Equinties - the finale

Gm Equinauts

In a jumps season that has been slightly inconsistent, one of the few shining rays of stability has been HAITI COULEURS…that and Rebecca Curtis’ face. Both graced the front page of the racing tabloids this weekend, again!

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUND UP

GOOD COULEURS

Four wins, one in the National Hunt Chase and one in the Irish Grand National, have seen HAITI COULEURS become one of the National Hunt horses of the season, and fair play to all connected.

For starters, there’s his trainer Rebecca Curtis. She campaigned him to not try too hard on his debut over fences, and once she knew the National Hunt Chase was the target, she gave him a spin over hurdles to help him bolt up at Cheltenham.

Then, having prepped him extensively for the opening day of the Festival, to get him to Fairyhouse cherry ripe 40 days later is, again, another major feat, especially when taking on the likes of Gordon Elliott, Willie Mullins, Gavin Cromwell, and Ted Walsh.

Let’s move on to the ride he was given on Easter Monday from that man, Sean Bowen.

We’re certainly not the first, and we definitely won’t be the last to say that the champion jockey elect is the best rider in the UK and Ireland. He’s given better rides this year, but his one on HAITI COULEURS was another example of why he can do it on the big stage as well as being able to do it around Wetherby on a Thursday afternoon.

The eight-year-old sweated up a bit in the prelims, and even with the knowledge that there was a mammoth 29 runners to beat, Bowen kept it simple. He bucked out prominently, avoided any avoidable danger, and let the horse show his class.

And there was plenty of class to show. One by one, the horses behind made mistakes or came off the bridle until there were just two to focus on at the finish: HAITI COULEURS and ANY SECOND NOW.

In the end, the progressive chaser fought off last year’s runner-up (who was 1lb below his mark from 12 months ago) to win impressively.
After Monday, the question we’re asking is whether he is an Aintree Grand National horse.

In an old-fashioned Nash, he would have a nice chance. He’s a dower stayer, and that would suit the old style of the contest, but classy, almost Grade 1 horses are the type of animal that win at Aintree nowadays.

There’s no reason he can’t improve to become a 155+ horse, but it’s also no certainty. If he did turn into an Aintree Grand National winner next season, that would truly be one of the stories of the last few years.

HOTTING UP

Well, after a Plumpton meeting that we knew would have an effect on the trainers’ championship, Dan Skelton walked out of the other side with a £52,777 lead over Willie Mullins. That’s huge for Skelton.

It looked sketchy for Skelton when ABSURDE and DADDY LONG LEGS finished 1-2 in Sunday’s Sussex Champion Hurdle, but when WESTPORT COVE could only manage fourth in the Sussex Champion Chase, Skelton fired in four winners to maintain his lead at the top.

As expected, this duel will go 12 rounds, and the final leg of the fight will take place at Sandown on Saturday. That’s right, Sandown Finale Day is relevant for the second year in a row!

The pair have a combined 71 entries at Sandown on Saturday, and Mullins has chucked 15 in the bet365 Gold Cup, Huge numbers.

BLUE LORD, EL FABIOLO, GAELIC WARRIOR, APPRCIATE IT, IL ETAIT TEMPS, ENERGUMENE, IMPAIRE ET PASSE, CAPTAIN CODY, MINELLA COCOONER, HIGH CLASS HERO, DANCING CITY, KITZBUHEL, and, most importantly, LOSSIEMOUTH all have entries for Team Closutton on Saturday. There are more as well.

Skelton has the likes of TAKE NO CHANCES, SAIL AWAY, RISKINTHEGROUND, SHE’S A SAINT, BOOMBAWN, and LE MILOS. They certainly aren’t of the same level as Mullins’, but that was a given.

Mullins will have an army at Sandown, and he’ll even have a fair few in the days leading up to Saturday. He is still the odds-on favourite, but Skelton is putting in an awfully good fight currently. With a nice rub of the green heading into Sandown, he could well just hold on.

Whatever you think about the trainers’ title throughout the season, the last few weeks have been interesting, and the intrigue has only increased. This next week will be good, and Sandown will be fascinating. Roll on, Saturday!

EYE-CATCHERS

GOT GREY – SATURDAY 14:05 HAYDOCK
Dan Skelton put the tongue tie back on him, he lowered his mark in preparation for the race, and he got him back on his best ground, yet GOT GREY just couldn’t quite win on Saturday. We think Harry Skelton let this one go. He gave him plenty to do – four lengths at the last, to be specific – and yet he was only beaten by three-quarters of a length.

GIVEMEFIVE is absolutely no mug at all, so the form looks solid, and he could be a horse to follow this summer. Swinton Hurdle?

JM JUNGLE – SATURDAY 15.00 MUSSELBURGH

For a horse who has reserved his winning for July and August over the last few seasons, JM JUNGLE certainly put in a nice effort on his first start of the season. In case you didn’t know, we are in April, so his performance can be upgraded, and AMERICAN AFFAIR looks like a Jim Goldie classic improver who has plenty up his sleeve.

JM JUNGLE is slightly in no man’s land with his rating in the low 90s, but if he drops a couple ahead of the next couple of months, he will be winning again. Maybe when he returns to York?

AUCUNRIQSUE – MONDAY 14.35 PLUMPTON

The Sussex Champion Chase was a bit of a weird race. They went hard, and horses were coming off the bridle early, one of them being AUCUNRISQUE himself.
Charlie Maggs kept him honest, humoured him along, and allowed him to have a clean run at the finish.
He came third, but he looks like a well-handicapped horse who just ran into two nice ones. He’s ready to win soon.

RISK ON

16.20 ABATE

Looks a banging opportunity for this lad to get his head in front again. He’s quick, well handicapped and back on his much needed fast ground. 7/2 win bet.

14.25 MADAY MALONE

A very small ew here, ground play… we think he’s well handicapped owed to encountering nothing but slow ground. Today is his first try on quick which his pedigree suggests might suit… speccy but looks okay in theory. Bell has won this race before too. 9/1 ew.

16.38 MAELSTROM

This horse really should be winning this. He’s bred to be a sire and he’s off under 70. We can only assume Shaggas has really taken his time with him on soft ground. On quick ground today he should feel more at home like his dam’s sibling AUDIENCE and ESQUIRE who went well fresh. 5/4.

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