Thursday, December 31, 2009
CHELTENHAM BEGINS 2010 WITH CRACKING NEW YEAR’S DAY FIXTURE....POWELL DUO AMONG 17 DECLARATIONS FOR £50,000 victorchandler.com HANDICAP CHASE
Cheltenham kicks off the first year of the new decade with its traditional New Year’s Day fixture tomorrow, Friday, January 1, 2010.
The seven-race programme commences at 12.30pm with the £11,000 Cheltenham And Three Counties Race Club ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, which has attracted a maximum field of 16 and concludes with the EBF High Sheriff Of Gloucestershire’s Junior Bumper (3.50pm), which again has a maximum field of 16.
Taking centre stage is the £50,000 Grade Three victorchandler.com Handicap Chase (2.10pm) over two miles and five furlongs. A field of 17 is set to go to post with the weights headed by the Paul Nicholls-trained Chapoturgeon, successful in the Listed Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase at The Festival last season and fourth on his latest appearance in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup on December 12. The champion trainer is also represented by Tatenen, a Grade Two scorer at The Open in 2008.
Another trainer doubly represented in the victorchandler.com Handicap Chase is Brendan Powell, who is set to run Psychomodo (11st 3lb) and Fit To Drive (10st 1lb). Both horses come into tomorrow’s race in great form with Psychomodo having recording a comfortable six-length success in a handicap chase over two miles and three furlongs at Ascot on November 20, while the mare Fit To Drive has landed her last three starts, most recently in a handicap chase over an extended two and a half miles at Kempton on November 23.
The Upper Lambourn handler reported today: “Psychomodo won well at Ascot last time, although I thought the handicapper was a bit harsh on him for what he has actually done. He is fit and well and has won on heavy ground before.
“Fit To Drive is in great form and is as tough as nails. She was second on heavy ground at Newbury last season, but in an ideal world she would want better ground and I would give her a big chance if the ground was different. She is tough and will cope with the ground tomorrow, but she probably won’t be at her best on it.”
Also among the declarations for the victorchandler.com Handicap Chase are Something Wells, winner of the Festival Plate last season and Stan, successful over the course and distance in the Grade Two Silver Trophy Chase in 2008. Razor Royale won the Irish Times Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase at The Open in November before chasing home Poquelin in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup on December 12. Victor Dartnall runs Exmoor Ranger, an impressive winner at Newbury last month, while Hold Em ran a fine race to finish third in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at The Open. One horse aiming for a quick double is Magic Sky, who has a 5lb penalty following his victory at Chepstow on Monday.
A classy field of five has been declared for the £32,000 Grade Two Dipper Novices’ Chase over two miles and five furlongs, headed by last season’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle runner-up Punchestowns, a facile victor on his chasing debut at Newbury last month. The Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old faces some strong opposition in Knockara Beau, winner of three of his four starts over fences, the David Pipe-trained Seven Is My Number who scored comfortably at Sandown last time out, Bensalem, a high-class novice hurdler last season and a winner over fences at Plumpton, and Pigeon Island, who has finished runner-up on his last two starts in novice chases at Cheltenham.
A select field of three goes to post in the £25,000 Freedom Hurdle (3.20pm) over an extended two and a half miles. Mr Thriller, trained by David Pipe, has won both his starts this season, most recently coming with a storming late run to defeat Starluck at Haydock last month and is a hugely promising four-year-old. His two opponents tomorrow are the 2008 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle victor Katchit and Sentry Duty, winner of the valuable Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Ascot last season.
Tomorrow’s card is completed by two competitive handicaps - the £20,000 Cheltenham Annual Pony Club Raceday Handicap Chase (1.05pm, 14 runners) and the £20,000 skybet.com Handicap Hurdle (2.45pm, 15 runners).
GOING SOFT, HEAVY IN PLACES
FROST COVERS ARE DOWN
Following a dry night, the going at Cheltenham is currently: Soft, Heavy in places.
A little sleet or drizzle is forecast for today while overnight temperatures could dip to minus four degrees Celsius.
Frost covers have been deployed over the entire racing surface today. Tomorrow is predicted to be dry with a maximum temperature of plus one degree Celsius.
Simon Claisse, Cheltenham’s Director of Racing and Clerk of the Course, said this morning: “The weather forecast remains as it was, possibly getting down to minus four degrees Celsius overnight and then rising to one degree during the day tomorrow, Friday.
“If that is the case, then we should have no problem racing tomorrow. The frost covers will start to be removed at 9am on Friday and the whole process takes two to two and a half hours.
“We will take them off earlier if the temperature is such to give us 100 per cent confidence that the ground will not begin to crust over.
“We have been raceable since Saturday and with the frost covers down we should be protected from the forecast low temperature overnight.
“We may get a little more light rain/sleet today but not a significant quantity. I have left the going as soft, heavy in places.”
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