Equinties - MAXimum effort

Gm Equinauts

Our beloved David Maxwell made headline news yesterday for all the RIGHT reasons.

God loves a trier and David Maxwell is just that. The whole of Racing X didn’t like what they saw…Could the horse have won? Yes. Should it have won? Yes.

But yesterdays performance was just what you get when backing a 46yo amateur jockey living his best life on the best horse in the race.

That is David Maxwell.

Either love him or leave him alone.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

HORSES TO FOLLOW

When you see the phrase ‘Horses To Follow’ come up on your timeline, usually we are in mid-September and the jumps boys are chomping at the bit to get stuck into some National Hunt action. So when we saw Horses To Follow pop up yesterday, we got slightly interested especially when we saw it was coming from the jockey’s mouth thanks to Sam Twiston-Davies. 

The likeable jockey highlighted three horses in his William Hill blog, but the notable ‘under the radar’ one would be UNDERSUPERVISION with a look ahead to Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Handicap Chase in March. 

The 8yo won it nicely in 2021 and was just touched off last year off a four-pound higher mark, so the Twiston-Davies team have decided to target it again this year. 

Off 134 now, one more run could see him fresh for the race and he may even get a few more pounds taken off his back off the handicapper.

Over in Ireland, Willie Mullins is targeting the Grand National with a NOBLE YEATS-type horse in MEETINGOFTHEWATERS, a horse that is set to run in the Towton Novices’ Chase this weekend. 

NOBLE YEATS – who used to be owned by Paul Byrne before switching to Robert Waley-Cohen prior to the National - finished second to AHOY SENOR in the 2022 rendition of the Towton over three miles for Emmet Mullins, though this year’s race will run over 2m3f as it has merged with the Dipper Novices’ Chase which no longer exists. Patrick Mullins, who helped Byrne source MEETINGOFTHEWATERS, says that the plan will be Cheltenham after the Towton and if he runs well there, he “probably deserves” a chance in the National.

More: https://www.racingpost.com/news/ireland/the-next-noble-yeats-willie-mullins-and-paul-byrne-plotting-same-route-from-wetherby-to-aintree-with-smart-novice-ac6Qa2v6dAgP/

GC UPDATES 

Britain’s charge at this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup looks to be at a lower level to the Irish charge with SHISHKIN seemingly our best hope. That being said, one horse we have yet to see is L’HOMME PRESSE after he was injured following the 2022 King George VI Chase.

Connections have continued to provide regular updates throughout the year and everything is “100 per cent” ahead of his Fleur De Lys Chase target at Lingfield. 

Andy Edwards told the Racing Post: "He worked really well last Wednesday, again on Saturday and this morning. We could not be happier. "For a race over two miles and six [furlongs], it will be a proper test, which suits us. We’re really looking forward to it.

"If he runs well, which we have every reason to believe he will, we would consider the Ascot Chase on February 17 and then go to the Gold Cup. But for the moment, everything’s about Lingfield."

As for another British challenger, THE REAL WHACKER has dented his reputation this season on two occasions but trainer Patrick Neville is hoping to get him back on track in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Trials Day. 

THE REAL WHACKER is now a 66/1-shot for the blue ribbon event in March, though Neville is still holding onto the belief that he has a chance, as he said: "It [the King George] was a funny race as it was like a two-mile chase, the way it rode. It was probably a shock to his system at the start and he was then chasing them, but he was doing his best work at the end and Sam [Twiston-Davies, jockey] hadn't got stuck into him.

“It takes the pressure off everything, but it's funny when you see Gerri Colombe sitting third or fourth favourite. "We're not taking any notice of that though. I'm not getting too carried away, but it's a non-existent race by the sounds of the bookmakers with Galopin Des Champs, but that's never the case, something always turns up. We'll take him on as the track and ground will be in our favour too."

EYE-CATCHING ENTRIES

The Warwick Pertemps Qualifier on Classic Chase Day is a race that usually throws up a nice Pertemps Final horse. They may not win the race, but they could run well, notably SIRE DU BERLAIS in 2020, THIRD WIND in 2022, and COME ON TEDDY placed behind IMPERIAL ALCAZAR before finishing third in the Final won by MRS MILNER. 

This year’s race doesn’t have SIRE DU BERLAIS, but it does have the 2022 Pertemps winner THIRD WIND making his return to the track after 667 days off. He probably won’t win, but this entry shows the intentions of connections and he currently has his Pertemps-winning mark of 141. Also in the list of entries is ALAPHILIPPE, the runner-up to THIRD WIND in 2022, who is returning from an unsuccessful trip over fences. This could prove a good call from Fergal O’Brien who is desperately looking for his first Festival winner. 

Away from the Pertemps regulars like GOOD TIME JONNY, Nicky Henderson is trying to get CHANTRY HOUSE qualified after he missed out on the top four at Sandown in December and an interesting inclusion from the Gordon Elliott yard is MEL MONROE, a WALK IN THE PARK mare who has finished second to both ENCANTO BRUNO and CROKE PARK already this season.

As for the qualifier itself on Saturday, one horse who could be a likely winner is JOHNSON’S BLUE for Mark Walford. He won a Pertemps Qualifier at Haydock in February 2023 when beating THE CHANGING MAN. The runner-up has improved since to battle with the likes of STAY AWAY FAY and GREY DAWNING over fences and if he can perform well off a 123-day break, a mark of 127 could be lenient for this improving seven-year-old.

TODAY’S BEST STATS

One bullish stat today.

Phil Kirby has won the 14.30 North Yorkshire Grand National twice in the last three years, more, he’s 4 from 9 at 44% in chases at Catterick. Today he is repped by last years winner BUSHY PARK who runs off the same weight (with jockeys allowance) having taken exactly the same route as last year.

YOUNG BLOOD

No races of note today.

RISK ON

No luck with the bets yesterday but we really should have had a Young Blood winner with OFF THE JURY.

12.10 LOOKING AS YOUR ARE

Small stake pedigree pick here. There aren’t many (on blood only) that will like the soft going, but this girl has everything in her favour if she is on a ‘going day’ today. The drift absolutely honks, 7/2 out to 8’s but the pedigree si right, her ability is good (good bumper form) and Hales ands about 1 in 3 herd and in he’s 3 from 9 so it’s learly a track he likes to target. Small play ew at 8’s.

There might be another for Catterick later.

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