Saturday, November 6, 2004
DUAL PARDUBICKA WINNER REGISTANA OUT TO BOOST CZECH RECORD IN CHELTENHAM’S SPORTING INDEX CROSS COUNTRY CHASE
FERDY MURPHY THREE STRONG
Dual Velka Pardubicka heroine Registana is set to run in the £30,000 Sporting Index Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham on Friday, the first day of the three-day Open meeting - Countryside Day.
Registana was ridden to both of her Pardubicka successes by eight-time champion German jump jockey Peter Gehm, who will renew the association at Prestbury Park.
The 34-year-old is not a complete stranger to British racegoers as he has ridden three winners from 19 rides for German trainers in the last five seasons but he has yet to experience Cheltenham.
Gehm, who is based near Cologne, said today: “I am very happy to be riding at Cheltenham for the first time and I know Registana well. I’ve never been to the course and I hope we have a good chance there.
“She is a mare who is really easy to ride and makes everything straightforward for you. She always gives you a lovely feeling - I have ridden her for two years now and we are unbeaten since running in the Gran Premio Merano Forst at Merano two years ago. She has not been beaten in 14 starts now.
“I don’t know the current form of the likely runners but I see that Decent Fellow was fourth in this race (2001) and I know that Registana is one class better than him so I think that we have a very good chance of winning.”
Trained in the Czech Republic by Cestmir Olehla, Registana gained her second successive victory in her home country’s well known cross country chase, the Velka Pardubicka, at Pardubice on October 10, when defeating Retriever by nine lengths. The previous season, she had got the better of Maskul in a marvellous finish with by three-quarters of a length.
Registana, who will be joined by another Czech horse -the Pavel Slozil-trained Kyrton - in the Sporting Index Cross Country Chase, will be bidding to become the first Czech-trained winner of the Cheltenham contest which is run over three miles and seven furlongs.
Peruan, the subsequent three-time winner of the Velka Pardubicka in 1998, 1999 and 2000, was the neck runner-up to Fiftysevenchannels in 1997, while the other Czech horse to be placed has been Marketplace who was third that year. A total of 18 Czech-trained runners have competed in the Sporting Index Cross Country Chase so far.
A third Czech-trained horse, Polarnik, also trained by Slozil, is likely to run in a hurdle race at The Open.
Ferdy Murphy heads a strong home-based challenge in the Sporting Index Cross Country Chase with the Yorkshire trainer revealing that he intends to run Luzcadou, Haut De Gamme and The Quads in this unique event.
The Quads finished runner-up, beaten two lengths by Famfoni, in the 2002 renewal of this event and the British-bred went one better the following month in the Sporting Index Handicap Cross Country Chase at the December Meeting.
The Quads had his first run for over a year in a handicap chase at Stratford last month, when pulled up by Tony Dobbin before the fifth last.
“The ground at Stratford got very soft which didn’t help The Quads but he’s come out of the race quite well and he’s on track for the Sporting Index Cross Country Chase,” explained Murphy.
“He ran a lovely race at Stratford and Tony was very pleased with him.”
Luzcadou was last seen in action when failing to get beyond the sixth from home in this year’s Velka Pardubicka.
The trainer said: “Luzcadou was running a really good race in the Pardubicka and then he unfortunately ran out at the sixth last which is the fence that we have had problems with before.
“He might have got in the money although he wouldn’t have beaten the winner but he’s come out of the race alright and we’ve aimed him at the Sporting Index Cross Country Chase since.”
Haut De Gamme was formerly trained in France by Jean-Pierre Totain for whom he won numerous races over fences and hurdles. He is due to have his third start for
Murphy in a handicap chase at Ayr today, having been pulled up in the Kerry National at Listowel in September.
“Haut De Gamme was one of the top cross country horses at Pau, where he has raced around with no problems. He finished fourth at Stratford on his debut for me and then he got badly baulked in the Kerry National,” outlined Murphy.
“He runs this weekend at Ayr over two and a half miles and he’s done exceptionally well, although he’ll be better for the run because we’ve rested him since Listowel and the Ayr race should leave him spot on for Cheltenham.”
Simon Claisse, Cheltenham’s Clerk of the Course, today described the current going on the Cross Country Course as: “Good, Good to Soft in places”, while the current going on the Chase and Hurdle Courses is: “Good.”
ENTER THE £1 MILLION TOTETENTOFOLLOW NOVEMBER HANDICAP CODEBREAKER
2.55pm £50,000 added 1m 4f, Doncaster, Saturday, November 6, 2004
Main Trends
all of the last 19 winners were placed in the first four on their most recent start
17 of the last 19 winners had already been successful at least once earlier in the season
17 of the last 19 winners were drawn nine or higher
17 of the last 19 winners had raced at least five times earlier in the season
As the curtain falls on the Flat turf season, Doncaster stages the traditional major final act this Saturday (November 6) in the shape of the £50,000 added Enter The £1 Million totetentofollow November Handicap.
All of the past 19 winners finished in the first four on their latest outing which immediately slims down the 24-strong 2004 field.
Those who do not comply are Distant Prospect, Cruise Director, Jabaar, Protective, Bayardere, Dune Raider and Talldark’n’andsome and they are immediately discounted.
Young Benz in 1988 and last year’s hero Turbo were unusual winners of the November Handicap in that they were the only scorers in the last 19 years not to have won another contest earlier in the campaign.
Albanov, Turbo, Tip The Dip and Pagan Sky have yet to score this season and they disappear from the reckoning.
As to the draw, 17 of the last 19 winners were drawn nine or higher. The two exceptions were Royal Cavalier (stall five) in 2001 and Firelight Fiesta, who came out of stall one in 1989.
All of the remaining runners drawn in stalls one to eight must be discounted, and this rules out Carte Diamond, Bendarshaan, Jeepstar, Bessemer and Another Choice.
When Sabadilla won this event in 1997, he became only the second winner in the last 19 runnings to have raced on less than five occasions earlier in the term, joining
Azzaam who was victorious seven years earlier.
This means that Codebreaker can discard Tempsford and Mith Hill who have both been seen on a racecourse five times or less this term.
A perusal of age means that ALWAYS WAINING is this week’s Codebreaker selection as he is three - this age group has won this contest 10 times in the last 19 years.
Of the last contestants other than the selection to be eliminated, Artistic Style, Go Tech, Millville, Tender Falconand Shredded are all four-year-olds, an age group which has been far less successful during this period with five successes.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
Archive
|
