Love the Jumps

With Trials day being the last of the racing at Cheltenham before the main event in March, it’s always a day I look forward to. Gives trainers that one last chance to test their horses credentials around Prestbury Park before going on to the festival. We had some brilliant contests on paper and it’s safe to say that they didn’t disappoint. We will start with the Timeform Novices Handicap Chase, the race went the way of Simply The Bets for Harry Whittington and Gavin Sheehan. He disputed the lead for much of the race jumping well throughout, till he was headed 3 from home. He rallied well for Gavin before 2 out where he went back on to take the lead. He was then challenged by Imperial Aura who was only a length down jumping the last, but Simply The Bets stayed on better up the hill to eventually win by 1 3/4 lengths. It was a much better performance from Simply The Bets than when he last ran at Kempton, where his jumping let him down. It was also a good effort from Imperia

Another quiet week but there was still some star performers who could well take centre stage at the festival. We will start at Ascot with the Juvenile hurdle, this saw the Gary Moore trained  Goshen go off 1/5 favourite, he led like he usually does till the 3rd flight of hurdles where he then swapped places with Manucci . This was unusual as on his previous two starts over hurdles Goshen has gone on and made all the running, this may well of been a change of tactics just to try something different with him and try to teach him to settle. He was being briefly niggled along before going clear 2 from home, at the final 2 hurdles he jumped out to his right which he had done in his previous starts, this didn’t stop him winning by 11 lengths in the end. He is currently joint 6/1 favourite for the Triumph hurdle at Cheltenham, but I’d be slightly worried about his jumping out to the right, although this could stop given a fast pace and a big field come March. Myself I’d still be

Wasn’t that much of a busy weeks racing but there was a few decent performances in England and over in Ireland. We will start at Kempton and with the Silviniaco Conti Chase, this was due to be Altior’s return to action after being beat by Cyrname , but he was eventually taken out the race which left his stablemate Top Notch the new favourite. It was close in the betting with money coming in for Frodon before the off, he eventually went off 5/4 2nd favourite. Frodon went off from the front like we know he likes to, he jumped well after from jumping out to his left at a few of the fences. He had to be pushed along by Bryony Frost approaching the last where after he was pressed by Keeper Hill . Frodon was always on top in the run in and found that little bit extra which saw him eventually win by 1 1/4 lengths. Top Notch was bitterly disappointing, finishing 3rd 7 lengths behind Keeper Hill, he didn’t travel into the race like you’d normally expect him to and eventually wea

With the new year upon us and just over two months till the festival, some festival clues could be coming thick and fast. It was the first meeting of 2020 at Cheltenham, the first race on the card was the Ballymore Novices hurdle, Redford Road previous course winner during the December meeting was sent off the 2/1 favourite, ran in his normal style leading for most of the race till he was headed 3 out. He was passed by Imperial Alcazar , he in turn was then headed at the last by the Skelton trained Protektorat who was having his first run up in trip. He went on to go and win the race by a head, well that’s what everyone thought, wasn’t till a few minutes later when the stewards enquiry was called and the placings were reversed. I like many others where surprised to see the placings being altered, upon watching back the replay, Protektorat does drift to the right after the final flight and in turn cut across Imperial Alcazar but not enough to end up in him losing the race. I