Equinties - Hendo mounting a challenge

Gm Equinauts

Racing last weekend had us celebrating and crying, mainly crying (at our bad bets), but the emotional highs and lows of the jumps were strong reminders of how attached we are to the sport.

Let’s dive in.

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p.s none of this is medical advice but we’ve tried it…

HEADLINE ROUND UP

HENDERSON’S NOVICES

Nicky Henderson has a plethora of exciting novice hurdlers to go to war with this season, one of them being the exciting WILLMOUNT for owner Olly Harris.

Amongst speculation about which Christmas target he would be aimed at, we had word on Racing X that he will head to the two-mile ‘Introductory Hurdle’ on Challow Hurdle Day at Newbury on December 30^th.

However, since the apparent confirmation from @GoodVib97146744 on Racing X, the tweet has been deleted, so his next race might still be up in the air.

Furthermore, one day prior to this news coming out, the boss of Seven Barrows said “somebody’s going to have to go to the Tolworth”, so might JERIKO DU REPONET be the one to head up north to Aintree on Boxing Day?

Or, may he follow a similar route to WILLMOUNT and head to another non-graded novice hurdle at Kempton (the opening race on Boxing Day) under a penalty?

With the comments Henderson has made in the past regarding the Tolworth heading to Aintree, one may imagine he’ll be without a representative.

Speaking of Henderson-trained novice hurdlers, he unleased a potential Albert Bartlett horse at Cheltenham on Saturday as SHANAGH BOB beat DESTROYTHEEVIDENCE.

Paddy Power went 25/1 about him for the Grade 1 staying novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, though Henderson was keen to stress that he is a work in progress and he’ll be a better chaser (classic).

And finally, JANGO BAIE, the horse who beat TELLHERTHENAME at Ascot in November, is entered at Ludlow on Wednesday (3:35), so he is certainly worth watching.

REROUTING NICHOLLS

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls revealed that KNAPPERS HILL will be out for the season, allowing HERMES ALLEN to run in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase as a replacement.

The 2022 Challow Novices’ Hurdle winner was set to go to Ascot this week following his Newbury success at the Coral Gold Cup meeting, though he will be stepped up to three miles for the first time.

Out of UNE DESTINE, HERMES ALLEN’s family is full of two and two-and-a-half milers, so it doesn’t scream like he’ll need three miles, though the way he went through his race at Newbury suggests an easy three miles could be getable.

NICKLE BACK set a good pace in the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase yet still finished second, so it obviously wasn’t too quick. HERMES ALLEN did well to real him in after the third last, so why not give him a go and see how he goes? After all, he is a classy animal.

EYECATCHER OF THE WEEKEND

There was plenty of action on over the weekend – not all of it high-class – yet one horse that certainly grabbed our attention was the run of ROYALE MARGAUX when second to LA MALMASON in the 1:50 at Cheltenham on Friday.

The five-year-old by DOCTOR DINO was having her second start of the season, and her first after a wind op, in what was her fourth handicap chase start.

Off 123, a career-low mark, she was a two-time Listed winner in France for David Cottin and some of her best form comes behind PINK LEGEND at Cheltenham in April 2023.

Looking back at Friday, she travelled supremely well and just got caught out by Gavin Cromwell’s Irish raider who is probably very well handicapped.

Without a potential plot up against her, she should still be well-handicapped even with a few extra pounds from the handicapper, so she is our eyecatcher of the weekend - let’s hope she goes for a handicap next as we have a feeling the ambitious owners will want black type asap. Whisper are they might even be eyeing up the better prize money in France.

GRAND NATIONAL CLUES

Finally, we could have got a couple of Grand National clues over the weekend as LATENIGHTPASS, the winner of the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase, will be aimed towards the Aintree showcase.

The 10-year-old has National fence experience having won the Foxhunters in April 2021 and with him not getting any younger, connections are thinking of the world’s most famous race as an end-of-season target.

However, he is not the only horse who could head to the Grand National as MALINA GIRL could be one to keep onside for the big one.

There were post-race murmurs about the Grand National for the six-year-old following her win at Cheltenham in November and although she fell when travelling well in the race won by BROADWAY BOY, she showed she has plenty of class.

With a British handicap mark of 146, she would probably get into the race off that mark, and with Cromwell’s close second in last year’s renewal, he could be looking for revenge this year.

YOUNG BLOOD

Two very moderate bumpers today with big field sizes so rather than go through each runner, we’ll highlight the better ped’s and hopefully find the winners.

PLUMPTON BUMPER 

Greatrex’s REALTA LIATH heads the market for this event. This lad cost a huge 100k after winning his Point God knows why anyone would send Warren Greatrex a horse, let alone a 100k one but the owner has had good luck with Topham winning BILL BAXTER.

LADY D’ARBANVILLE’s uncle is Champion Hurdle winner KATCHIT but whether she shares any ability with him is yet to be seen as she’s not run since her average 2nd in a bumper last year.

Three by WALK IN THE PARK in this, two average and the other ELLIE’S WARRIOR looks (on paper) a winner in waiting over hurdles next season.

LUSSO MILAN is out of a half to BELLS HILL which is good blood.

Verdict: a tough girls only race. No interest in getting any risk on but forced, it would probably be JJ’s LUSSO MILAN only for yard performance this season in bumpers. No bet.

MUSSELBURGH BUMPER

YAKALEO and ONE MORE STROKE are the only two pedigree’s of note here in our opinion. On a blood basis, the pick would be ONE MORE STROKE but there’s an almighty gamble on YAKALEO.

Verdict: Winner will come from these two with preference for the McCain horse but the money is pretty much always right with Nicky Richards’ lot. If Nicky Richards’ holds strong, he wins.

TODAYS BEST STATS

No stats of note today.

RISK ON

A poor day of near misses Saturday which was unusual given Saturday is our thing. We put the tools down Sunday which was a bad move as previous ‘Risk On’ horse turned nr GO BOY for old sly Sandy hacked up at 16’s.

We have a bet today, it will be posted to X late.