Tuesday, January 20, 2009

FAIR ALONG SET TO PUT FESTIVAL CLAIMS ON TRIAL AT CHELTENHAM

The seven-year-old has enjoyed a profitable campaign over to the smaller obstacles at Cheltenham this season, following up a good second in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars “Help For Heroes” Handicap Hurdle at The Showcase in October with victory in the Listed Cleanevent Handicap Hurdle at The Open the following month.

On his latest appearance at the Boylesports International on December 12, Fair Along produced another front-running display to take the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle under top weight, beating Don’t Push It by six lengths.

Minehead-based Hobbs commented: “We’ve entered Fair Along in the Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle and he is a likely runner in the race at the moment. He seems in grand order and he’s come out of his latest run at Cheltenham in good form.

“Rhys Flint will not be riding him because he’s unable to claim in a Grade Two race, so Richard Johnson will in the saddle. He’s got form on soft ground so I wouldn’t be concerned about the going, even though it’s not ideal for him.

“He’s rated 163 over hurdles at the moment which is high enough to warrant him running in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. It’s very much the plan to give him a run on Saturday and then return for The Festival, providing things go all right in the Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle.”

If he were to line-up in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Fair Along would be making his fourth consecutive appearance at The Festival, having been runner-up in both the JCB Triumph Hurdle in 2006 and The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase in 2007, while he finished third behind Master Minded and Voy Por Ustedes in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase last season.

The Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle has attracted a top quality entry of 10, including the 2007 winner Blazing Bailey, who was second to Inglis Drever in the three-mile contest 12 months ago, and the current ante-post favourite for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle Punchestowns, who followed up victory under top-weight in the Cotswold Style Intermediate Handicap Hurdle at The Open in November with an 11-length success in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot the following month.

Howard Johnson may bid for back-to-back victories in the Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle with the 2005 Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle winner No Refuge, while Big Buck’s could return to Cheltenham following a good victory in the Unicoin Homes Handicap Hurdle, where he conceded weight to all of his 11 rivals, including the dual Grade Two scorer Tazbar.

Grade One winner Lough Derg could make a quick reappearance after defying top-weight to land the Grade Two Holloway’s Hurdle at Ascot on January 17. The David Pipe-trained nine-year-old had previously posted another game display when rallying to beat No Refuge in the Steel Plate And Sections Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

The entry is completed by the 2007 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup third Turpin Green and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained pair of Amber Brook and Pettifour, who was successful in the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April.

Festival Trials Day also features the £100,000 Grade Two Letheby & Christopher Chase (2.35pm), one of the key pointers for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. An entry of 16 includes Halcon Genelardais, Exotic Dancer and Knowhere, who were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively in chasing’s Blue Riband last year, as well as previous Festival winners Monkerhostin, Tidal Bay, Albertas Run and Star De Mohaison.

Some of the leading novice hurdlers will also be hoping to further their Festival ambitions in the £30,000 Grade Two Racecourse Of The Year Classic Novices’ Hurdle (12.55pm), and the £30,000 Grade Two Wragge & Co Finesse Juvenile Novice’ Hurdle (3.10pm).

The seven-race card also includes some competitive handicap action courtesy of the £60,000 Grade Three Betchronicle.com Trophy Chase (2.05pm), the £25,000 Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase (1.30pm) and the £25,000 Brightwells Cheltenham Bloodstock Auctions Handicap Hurdle (4.20pm).

WEBBER OPTS FOR SKY BET CHASE WITH IN-FORM LASKARI

Webber’s charge was successful at Kempton in November prior to clinching the two mile, three furlong Doncaster Racecourse Sponsorship Club Handicap Chase, staged at Town Moor on soft ground, on December 13. Laskari stepped up to three miles in a handicap chase at Kempton’s Christmas meeting and ran with great credit to finish runner-up behind Fleet Street under top-weight of 11st 12lb.

Webber revealed this morning: “The plan is for Laskari to run in the Sky Bet Chase so long as the ground doesn’t get too soft. He keeps coming forwards since his run at Kempton and seems in great form. He worked this morning - Dominic Elsworth schooled him - and we all couldn’t be more pleased with him. We felt he was in such good form that it was not advisable to wait for the Racing Post Chase because things could change by then.

“I’m very pleased with how things have gone for him this season. He won at Doncaster in December when the ground was just a bit softer than he would have liked and that is what frightens me - the worry is all the rain that is forecast for Thursday.

“I ride him quite a bit at home and I think he’ll stay as far as you want him to stay as long as the ground is alright.

“If he runs well at Doncaster then the Racing Post Chase would be on the agenda. Obviously, if things go very well in the Sky Bet Chase he may actually handicap himself out of the Kempton race but we will just have to see after Doncaster.”

The Malcolm Jefferson-trained novice According To Pete and Big Fella Thanks, trained by Paul Nicholls, are the 8/1 joint-favourites for the Sky Bet Chase which was won by An Accordion in 2008. Runner-up last year was the Keith Reveley-trained Ungaro (12/1), who will again take his chance. There were 41 entries made on Monday for this year’s Sky Bet Chase, for which the safety limit is 22 runners.

The fantastic seven-race card could see the Nicky Henderson-trained Chomba Womba bid for back-to-back successes in the £50,000 Grade Two Bet & Watch All Horseracing At Skybet.com Mares’ Hurdle (2.15pm) over an extended two miles.

The John Quinn-trained John Smith’s Grand National hope Character Building could line up in the competitive “£100 Welcome Bonus At skyvegas.com” Handicap Hurdle (1.05pm) over an extended two miles and three furlongs, while the 21 entries for the £15,000 skyvegas.com Novices’ Chase (12.35pm) include the classy French Opera, the hat-trick seeking pair of Heathcote and Palomar, Rathmulen, Lightning Strike and Oh Crick.

The £30,000 Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (3.25pm) over three miles and half a furlong has attracted some high-class novices with Cheltenham Festival hopes including the Alan King-trained Grade Two winner Junior, who was runner-up to Diamond Harry in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle in December.

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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