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Paul Jones' Daily Cheltenham Festival Countdown Stat
The Totescoop6 Hurdle at Haydock, better known as the Rendlesham Hurdle, used to be a terrific guide to the Festival when it was run at Kempton highlighting seven winners between 1994-2004, but a big fat zero winners in the six renewals since this Grade 2 event was switched to Haydock in 2005. Kasbah Bliss was sent off an odds-on favourite for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle off the back of his second Rendlesham success but finished unplaced. The usually testing ground at Haydock, compared to Kempton, so close to the Festival must surely put off connections of non soft-ground lovers from now prepping here in this in fear of taking the edge off their Cheltenham-bound contenders. The totesport.com Grand National Trial on the same card is clearly meant to be a big pointer for Aintree but the irony is that no winner has ever won the Grand National though it was Red Rum's final port of call on six occasions when it was run over three miles (missed the 1978 Grand National due to injury) before Aintree. A couple of also-rans Cloudy Lane and Character Building have bounced back from an unplaced effort to win the Kim Muir in the last four years on their next start though.
Will Hayler's tv tips
Carruthers may never quite realise owner Lord Oaksey's Cheltenham Gold Cup ambitions, but he can prove the class act in the competitive totesport.com Grand National Trial at Haydock today.
While considered too precious to be entered in the big Aintree race, Carruthers is likely to chance his arm against the best at Cheltenham next month, having finished fourth at the Festival for the last two years.
Given that lofty level of form, it is no surprise that he has to give weight away to all bar two of these rivals, but the handicapper has been generous in dropping the horse's rating by a remarkable 7lb since he finished a highly respectable sixth in Newbury's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on his latest appearance.
The booking of the unheralded conditional Matt O'Connor is a typically leftfield move from trainer Mark Bradstock, but the 5lb claim can only help and Carruthers is by no means a complicated ride.
Ascot 1.50 Despite not being foot-perfect, The Minack won with more in hand than the winning margin might have suggested at Warwick last time. Master Of The Hall has not always looked the most resolute.
Haydock 2.10 A forthright victory in similarly testing conditions at Warwick last month means that Court In Motion sets a stiff standard, even having to give weight away here.
Ascot 2.25 The French raider Royal Tune is hard to weigh up despite impressing on his British bow at Ffos Las back in December. But against better rivals, he may struggle now and Ogee gets the vote in the hope that he is ready for his first start in more than three months.
Haydock 2.45 Not knocked about behind Grands Crus on his belated first start of the season last month, Bensalem ought to come on plenty for that run.
Ascot 3.00 Having been ready to oppose Riverside Theatre at Newbury last Saturday, I have done a U-turn. Another week since his hard race in the King George is a positive, while this track and trip are also more suitable. Pride of Dulcote's form against Punchestowns has taken a bashing and he will do well to match the selection for toe dropped in trip.
Ascot 3.35 A sensible ploy from Donald McCain to sidestep the Totesport Trophy with Drill Sergeant, as his charge will appreciate this slightly stiffer test. The conditional Henry Brooke might not be a household name yet, but he has talent.
Wincanton 3.45 Tactics could play an important part here. Presuming that Celestial Halo will not allow Overturn an easy advantage in front, the race could prove a real test of stamina and Silviniaco Conti would then be best placed to take advantage. He may not have been quite at his best when third to Menorah at Cheltenham, but that is high-class form in any case.
Seen and heard
An informal meeting earlier this week between a handful of northern-based trainers and British Horseracing Authority chairman Paul Roy prompted Mark Johnston to throw his hat into the ring for the vacant position as independent director at the Authority, created by the departure of Jim McGrath. Johnston has said publicly that he hasn't yet made his mind up about the role, but is understood to be very keen on the position. However, eyebrows have understandably been raised at BHA HQ at High Holborn as to whether a licensed trainer ? and a frequent outspoken critic of the Authority at that ? can legitimately be considered as being 'independent'. Perhaps the constitution of the BHA will come to the rescue with all of its constituent sectors ? including the Racecourse Association, another popular target for Johnston's ire ? having to give written consent.
Meanwhile, some of the same northern trainers who have taken a stand against poor prize money at Wetherby by boycotting the meeting at the track on Tuesday, which received a total of 102 entries compared to 170 for the same a year ago. Local trainer Sue Smith told the Yorkshire Post: "You have to look after the grassroots. If you don't have owners, you don't have trainers. And, without trainers, you have no jobs for people involved in racing."
Horse sense
Kumbeshwar (1.40) looks to have plenty to do against live Triumph Hurdle contenders on just his second start over timber at Haydockon Saturday, but the signs from home are very encouraging.
Having not seemed a natural hurdler in his initial schooling, he made a series of jumping mistakes despite staying on strongly to make a winning debut at Sandown a fortnight ago. But given another schooling session at the start of this week by trainer Alan King, he jumped significantly better and could be worth backing to cause a turn-up here.
Stablemate Shalone (3.35) is also worth a mention down at Ascot. He shapes as if retaining all of his ability, despite missing last season through injury, and has come on since his return at the track last month.
Riverside Theatre (3.00) has his doubters, but is working particularly well at present, and should prove hard to beat in Ascot's big race, while the Henderson stable are also confident of wins for Sprinter Sacre (4.05) and Problema Tic (1.20) in the opener, although the latter faces some stiff opposition from Tornado Bob.
There was a buzz in Newmarket this week when Workforce reappeared to lead Sir Michael Stoute's string up Warren Hill. The Derby and Arc winner has put on plenty of weight over the winter and muscled up considerably.
Carlton House, owned by the Queen, is worth yet another positive mention while the frustrating but talented Zacinto was another to show up particularly well and looks more forward than most of his stablemates.
Advertisement (4.00) went noticeably well ahead of his engagement at Lingfield on Sunday, but it's no surprise to see a visor tried on stablemate Baharat (2.25), given some of his past behaviour. Shane Kelly rode Kentish in a solo gallop on Tuesday, which should help to put them spot-on for an intended engagement at Wolverhampton on Monday.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/feb/19/talking-horses-horse-racing
Ramiro Peña Cliff Pennington Jhonny Peralta Brandon Phillips
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