Monday, January 19, 2009

MARTIN PIPE HONOURED AS NEW FESTIVAL RACE IS NAMED AFTER HIM

Martin Pipe was champion trainer 15 times in 17 years and ended his career with 4,182 winners, including 34 at The Festival, placing him second in the all-time list of Festival trainers.

Commenting on the news, Cheltenham’s Managing Director, Edward Gillespie, said: “Martin Pipe is, quite simply, a legend. From humble beginnings he re-wrote both the record books and the racehorse training manual. His thirst for knowledge and appetite for innovation produced spectacular results over his 32-year training career. His exploits at Cheltenham, particularly at The Festival and November’s Open Meeting were stunning and I’m delighted that his name will sit alongside other great trainers at The Festival.”

Martin Pipe added: “This is a huge honour. Cheltenham has always been my favourite course and most of the best moments of my career were there. To be celebrated at The Festival alongside the likes of Vincent O’Brien, Fulke Walwyn, Fred Winter and David Nicholson is an amazing accolade, not only for me, but for all of my family and the magnificent team of people who made Pond House tick for 32 years.”

Martin Pipe CBE
Born May 29, 1945, Britain's record-breaking 15-time champion jump trainer began his working life as assistant to his late bookmaker father, David. From humble training origins as a permit holder, Pipe built a phenomenally-successful operation at Pound House at Nicholashayne in Somerset, pioneering techniques such as interval training and a scientific approach to his horses' well-being. He re-wrote the record book for the number of winners trained in a season, growing from single-figure successes after being granted a licence in 1977 to an incredible 230 in the 1990/91 season, and beat his own record in the 1999/2000 campaign with 243 successes. In 2004/05 he won his final title with 193 victories and he retired at the end of the 2005/06 season. Pipe won the John Smith’s Grand National with Freddie Starr’s Miinnehoma in 1994. He also trained the brilliant yet flawed Carvill's Hill, who won the Coral Welsh National in 1991. He trained 34 winners at The Festival from 1981 to 2006, second only to Fulke Walwyn, who amassed 40 winners at the meeting over a 50 year period. Martin’s Festival winners include the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle with Granville Again (1993) and Make A Stand (1997). Pipe is married to Carol with one son, David who took over as trainer at Pond House when his father retired and saddled last year’s Grand National winner Comply Or Die. Martin was awarded the CBE in 2000 for services to racing.

EXOTIC DANCER AND STAR DE MOHAISON SET FOR FESTIVAL TRIALS DAY AT CHELTENHAM

Exotic Dancer would be attempting to secure his second victory in the Letheby & Christopher Chase, having beaten subsequent dual Grade One winner Our Vic by 18 lengths in 2007. The Jonjo O’Neill-trained nine-year-old went on to finish second to Kauto Star in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup at that year’s Festival and finished his campaign with a bloodless victory in Grade Two company at Aintree.

After a string of fine placed efforts last season, including a good fifth behind Denman in chasing’s Blue Riband, Exotic Dancer finally gained a deserved Grade One success on his latest start on December 28, when he defeated the 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.

Sir Robert’s Racing Manager, Barry Simpson, commented: “We have entered Exotic Dancer and Star De Mohaison in the Letheby & Christopher Chase and it is quite possible that both horses could line up in the race. We will almost certainly have one runner and we might have two.

“We were delighted with Exotic Dancer’s victory in the Lexus Chase and, on his day, he’s a difficult horse to beat.

“I think that we saw the very best of him at Leopardstown, whereas he didn’t really run his race in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, when he finished third. Tony (McCoy) was never happy with the pace of the Betfair Chase and he needs a fast pace, like he got in the Lexus Chase.


“There is a school of thought that Exotic Dancer is not a true three and a quarter mile horse and we have given him an entry in both the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase.

“At the moment, Voy Por Ustedes is our main hope in the Ryanair Chase, but we need to keep our options open. All our horses are doubly entered at the moment and we will play it by ear leading up to The Festival.”

The lightly-raced Star De Mohaison, who holds an entry in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, could also stake his Festival claims in the Letheby & Christopher Chase, having been a half-length second on his first appearance over fences for over two years in the Listed Boylepoker.com Chase at the Boylesports International on December 12.

The Paul Nicholls-trained eight-year-old had previously enjoyed a terrific first season over fences in 2005/06, culminating in victories in the RSA Chase at The Festival in March and in the John Smith’s Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree the following month.

Simpson continued: “We earmarked Star De Mohaison for this race some time ago and he’s in very good shape. Paul has been thrilled with him and he should run a very big race.

“He is not going to carry any penalties which makes the Letheby & Christopher Chase such an attractive option, especially as he seems to run well around Cheltenham.

“We will keep one eye on the weather and if the ground becomes very testing, then Star De Mohaison might not take his chance. He is very much a good to soft ground horse and we wouldn’t want to run him on heavy going.”

The Letheby & Christopher Chase is a key trial for horses looking to triumph in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, with three of the past 13 winners having gone on to Festival glory in chasing’s Blue Riband, including See More Business, who was part-owned by Sir Robert Ogden when taking the Letheby & Christopher Chase for a second time in 2001.

This year’s entry also includes Albertas Run, who chased home Kauto Star in the Grade One King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, as well as last year’s The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase winner Tidal Bay, who was second to Nozic in the Grade Three Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on the same day.

The first two home in this season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, Imperial Commander and Barbers Shop, may also return to Cheltenham for the first time since The Open, and the pair could be joined by Joe Lively, who defeated Halcon Genelardais in the Servo Computers Services Trophy Handicap Chase at the same meeting. Peter Bowen has engaged Snoopy Loopy, who had Exotic Dancer back in third when prevailing in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November and currently leads the Order of Merit.

Last year’s winner Knowhere may also return to Prestbury Park and the 11-year-old, who went on to finish sixth in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, could be joined by stablemate Ollie Magern, while David Pipe, responsible for last year’s runner-up Our Vic, has entered An Accordion, successful in the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase at The Festival on his latest appearance. The 2007 Welsh National hero Miko de Beauchene, Grade Two scorer Monkerhostin, and last season’s RSA Chase runner-up Roll Along complete the 16-strong entry.

There are also certain to be some Festival pointers in the £60,000 Grade Two Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle (3.45pm), which has received a top quality entry of 10, headed by current Ladbrokes World Hurdle ante-post favourite Punchestowns, who followed up an impressive victory under top-weight in the Cotswold Style Intermediate Handicap Hurdle at The Open with a comprehensive success in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot the following month.

The 2007 winner Blazing Bailey could bid for a second victory in the race having finished second to Inglis Drever last season, while connections of the latter may bid to follow up with the 2005 Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle victor No Refuge.

Fair Along and Big Buck’s may return to Cheltenham following good handicap victories at The Boylesports International and on New Year’s Day respectively, while Grade One winners Lough Derg and Pettifour could also bid to enhance their Ladbroke World Hurdle claims. The entry is completed by dual Grade Two scorer Tazbar, the 2007 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup third Turpin Green and the consistent Amber Brook.

A total of 12 horses have been entered in the £30,000 Grade Two Wragge & Co Finesse Juvenile Four-Year-Old Hurdle (3.10pm). The last two renewals of the two mile, one furlong, contest have been won by Alan King and the Barbury Castle handler may have another JCB Triumph Hurdle contender in the shape of Walkon, who was an impressive winner of the Grade One Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow in December, when he beat a top-quality field that included Reve De Sivola and Simarian.

The seven-race card gets underway with the £30,000 Racecourse Of The Year Classic Novices’ Hurdle (12.55pm) and the 16-strong entry includes the Nick Williams-trained Diamond Harry, who took the Grade Two Jets/Richard Davis Awards Novices’ Hurdle at The Open before going on to success in the Newbury’s Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at the end of December.

As well as giving Festival contenders a final opportunity to race around Cheltenham prior to March, Festival Trials Day also boasts three intensely competitive handicaps, headed by the £60,000 Grade Three Betchronicle.com Trophy Chase (2.05pm), for which 29 have been entered, including last season’s Racing Post Plate scorer Mister McGoldrick, the lightly-raced Reveillez and Stan, who was a comprehensive course and distance winner in the Grade Three skybet.com Handicap Chase on New Year’s Day.

A total of 22 horses have been entered in the £25,000 Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase (1.20pm), while the final race on the card, the £25,000 Brighwells Cheltenham Bloodstock Auctions Handicap Hurdle (4.20pm), has attracted an entry of 29.

GROUND
The going at Cheltenham is currently SOFT.

Simon Claisse, Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing, commented: “We are set for an unsettled week in terms of weather and we could have up to an inch of rain prior to Saturday.”

UNGARO HEADS TO DONCASTER SEEKING SKY BET CHASE REVENGE

The Keith Reveley-trained 10-year-old led from two out in the 2008 renewal of the Listed chase, only to be collared in the last 75 yards by the victorious An Accordion. Ungaro subsequently finished runner-up to Cloudy Lane in the Coolfun Ltd Grimthorpe Chase, over an extra quarter mile on Town Moor in March, and Reveley is keen to see his charge bid for a deserved victory.

The Saltburn trainer revealed today: “The plan is to go to Doncaster again for the Sky Bet Chase. He was second last year and we’ll have another go. He ran well when he was second in the Grimthorpe Chase at the course last year as well, so he runs very well in these competitive handicaps there.

“We are praying for a dry week because we have horrendous weather here today. We will have to wait and see what happens through the week. We want good ground for him really, but we will have a go anyway.”

Ungaro, successful in the Grade One Feltham Novices’ Chase at Kempton as a novice, gave his trainer cause for encouragement at Huntingdon last time. Racing over an inadequate trip of just over two and a half miles, the Sir Robert Ogden-owned gelding stayed on late behind the top-class Monet’s Garden.

Reveley opined: “The trip was on the short side for him in the Peterborough Chase last time and by the time he got going it was too late. He passed two up the run-in and galloped strongly to the line to finish fifth in what was probably a very decent race.

“He seems to be in good form and runs better on flat tracks like Doncaster - he seems to favour going right-handed but, saying that, he wasn’t inconvenienced when he was second last year and I’m sure he can run well again.”

Leyburn trainer Ferdy Murphy has three horses entered including Hot Weld, winner of both the Scottish Grand National and the Sandown Gold Cup (formerly the Whitbread) when last seen in 2007. Murphy could also be represented by the 12-year-old You’re Special, successful in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, as well as Noir Et Vert who was fourth in that same Festival contest in 2008.

The high-class entry for the Sky Bet Chase also includes the Malcolm Jefferson-trained 8/1 joint-favourite According To Pete. Last year’s Pertemps Final third has made the perfect start to his chasing career and is unbeaten in three starts over fences.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is responsible for the other 8/1 joint-favourite Big Fella Thanks and Turko, while Nigel Twiston-Davies has engaged Irish Raptor alongside Battlecry, who was victorious in the 2008 renewal of the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle on the Sky Bet Chase card.

Jonjo O’Neill has his horses in good form and the Jackdaws Castle handler could run Fier Normand, runner-up to Stan in the Grade Three Skybet.com Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on January 1, as well as Thunder Rock.

Henry Daly has entered Billyvoddan, Possol, and Listed BGC Silver Cup third Alderburn, while Philip Hobbs may run 2006 Sandown Gold Cup victor Lacdoudal, Tom Sayers and Boychuk.

Also among the entries are Montgermont, Ellerslie George, Without A Doubt, The Dark Lord, Verasi, Aleron, Yardbird, Alexanderthegreat, Flyingenterprise and the 2005 Welsh National heroine L’Aventure.

The fantastic seven-race card also features the £30,000 Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (3.25pm) over three miles and half a furlong, which has attracted 20 entries.

Alan King has entered both Ascot Maiden Hurdle winner Midnight Sail and Junior. The latter was runner-up to Diamond Harry in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle in December and had previously held the Howard Johnson-trained On Raglan Road in a Grade Two at Sandown.

Paul Nicholls has engaged the unbeaten Definity and Taunton victor Gullible Gordon, while Nicky Henderson could saddle Run For Moor.

The one Irish entry is the Paul Nolan-trained Grade Three winner Alpha Ridge, runner-up to Pandorama in a Grade Two at Navan when last seen in November.

The brilliant Chomba Womba saw off Theatre Girl to win last year’s running of the £50,000 Grade Two Bet & Watch All Horseracing At Skybet.com Mares’ Hurdle (2.15pm) and she is one of 14 entries for the extended two-mile contest.

The Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old secured a brace of Grade Two victories in the autumn prior to finishing a fine third to Champion Hurdle favourite Binocular in the Grade two Boyelsports International at Ascot in December.

Racing commences at 12.35pm with the £15,000 Skyvegas.com Novices’ Chase over two miles and three furlongs.

Doncaster also races on Friday, January 23, when the six-race card starts at 1.20pm.

LATEST GOING
David Williams, Clerk Of The Course at Doncaster, said today: “We have had rain here so I have changed the going to Good to Soft. It’s going to be a mixed bag with showers expected in the coming week. We are expecting it to dip down to around freezing at night and at the moment they are forecasting a significant amount of rain on Thursday. If that happens, we could be looking at soft ground on Saturday.”

SKY BET PRICES FOR THE SKY BET CHASE
Big Fella Thanks 8/1, According To Pete 8/1, Possol 9/1, Alexanderthegreat 9/1, Laskari 10/1, Fier Normand 12/1, Ungaro 12/1, Alderburn 14/1, Battlecry 14/1, Aimigayle 16/1, Montgermont 16/1, Native Coral 18/1, That's Rhythm 18/1, Ellerslie George 20/1, Flying Enterprise 20/1, Aleron 20/1, Noir Et Vert 20/1, Yardbird 20/1, Thunder Rock 20/1, Without A Doubt 20/1, Boychuk 20/1, Turko 22/1, Crozan 25/1, Hot Weld 25/1, Ice Tea 25/1, L'Aventure 25/1, Lacdoudal 25/1, Lysander 25/1, Tom Sayers 25/1, Irish Raptor 28/1, The Dark Lord 28/1, Always Waining 28/1, Billyvoddan 28/1, My Immortal 33/1, Verasi 33/1, You're Special 33/1, Morgan Be 40/1, Raining Horse 50/1, Rare Society 50/1, Silly Wupple 50/1, Sweet Diversion 66/1

Each Way terms: 1/4 of odds for 1st 4 places

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