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Twiston-Davies scoffs at Imperial suggestion.
This morning, Nigel Twiston-Davies held his annual pre-Cheltenham Open Day for the media at his yard close to the Prestbury Park course, and during one exchange in a question and answer session, Twiston-Davies scoffed at the suggestion Imperial Commander may be too old at ten-years-old to recapture his Gold Cup crown in this year's renewal of the Grade One contest.
Pointing out, Cool Dawn in 1998 and Cool Ground in 1992 had both won as ten-year-olds, Twiston Davies went on to add:
"Imperial Commander has only had 18 races in his career, so in terms of miles on the clock, he has had far less racing than Kauto Star and Denman, and besides, they're both eleven-year-olds, and no one is discounting them from the list of potential winners of this year's Gold Cup.
"Imperial Commander has also proved he can win at over 3 miles around Cheltenham, something Long Run and Diamond Harry still have to achieve over fences, and while I respect both of those younger rivals, I see Kauto Star and Denman as the two our lad has to beat if he is to recapture his Gold Cup title this year."
Going on to discuss Kyber Kim, his main challenger for the Champion Hurdle, Twiston-Davies observed:
"He didn't do very well in the Christmas Hurdle, but when we got him home we found his lungs were full of muck, and after suitable treatment, he looked a lot better when having a recent gallop at Kempton. He may be a nine-year-old now, but people forget he was only beaten by Binocular in last year's Champion Hurdle, and the official handicapper still rates him as one of the 3 best hurdlers in the country, and I think he will suprise a lot of people in this year's Champion Hurdle."
Ruby Walsh to return on Friday.
Having accompanied runners in post race meeting gallops for Willie Mullins at Leopardstown on Sunday, Ruby Walsh continued his return from injury by riding out for Paul Nicholls on Monday, and having looked good on the likes of Big Bucks and Masterminded in yesterday's exercises at Ditcheat, Walsh has confirmed he will return to race riding at Newbury this Friday.
The popular irish jockey broke his leg in two places when falling from Corrick Bridge at Down Royal 4 months ago, but he has followed the rehabilitation routine set out by his medical advisors to the letter, and a delighted Walsh was able to comment after Monday's training stint:
"I feel 100%, and I am really looking forward to getting in as much racing as I can to boost my fitness and race riding before the Cheltenham Festival. I will have my first rides at Newbury this Friday, and Paul Nicholls has also asked me to accompany Grand National hope Niche Market in Saturday's Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury, and I am particularly looking forward to that ride."
Hannigan starts his 2011 campaign.
The 2010 British Flat Jockeys Championship Winner Paul Hannigan is set to kick off his 2011 campaing with 5 rides at Wednesday's all-weather meeting at Wolverhampton.
Thirty-year-old Hannigan seized his first titel on 06 November at Doncaster - the final turf meeting of the 2010 flat season, with Hannigan finishing on 191 winners, just 2 ahead of main rival Richard Hughes.
Hannigan has admitted his late start to the current season has been down to the effort he had to make to win the 2010 Championship, with Hannigan elaborating:
"I was completely drained at the end of last season, and I've just had to have some time off to recharge my batteries for the 2011 campaign. I've really enjoyed the break, but now I'm ready to give it 100% again, and I'm really looking forward to getting back into racing action at Wolverhampton on Wednesday."
Keighley thinks Champion is the forgotten horse.
Gloucestershire based trainer Martin Keighley thinks his young hurdler Champion Court is the forgotten horse ahead of this year's Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the upcoming Cheltenham Festival.
A winner of a Grade 2 on his first run of the season at Cheltenham, in a race won in recent years by the likes of Black Jack Ketchum and Diamond Harry, Champion Court then disappointed behind Bobs Worth on his only other racecourse appearance this season, but it later became apparent, this second run came when the whole of Martin Keighley's yard were suffering from a virus.
Following the discovery of the medical problem effecting his yard, Keighley did not run his horses for several weeks, but returning to action at Catterick on Monday, two of his horses showed their well-being by taking first and third positions in two races at the Yorkshire track.
Taking what has happened to his horses over the last few weeks into account, Keighley now believes his six-year-old is the forgotten horse in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle, with Keighley explaining:
"Champion Court has strenghthened up and filled out, and I actually think this enforced quiet time has done him the world of good. He's recently done some bits of work which have been very good, and he's definitely going to go for a racecourse gallop, possibly at Newbury this weekend.
"He did very well to win a Grade 2 first time out, and Nigel Twiston Davies's runner-up in that race, Syberite, has run well since, and also looked good when accompanying Imperial Commander in a recent racecourse gallop.
"You can put a line through Champion Court's last run behind Bobs Worth, as we now know my horses were under the weather, with what my vet later described as the equivalent of a human head cold, and I am confident people will see a completely different Champion Court in this season's Albert Bartlett."
Gifford favouring Centenary run for Tullamore Dew.
Nick Gifford feels Tullamore Dew provides him with his best chance of training a winner at this year's Cheltenham Festival, and while his gelding will currently keep his entries in the Irish Independant Arkle Trophy and the Byrne Group Plate, Gifford admits he is eyeing the Listed Centenary Novices Handicap Chase as the perfect winning vehicle for his talented chaser.
Expanding on his thoughts, Gifford said:
"He's already run well to finish second to Mamlook and Medermit this season, and he can handle just about any going, and that's why we're keeping him in the Arkle in case the ground becomes soft.
"The Byrne Group Plate is a possibuility, but there is usually something lurking at the bottom of the handicap in that particular race. While the difference between top and bottom in the Centenary is usually not more than 10 pounds, and on that basis, I would give him a great chance of providing us with a festival win in that race."
Lee hoping for suitable ground for Beau Bai.
Richard Lee is hoping we have a wet spring, as the trainer is keen to give Le Beau Bai the kind of soft ground he needs to return to winning ways.
The consistant gelding was a closing third in the recent totesport.com Grand National Trial at Haydock Park, and while he holds several entries in the coming 2 months, Richard Lee cannot se his charge getting his head in front unless Le Beau Bai gets the testing ground he prefers.
"Discussing the options open to Le Beau Bai, Le said:
"We've entered him in two hurdle races at Cheltenham - the Pertemsp Final and the World Hurdle - and he's also in the Aintree Grand National, but in the past, both meetings have offered good ground, and that would not suit him
"The Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter would probably be ideal if the ground came up soft, and while we are very much in the hands of the weather, I am positive with soft ground in a long distance test, he could get his head back in front, so we will have to keep our fingers crossed that we have a wet spring."
Iconoclast could head to Fairyhouse.
Having made a dramatic recovery from a major blunder at the ninth fence before going on to beat The Sawyer by a neck in a recent Ascot Listed contest, it would seem the effort could have earned Iconoclast a trip to Fairyhouse for the Ladbrokes Irish National.
Trainer Alex Hales feels his ten-year-old's new rating of 136 should get him into the Fairyhouse Irish National field, and while he also has tentative entries in the Bet 365 Gold Cup, and a veterans Race on 10 April, Hales feels the likely soft going and extra trip of the Irish National will be ideal for Iconoclast, and at present, that would seem to be his most likely next race.
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