The Festival's four championship novice hurdles have attracted their usual huge entries with the best young talent from Britain, Ireland, France and Germany contributing to 113 entries in the ANGLO IRISH BANK SUPREME NOVICES' HURDLE (Tuesday, March 14), 138 in the ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE NOVICES' HURDLE (Wednesday, March 15), 116 in the JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE and 114 in the BRIT INSURANCE NOVICES' HURDLE (both on Friday, March 17).
Ireland's champion trainer Noel Meade has only had one previous Festival victory but German Group 2 winner Sweet Wake, a 150,000 guineas purchase at Tattersalls in October, is likely to be warm favourite to improve that record in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle. The winner of both his hurdling starts is one of 45 Irish-trained entries as are stablemate Iktitaf and the Edward O'Grady-trained O'Muirchearteigh. The home team includes Straw Bear, trained by Nick Gifford for J P McManus, and the Paul Nicholls-trained Noland, who was bought by owner John Hales for 70,000 guineas at a National Hunt Breeze-Up sale at Cheltenham Racecourse in December, 2004.
Denman represents Nicholls in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle, in which Black Jack Ketchum - who scored at Prestbury Park in November and December - is likely to be saddled by Jonjo O'Neill. The 44 Irish-trained entries include Nicanor and Mr Nosie from Noel Meade's stable and the Tom Taaffe-trained Finger Onthe Pulse while the French challenge includes Arnaud Chaille-Chaille's Zaiyad.
The JCB Triumph Hurdle's entries include the Nicky Henderson-trained Afsoun, the Paul Nicholls-trained Turko and Mister Hight, one of 34 Irish-trained entries, while the record eight possible contenders from France include the Francois Cottin-trained Overlut.
The Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle, a successful addition to the Festival line-up last year, has attracted another huge entry. Black Jack Ketchum is also entered in this three-mile event while the 38 Irish-trained entries include Mags Mullins' stable star Travino. There are also four entries from France.
Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham Racecourse's Managing Director, said: "We were thrilled a week ago to announce such strong entries for The Festival's novice chases, and it is further good news for jump racing's long-term future that the four novice hurdles have been so solidly supported. It is great to see that the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle, a new addition to the Festival in 2005, has been so well received with 114 entries."
20 FOR totepool TOWTON NOVICES' CHASE - Ron Hodges & Ferdy Murphy discuss running plans for £32,000 contest
The £32,000 Grade Two totepool Towton Novices' Chase (3.25pm), the feature contest at Wetherby's fixture on Saturday, February 4, has attracted a high-quality entry of 20 at today's five-day stage.
Martin Pipe has two possible representatives for the three mile, one furlong contest in the shape of Celtic Son, bidding to bounce back after a couple of disappointing efforts, and Bannow Strand, a winner at Cheltenham and Haydock so far this season.
Howard Johnson has a fine record at Wetherby and also has two to choose from in the form of Bewley's Berry, successful over the course and distance in November and an excellent third behind Darkness in the Grade One Feltham Novices' Chase at Sandown on Boxing Day, as well as Julius Caesar, triumphant on his chasing debut at Market Rasen in November and runner-up behind Leading Man in the One Man Novices' Chase at Wetherby on December 3.
One horse coming into the totepool Towton Novices' Chase with an unbeaten record over fences is the Ron Hodges-trained Preacher Boy.
The Somerset handler revealed today: "We wanted to run him in the handicap but he doesn't qualify because he's only run twice under rules.
"I would think he'd run in the totepool Towton Novices' Chase because we want to try him left-handed and there are very few opportunities. He's a good-moving big horse, and he'd be better on good ground than soft."
The exciting seven-year-old, a dual point-to-point winner, landed his two starts over fences, both at Wincanton, in December. He scored decisively on his debut in a two mile, five furlong Beginners' Chase (good to soft) in early December, before returning for a course and distance repeat in a handicap chase (good), when he proved three and a half lengths too strong for Regal Bandit.
Hodges continued: "I don't know who will ride him at the weekend. It depends if Christian Williams goes up there, or Jim Crowley. It will be one of the two if we can get them."
Hodges, who saddled Hanakham to Royal & SunAlliance Chase success at Cheltenham in 1997, is hoping that Preacher Boy can follow a similar path.
He said: "We'll see how he runs at Wetherby, but he'd be more likely to go for the novice handicap at Cheltenham rather than the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
"He works really well and he's improving all the time. Everyone thought he was a bit slow but he's certainly not slow now. I'm not going to say that he's a Royal & SunAlliance Chase horse as yet, but he is improving and he really is a nice horse, so we shall see how we go."
Hopes of keeping the prize within Yorkshire lie with Ferdy Murphy's Leading Man, successful over the course and distance in the One Man Novices' Chase over the course and distance on December 3.
Trainer Ferdy Murphy said today: "Leading Man is in the totepool Towton Novices' Chase. He's a big horse and had two quick races and didn't sparkle last time, but the plan is to run and we'll take it from there."
The other Yorkshire contenders are Sue Smith's Rebel Rhythm, another horse to have also scored over the course and distance in the Rocom Beginners' Chase at Wetherby on December 27. Completing the trio of Yorkshire-trained entries is Model Son, successful in the Rocom NEC Beginners' Chase at Wetherby in October but not seen out since disappointing at Exeter the following month. He will be having his first run for Patrick Haslam, having been transferred from the Heather Dalton yard.
Other leading contenders include Halcon Genelardais, who got his chasing career off to the best possible start when winning at Warwick on January 14, Nicky Richards' Turpin Green, a Grade One scorer over hurdles at Aintree last season and successful over fences at Carlisle in November, the Tom George-trained Idle Talk, winner of both his starts over fences at Worcester and Exeter, while an intriguing entry is the Renee Robeson-trained Olney Lad, who has landed both his starts at Wetherby, most recently in the Rocom NEC Beginners' Chase on January 23.
Complementing the totepool Towton Novices' Chase is the £28,000 Grade Two Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle (2.20pm), being staged this year at Wetherby while its usual home, Doncaster, undergoes redevelopment.
A total of 13 entries have been received for the three mile, one furlong contest at the five-day stage. The high-class entries include Hard Act To Follow from the Howard Johnson stable, who will be bidding for its second successive victory in the contest following Bewley's Berry's win in 2005. Hard Act To Follow has won all three of his starts, most recently scoring in a novices' hurdle at Carlisle earlier this month.
Ferdy Murphy is also likely to be represented in this contest, this time with the promising L'Antartique, the impressive winner of a two mile, three and a half furlong novice hurdle at Doncaster in December.
Murphy revealed: "Everything has been geared to this race. He was being built up to this race all along, so this was the plan and it will tell us where we're going.
"L'Antartique has come out of the Doncaster race well and we're looking forward to running him.
"We could do with a bit of rain during the week to make it sloppy. He loves soft ground and the Doncaster ground didn't suit him. He won his bumper on bottomless ground and that's the way we want it, so if we got a drop of rain it would help."
The North Yorkshire-based trainer continued: "Wetherby is going to tell us a lot. We'll probably go for the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle - that would be the plan. He'll be in the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival as well but we'll see."
Nigel Twiston-Davies has made entries for both Jeremy Cuddle Duck, successful on his first three starts but not seen out since disappointing at Cheltenham in November, and Rimsky, victorious in the Grade Two Persian War Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow in October.
Other trainers doubly represented at this stage include the in-form Paul Nicholls, who could run Neptune Collonges, a Grade Two winner at Sandown in December and runner-up behind My Way De Solzen last time out in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Chepstow, and Gungadu, second to the high-class Black Jack Ketchum in the Grade Two Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. Mark Pitman's brace of entries are Ask The Gatherer and Snakebite, an easy winner last time out at Lingfield. Keith Reveley is the fourth trainer with two entries, headed by Supreme's Legacy, successful in the Pheasant Maiden Hurdle at Wetherby on January 5.
The £20,000 totesport 0800 221 221 Handicap Chase (2.50pm) over two miles, four and a half furlongs, will be shown on Channel Four along with the totepool Towton Novices' Chase and has attracted 18 entries, while the other two sponsored events during the afternoon are the £10,000 totepool Handicap Hurdle (4.00pm) and the £4,000 Rocom European Communications Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (4.30pm).
The day begins at 1.10pm with the Wilmott-Smith Memorial Cup Hunter Chase, which is followed by the inaugural running of the Richard Whiteley Memorial Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm), run in remembrance of the popular Yorkshire TV personality and racing supporter who died last year.
GROUND
The ground at Wetherby is SOFT.
James Sanderson, Wetherby's Chief Executive, reported today: "The ground is currently soft.
"Saturday's racing will take place on part of the track that has not been used since the autumn and so it is better ground than of late.
"The forecast this week is for predominantly dry conditions and the temperatures are not predicted to get too low. I would say that the ground will remain soft for Saturday."
The £32,000 Grade Two totepool Towton Novices' Chase (3.25pm), the feature contest at Wetherby's fixture on Saturday, February 4, has attracted a high-quality entry of 20 at today's five-day stage.
Martin Pipe has two possible representatives for the three mile, one furlong contest in the shape of Celtic Son, bidding to bounce back after a couple of disappointing efforts, and Bannow Strand, a winner at Cheltenham and Haydock so far this season.
Howard Johnson has a fine record at Wetherby and also has two to choose from in the form of Bewley's Berry, successful over the course and distance in November and an excellent third behind Darkness in the Grade One Feltham Novices' Chase at Sandown on Boxing Day, as well as Julius Caesar, triumphant on his chasing debut at Market Rasen in November and runner-up behind Leading Man in the One Man Novices' Chase at Wetherby on December 3.
One horse coming into the totepool Towton Novices' Chase with an unbeaten record over fences is the Ron Hodges-trained Preacher Boy.
The Somerset handler revealed today: "We wanted to run him in the handicap but he doesn't qualify because he's only run twice under rules.
"I would think he'd run in the totepool Towton Novices' Chase because we want to try him left-handed and there are very few opportunities. He's a good-moving big horse, and he'd be better on good ground than soft."
The exciting seven-year-old, a dual point-to-point winner, landed his two starts over fences, both at Wincanton, in December. He scored decisively on his debut in a two mile, five furlong Beginners' Chase (good to soft) in early December, before returning for a course and distance repeat in a handicap chase (good), when he proved three and a half lengths too strong for Regal Bandit.
Hodges continued: "I don't know who will ride him at the weekend. It depends if Christian Williams goes up there, or Jim Crowley. It will be one of the two if we can get them."
Hodges, who saddled Hanakham to Royal & SunAlliance Chase success at Cheltenham in 1997, is hoping that Preacher Boy can follow a similar path.
He said: "We'll see how he runs at Wetherby, but he'd be more likely to go for the novice handicap at Cheltenham rather than the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
"He works really well and he's improving all the time. Everyone thought he was a bit slow but he's certainly not slow now. I'm not going to say that he's a Royal & SunAlliance Chase horse as yet, but he is improving and he really is a nice horse, so we shall see how we go."
Hopes of keeping the prize within Yorkshire lie with Ferdy Murphy's Leading Man, successful over the course and distance in the One Man Novices' Chase over the course and distance on December 3.
Trainer Ferdy Murphy said today: "Leading Man is in the totepool Towton Novices' Chase. He's a big horse and had two quick races and didn't sparkle last time, but the plan is to run and we'll take it from there."
The other Yorkshire contenders are Sue Smith's Rebel Rhythm, another horse to have also scored over the course and distance in the Rocom Beginners' Chase at Wetherby on December 27. Completing the trio of Yorkshire-trained entries is Model Son, successful in the Rocom NEC Beginners' Chase at Wetherby in October but not seen out since disappointing at Exeter the following month. He will be having his first run for Patrick Haslam, having been transferred from the Heather Dalton yard.
Other leading contenders include Halcon Genelardais, who got his chasing career off to the best possible start when winning at Warwick on January 14, Nicky Richards' Turpin Green, a Grade One scorer over hurdles at Aintree last season and successful over fences at Carlisle in November, the Tom George-trained Idle Talk, winner of both his starts over fences at Worcester and Exeter, while an intriguing entry is the Renee Robeson-trained Olney Lad, who has landed both his starts at Wetherby, most recently in the Rocom NEC Beginners' Chase on January 23.
Complementing the totepool Towton Novices' Chase is the £28,000 Grade Two Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle (2.20pm), being staged this year at Wetherby while its usual home, Doncaster, undergoes redevelopment.
A total of 13 entries have been received for the three mile, one furlong contest at the five-day stage. The high-class entries include Hard Act To Follow from the Howard Johnson stable, who will be bidding for its second successive victory in the contest following Bewley's Berry's win in 2005. Hard Act To Follow has won all three of his starts, most recently scoring in a novices' hurdle at Carlisle earlier this month.
Ferdy Murphy is also likely to be represented in this contest, this time with the promising L'Antartique, the impressive winner of a two mile, three and a half furlong novice hurdle at Doncaster in December.
Murphy revealed: "Everything has been geared to this race. He was being built up to this race all along, so this was the plan and it will tell us where we're going.
"L'Antartique has come out of the Doncaster race well and we're looking forward to running him.
"We could do with a bit of rain during the week to make it sloppy. He loves soft ground and the Doncaster ground didn't suit him. He won his bumper on bottomless ground and that's the way we want it, so if we got a drop of rain it would help."
The North Yorkshire-based trainer continued: "Wetherby is going to tell us a lot. We'll probably go for the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle - that would be the plan. He'll be in the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival as well but we'll see."
Nigel Twiston-Davies has made entries for both Jeremy Cuddle Duck, successful on his first three starts but not seen out since disappointing at Cheltenham in November, and Rimsky, victorious in the Grade Two Persian War Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow in October.
Other trainers doubly represented at this stage include the in-form Paul Nicholls, who could run Neptune Collonges, a Grade Two winner at Sandown in December and runner-up behind My Way De Solzen last time out in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Chepstow, and Gungadu, second to the high-class Black Jack Ketchum in the Grade Two Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. Mark Pitman's brace of entries are Ask The Gatherer and Snakebite, an easy winner last time out at Lingfield. Keith Reveley is the fourth trainer with two entries, headed by Supreme's Legacy, successful in the Pheasant Maiden Hurdle at Wetherby on January 5.
The £20,000 totesport 0800 221 221 Handicap Chase (2.50pm) over two miles, four and a half furlongs, will be shown on Channel Four along with the totepool Towton Novices' Chase and has attracted 18 entries, while the other two sponsored events during the afternoon are the £10,000 totepool Handicap Hurdle (4.00pm) and the £4,000 Rocom European Communications Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (4.30pm).
The day begins at 1.10pm with the Wilmott-Smith Memorial Cup Hunter Chase, which is followed by the inaugural running of the Richard Whiteley Memorial Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm), run in remembrance of the popular Yorkshire TV personality and racing supporter who died last year.
GROUND
The ground at Wetherby is SOFT.
James Sanderson, Wetherby's Chief Executive, reported today: "The ground is currently soft.
"Saturday's racing will take place on part of the track that has not been used since the autumn and so it is better ground than of late.
"The forecast this week is for predominantly dry conditions and the temperatures are not predicted to get too low. I would say that the ground will remain soft for Saturday."
JOHN SMITH'S GRAND NATIONAL ENTRIES CLOSE ON FEBRUARY 1
Entries for the 2006 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree close at noon on Wednesday, February 1.
The world's most famous chase takes place at 4.15pm on Saturday, April 8, and has prize money of £700,000, with almost £400,000 going to the winner, nearly £150,000 to the second and just short of £75,000 to the third, plus prizes continuing down to the sixth horse home.
The John Smith's-sponsored showpiece, for six-year-olds and upwards with a rating of at least 110, has a maximum field of 40 and is run over four and a half miles.
The 2006 entries are released on Thursday, February 2, while the weights for the John Smith's Grand National will be announced at a media lunch in London on Tuesday, February 14.
The great handicap chase, won last year by the Willie Mullins-trained Hedgehunter, is the highlight of Aintree's thrilling three-day meeting, which commences on Thursday, April 6.
The John Smith's Grand National is the only early-closing race at the meeting. All the other 20 contests over the three days close at the five-day stage.
Prize money at the 2006 meeting is a record £2,230,000.
Charles Barnett, Aintree's Managing Director, commented: "We would like to remind connections that the Grand National, sponsored for the second year by John Smith's, closes on Wednesday, February 1.
"The John Smith's Grand National once again is by far the richest race run over jumps in Europe, worth £700,000, and we are looking forward to a great set of entries."
SIR PETER O'SULLEVAN CHARITABLE TRUST DISTRIBUTES £240,000
At the conclusion of its ninth year, The Sir Peter O'Sullevan Charitable Trust has, as of last week, distributed £240,000 equally amongst its six chosen welfare concerns.
Blue Cross, The Brooke, Compassion in World Farming, The International League for The Protection of Horses, Racing Welfare and The Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre have each received £40,000.
The Trust's highly successful Annual Award Lunch auction raised £167,000, with two lots, Sarah Aspinall's original Three Winter Kings, the subject of the 2005 Trust Christmas card, and a box at the opening day of this year's Royal Ascot meeting, both fetching £40,000.
Sir Peter O'Sullevan expressed his profound thanks to all those who helped to make this happen.
He said: "I would like to thank so many people for their extreme generosity.
"Our sponsors, the artists, the organisations and individuals who so kindly provided auction items, those who purchased these lots at auction, all those who have made donations throughout the year, the purchasers of the 2005 Trust Christmas card and not excluding the Trust's hard working and indispensable administrator, Nigel Payne."
Added Sir Peter: " I cannot stress highly enough how vital funds are to these six truly wonderful enterprises. We will continue to do all we possibly can to support them."
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