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Binocular focused solely on Cheltenham.
Nicky Henderson has today confirmed Binocular will skip a potential run in Wednesday’s Bet Victor Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso, with connections preferring the 2010 Champion Hurdle winner to complete his preparation for this year’s Cheltenham Grade One 2 mile highlight on the Sevenbarrows gallops.
Binocular has not been seen on the track since winning his second Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on 26 December, and with his intended run in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown having been lost to the recent cold snap, Henderson had considered a potential run at Kelso, but speaking on behalf of owner J P McManus, racing manager Frank Berry knocked that possibility on the head today, with Berry revealing:
“He won’t be going to Kelso now, and instead, he’ll head straight to the Cheltenham Festival.
“Nicky is happy with him at the moment, and I don’t think it will be a problem. We’ve run out of options really, so hopefully we’ll now have a trouble free run, and the horse will line-up in the Champion Hurdle in top form.”
Ascot to stage Theatre re-appearance.
Not seen on the track since winning the Ascot Chase almost exactly twelve months ago, the Nicky Henderson-trained Riverside Theatre is set to kick his season off with an attempt to win the Betfair Ascot Chase for a second consecutive time this coming Saturday.
The eight-year-old, who is part owned by actor Jimmy Nesbitt, sustained a stress fracture to his pelvis when being prepared for the Ryanair Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, and he seems to face a tough task on his return to racing action, with most of his 10 rivals on Saturday having already shown some winning form this season.
Paul Nicholls looks set to be represented in the race by Kauto Star’s half brother Kauto Stone, the latter having come in as runner-up to Champion Chase favourite Sizing Europe in the Tingle Creek Chase on his last outing.
Alan King has entered his former top class hurdler Medermit, while Evan Williams could be doubly represented by Cappa Bleu and Deep Purple, and the enigmatic but very able Gauvain will represent Nick Williams.
The other horses completing the eleven strong line-up will be; Little Josh, Hell’s Bay, I’msingingtheblues, Tatenen, and The Sawyer.
Featherbed could face Big challenge at Cheltenham.
Connections of Featherbed Lane have not ruled out the possibility of their relatively inexperienced hurdler taking on Big Bucks in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, but such an option will only be considered if Featherbed Lane can win Saturday’s Betfred Goals Galore Hurdle at Haydock in some style.
Narrowly defeated in the Lanzarote Hurdle on his most recent outing at Kempton, Philip Hobbs’ charge is due to step up to 3 miles for the first time on Saturday, and while his trainer feels his gelding will almost certainly return to Handicaps after his run, irrespective of how he performs on Saturday, Hobbs has not ruled out the possibility of Featherbed Lane going for the World Hurdle, but only if he can win the former Rendlesham Hurdle in style, with Hobbs elaborating:
“He does have an entry in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, but realistically, that is probably beyond him at present.
“He’s a very nice horse, and he’s likely to end up in theCoral Cup at Cheltenham, but at this stage, I wouldn’t rule out the World Hurdle, as if he won nicely on Saturday, it’s worth noting, there’s plenty of good place money on offer in the World Hurdle.”
Ian Williams also looks set to use the Rendlesham Hurdle to boost Wayward Prince’s confidence, for after a great season in 2010 – 2011, Wayward Prince has lost his way over fences, and his trainer looks set to drop his charge back to hurdles, where he has been a Grade One winner in the past.
John Smiths Aintree Grand National ante-post favourite Junior also has an entry in the Rendlesham Hurdle, but he seems more likely to head a field of 23 current entries for the Betfred Grand National Trial – the other highlight on Saturday’s card at Haydock.
If Junior lines up in the steeplechase, he will have to tackle Welsh Grand National winnr Le Beau Bai, but not Hold On Julio – the latter being withdrawn from Saturday’s line-up at today’s 5 day decleration stage.
Expanded race cards allowed at up-coming British Meetings.
Following the recent loss of Jump opportunities due to the cold weather, the British Horseracing Authority has reacted to the larger than usual entries in the novices’ and maiden hurdle categories, by permitting 8-race cards to take place at some of this week’s fixtures.
Selected races at Southwell on Wednesday 15 February, Wincanton on Saturday 18 February, and Ffos Las on Sunday 19 February, will now be permitted to divide if achieving 20 or more declarations at the overnight declaration stage.
Trainers looking to qualify novices for handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival have up until and including Sunday, 26 February to achieve their third runs.
Races permitted to divide:
Southwell, 15 February
3:20 30984 The Use Unique Profiling Tools With Betangel Maiden Hurdle Race
or
3:50 30983 The Betdaqangel Free Betdaq Software Novices' Hurdle Race
Wincanton, 18 February
4:50 31067 The Bathwick Tyres Salisbury Novices' Hurdle Race
Ffos Las, 19 February
2:00 31075 The E.B.F./Sun Trade Windows 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle
Race
or
5:15 31077 The Braceys The Friendly Builders Merchant Standard Open
National Hunt Flat Race.
Folkestone decision delayed until tomorrow.
Following an indeterminate inspection of their course at 2.00 pm today, officials at Folkestone have decided to put off a final decision on tomorrow’s Valentines Day national hunt card to an inspection planned for 7.30 am on Tuesday morning.
Commenting on the current situation, Clerk of the Course, Neil Mackenzie Ross, said:
“We’ve decided to have another look in the morning. The course is still unraceable at present, but there is some rain in the forecast, and that could help us a lot. A couple of hours of rain could completely change the situation, so we think it would be premature to call the meeting off today.”
Magnanimity plans on hold.
Plans for Magnanimity are now up in the air following his bad blunder at the fourth last fence in Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
The owners of the Dessie Hughes-trained eight-year-old– Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud – had entered Magnanimity in their own race - The Ryanair Chase – and also in the Betfred sponsored Gold Cup at Cheltenham next month, but Sunday’s racing error has now put all plans on hold, with handler Dessie Hughes revealing:
“Thank God he’s sound. He made a bit of a mistake at the fifth last, but at the fourth last he did the splits on the landing side of the fence, and that finished him.
“It would be hard to go to Cheltenham now, and while I don’t really know what we should do at this stage, I may well leave it to Michael O’Leary to decide if we should send him to Cheltenham or not.
“It’s a shame, as he was travelling well up to that point, and we were happy with him. With my other fellow, Roberto Goldback, coming in 2 lengths behind the winner Quel Esprit, and knowing both horses as I do, I would have expected Magnanimity to have been close to Roberto Goldback, if not in front of him, had he not made the mistake at the fourth last.”
Despite the above comment, Hughes was delighted with the run of Roberto Goldback, and looking ahead to prospective targets for Sunday’s Hennessy runner-up, Hughes added:
“He ran a very good race, and he’s come out of it fine. He’ll either go for the English National at Aintree, or he’ll go for the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown. He was unlucky in the latter race last year, unseating his rider at the last fence when sure to win.”
Vic has an excuse for disappointing effort.
Vic Venturi later scoped dirty after finishing well down the field in Sunday’s Hunter Chase at Leopardstown, and with this explanation in hand, trainer Dessie Hughes will assess how quickly his twelve-year-old recovers before deciding whether to run his charge in the Foxhunters Chase at Cheltenham, or to wait for the John Smiths sponsored Foxhunters Chase at Aintree three weeks later.
Discussing his old warrior, Dessie Hughes commented:
“He scoped dirty after the race unfortunately. We’ll have to see how quickly he recovers, and it will have to clear up quick enough if he is to go to Cheltenham.”
Catterick and Plumpton off.
After a second inspection at 1.00 pm on Sunday afternoon, Catterick joined Plumpton on the cancellation list due to the fact both courses still had frozen patches.
However, the cancellation of today's two national hunt fixtures could be the last for a day or two, as warmer weather is due to dominate for the early part of this week, and this may enable hard pressed trainers to get some much needed racing experience into their national hunt horses prior to the Spring Festivals.
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