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With Waiting Patiently living up to his name and resting up for Aintree, it looks as if there will be two list runners at Cheltenham this week.
TESTIFY goes today in the Close Brother Novices’ Handicap Chase at 5.30. He just gets into this on the top rating of 145 and might just have the class edge in this company. He’s beaten decent opponents in 3 chase wins and the testing going will hold no fears. There’s a slight concern that his wins have been in small fields, but he has jumped well and done nothing wrong, has been under the radar all season and will likely be a double figure price.
CLOUDY DREAM represents Ruth Jefferson in the Ryanair Chase. He’s not been totally convincing this season, racing with his head at an odd angle at times, but he’s run 4 very good seconds and in a competitive race might well be in a position to take advantage of others bursting themselves. Remember that in last season’s Arkle Chase he got Altior off the bridle and few have done that.
Testify didn’t show on Tuesday, the field size probably proved too much of a shock after the small fields he had previously encountered. I wonder if Donald McCain might have a pot at the decent Ayr novice chase in April.
Cloudy Dream ran a stormer behind Balko Des Flos and Un De Sceaux in the Ryanair. He comes up just short at this level, but has paid his way with good place money all through the season.BIG RIVER ran a cracking race at Uttoxeter under top weight. It’s a real old slog round the Staffordshire course in the conditions and second under 11-12 is a fine effort. Next stop is the Scottish Grand National.
Not on our list but Seeyouatmidnight is still looking for a run following abandonment of Kelso and Carlisle in the last week or so. He needs a run over chases to be qualified for the Grand National and time is running out. I think Sandy Thomson is hoping for a replacement meeting later this week with a suitably rated chase included. Otherwise it will presumably be Ayr and the Scottish National.
I did wonder if Seeyouatmidnight might have an entry in the Irish equivalent, but very few UK trainers seem interested in that event. Mind you, the majority of runners in the weights proper for that race at the minute seem to be trained by Gordon Elliott or Willie Mullins. Two supremely talented individuals, but does it really serve the game, and the Irish game in particular, to have talent concentrated in just two yards?
CELTIC FLAMES did the business at 2/1 at Musselburgh on Friday. Thankfully the free draining East Lothian course was able to offer near good going, a relief from the stream of heavy going meetings of recent weeks. Lucinda Russell’s chaser was dropped back in distance on this occasion.
Rob
A pity SYAM wasn’t entered at Down Royal this weekend as well or they could have stuck him on the boat today and run him at the rescheduled meeting tomorrow (although I suppose they would have risked abandonment tomorrow as well and thus a pointless ferry trip for the horse).
Wheels came off a bit in the closing weeks of the season. Waiting Patiently was injured and others such as Beyond The Clouds ran well below expectations. Low point came yesterday when Thomond couldn’t win the Open at Balcormo, he has been very disappointing.
Full summary to come later this week and a note on prospects going forward for list horses.
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