Fergal O’Brien is happy with his plan to send Long Walk hero Crambo straight to the Stayers’ Hurdle, as he begins to step up his star performer’s work ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.
Owned by Jared Sullivan and Chris Giles, the seven-year-old advertised his potential with some fine performances in handicap company, including when winning last year’s EBF Final at Sandown.
However, he announced himself as a major player in the staying division when outbattling the stalwart Paisley Park to claim Grade One honours at Ascot prior to Christmas.
Crambo is as short as 6-1 for Cheltenham success in the spring, but while some of his Stayers’ Hurdle counterparts will tune-up for Festival action in Saturday’s Cleeve Hurdle, O’Brien is content to prepare his charge at his Ravenswell Farm base.
“Crambo is in great form and he had a hard race at Ascot, so he’s just stepping up his work again and tipping away,” said O’Brien.
“Eve, who looks after him and rides him, is very happy with him and he actually did his first piece of work on Saturday since he won and we were very happy with him.
“He was in a proper battle with those boys at Ascot and he doesn’t need to do that again until Cheltenham, so fingers crossed he will turn up at Cheltenham in the same form as Ascot and do the job for us.
“What I loved about Ascot was he jumped the last and looked like he was going to go away and win and Paisley Park thought ‘I’m not giving this up’ and actually got back ahead of him.
“Five or six strides from the line, he managed to get back in front and started to go away again, so it will give him huge confidence and give Johnny (Burke, jockey) confidence in him.
“He doesn’t show anything at home but he just has a fantastic will to win.”
O’Brien is still to taste success at National Hunt’s showpiece meeting but will head to Prestbury Park with one of his strongest hands to date, as alongside Crambo, he is also poised to saddle Dysart Enos, who is one of the leading fancies for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
The Grade Two bumper winner has maintained her unbeaten record since switching to timber this term and is in line to complete her Festival preparations at Doncaster on Sunday in the Download The At The Races App Novices’ Hurdle.
“She hopefully goes to Doncaster on Sunday for just an ordinary novice,” continued O’Brien.
“Fingers crossed, she can have a nice clear round there, do her job and then go to Cheltenham.
“She wouldn’t be able to wait until Cheltenham, it would be too long for her, but we’ve been very happy with her.”
Givemefive looks set to take his famous golfing owners to the Cheltenham Festival after maintaining his unbeaten record over obstacles with a runaway success at Warwick.
The four-year-old carries the colours of Smash Racing, a syndicate that includes a couple of Major champions in Northern Ireland’s 2010 US Open hero Graeme McDowell and his American colleague Brooks Koepka, who claimed back-to-back victories in the same event in 2017 and 2018 and has also won three PGA Championships.
A winner on the Flat for Johnny Murtagh in September, the Holy Roman Emperor gelding was subsequently snapped up to pursue a jumping career with Harry Derham.
Derham recalled how winning a challenge with McDowell during a Pro-Am contest led to him getting the two golfing stars on board.
He said: “I’ve known Graeme for a long time and the conversation about owning a racehorse came about at a Pro-Am event. He said if I got closer to the pin than him then he would buy a horse and I somehow managed to get it within a few feet of it and beat him.
“Graeme then got the other guys involved and they are both very engaged in all the conversations about the horse on WhatsApp.”
With Koepka’s friend Daniel Gambill also an owner, Givemefive made a successful debut for his new connections at Market Rasen last month and was a 2-1 shot to follow up under a penalty in the Hazelton Mountford Insurance Brokers Juvenile Hurdle.
Derham had been eyeing the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Festival prior to his second jumping start – and while that still looks his most likely Cheltenham target, the trainer admitted he will also have to look at the Triumph Hurdle following a dominant 18-length victory in the hands of Paul O’Brien.
It could be a big weekend for Gary Moore’s juveniles as Irish Derby fourth Peking Opera is pencilled in to begin life over obstacles at Fontwell on Sunday.
The son of Galileo was a Listed winner for Aidan O’Brien on the Flat before going on to finish just over nine lengths adrift of Auguste Rodin at the Curragh in the summer.
He also saw Group One action in the Grand Prix de Paris before finishing his spell at Ballydoyle with a third behind Vauban in the Ballyroan Stakes.
The four-year-old is now set to try his hand at a new discipline and, having been picked up for 100,000 guineas at the sales, has joined Gary Moore to run in Steve Packham’s colours, made famous by Goshen.
He can be backed at a best price of 20-1 for the Triumph Hurdle, but before thoughts of the Cheltenham Festival enter the picture, he will have to pass his first assignment, having been handed an entry for the Join The Vickers.Bet Free Bet Club Novices’ Hurdle.
“If everything is all right, we might run on Sunday at Fontwell,” said Moore.
“We’re running tight on time and I need to get a run into him.”
Although Peking Opera has yet to jump a hurdle in public, stablemate Salver has already put down a marker when romping to a wide-margin victory in Chepstow’s Finale Juvenile Hurdle over Christmas.
A best price of 14-1 for the Triumph, he is unbeaten in three over obstacles and holds an entry for the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday although ground conditions at Prestbury Park are set to determine his participation.
“The horse is very well and he has an entry just in case the ground came up soft,” said Moore.
“He’s probably not going to get his ground and if it did come up soft, he would go there, but if it isn’t then he won’t go.
“It’s a stiff two-mile-one and I thought I would just make the entry, but he would be 50-50 – it would have to be good to soft or softer at least. I wouldn’t even want too much good in it, I want it proper soft ground.
“I’m very mindful of the fact he has improved with every time he has run and it will also depend on how he works in the morning more than anything.”
Jonbon is the headline act among six entries for the rearranged Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham – but Gary Moore is hoping history will repeat itself for defending champion Editeur Du Gite.
Nicky Henderson’s Tingle Creek hero began his campaign with victory in the Shloer Chase at Prestbury Park in November and was fully on course for a clash with old adversary El Fabiolo at the race’s traditional home of Ascot last Saturday.
With that card falling victim to the weather, the Seven Barrows handler was eager for the race to be swiftly rearranged to the Cheltenham Festival Trials Day, as it was when Editeur Du Gite downed Edwardstone and Energumene in a thrilling contest 12 months ago.
There is set to be no Irish representation this time around, with as expected El Fabiolo keeping his powder dry in favour of the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown a week later.
But Jonbon will head to the Cotswolds, with Moore also keen to add Editeur Du Gite’s name to the mix on the back of his second Desert Orchid Chase victory over the Christmas period.
“It would be nice wouldn’t it, if lightning could strike twice,” said Moore.
“He seems in good order and the horse is very well – he’s entitled to take his chance.
“We’re under no illusions we will beat Jonbon, but I just hope he runs a big race – I’m sure he will.”
Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra got the better of Elixir De Nutz in the battle for second when three lengths adrift of Editeur Du Gite at Kempton last month and both are set to reoppose in the Grade One contest.
Despite struggling to make an impression so far this term, Venetia Williams’ Funambule Sivola finished second in the Champion Chase behind Energumene in 2022 and represents a team in good order.
Richard Hobson’s December Gold Cup hero Fugitif completes the entries but is also engaged in the £100,000 Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase on the card.
Betfair Chase champion Royale Pagaille will get the chance to strengthen Venetia Williams’ Cheltenham Gold Cup hand in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase.
Owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci, the 10-year-old looked to be at the peak of his powers at Haydock in November when scooping his first Grade One success, and is one of six entries for the blue riband trial at Prestbury Park on Saturday.
Royale Pagaille was set to return to his favoured Merseyside venue for a crack at the Peter Marsh before the cold snap intervened, but his trainer is more than happy to head to Cheltenham, where he could follow up stablemate L’Homme Presse’s dazzling success in Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase.
“He’s been good since Haydock (Betfair Chase), the Peter Marsh looked a nice opportunity for him, but he’s not run badly at Cheltenham before so we will see,” said Williams.
“If you take his run in the Betfair at Haydock in a straight line, it suggests, at the age he is, he is at a career high, so let’s hope. We will see how we get on.”
Patrick Neville’s King George fourth The Real Whacker and Paul Nicholls’ well-regarded novice Stay Away Fay both have fond memories of Prestbury Park and were successful at the Cheltenham Festival last year, while Lucinda Russell will be hoping a return to the Cotswolds inspires Ahoy Senor, who was victorious 12 months ago.
Jamie Snowden’s Coral Gold Cup hero Datsalrightgino and Irish raider Capodanno are also in the mix.
There may be no Constitution Hill in the Unibet Hurdle, but it promises to be a competitive event with 10 in the mix at the six-day stage.
Willie Mullins has three possible runners, with Festival scorers Impaire Et Passe and Lossiemouth both handed entries alongside stablemate and fellow Grade One winner Gala Marceau. However, both Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau are engaged at Doncaster on the same afternoon.
Rubaud has marked himself out as one of the best British two-mile hurdlers this term and chased home Constitution Hill at Christmas, while James Owen has given Triumph Hurdle favourite Burdett Road the option of competing in open company despite also holding an entry for the Triumph trial that opens proceedings.
Love Envoi has seen possible outings at both Sandown and Lingfield scuppered by the weather in recent weeks, but now gets the chance to return to a track where she has a fine record.
“We looked at going to Lingfield but obviously that wasn’t on, but she will have a run in the International on Saturday,” said Noel Fehily of her owners Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates.
“She’s run well on the New course before, she’s in great form and we’re really looking forward to getting her out again.
“There are probably going to be a few Irish horses coming over, but it is a good race, there’s plenty of prize-money on offer. It’s going to be competitive, but we’re looking forward to running her.”
Also on the card some of the best staying hurdlers around will clash in the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle and Emma Lavelle’s Paisley Park is one of 10 entrants as he seeks his fourth victory in the race.
Fellow veteran Dashel Drasher was second in the race behind French raider Gold Tweet last year before filling the same spot in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival, while Nicky Henderson could call on the services of both Champ and Marie’s Rock.
Emmet Mullins’ Grand National hero Noble Yeats and Dan Skelton’s West Balboa are other notable names on the list of entrants.
Jereem Richards and Michelle-Lee Ahye, two outstanding athletes from Trinidad and Tobago, were crowned the "Athletes of the Year" for 2023 at the National Association of Athletics Administration of T&T (NAAATT) annual awards ceremony held at the Radisson Hotel in Port-of-Spain on Saturday.
Richards, a sprinter representing the Abilene Wildcats, secured the men's honor for the sixth time, previously winning in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. His exceptional achievements in 2023 included a gold medal in the men's 400 meters at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in El Salvador, where he set a personal best time of 44.54 seconds.
Additionally, Richards played a crucial role in anchoring T&T’s men’s 4x400m team to victory at the CAC Games. Despite being the lone local athlete to reach the semifinal round at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Richards finished the year with the 18th quickest 400m time (44.54) globally. He also ran the 25th fastest time (20.08) in the 200m.
Michelle-Lee Ahye, a renowned sprinter and 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, claimed the women's "Athlete of the Year" following her impressive bronze medal run in the women's 100m at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on October 31. This marked her eighth time winning the top women's crown, having previously achieved the honor in 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2013.
The junior "Athletes of the Year" were awarded to Sanaa Frederick and Tafari Waldron. Frederick, a US-born athlete, secured the junior female trophy after winning the Carifta Girls Under-20 200m in the Bahamas and contributing to T&T's silver in the girls' U-20 4x100m and 4x400m. Waldron, representing Cougars Athletic Club, claimed the Carifta boys’ U-20 5,000m title.
Richards and Ahye were absent from the ceremony.
As the accolades were distributed to these exceptional athletes, the ceremony also recognized Janae De Gannes and Imani Matthew as the Youth "Athletes of the Year," with Kernesha Shelbourne receiving the President’s Rising Star Award.
Intellotto could lead Joseph O’Brien’s small but select team into battle at next month’s Dublin Racing Festival, with his stablemate Nurburgring set to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Having shaped with promise on the Flat, Intellotto made a smart start to his career over timber at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and is being readied for an immediate step up to Grade One level in the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle on February 3.
Nurburgring, who has already won a Grade Three over hurdles and was narrowly beaten by Kala Conti in a Grade Two at Leopardstown last time, also holds a Spring Juvenile entry, but he may now be kept fresh for the showpiece meeting in the Cotswolds.
O’Brien said: “We’re probably just going to run Intellotto in the Grade One in Leopardstown and Nurburgring will probably go straight for the Triumph Hurdle.
“Intellotto produced a smart performance over the course and distance. It’s obviously a big jump in class to go straight into a Grade One, but I think he deserves a shot at it.”
O’Brien’s Boldog made a big impression on his hurdling debut at Tramore on New Year’s Day, but his trainer revealed he is unlikely to take up his Grade One entry in Leopardstown’s Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle.
Discussing his other options for the meeting, O’Brien added: “Boldog is probably not going to go, but I have Busselton in a handicap, Solness in a handicap and I have Roedora in the Graded mares’ bumper.”
Shericka Jackson stood under the spotlight on Friday night at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston, basking in the glory of being crowned Jamaica's Sportswoman of the Year. As the accolades poured in, marking her exceptional achievements in 2023, Jackson expressed her gratitude for the recognition but couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment that her mother couldn't share the special moment with her.
“It's definitely special. It's my first time winning Sportswoman of the Year, so it's definitely special. All my friends are here. Unfortunately, my mommy couldn't make it, but all my friends are here and I'm grateful," Jackson said, acknowledging the significance of the award and the support she received from her friends.
The highlight of Jackson's remarkable year in 2023 was her stunning performance in the 200m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, where she clinched her second world title with an incredible time of 21.41. This marked the second-fastest time ever recorded in the event, surpassing her own championship record of 21.45 set at the World Championships in Oregon in 2022.
Speaking with the media afterwards, Jackson holding an armful of trophies, shared her aspirations for 2024, expressing her desire to be even better than the phenomenal year she had just experienced. However, she acknowledged the challenges posed by less-than-ideal wind conditions in 2023, hindering her pursuit of Florence Griffith-Joyner's world record of 21.34 set in 1988.
At the World Championships in Budapest, her winning time of 21.41 was done in virtual still conditions with the wind measured at 0.1m/s. In Belgium, when she ran 21.48, the wind was 0.2m/s. The 21.57 she ran in Oregon to win the Diamond League final was with a 0.3m/s wind.
When asked about the elusive world record, Jackson acknowledged the role of wind but maintained a pragmatic outlook. "You can't predict the weather, you know. You just have to show up, and as I said, once I'm healthy, if I get some good wind, then definitely (I will break the record). But you can't predict which weather you're going to get on the day, so it's just one step at a time, and if the world record comes, then definitely a plus."
Despite her phenomenal success, Jackson remains hungry for improvement, emphasizing her relentless work ethic. "I know what it feels like to be fourth, fifth, third. So, therefore, working hard is not something I back away from. I think I'm doing that and working extra hard to maintain where I am and to get better is something I look forward to."
Age proved no barrier for First Flow, who showed he still retains plenty of his old zest with a brilliant all-the-way success at Lingfield.
Carrying top-weight of 12 stone and conceding heaps to his younger rivals, Kim Bailey’s 12-year-old was bounced out by usual pilot David Bass and never missed a beat as he landed the Download The Racing App Now Godstone Handicap Chase spoils at 15-2.
It was somewhat fitting that the veteran registered the 12th victory of his decorated career at the venue he first tasted success back in 2017, much to the delight of his handler.
“He’s unreal isn’t he, I adore this horse,” said Bailey.
“He’s a 12-year-old and carrying top-weight. He needed to start today and we have someone down at the start with him every time he runs – he’s been like that as long as I’ve had him.
“He goes round the farm everyday and I get a phone call after half an hour from the girl riding him saying I can’t get him to move. He’s a real character and a real superstar.
“Everyone says to me ‘when are you retiring him?, but you can’t retire him, the horse is enjoying himself. He’s 12, still got the enthusiasm and just won a race off 158.
“It’s a real treat to have a horse like him and he won his first hurdle race here. He’s been a superstar, he’s got no right to be any good he has no pedigree, but’s he’s been what he has, I love him.”
Nurse Susan has “all the tickets” for the big races in the spring after following up a recent Cheltenham success when upped to three miles for the Weatherbys Hamilton Handicap Hurdle.
The seven-year-old had to show plenty of resolve to see off the persistent presence of Venetia Williams’ Ramo, but pulled out extra to oblige backers who had sent Dan Skelton’s charge off the 6-4 favourite.
“She just dosses, she dossed in the mares race at Cheltenham over two-and-a-half and she’s dossed again today,” said Skelton.
“She’s talented and the Love Envoi form is there for all to see. She’s just a good mare. We tried her over fences and I suppose her intelligence lead her to perhaps not like them. Back over hurdles she is a more committed horse.
“Colm (Donlon, owner) likes to have all the tickets, so she’s entered in everything and if there was a charity race (at Cheltenham) I’m sure she would have an entry for that as well.
“She’s just a very good horse and we might go somewhere else en route (to Cheltenham), she’s just a good horse and we’re very happy with her.”
Meanwhile, Tripoli Flyer booked his ticket to Aintree’s Grand National Festival in the spring with an impressive display in the opening Winter Million Open National Hunt Flat Race.
A keeping-on fifth on his rules debut at Chepstow in October, Fergal O’Brien’s five-year-old was a 15-2 shot and showed plenty of speed and class to down the well-regarded Nicky Henderson-trained 8-11 favourite Kingston Pride in the hands of Paddy Brennan.
“We’ve got some lovely bumper horses, but I thought he was very good, he was very impressive,” said O’Brien.
“I thought the Henderson horse had solid point-to-point form and the horse who was second to him (The Enabler) has won a Listed race.
“We thought he would appreciate the surface and the good thing about this horse is his owner as he gave him time after his first race at Chepstow because he had a hard race.
“He was only a four-year-old then and we put him away, I think he went to Paddy’s for a bit and then to an event rider down the road who did a lot of work with him. He came back to us and we just had to put the finishing touches to him ready for today.
“Today was always a plan because we thought he would appreciate the better ground.
“The plan, please God, is to go straight to Aintree. We think he will love the flat track and Paddy said the ground, although he got through it at Chepstow, will be important to him.
“I thought he was impressive but he will have to do it on grass now. Going forward he’s a beautiful jumper, so we will look forward to him.”
Caoilin Quinn proved he is once again the man for marathon events when he guided Gary Moore’s Movethechains (15-2) to victory in the Fitzdares Surrey National Handicap Chase, while there was a shock in the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle as Ben Clarke’ 40-1 shot Ooh Betty landed the spoils with the assistance of the stewards.
It was Henderson’s Aston Martini that was first past the post following a ding-dong battle after the last, but the placings were reversed after an inquiry.
“She is battle-hardened and she’s not the sexy option in the race, but I think running in handicaps has served her well as she had to battle hard there and be brave,” said Clarke.
“She got bumped a couple of times coming up the home straight and Ben Jones (jockey) felt it cost him, but saying that, it is not the way we want to win a horse race – Nicky was incredibly gracious so I will drop him a bottle of wine.
“At the back of my mind, I’ve always thought if we get half-decent ground at Cheltenham, she could go there for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. We’ll sit tight and she doesn’t want a bog – she can’t run in proper, proper soft ground – so we will plot our way there.
“Endless Escape was beaten just over 10 lengths in the Cheltenham race last year and this mare would be a much speedier type, so we have half an idea what it takes – not as much as Nicky does – so we’ll see, it could be an option.”
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls got on the scoresheet in the final race on the card as 4-1 favourite Inthewaterside made every yard to claim the Winter Million Novices’ Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Harry Cobden.
High Class Hero looks likely to be part of Willie Mullins’ Cheltenham Festival squad after making it five from five under Rules in the W.T. O’Grady Memorial Irish EBF Novice Hurdle at Thurles.
This race has been won by some smart performers in the past, with Gerri Colombe, Monkfish and The Storyteller on the roll of honour.
High Class Hero was a red-hot 2-7 favourite to join them after following up a Listowel bumper win with three victories over timber between early August and late October.
A break of 92 days since his last success at Limerick was a minor concern, but the son of Sulamani made light of that lay-off by tracking What Path and Easy Fella before easing smoothly between the pair after the second last, going on to oblige by a comfortable length and three-quarters from the latter.
Winning jockey Paul Townend said: “He settled relatively well, it turned into a dash off the final bend and he made up a lot of ground when we quickened. The conditions are testing, we didn’t go quick early and it was like what he did at Limerick.
“He hadn’t gone anywhere (from Mullins’ yard) since his last run but just hadn’t run in a while, so on the whole I’m very happy and he is progressing.
“I think he has enough runs, which is a help going for the Albert Bartlett (Novices’ Hurdle) and he has the right attitude as well.”
Betfair cut High Class Hero from 9-1 to 7-1 for that Cheltenham Festival contest.
David Christie’s Ferns Lock cruised to victory in the Carey Glass Hunters Chase, having hacked up by 20 lengths in the same race 12 months ago.
This year, he had eight lengths in hand over Romeo Magico at the finish, but Barry O’Neill enjoyed another armchair ride and could easily have extended that advantage on the 8-15 favourite.
Coral reacted by cutting Ferns Lock to 10-3 from 4-1 for the St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase at Cheltenham.
“He had to give away 7lb and 10lb and in that ground that is very tough. The only time he has ran on nice ground was here last year and while everyone thinks he is a big, strong horse who likes soft, he is a beautiful mover who wants better ground,” said Christie.
“After finishing races on heavy ground last year, he would make a palate noise but it was nothing major so we put on a tongue-tie as a safeguard. On nicer ground he wouldn’t really need it but I’ll leave it on as he is happy and relaxed with it.
“Cheltenham is his goal, he is coming on all the time and I’m hoping he’d step up from that again now.
“He has an awful size of an engine but is very immature, although is learning in every race. We’ll build for Cheltenham now.”
Purse Price (7-4) showed a smart turn of foot to land the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle in emphatic fashion for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy.
Kennedy said: “It was a weak maiden hurdle but she had been consistent and did it well today. It looked a nice opportunity, so it was good to get her head in front.
“She travelled, jumped well and put the race to bed – it all went to plan. Hopefully there will be another race or two to be won with her and she can also get confidence from today.”
Falco Blitz (16-1) came with a smooth, late surge to land the Duggan Veterinary 4Cyte Handicap Chase under a confident ride by Conor McNamara for his father Eric.
The latter said: “I’m delighted for (owner) Shane Carmody, who is a great supporter of ours, so that winner means an awful lot to me. I’m really delighted to win for him.
“The horse had been a solid, consistent horse who deserved his day and thankfully it came. He was bought the same day as Real Steel (Paddy Power Chase winner) but unfortunately took longer to win. He has been a solid and sound horse, though.
“If he hadn’t won today, we were thinking of the veterans’ chase at Limerick in a month’s time but he is entered in the Leopardstown Chase, so we can think bigger now – if you’re not in, you can’t win.”
Little Mixup (12-1) was another to come through in the latter stages when securing his fourth career victory in the Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle under Mark McDonagh, giving trainer Denis Hogan a welcome boost following a recent suspension.
“I thought the handicapper had this lad and I asked him to drop the horse a pound to get him into a 0-116, but it looks like he was right,” said Hogan. “The race cut up though – the favourite tipped up and it probably wasn’t the strongest race.”
He added: “I have to thank all the owners who all stood by me (during the suspension), as it was a tough end to the year. It was messy and I advised owners to send horses here and there, and thankfully I got them back.”
All roads lead to the Cheltenham Gold Cup for L’Homme Presse following a triumphant comeback in the Fitzdares Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield.
The nine-year-old claimed Cheltenham’s Brown Advisory as one of two Grade One novice wins two seasons ago and kicked off last term with a fine weight-carrying victory in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle.
However, he subsequently unseated Charlie Deutsch when seemingly booked for second behind Bravemansgame in the King George VI Chase at Kempton and missed the rest of the campaign through injury.
Despite an absence totalling 391 days, L’Homme Presse was the 8-11 favourite to make a successful return in Lingfield’s £165,000 Winter Million feature and proved his ability remains very much intact with a two-and-a-quarter-length win over a race-fit dual Grade One winner in Protektorat.
Venetia Williams said: “It’s been a long time coming and I’m thrilled for Andy, Pat and Peter (owners) to have been as patient as they have been.
“There were proper stayers in there today who were going to eke out any weakness and he’s a stayer of course, but you can’t expect them to plumb the depths of their stamina first time out after a long time off.
“It (injury) was enough to keep him off for a good few months and then the season was coming to an end and we wanted to give him a long, steady preparation this autumn. It’s taken a while.
“In fairness, he hasn’t had much schooling and I was going to school him this week, but wasn’t able to because of the weather. He’s an intelligent horse, though.
“We brought him here and he could possibly have run a bit earlier but the races weren’t there. We wanted him to run somewhere where it was an appropriate race and we also had enough time to get him fit. I’m sure he will improve a bit, but don’t expect masses of improvement.”
The two-and-three-quarter-mile contest was an intriguing watch, with Harry Skelton seemingly keen to make the most of Protektorat’s fitness edge with an aggressive front-running ride.
The nine-year-old looked to have L’Homme Presse in trouble at one stage, but the latter’s jumping kept him in the fight as the pace increased and he was the one travelling the better as the big two straightened up for home.
Protektorat did not go down without a fight and it was still all to play for between the final two fences, but L’Homme Presse stamped his class on the run-in to take top honours with something to spare.
Coral trimmed the winner’s Gold Cup odds to 12-1 from 16-1, while Paddy Power were clearly more impressed and offered 9-1 from 14-1.
Williams did, however, raise the prospect of L’Homme Presse running again between now and March, with next month’s Ascot Chase on her radar.
“That’s been on our mind and we want to see how he comes out of this, but there is a possibility of that. Maybe it will be (Ascot), that is one of the races on the shortlist,” she added.
The trainer houses another potential Gold Cup contender in Royale Pagaille, who having been denied a run in Saturday’s Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock after the meeting was abandoned, will be rerouted to next weekend’s Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.
Which horse Deutsch will be on board come the big day remains to be seen, with Williams saying: “It’s far too early for questions like that. Hopefully we will run Royale Pagaille in the Cotswold Chase next Saturday and Ruby (Walsh) never used to make his mind up until final declarations did he?”
Jeriko Du Reponet remains likely to head for the M1 Agency Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon, despite the Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle being rearranged for Doncaster next Saturday.
The two-mile Grade Two event was lost from Haydock’s abandoned Saturday card, but was swiftly added to Town Moor’s fixture on January 27.
However, despite discussing a trip to Yorkshire with owner JP McManus, trainer Nicky Henderson is content to follow the ‘Shishkin route’ to the Cheltenham Festival and visit Huntingdon on February 8 with his unbeaten Supreme Novices’ Hurdle contender, who has done nothing but impress in two facile Newbury victories.
“It will probably still be Huntingdon, although I did talk to JP about it (Doncaster),” said Henderson.
“If JP wants him in there (then he will be entered for Doncaster), but he did say he did have the other horse (Jonjo O’Neill’s Fortunate Man) who was going to Haydock anyway. We weren’t going to Haydock because we don’t like the track in bad ground.
“The race goes to Doncaster and my first reaction was ‘goody-goody, we can go there with Jeriko’, but he did say the other horse was due to go to Haydock and he’s entitled to have first pick – and I’m perfectly happy with the Sidney Banks.”
Allaho returned to winning ways when claiming victory in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles for a third time.
The Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old was successful in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two event in 2021 and 2022, but missed the entirity of last season through injury.
Having returned to action this term with a smooth triumph at Clonmel, he was beaten into third behind Hewick when favourite for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
However, Allaho made all the running under Paul Townend to enjoy a straightforward 8-13 triumph here, seeing off stablemate Stattler by 13 lengths.
Assistant trainer Patrick Mullins said: “Allaho looked back to himself, having not quite got home in the King George.
“He isn’t getting any younger, it took him a while to warm up into his jumping (at Kempton) and he is better going left-handed.
“Paul was a little worried that he got a hard race in the King George and was coming back quite quickly but the further he went, the better he travelled and jumped.
“He is a big big horse who likes better ground and going left-handed at Cheltenham suits him down to the ground. I’d imagine it is all roads back to the Ryanair (Chase) now.
“Today’s race was a Grade One in all but name, with all being Grade One winners, so it is great for Thurles and it is a brilliant race to target every year.”
Allaho’s task was made all the more easier by the defection of Henry de Bromhead’s Envoi Allen and Capodanno.
Their absence left just four runners, with Appreciate It rated the main danger at 11-4 and 6-1 chance French Dynamite making up the numbers for Mouse Morris.
Allaho did all that was asked of him, though, travelling strongly throughout and only having to be nudged out to draw clear of 20-1 longshot Stattler up the home straight, with Appreciate It a further 11 lengths back in third.
Mullins added: “It is brilliant run out of Stattler, he had just started to sparkle in the last month, so it is great he is getting back to form. He had lost his form completely after the Gold Cup, so now we can aim big with him again.
“Danny (Mullins, on Appreciate It) said he had a good position, travelled great but once they quickened he found nothing. It is disappointing, as I thought he’d be challenging Allaho. He wears a tongue-strap, so maybe nicer ground will help him.”
Allaho was cut to 5-2 from 3-1 to win a third Ryanair Chase by both Betfair and Paddy Power, while Coral were even more impressed, promoting him to 2-1 favourite.
Tripoli Flyer booked his ticket to Aintree in the spring with an impressive display at Lingfield.
A keeping-on fifth on his rules debut at Chepstow in October, Fergal O’Brien’s five-year-old was a 15-2 shot for the opening Winter Million Open National Hunt Flat Race that kicked off the action on Sunday.
He showed plenty of speed and class to down the well-regarded Nicky Henderson-trained 8-11 favourite Kingston Pride in the hands of Paddy Brennan and now has connections dreaming of bigger and better objectives later in the season.
“We’ve got some lovely bumper horses, but I thought he was very good, he was very impressive,” said O’Brien.
“I thought the Henderson horse had solid point-to-point form and the horse who was second to him (The Enabler) has won a Listed race.
“We thought he would appreciate the surface and the good thing about this horse is his owner as he gave him time after his first race at Chepstow because he had a hard race.
“He was only a four-year-old then and we put him away, I think he went to Paddy’s for a bit and then to an event rider down the road who did a lot of work with him. He came back to us and we just had to put the finishing touches to him ready for today.
“Today was always a plan because we thought he would appreciate the better ground.
“The plan, please God, is to go straight to Aintree. We think he will love the flat track and Paddy said the ground, although he got through it at Chepstow, will be important to him.
“I thought he was impressive but he will have to do it on grass now. Going forward he’s a beautiful jumper, so we will look forward to him.”
There was a shock in the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle as Ben Clarke’ 40-1 shot Ooh Betty landed the spoils with the assistance of the stewards.
It was Henderson’s Aston Martini that was first past the post following a ding-dong battle after the last, but the placings were reversed after an inquiry.
“She is battle-hardened and she’s not the sexy option in the race, but I think running in handicaps has served her well as she had to battle hard there and be brave,” said Clarke.
“She got bumped a couple of times coming up the home straight and Ben Jones (jockey) felt it cost him, but saying that, it is not the way we want to win a horse race – Nicky was incredibly gracious so I will drop him a bottle of wine.
“At the back of my mind, I’ve always thought if we get half-decent ground at Cheltenham, she could go there for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. We’ll sit tight and she doesn’t want a bog – she can’t run in proper, proper soft ground – so we will plot our way there.
“Endless Escape was beaten just over 10 lengths in the Cheltenham race last year and this mare would be a much speedier type, so we have half an idea what it takes – not as much as Nicky does – so we’ll see, it could be an option.”
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