Equinties - Remembrance review

Gm Equinauts

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

NICHOLLS IS BACK

However much Paul Nicholls has tried to say that his stable has been in form for months, it’s quite clear most of his horses have been a little bit short of work.

Yes, his strike rate since October is reasonable for most trainers, but they’re not to his usual high standards and really, the numbers have been inflated with maiden hurdle winners and summer jumping successes. The big stars underwhelmed.

However, this weekend felt like a bit of a turning point because That’s because the horses that were meant to win simply won.

SORCELEUR won two days in a row, BEAU BALKO made it five from 11 in the conditional jockeys’ handicap chase for the Ditcheat handler, and RUBAUD won on what could be his final hurdles start this season owed to Paul’s plan to put him over the larger stuff.

The six-year-old has really been a superb horse for Nicholls and connections. Having won just the once in France, he’s won eight of his 15 starts for Ditcheat, a run that has included a Dovecote, a Scottish Champion Hurdle, and two Elite Hurdles. now, the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton around Christmas could be his next start.

Nicholls said: "We'll go to Kempton for the Wayward Lad but if we found a beginners' chase we could look at that. He'll be brilliant when we go chasing. He's a horse for the future for races like the Tingle Creek."

Nicholls’ horses are clearly needing the run, so who might be the next one to watch out for?

LIARI ran a good race at Chepstow in a 4YO handicap hurdle and has been dropped a pound by the handicapper. He could be interesting in the Greatwood later this week.

MARINE NO MACHINE

Marine The Machine, what’s what punters were praising him as after his Supreme success in 2023.

It’s a nickname that was attached to FAUGHEEN when he was lobbing around in the pink and green silks of Rich Ricci all those years ago, so he had plenty of pressure on his shoulders with this label.

Unfortunately, ever since that Supreme success, it’s not been plain sailing for Barry Connell’s stable star and yesterday, Marine The Machine was taken on by the market machine.

Having drifted all morning, he went out to a notably bigger 8/11 and was soundly put away at Naas by QUILIXIOS, who was giving four pounds away.

Look, he was impressive when he did his winning, but his wind has been a huge issue and will continue to plague him going forward. Either that, or he has some serious attitude issues.

Connell thought he was a Champion Chase horse, but there’s no chance he’ll be getting anywhere near that race if he continues to perform as he has.

He’s not a horse we’ll be worrying about in the near future, unfortunately.

TWEETS OF THE DAY

WEEKEND EYE-CATCHERS

OFF THE JURY – SATURDAY 12.20 AINTREE

We love the Maxwell, and he will probably love OFF THE JURY after his good run behind MISTER MEGGIT on Saturday.

It’s obvious to pick a horse like this having finished second to a highly-touted and very impressive winner, but there’s still plenty of upsides about OFF THE JURY to mention.

He was second to ROYAL INFANTRY on bumper debut last year, so that form looks nice, and he stayed on nicely in the closing stages at Aintree on Saturday.

He’s a PtP winner and he jumped a few of his hurdles with plenty of air. He’ll be a nice chaser next year, so this season will probably be about minding him.

PASSING WELL – SUNDAY 13.05 SANDOWN

PASSING WELL finished in a race-fit sandwich at Sandown yesterday as he finished second over 2m4f at Sandown.

The winner, EL RIO, is an unexposed chaser for Kim Bailey who won at Huntingdon in October and the third, MOLE COURT, had a nice run at Cheltenham last month.

PASSING WELL, who finished third to the now Grade 2-winning HENRY’S FRIEND at Newbury in December, was having his first start for 254 days and his run was very promising.

He was tried over three miles and that run at Newbury was over 2m6f, so connections might want to step him up in trip with a nice summer under his belt.

THE CHANGING MAN - SATURDAY 15.30 WINCANTON

This lad was a big bet for us in the Badger Beer chase.

Trusting the soft fall will have no further implications on both body and brain, he is very much one to look forward to this season off a beautiful mark.

PHANTOM GETAWAY – SUNDAY 13.15 FFOS LAS

Kim Bailey thinks PHANTOM GETAWAY is well-handicapped to win a nice one this season, and he could well be correct after his seasonal reappearance yesterday.

He tried to make all under Tom Bellamy, and apart from a sketchy jump at the 14th, he showed real determination to finish a valiant second.

He was beaten by a 40/1-shot who was having his second handicap start after showing not too much so far, so connections can feel a little bit hard done by if we’re being honest.

With a mark in the 120s, he’ll come on for the run and will be on the shortlist going forward, especially in deep ground.

BUMPER

CARLISLE

This is a really nice mares bumper with several pedigree’s to note.

Heading the market see’s I’VE MADEUPMYMIND who sets a clear standard albeit not winning. Nice enough pedigree being out of a winning dam, she’s certainly the one to beat and one to look forward to in the future over hurdles without being a world beater.

GETAWHISKY is unraced for the Skeltons who have been cleaning up in bumpers this season. She has a dynamite pedigree and is related to several winners including full brother ONE FOR ROSIE who was a 150 horse.

CENTURIONS SISTER has been backed and like the Skelton’s mare she’s by GETAWAY. Related to winners including the yards CAIUS MACIUS who was a bumper winner.

OH CLARE has a lovely pedigree too. By bumper king maker WALK IN THE PARK, the dam has produced good winners in twice bumper winning GEORDIE DES CHAMPS and bumper winning TIMETOCHILL. On the shortlist.

With these pedigree’s coming to the fore of the market, there is really no need to look at the others.

Verdict: Despite setting the standard, we (nervously) think Pauling’s is one to take on! You can bet your bottom dollar Skelton’s will be ready and there’ll be no surprise should she win and firing but with we’re tentatively going to go with the bigger price in OH CLARE who is by the best sire for this race!

BUMPER RESULTS

03/10/24 KAYLAN 2/1 (11/8 SP) - 1st

08/10/24 LAURA LOU 11/1 & PLAYAWAY GIRL 14/1 - 6th & 9th

09/10/24 JOTO 2/1 6th

09/10/24 ID GO MANIAC 5/2 - 4th

12/10/24 MONEYGARROW 5/1 (13/8 SP) - 1st

16/10/24 KINGSLEY 7/1 - 8th

18/10/24 STRONG RUN 5/1 - 2nd

22/10/24 SECRET SNIPER 5/1 - 3rd

23/10/24 THE LONG WALK 100/30 - 3rd

27/10/24 SIOG GEAL 5/2 - 2nd

27/10/24 QUINNS REWARD 9/1 (14/1 SP) - 7th

27/10/24 TENNESSE TANGO 9/1 (12/1 SP) - 1st

28/10/24 ALLSTITCHEDUP 12/1 - 9th

30/10/24 KOSAC D’OUDAIRIES 11/2 (5/2 SP) - 5th

01/11/24 BEAU GOLD 11/2 - 8th

02/11/24 KAJIKIA 17/2 - 1st

07/11/24 BROOKSIDE LA 5/2 - 4th

07/11/24 EL CAIROS 100/30 - 1st

09/11/24 JOTO 7/1 (16/1 SP) - 4th

09/11/24 LINALENE 6/1 (9/4 SP) - 3rd

09/11/24 SWINGIN SAFARI 11/8 - 1st

RISK ON

16.25 QUEENOFDESTRUCTION

At even money, this is a strong bet on this girl who is supposed to be very nice for the Crisfords. Taking on FORCE AND VALOUR who is nice (a bad ride let us down last time on that horse) but she gets a lot of weight and should be really hard to stop today. Single and small 5/1 double with NORTH STAR in the 17.30.

Small 7/1 treble with Nicholls’ hype horse KALF DU BERLAIS in the 14.00 who is miles clear of the others.

There might be one more big price single to hit later but we’re going to check the ground at Kempton after the first.

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