FINISH LINE Cheltenham & Three Counties Race Club Magazine
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OCTOBER 2016 FINISH LINE Cheltenham & Three Counties Race Club magazine LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL CONTENTS WELCOME Editors introduction 3 The central heating is on, “Strictly” is back and for our jockeys. Sam Twiston-Davies landed in Nicky Henderson guest column 4-5 my season ticket has been bought, I’m ready. hospital with a damaged spleen which may keep him off the track until November. Henry Dan Skelton guest column 6-8 As the days tick towards the Showcase meeting Brooke was placed in an induced coma after a Club news & forthcoming events 9 we’re bringing you a packed magazine this heavy fall at Hexham, thank goodness he is on month filled with all your regular columnists Lee Westwood guest column 10-11 the road to recovery, while A&E departments and a stellar list of special guests. On pages 6 to Phillip Hobbs column 12-13 had to deal with broken limbs for jockeys Brian 8 we meet a man on a mission in the form of Tanya Stevenson column 14-16 Cooper and Andrew Thornton, we wish them all Dan Skelton. It’s been just three years’ since Dan speedy recoveries. Win a day at the races competition 17 attended our September 2013 club night as a John Hales column 18-20 rookie trainer, his rise has been meteoric. Dan Our tipster competition kicks off next month Liam Treadwell column 21-23 has had a busy summer and we hear of his plans so I took the opportunity to meet up with Liam Jo Collinson column 24-27 for the season ahead – you sense 2016-17 may Treadwell and his mates Aidan Coleman and September club night 28-29 be very big for the Skelton family. Alain Cawley to see if they could provide an insight on which horses to pick from the list of A man who Members jury 30-31 100. The jockeys knows all about Adam Hurley column 32-33 deliberated with what it takes to Sophia Dale column 35 great effort and be Champion The carousel of owners came up with eight Jockey club ownership 36 Trainer is our different horses next guest, Nicky moving yards has never each, you can see Henderson. spun more quickly than in their selections on October 6 2016 saw 4,501 racegoers return to Hereford for the first National Hunt meeting since December We welcome pages 21 to 23. 2012 . The Twiston-Davies’ welcomed the return with Nigel having a double and Sam riding a treble. ARC Chief Nicky back for Executive Martin Cruddace said; “I don’t think I could have hoped for anything better. I’m pretty astounded by the last four weeks the support of the local people. It’s quite touching”. a reflection on Forthcoming club last season’s trips to the yards of sensational renaissance of Sprinter Sacre and Paul Nicholls and Oliver Sherwood may throw a look ahead to the exciting prospects that more light on who to select, or even attendance are fuelling expectations at Seven Barrows in at our NH season Preview at the Victory Club Lambourn. on October 19 will help provide clarity for your selections? With so many variables I’m One of Nicky & Dan’s higher profile owners is becoming more inclined to take a sharpened our third guest, the former world number one pin to the task of picking my eight horses in the golfer, Lee Westwood. We learn how Lee enjoys competition. his racing in between playing golf in the worlds’ biggest tournaments. Whatever your strategies, make sure you pick a team to follow as the fun begins in earnest. The carousel of owners moving yards has never spun more quickly than in the last four weeks. Enjoy the racing The Tizzards’ were smiling as they took receipt Steve Ennis of some very high quality horses from Irish owners Ann and Alan Potts. In the meantime, Gigginstown were the big news story with 60 horses departing the yard of Willie Mullins. The last month has proved very challenging 2 3 NICKY HENDERSON GUEST COLUMN A day never to be forgotten as Sprinter Sacre reclaimed his Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham in March Our October magazine marks the welcome For Sprinter, this time around the vibes are return of Nicky Henderson who gives us positive. We will start the season with the usual his reflections on the momentous season amount of trepidation, but with the hope he can just passed, and a glimpse of what lies continue from where he left off at the end of appearing in England. still go down either the hurdle or novice chase road and I am hoping we could be particularly ahead for the team at Seven Barrows in last season with those two wonderful victories My Tent Or Yours and Simonsig are both back strong in that department. Apart from those Lambourn. at Cheltenham and Sandown, beating Un De in as well, after last season’s comebacks that Sceaux on both occasions. After all his trials and two, we have a considerable number of highly Last season featured the return of some of our without winning were all the same pretty tribulations of the previous two years, what rated hurdlers that have been waiting for the legendary old boys, remarkable. They are now preparing for another happened last year chance to switch to fences. Only time will tell, with varying degrees campaign and they was beyond anyone’s but I am more than of success, but it was both seem young at what happened last hopes and, as long hopeful there could be wonderful to see heart even though as he tells us – as he Only time will tell, an ace in the pack. Sprinter Sacre, My Tent year was beyond they are not exactly on did last year – that he Or Yours, Simonsig young legs. but I am more than The junior horses and anyone’s hopes is ready for it again, particularly those that and Bobs Worth all Meanwhile, Bobs Worth, we will continue, but hopeful there could ran in bumpers in the competing back again following his wonderful we are well aware spring also looked very at the top. run when finishing third be an ace in the pack that the mountain could be every bit as hard exciting as far as the in the World Hurdle at Sprinter Sacre’s renaissance was not surprisingly to climb this year, with the prospect of Douvan future is concerned his fifth consecutive the highlight of the season and and so we head into our 36th season with a Festival, has been retired to live at his annual none of us will ever forget that day huge amount to look forward to and with a summer holiday home with the Vigors family at in March. It was an amazing effort great deal of anticipation – it could be very Hillwood stud. from everybody that makes up exciting. his support team, but you cannot While the old guard were grabbing the Our four legged team gave us a great season help but feel that he was getting headlines, the young bucks were steadily which was thanks to the two legged team who, a huge amount of help and moral climbing the ladder and some very talented as always, never tired throughout what was a support from everybody else as young hurdlers and chasers emerged who will very long and very wet winter but, like us all, are well and how grateful we all are hopefully fill the shoes of those older boys when refreshed, geared up and ready to go again. – it meant a lot to him, let alone the time comes. Caroline and all of us. He has Good luck everybody! come back in looking bigger than Altior was obviously at the top of the pile and ever (630 kilos) and we will try and the current plan is to go novice chasing, while Nicky Henderson Nico De Boinville takes the acclaim as Altior routed the field in the Buveur D’Air, who was not far behind him, could do it all again. Supreme Novices 4 5 DAN SKELTON GUEST COLUMN Superb Story’s win in the County Hurdle at this years’ Festival was a huge moment for me, Dad, Harry and the team On September 12 2013 CTCRC invited three full time sport and Dad has had his fair share of rookie trainers to their club night at the injuries. We all know how hard he has worked Victory Club in the shape of Noel Williams, for it, so it’s incredible that he has finally done it. There’s always bits and pieces, everyone knows better and better team, he will put Willie under Ben Pauling and Dan Skelton. A mere three He has an old head on old shoulders and it’s how much we’ve put in, we’re always looking pressure this season in Ireland. years on and Dan Skelton can seriously sweet to reach the pinnacle, he knows how for the next step, if you want to be the best you boast the best training facilities in the UK Championships are won by winning even when big a deal this is. Strangely, this gold could have need to do it from the front, I don’t want to play and a yard that is not far short of being in you have a bad month, grinding out results been his third as he came so close at Athens and catch up. The quality of horses I want needs serious contention to fight out the overall when its’ not going too well.