Friday, November 21, 2008
COMPETITIVE totesport.com BECHER CHASE IN PROSPECT AT AINTREE
totesuper7 GRAND SEFTON HANDICAP CHASE ATTRACTS 16
A top quality field of 16 has been declared for the £120,000 Listed totesport.com Becher Chase (2.50pm), run over three miles and two furlongs of the Grand National course at Aintree on Sunday, November 23, the second day of the Northwest Racing Masters.
Trainer Paul Nicholls will be looking for a third successive victory in the race following on from Eurotrek in 2006 and Mr Pointment last year. Sam Thomas will once again be on board the latter this season, who currently heads the market at 4/1 with the race sponsor totesport. The nine-year-old, who was pulled up before the last fence in this year’s John Smith’s Grand National, comes into the race on the back of a recent pipe-opener over hurdles at Chepstow on October 25.
The champion trainer has also declared Gungadu. The eight-year-old carries top-weight of 11st 12lb and landed the Grade Three Racing Post Chase at Kempton in February. He was third on his seasonal reappearance in a valuable handicap chase at Ascot at the start of November.
Always Waining, successful in a Listed handicap chase at Market Rasen on his latest start at the end of September, has been declared by Welsh handler Peter Bowen, and Howard Johnson, who sent out Bewleys Berry to finish second in this race for the past two years, relies on Ellerslie George, successful at Wetherby last time out.
While plenty of trainers will be eager to see how their horses cope to the unique demands of the National fences, several runners have already experienced the course, including Philson Run, whose three previous appearances over the obstacles included a fourth in the 2007 John Smith’s Grand National and has his first start for Sophie Leech.
Nigel Twiston-Davies will be seeking a fourth totesport.com Becher Chase, this year with Irish Raptor, who finished a neck second to Gwanako in the John Smith's Topham Chase at Aintree in April, while Idle Talk will be returning to Merseyside after coming home 14th in the John Smith’s Grand National.
A strong Irish challenge of five includes the Ted Walsh-trained Southern Vic, who took a Grade One novices’ chase at Leopardstown in December, 2005, and this year’s Irish National fourth A New Story, from the yard of Michael Hourigan. Grand National-winning trainer Jimmy Mangan is sending over Himalayan Trail, who was successful in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter in March for his previous trainer Sue Smith. The Dessie Hughes-trained pair of Black Apalachi and Kerry National second Oulart complete the challenge from across the Irish Sea.
Listed Summer National runner-up Out The Black, Finzi, from the yard of Michael Scudamore, and the Ferdy Murphy-trained pair of Noir Et Vert and Ivoire De Beaulieu complete the 16-strong line-up.
Sunday’s superb six-race card at Aintree also includes the £80,000 totesuper7 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (1.40pm), a race that also gives horses the chance to experience the world-famous Grand National fences. The extended two-mile, five furlong, contest has attracted a strong field of 16, including the Paul Nicholls-trained Gwanako, who proved a liking for the unique obstacles when winning the John Smith's Topham Chase on only his fourth appearance over fences at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting in April.
The weights are headed by Turpin Green, who was second in the Grade Two John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree in April, 2006, and went on to finish third to Kauto Star in the Cheltenham Gold Cup the following March.
Donald McCain Jnr has declared dual Grade Two runner-up Regal Heights, while Jim Goldie will be hoping to follow up the victory of Lampion Du Bost last year with Endless Power, successful in the John Smith's Winner's Tipple Novices' Handicap Chase at Aintree in April.
The brace of Irish runners is headed by the Eric McNamara-trained Ponmeoath, winner of the Kerry National for the last two years. Chukchi Country, from the Co Meath yard of Paddy Mooney, is the other Irish raider.
Other notable declared runners include Listed scorers Iron Man and Palarshan, the hat-trick seeking Bill’s Echo and The Hollow Bottom, who has been successful at Aintree on both his previous starts and represents the in-form stable of Nigel Twiston-Davies.
Aintree’s card also includes the £14,000 Weatherbys National Hunt Season Betting Guide Handicap Chase (1.05pm), for which 13 have been declared, and the £30,000 toteswinger Handicap Hurdle (2.15pm), which has attracted a field of 12, headed by the Sue Smith-trained Auroras Encore, who was successful over the same course and distance in the Listed John Smith's Handicap Hurdle at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting in April.
totesport.com Becher Chase - totesport’s latest prices
Mr Pointment 4/1, Irish Raptor 6/1, Gungadu 7/1, Idle Talk 8/1, Always Waining 11/1, A New Story 12/1, Oulart 14/1, Out The Black 14/1, Philson Run 14/1, Southern Vic 14/1, Black Apalachi 16/1, Himalayan Trail 16/1, Noir Et Vert 16/1, Ivoire De Beaulieu 25/1, Ellerslie George 33/1, Finzi 66/1
1/4 Places 1, 2, 3, 4
About the Northwest Racing Masters
The Northwest Racing Masters offers the ideal opportunity to experience the tremendous atmosphere of a day at the races on a great winter warming weekend.
Haydock Park takes centre stage on Saturday, November 22, when the highlight is the £225,000 Grade One Betfair Chase, won for the past two years by the mighty Kauto Star, who bids for a third consecutive victory this year.
The card at Haydock Park on November 22 is entirely sponsored by Betfair and also features the £100,000 Betfair "Fixed Brush" Handicap Hurdle over three miles, as well as the three-mile £50,000 Timeform Betfair Racing Club Handicap Chase and the £50,000 Betfair Hurdle for four-year-olds over an extended two miles.
Total prize money for the day comes to a massive £505,000 - the richest-ever day for jump racing at Haydock Park and an increase of £50,000 on the 2007 figure.
On the second day of the Northwest Racing Masters, Aintree will mark the start of the festive period when Father Christmas will pay a visit to the famous racecourse with REAL reindeer! An ice rink with free boot hire is guaranteed to add magic sparkle ahead of the Christmas countdown.
Located in one of the most vibrant regions in the country, the Northwest Racing Masters meeting offers a great opportunity to discover England's Northwest. It is an ideal time to combine a love of racing with a visit to Liverpool and the rest of the region.
Haydock Park, St Helens, one of the most visited racecourses in the UK, offers first class racing all year round. It is located half-way between Liverpool and Manchester, just off junction 23 of the M6 motorway.
Aintree Racecourse is home to the John Smith's Grand National and is between Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008, and Southport - the perfect destination for a weekend break with beautiful beaches, great attractions and superb shopping.
totesport.com BECHER CHASE
Class 1, Listed Race, £120,000 guaranteed. For 5yo+, 3m 2f over the Grand National course. Minimum weight 10st. Penalties: after November 15, a winner of a chase 3lb (no penalty to increase a horse’s weight above 11st 12lb).
1) 115-3 GUNGADU (Maggie Findlay & Paul Barber) Paul Nicholls 8-11-12 Christian Williams
2) 16P-6 MR POINTMENT (IRE) (Stockton Heath Racing) Paul Nicholls 9-11-06 Sam Thomas
3) 1P641 ALWAYS WAINING (Mr & Mrs Peter James Douglas) Peter Bowen bt7-11-00 Tom O'Brien
4) 25F/06 SOUTHERN VIC (IRE) (Brenda Graham) Ted Walsh IRE 9-10-10 Richard McGrath
5) 8011-P HIMALAYAN TRAIL (Mark Gittins) Jimmy Mangan IRE 9-10-08 Barry Geraghty
6) 5750-2 IDLE TALK (IRE) (Trevor Hemmings) Donald McCain Jnr p9-10-07 Brian Harding
7) 20F2-P BLACK APALACHI (IRE) (Gerard Burke) Dessie Hughes IRE p9-10-05 Denis O’Regan
8) 6526-4 IRISH RAPTOR (IRE) (Caroline Beresford-Wylie) Nigel Twiston-Davies 9-10-05 Paddy Brennan
9) 50120 OULART (Ged Pierse) Dessie Hughes IRE 9-10-03 Robert Colgan (3)
10) 43-443 A NEW STORY (IRE) (Storey´s Over Syndicate) Michael Hourigan IRE 10-10-03 Jack Doyle (3)
11) U1-525 OUT THE BLACK (IRE) (James Drummond) Philip Hobbs 10-10-00 Richard Johnson
12) 2BU5-9 PHILSON RUN (IRE) (Christian Leech) Sophie Leech 12-10-00 Johnny Farrelly (3)
13) 2/40-0 NOIR ET VERT (FR) (Plantation Stud) Ferdy Murphy 7-10-00 Graham Lee
14) 4P78-6d IVOIRE DE BEAULIEU (FR) (I Todd, Ferdy Murphy, Chris Leigh, S Holman) Ferdy Murphy 12-10-00 Keith Mercer
15) 532F-1 ELLERSLIE GEORGE (IRE) (Andrea & Graham Wylie) Howard Johnson 8-10-00 Paddy Aspell
16) 641P-4 FINZI (IRE) (Eddie Moss) Michael Scudamore t10-10-00 John Kington (5)
16 declarations
5 Irish-trained
totesuper7 GRAND SEFTON CHASE
Class 2, £80,000 guaranteed. For 5yo+, 2m 5½f over the Grand National course. Minimum weight 10st. Penalties: after November 15, each race won 5lb.
1) /41-U TURPIN GREEN (IRE) (Trevor Hemmings) Nicky Richards v1 9-11-12 Davy Condon
2)5321- GWANAKO (FR) (The Stewart Family) Paul Nicholls 5-11-05 Sam Thomas
3) 26P-0 REGAL HEIGHTS (IRE) (Janet Heler) Donald McCain Jnr 7-11-04 Graham Lee
4) 0-515 PONMEOATH (IRE) (Jolly Up Syndicate) Eric McNamara IRE 8-11-00 Barry Geraghty
5) -8033 IRON MAN (FR) (Roddy Owen & Paul Fullagar) Peter Bowen p7-10-09 Seamus Durack
6) 5955- PALARSHAN (FR) (Sumner Wellesley) Henry Daly p10-10-06 Richard Johnson SECOND PREFERENCE
7) 2134- ENDLESS POWER (IRE) (Fyffees) Jim Goldie 8-10-03 James Reveley (3)
8) 41240 BROOKLYN BROWNIE (IRE) (P Gaffney & J N Stevenson) Malcolm Jefferson 9-10-02 Dougie Costello
9) P0311 BILL'S ECHO (Burns Partnership) Alistair Whillans b9-10-01 Tom O'Brien
10) 10P00 WARPATH (IRE) (R J Gambarini) Evan Williams 7-10-00 Donal Fahy (3)
11) 401-1 THE HOLLOW BOTTOM (The Hollow Partnership) Nigel Twiston-Davies 7-10-00 Paddy Brennan
12) 0-860 WHICH POCKET (IRE) (A D Peachey) Brendan Powell 10-10-00 Wilson Renwick
13) 43354 ORMELLO (FR) (Dunalastair Estates Ltd) Lucinda Russell 6-10-00 Peter Buchanan
14) 4-433 BESTOFTHEBROWNIES (IRE) (Andrea & Graham Wylie) Howard Johnson 7-10-00 Paddy Aspell
15) 0-50F KING COAL (IRE) (Richard Rowe Racing Partnership) Richard Rowe p9-10-00 Darren O'Dwyer (5)
16) 0-00P CHUKCHI COUNTRY (IRE) (J P Kearney) Paddy Mooney IRE bt10-10-00 Brian Hughes
16 declarations
2 Irish-trained
OSANA LOOKING FOR REPEAT VICTORY IN THE BOYLESPORTS.COM INTERNATIONAL AT CHELTENHAM
Connections of Osana are hoping that the star hurdler can join the likes of Comedy Of Errors, Bird’s Nest and Relkeel by winning the £200,000 Grade Two Boylesports.com International for a second successive year at Cheltenham on Saturday, December 13, day two of the Boylesports International.
The David Pipe-trained six-year-old made every yard of the running in the two mile, one furlong contest last year to record a comprehensive eight-length victory over Katchit.
He returned to Cheltenham for The Festival in March and ran another superb race to finish the length runner-up to Katchit in the Grade One Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle before finishing his season with another second, this time to Al Eile, in the Grade One Aintree Hurdle at the Grand National meeting. Katchit is also expected to head to the Boylesports.com International on December 13 and a mouth-watering rematch is in prospect.
Michael Goodbody, racing manager to Osana’s owner Thomas Barr, commented: “It’s very much the plan for Osana to run in the Boylesports.com International. He’s fine and we hope he will run to the same level he produced last season.
“We were delighted with his victory in last year’s race. He had run so well under top weight in the Greatwood Hurdle at The Open (when second to Sizing Europe) that we decided to let him run in the Boylesports.com International and it worked out extremely well.
“Obviously, when he won, we had to seriously consider returning for The Festival because it was really the only option. He ran a very good race in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and then it was Al Eile’s race to win at Aintree. Osana’s been very consistent and we cannot complain.
“It’s very competitive when you get to the highest level and there are several good hurdlers coming through this season, just like we did last year. There’s always something that will come out of the pack and you never know what’s going to happen in the top league.
“David has done a great job with Osana and the horse is in good hands. Hopefully, Osana can run well in the Boylesports.com International this time around and we can start to think about The Festival in March once again.”
The Boylesports.com International is the third-richest hurdle race in Britain and Ireland. Only the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at The Festival in March are worth more.
Underscoring the importance of this event is a £200,000 bonus payment offered by Boylesports for any horse winning both the Boylesports.com International and the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in the same season. If won, this will be split £180,000 for the owner, £10,000 for the trainer and £10,000 for the successful yard's stable staff. Rooster Booster won both contests in the 2002/03 season, as did Salmon Spray (1965/66 season) and Comedy Of Errors (1974/75 season).
The two-day Boylesports International also features the £150,000 Boylesports.com Gold Cup on Saturday, December 13, while on Friday, December 12, the £100,000 Boylesports.com Cashback Chase takes centre stage. Friday also sees the £22,500 Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase over Cheltenham’s unique Cross Country course.
Other highlights include the £45,000 Grade Two "Relkeel" Hurdle on the Saturday, and the £30,000 Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle on the same day.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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