a length.
Blueking D’Oroux is still only four and has an exciting future in staying hurdles as he grows older. I’m not in a rush to turn him out again quickly.
We ended the day at Ascot by landing the Class 3 bumper with Regent’s Stroll in the colours of Chris Giles.
He is a lovely prospect out of a half sister to Denman and kept finding when challenged turning for home and was pulling away again at the end. At this early stage I’d put him on a par with our other recent bumper winners Touquet, Kap Bay and Captain Bellamy.
Harry Cobden loved Regent’s Stroll who has time on his side and is likely to be seen next in a decent bumper in the spring.
We have a few promising youngsters to run in the next few days before turning our attention to Newbury’s two day meeting at the weekend where Hermes Allen could turn out on Friday and Complete Unknown goes for the Coral Gold Cup on Saturday.
For all the latest news on my runners on both days please check out my Betfair column which goes live early in the afternoon the previous day.

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Drama at the last

Stage Star lived up to his name after surviving a dramatic mistake at the final fence on his way to an emphatic victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The horse and his rider Harry Cobden pretty much came to a standstill and did brilliantly to stay together because on another day they could easily have ended up on the floor. Stage Star then rallied so strongly that he was four lengths clear of the runner up Notlongtillmay at the line.
It was another classy performance by a horse who obviously had plenty left in the tank given the way he picked up again on the hill. He needed to take a step forward from last season, has obviously done so and jumped superbly apart from the last fence where he did well to stand up and Harry did well to stay in the saddle.
Stage Star has lots of improvement to come and has now won first time out in the last four seasons. He has always been at his best when fresh and the Paddy Power has been the target since he came back from his holiday early in July. Now all roads for him lead to the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Il Ridoto ran a fine race in finishing third behind Stage Star. He will be a serious contender when he returns to the course in a month’s time for the AIS December Gold Cup.
On Sunday Ginny’s Destiny kept up the good form of the team with a fluent victory from the front in a Class 3 £30,000 novice handicap Chase. He is one of mine that can’t have the ground too deep, has improved plenty from his debut for us three weeks earlier and pulled clear on the run in to win by ten lengths from Es Perfecto. As he is quite lightly raced there should be plenty of improvement to come.
Others to run well on the day include Sonigino, fourth in the Greatwood Hurdle and Fire Flyer who stayed on stoutly to finish second in the Listed bumper and will now be going over hurdles.
Afadil sulked in the Greatwood and was eventually pulled up. He probably wants better ground and we will try him with cheek pieces next time.
On Friday Captain Teague was narrowly beaten in the Grade 2 novice hurdle over two miles, five furlongs but my faith in him remains as strong as ever. He is still an exciting prospect, shapes like a thorough stayer and we will probably make more use of him next time.
We enjoyed a tidy double at a Taunton on Thursday with Matterhorn and Panjari both winning well after making the running. I can’t wait to see Matterhorn over fences , while Panjari looks one to keep improving as he gains experience.
We are set for a busy time this Saturday with Bravemansgame likely to run in the Betfair Chase if the dry forecast for the week is correct.
With Harry Cobden heading to Ascot to ride Pic D’Orhy, Blueking D’Oroux and Sabrina, I have booked Daryl Jacob for Bravemansgame. He is riding out regularly at Ditcheat, won the Grand National for me on Neptune Collonges and has a good record in the race .
For the latest news on my Saturday runners please be sure to check out my Betfair column which goes live early on Friday afternoon.

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