Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Festival contenders, by Greg Wood
Nigel Twiston-Davies is on course for the best season of his 28-year career as a trainer, both in terms of the number of winners trained (he should reach three figures for the first time) and prize money won. He also feels that his team for the Cheltenham Festival later this month has more strength in depth than any he has sent to the meeting in the past. Below is his summary of the main chances in his squad from a media open day on Thursday morning.
Ballyandy (11-2, Supreme Novice Hurdle)
He cantered to the last in the Betfair [Hurdle] and then quickened away nicely. We’ve always thought an awful lot of him and can’t understand why he didn’t do better in his first three races, but he managed to handicap himself nicely so let’s go on to better things now. We checked his wind and everything else, maybe it’s just with time that he’s got better and better. He’s got plenty of speed and he won there this time last year [in the Champion Buper], over two miles with no hurdles. We’re really looking forward to that and hopefully we’ll be able to take our revenge on Moon Racer [for a defeat over the course and distance earlier in the season].
Flying Angel (33-1, Arkle Trophy & JLT Novice Chase]
He’s one of the puzzles of the whole thing. He was very good at Warwick in the Kingmaker, so what do we do? Do we take on the supposedly unbeatable Altior, or do we go for what could be the easier version in the JLT? You shouldn’t be frightened of one horse and we don’t know, we’ll be discussing it right up until the end.
The New One (16-1, Champion Hurdle)
He’ll be going for the Champion Hurdle. It’s not as hot as it has been, we’ve not got a Faugheen in there this year, and if you look at the ratings, the handicapper says he should be right there. Himself and Yanworth are the two top-rated ones, and there’s a pound between them. Cheltenham brings the best out of him. He was only beaten eight lengths last year, and we’re employing different tactics now that will hopefully turn that round. We’re very excited by him and we’re looking forward to it. This will be his fourth Champion Hurdle. He was very unlucky in his first one, he was definitely knocked back more than he was beaten. Hopefully, this will be the year when everything falls right for him. We’re happier with him than we have been for a long time. He’s had soundness issues in the past, but this year, since October he hasn’t had an unsound step. I don’t think his age [nine] makes any difference, he didn’t seem to be showing it when he won the International Hurdle at Cheltenham [in December]. He never seems to sparkle at Haydock but he keeps winning there, and back at his favourite course, he’ll be flying up the hill. I think we’re all in agreement now [about going for the Champion]. There seems to be a very good horse [Unowhatimeanharry], he seems to be the outstanding one in the Stayers’. It’s an easier choice and we want to put right the unlucky bits that we’ve had in the past.
Callett Mad/Ballycross (33-1 & 40-1 for National Hunt Chase)
The one that shines out a bit is Callett Mad. He was disappointing up at Wetherby but I think we can put that down to the softer ground. He was very impressive at Taunton the run before on better ground. We do think good-to-soft, which it will probably be on that first day, will suit him and he should be right there in the mix.
Foxtail Hill (9-1 fav, Close Brothers Novice Handicap Chase)
He’s favourite for the Close Brothers, he was very impressive there last time and he managed to stay inside the rating band of 0-140. It’s nearly a slightly lower-class [Grade One] JLT because they will all be within a 3-4lb weight band. So basically, they’re all running off level weights. He was good last time so we’re very hopeful for that and he doesn’t have to be ridden as aggressively as he was last time. He’s probably our best chance.
Robinshill (40-1, Coral Cup)
I think we’ll go for one of the handicaps, probably the Coral Cup on the Wednesday if we can get in. It all depends on the declarations.
Ballymalin/Splash of Ginge/Arctic Gold (20-1, 33-1 & 33-1, Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle)
They’ll all get in. Splash Of Ginge qualified the other day. Ballymalin has done nothing wrong all season, he won three times so far and he’s looking pretty good. He’s a novice and he could be the unexposed one coming from down below. Arctic Gold won very well in his qualifier at Sandown. It’s difficult to split them all, and Splash Of Ginge has been wonderful for us over the years.
Ballyoptic (16-1, Stayers’ Hurdle)
He was right upsides [hot favourite for the race] Unowhatimeanharry at Ascot [in December] when he fell, he was a little bit disappointing at Cheltenham last time but he’s had some time off and come back really well and strong. Let’s hope he can do the business. He’s right up there in the weights, if it was a handicap he’d be one of the top ones. His strengths are that he gallops and he stays. The two falls he’s had, he’s just slipped on landing. It wasn’t his fault at all at Wetherby, and at Ascot he just lost his back end.
Ballykan (33-1, Brown Advisory Plate)
He ran well in the BetBright Chase. He was very good there, having had a break and he should come on for that run. Hopefully he will get in, I’d hope that he would and you can’t rule him out.
Bristol De Mai (25-1, Gold Cup)
He’s very exciting, he was very good at Haydock [when winning the Peter Marsh Chase] and we can put a line through Newbury [last time], he just wasn’t himself that day. We thought, “Oh dear, he’s not very good”, but when he got back he was very lame and had a whole week of not being right. He’s come right now and if he can stay sound, I’m very hopeful. He didn’t jump with his normal fluency at Newbury and he was hanging badly to the left, but he’s never done any of that before. He was very lame when he came off the lorry. He’s had lots of injections and treatments and things and he seems 100 per cent now, he looks absolutely gorgeous. I think he slightly twisted a joint, or something like that. He’s very much a horse who goes his own pace, he’ll be right up there in the front line but he’s settling a lot better now. He stays, he jumps, he’s uncomplicated. The ground’s not a worry. I think it inconveniences others more than him if it’s soft, but he seems to go on anything. He was second in the JLT last year and now he goes well further, so that distance will improve him. His stamina was a surprise. In his younger days, he was always very overkeen, but now that he settles, he will stay as long as you want. He’s very much under the radar now, and I can understand that. I couldn’t with Imperial Commander, but I can understand it with him because it wasn’t a great run at Newbury.
Wholestone (13-2, Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle)
He’s done nothing at all wrong this season. He’s won three times at Cheltenham, he’s not flashy by any means but he does what has to be done and he’s won three times around there and been second once. Three miles really suits him, the ground’s not a problem and he keeps pulling out that little bit extra, so he deserves to be one of the favourites.
Crievehill/Ballyhill (33-1 & 50-1, Martin Pipe Conditionals’ Handicap Hurdle)
We’d be very keen on Crievehill’s chances if he gets in. We’ve also got him in the County [40-1] and we’d probably go for that if he’s gets in. I think he’d stay, but we’ve only run him over two miles so far. Ballyhill has been fine for us this year but he’s one that the handicapper might have clobbered. He’s a bit high in the weights but we’ll give it our best go.
Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Having been out in it for some of the morning, I can report that there has been some serious weather in the Cheltenham area today. The rain has been heavy and persistent, creating roadside lakes where I haven’t seen them before.
Given that the Cheltenham going was good to soft, soft in places yesterday, and given also that there are a couple more lumps of rain in the forecast for the next few days, I should say soft going for day one of the Festival is a distinct possibility. Of course, nothing is certain with 11 days to go and the famous turf can dry up pretty quick. But anyone who’s backed Brain Power for the Champion Hurdle has got to cross their fingers and hope some of that forecast rain does not actually show up.
Newbury should present a test for today’s action, which is all to the good for Plaisir D’Amour (3.15), the day’s nap and fairly priced at 13-8. She was having just her second outing since joining Venetia Williams from France when winning with a fair bit in hand at Wetherby 10 days ago and a penalty should not stop her against five beatable rivals.
Speaking of trainer form, as we were in this space yesterday, Williams is literally on fire, her form figures since Tuesday reading: 1524131115. Plaisir is her only runner today.
Souriyan (4.55) might be worth chancing at 15-2 in the staying handicap hurdle. He didn’t build on a maiden hurdle win for Jamie Snowden but has since dropped in the weights by more than a stone and will be nicely treated if the in-from Peter Bowen can get him going again.
There was just a bit of promise in his debut for Bowen last month and now he has cheekpieces back on.
In Doncaster’s opener, 10-1 looks too big about Recognition (1.50). He had a long way to go when falling four-out at Musselburgh last time but travelled nicely into that race in first-time cheekpieces. He’s a young colt with more to offer over obstacles and has plenty of upside in a weak-looking race.
Obviously, I shouldn’t do this but I’m irresistibly drawn to a Jamie Spencer-ridden closer at Lingfield, so let’s get the pills handy and have a go at Horsted Keynes (3.40). You could say 6-1 isn’t brilliant about a horse that hasn’t won for three years, from a stable with a 6% recent strike-rate. Indeed, I would assuredly be mocking the price if I’d decided to tip anything else in the race.
But I still remember how unlucky this one looked in the Buckingham Palace of 2014 and he’s 10lb lower now. He’s been beaten less than a length in his last two runs, having not long returned from an 11-month break, and this could be his day.
Tips for Friday’s races, by Chris Cook
(all times GMT)
Doncaster
1.50 Recognition 2.20 Wenyerreadyfreddie 2.50 Banny’s Lad 3.25 Lady Buttons 4.00 Copper Kay 4.30 Apterix 5.05 The Wise One
Lingfield
2.00 Simply Me 2.30 Havelock 3.05 Black Dave 3.40 Horsted Keynes 4.10 Dark Destroyer (NR) 4.45 Ulysses
Newbury
2.10 Quids In 2.40 Le Breuil 3.15 Plaisir D’Amour (nap) 3.50 Beggars Cross 4.20 Quarenta 4.55 Souriyan (nb) 5.25 Reine Des Miracles
Newcastle
5.15 Persun 5.45 Fiendish 6.15 Poet’s Reward 6.45 Bastia 7.15 Gowanless 7.45 Dose
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