Equinties - JP's army

Gm Equinauts

The racing world mourn the loss of it’s matriarch, Maureen Mullins.

Our thoughts are with the whole Mullins family.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

JP’S ARMY 

Well, JP McManus has had a bloody good week. With only 4 weeks to go until the big day, two of his main players are off the injured list and are BACK!

The Greenall yard were worried their Martin Pipe winner IROKO would be out for the whole season having suffered a foot injury but is now fully expected to line up in the Turners.

Having seen one JP McManus-owned novice chaser rise from the medical bed, we got more news yesterday that another could be returning for Cheltenham as INTHEPOCKET, Henry de Bromhead’s Grade 1-winning novice hurdler, is also back in training. 

Last seen finishing second to FACILE VEGA on his only start over fences when given an easy time of things by Rachael Blackmore, de Bromhead could have one to be excited by come March. He said: "He’s been back in training a few weeks now and we’ve been very happy with him. Nothing is set in stone yet, and no decisions have been made. We’ll see how he is over the next week or two and then sort out a plan for him." 

With INTHEPOCKET (Arkle) and IROKO (Turners) back, could this see FACT TO FILE step up to the Brown Advisory and CORBETTS CROSS head to the National Hunt Chase? Willie Mullins has already spoken about how the Browns could suit FACT TO FILE and CORBETTS CROSS was taken out of the novice chases bar the National Hunt Chase. 

Either way, it’s quite evident JP brings one of his strongest sides to go to war with this year.

More: https://www.racingpost.com/news/ireland/inthepocket-back-in-training-and-might-even-make-a-surprise-appearance-at-the-cheltenham-festival-asjMZ2J9WLyG/

NOTABLE SCRATCHINGS

Horses were entered for the Mares’ races yesterday and horses were scratched from relevant Cheltenham races as well. A few were expected, though a few should be noted. The first of which is BATMAN GIRAC who was taken out of the Triumph Hurdle. We highlighted him as a potential Boodles horse a few months ago after his eye-catching run when fourth to KALA CONTI in the Grade 2 Mercedes-Benz South Dublin Juvenile Hurdle. 

He didn’t appear in the stable tours from the Mullins media day, but word has it that they did mention the horse on the morning. Maybe Willie didn’t mention much as he didn’t want to give much away? After all, the second from that race on Boxing Day, stablemate KARGESE, has since won a Grade 1 Juvenile contest. 

The second was FIREFOX who was scratched from the Baring Bingham. Comments post-race from his disappointing effort in the Lawlor’s Of Naas suggested that he could be kept to two miles and it seems like connections are sticking to their word on that. 

He beat BALLYBURN at the start of the season who has since won a Grade 1 and is now the even money Supreme favourite. Could you chance FIREFOX at 9/1 to get back to form?

A LOOK AHEAD

This section found the 8/1 winner of the Betfair hurdle last week, lets see if we can do it again.

This week’s ‘A look Ahead’ section focuses on the £100,000 Swinley Handicap Chase, and here are our main notes from the 17-strong entries. 

Firstly, a shout out to old boy REGAL ENCORE who was retired last year in May and is now living at Anthony Honeyballs. This was his race! He won it 2018 and then was placed in the money in it every year up until last year when he fell. What a horse. And what epic campaigning (cheating) by Honeyball!

KILBEG KING heads the market after his valiant third in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase behind IL EST FRANCAIS and HERMES ALLEN. For a few strides, he threatened to give the front two a good race having had a freebee out the back, however, he was beaten by two classier horses in the end. Before that, his form isn’t inspiring but was that by design? A mark of 142 is probably workable and he is a classic Honeyball plot horse, as shown by his Punchestown success over hurdles. Don’t be surprised to see him declared and go well here.

THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE is next in the market and top weight after his fair second to BROADWAY BOY at Cheltenham. He is a Graded novice chaser but has failed to hit it big time since. He may have been fairly handicapped off 147 when second to BLACKJACK MAGIC in the Badger Beer, but 152 is pushing it a little bit and we think the tough weight might just stop him this weekend. Classy horse though.

VICTTORINO has been the money horse since entries were put in as he is now a general 6/1-shot. We fancied him last time. He’s a classic Venetia Williams improver and probably found the test of 2m4f a bit stiff at Cheltenham lto. Back to three miles will help and he’s only up 4lbs for the win at Ascot. Was Venetia’s plan to get this lad beat at Cheltenham in prep for this? He he is the last time at Ascot:

It seems as if SHAN BLUE is an intended runner for the Skelton’s this week as he is the star of their Instagram series where they follow a runner in the lead-up to a weekend race. It almost seems an age ago since he was set to bolt up in the 2021 Charlie Hall Chase before crashing fall at the third-last, and since that race he has been on the road to recovery. 

A mark of 143 puts him in the same category as KILBEG KING and you know he is a Graded horse on best form, it’s just whether the real SHAN BLUE turns up. His good third over an inadequate trip on potentially unsuitable ground suggests he’s somewhat back but you can’t really back Dan Skelton’s horses with much confidence this season as they’re having a bit of a down turn.

We’d want bigger than 7/1 for REVELS HILL. He’ll be plugging on and will want the ground nothing but bottomless. At 3 miles the trip is on the short side for him, this thing would stay 10 miles!

Ben Pauling has a duo of entries for both this race and the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase in HENRY’S FRIEND and BOWTOGREATNESS. Both have Ben Jones jocked up for both races (which is helpful) but this is probably a ground thing as to whether they run. Pauling has said before that HENRY’S FRIEND doesn’t want it bottomless (yet he won in dire conditions at Newbury) so if any rain comes, he may dodge the assignment. 

As for BOWTOGREATNESS, he has been one for spring targets and this could just be one more run under the belt ahead of a Cheltenham Festival handicap. Off 133, he might need to be winning if that is the case, though he is also entered for next week’s Coral Trophy Handicap Chase and is thought of in high regard. 

At big prices, this is the time of year when we see CAP DU NORD at his best. He won this race off 127 last year and is nine pounds lower than that effort. He is 11 and getting on and we’re going to be honest, it’ll be a f@cking travesty if he won. We don’t want to knock Christian too much as he’s going through an unimaginable time what with this daughter being ill, but it’s clearly affecting work life. His yard is desperate for winners and CAP DU NORD winning would just be a sure sign that Williams can’t get them to win without getting them so well in it would be near impossible for them to win.

Verdict: It all depends who turns up in this but one catches our eye…and he’s all the way down at the bottom of the market. RAPPER is 40/1 for Daly. The yard won this race in ‘22 with FORTESCUE after a similar campaign (getting over exposed in Graded races). He is 5lbs better off than when 6 lengths behind THREE UNDERTHRUFIVE at Cheltenham. If amateurs Hugh Nugent (3 lbs) or more, Alice Stevens (7lbs) can sit in the plate, that’s even more weight in their favour to close the gap with the market leader. On that basis, RAPPER is the chance in this.

TWEETS OF THE DAY

RISK ON

Two day’s of no bets… good for reducing the anxiety levels. It’s important to have days off and not push bets. When you learn to enjoy the sport without risk on the table, you’ll be better as a punter long term.

16.55 TIME TO DAZZLE

Pedigree and form stand out. Top weight in the slop is a slight negative but we can’t see anything good enough to beat this one (unless they’re really good at cheating). 13/8.

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