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HORSES TO FOLLOW EXTRA 2015/16 JUMPS SEASON Contents Editor’s Corner 4 Timeform’s ‘Top Chasers & Hurdlers’ 5 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 6 Arkle Challenge Trophy 8 Champion Hurdle 9 Mares’ Hurdle 12 National Hunt Chase 13 Neptune Novices’ Hurdle 14 RSA Chase 15 Champion Chase 16 Champion Bumper 17 JLT Novices’ Chase 18 Ryanair Chase 19 World Hurdle 22 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle 24 Triumph Hurdle 25 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 27 Gold Cup 28 Foxhunter Chase 30 Handicappers’ Corner 31 Ask The Experts 35 | 3 Editor’s Corner John Ingles, Features Writer There are no doubt crowd control measures in place to prevent such scenes these days, but thirty years ago Dawn Run and her jockey Jonjo O’Neill were mobbed by well-wishers on their return to the unsaddling enclosure after their dramatic and historic victory in the 1986 Cheltenham Gold Cup. ‘Her supporters erupted in a frenzy of celebration rarely seen on a racecourse’, said Timeform’s account of the scenes in Chasers & Hurdlers, going on to describe how Dawn Run’s owner and rider were lifted shoulder high after being presented with their trophies. Besides being the last mare—and just the fourth in all—to win chasing’s blue riband, two years earlier Dawn Run had also become only the second of her sex to win the Champion Hurdle (Flakey Dove in 1994 being the only female winner since). Dawn Run remains Timeform’s highest-rated mare over jumps and unique as the only horse to have won the Festival’s top prizes over both hurdles and fences. Coincidentally, Dawn Run came along at a time when the weight allowance (then 5 lb, subsequently increased to 7 lb) for fillies and mares over jumps in Britain had just been introduced. Although better off than they once were, fillies and mares still had no option but to compete against male rivals for success at the Festival until 2008 when the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle was introduced. The race was named in memory of the champion trainer whose seventeen Festival wins included the 1994 Triumph Hurdle with Mysilv, one of the best hurdling mares of recent decades. The first renewal of the David Nicholson went to the Donald McCain-trained mare Whiteoak (Jonjo O’Neill trained the short-head runner-up Refinement, incidentally), but the race soon became synonymous with Quevega who made her own piece of Festival history by winning the next six renewals. Quevega, of course, was trained by Willie Mullins, son of Dawn Run’s trainer Paddy Mullins. Given the family connection with Dawn Run, it’s surely no coincidence that mares have played such a large part in Willie Mullins’ phenomenal success, including at the Festival, where he is second to Nicky Henderson on the list of all-time winners. Last year’s Mares’ Hurdle illustrated the yard’s strength in depth in that department when Glens Melody was handed victory after her stable companion, hot favourite Annie Power, fell at the last when looking sure to win. Willie Mullins’ very first Festival winner was the mare Tourist Attraction in the 1995 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, a race the trainer bids to win for the fourth year running with Min. Vroum Vroum Mag (unbeaten in eight starts since joining Mullins from France) is charged with keeping up the stable’s record in the Mares’ Hurdle now that Annie Power has been supplemented instead for the Champion Hurdle following injury to last year’s winner Faugheen. Meanwhile, another Mullins-trained mare, Augusta Kate, is vying for favouritism in the Champion Bumper which her stable has won a record eight times already. This year’s Festival will also see the addition on Thursday of a second race for mares, this one for novices, and fittingly it is registered as the Dawn Run Novices’ Hurdle—no prizes for guessing who trains the odds-on favourite Limini. 4 | Timeform’s ‘Top Chasers & Hurdlers’ HURDLERS CHASERS JUVENILE HURDLERS 177 Faugheen 183 Don Cossack 145+ Sceau Royal 170 More of That 181 Cue Card 144p Footpad 168p Douvan 180p Un de Sceaux 144p Zubayr 168p Thistlecrack 180p Vautour 144 Indietir 168p Un de Sceaux 171p Coneygree 143p Adrien du Pont 168 Arctic Fire 171 Djakadam 143 Gibralfaro 168 Jezki 171 Silviniaco Conti 142p Connetable 167 Hurricane Fly 171 Sprinter Sacre 142p Ivanovich Gorbatov 165 Peace And Co 170 Al Ferof 142p Protek des Flos 164? My Tent Or Yours 169p Don Poli 142+ Leoncavallo 163p Different Gravey 169 Many Clouds 141p Clan des Obeaux 163 Cole Harden 169 Smad Place 140p Allblak des Places 163 The New One 168p Douvan 140p Jaleo 162 Annie Power 168 Sire de Grugy 140p Who Dares Wins 162 Kilcooley 167 Uxizandre 139+ Fixe Le Kap 162 Un Temps Pour Tout 166p Traffic Fluide NOVICE HURDLERS 162? Whisper 166 Dodging Bullets 158p Yanworth 161p Vautour 166 Ptit Zig 155p Altior 161 Reve de Sivola 166 Special Tiara 154P Min 161 Rock On Ruby 166? Simonsig 153P Buveur d'Air 161 Saphir du Rheu 165 Road To Riches 153P Yorkhill 160 Nichols Canyon 165x Menorah 151p Barters Hill 160 Prince of Scars 164 Felix Yonger 151p Charbel 160 Zarkandar 164 Taquin du Seuil 149p A Toi Phil 159p Cyrus Darius 163 Valdez 148p Shantou Village 159 Alpha des Obeaux 163? Champagne Fever 146p Ballydine 159 Briar Hill 162+ Valseur Lido 146p Long Dog 159 Camping Ground 162 Flemenstar 145p Bleu Et Rouge 159 Volnay de Thaix 162 Sizing Europe 145p O O Seven 158p Yanworth 161+ Saphir du Rheu 145p Unowhatimeanharry 158+ L'Ami Serge 161 Carlingford Lough 144p Ma du Fou 158 Top Notch 161 Eduard NOVICE CHASERS 157p Identity Thief 161 Rajdhani Express 168p Douvan 157+ Dedigout 160 Dynaste 155p No More Heroes 157 Abbyssial 160 Sound Investment 155+ Ar Mad 157 Ballynagour 160 Top Gamble 154P More of That 157 Mala Beach 159 Foxrock 154 Sizing John 157 Shaneshill 159 Houblon des Obeaux 153p Alisier d'Irlande 157 Vyta du Roc 159 Mallowney 153p Outlander 157? Salubrious 159 Simply Ned 153 The Game Changer 156p Beat That 159 Vibrato Valtat 152 Vaniteux 156 Blue Heron 159 Virak 151p Black Hercules 156 Diakali 159? First Lieutenant 150p Seeyouatmidnight 156 Hargam 159§ Wishfull Thinking 150 Arzal 156 Kitten Rock 158p The Last Samuri 150 Monksland 156 Monksland 158+ Gilgamboa 149p Roi des Francs 156 Rebel Fitz 158 Sam Winner 148p Garde La Victoire These tables cover the top horses in Britain, Ireland and elsewhere, updated to cover racing to 06/03/16 | 5 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+) (2m87y) Tue 15th Mar 1.30 ALTIOR Nicky Henderson Smart form in two bumpers last season and began hurdling career with a bang when successful at Chepstow in October (albeit left clear). Tighter winning margins since, bar when slamming Open Eagle at Kempton last time. Given break since but described by trainer as “very sharp” after recent racecourse gallop. Narrowly sets the standard on form (won C&D Grade 2 on penultimate start) and clearly needs considering. BACHASSON Willie Mullins, Ireland Won two of three bumpers in France and landed first four starts over hurdles for new yard, including Tipperary Grade 3 last October. Matched that form when neck second to Long Dog in Royal Bond next time, but proved a disappointment for no reason just after Christmas. BALL D’ARC Gordon Elliott, Ireland Won only one of first four hurdles starts (in hood for three, including win) but has looked an improved model in winning listed race at Punchestown and Grade 2 at Naas since. Was firmly put in his place by Min in the Moscow Flyer, though, and yet to race away from heavy ground over timber. BUVEUR D’AIR Nicky Henderson Fourth in Grade 2 Aintree bumper last season and made winning hurdling debut at Newbury in November (three next-time-out winners behind). Travelled strongly and jumped well when giving weight and a beating to his rivals at Huntingdon in January. Not short of stamina (Neptune entry) but clearly very effective at 2m. Obvious shortlist material. CHARBEL Kim Bailey Fourth in Punchestown’s Champion Bumper last season and made winning hurdling bow at Stratford in October. Beaten at odds-on at Doncaster next time but still improved, and did so again when second to Yanworth at Ascot in December. Impressed when dominating at Musselburgh (third franked form) last time and respected here. Also has County Hurdle option. HOLLY BUSH HENRY Graeme McPherson Winless in first two hurdles starts for Jonjo O’Neill but three from three since joining current yard, last two outings in handicaps at Doncaster and Musselburgh. Tries hard and capable of even better, but this is a massive step up (also in County Hurdle). MIN Willie Mullins, Ireland 50/1 for this race last August but 8/1 by the time he made his winning debut for this yard (in frame in two starts in France) in big field-maiden at Punchestown in December. Followed in footsteps of same connections’ Vautour and Douvan by winning Grade 1 Moscow Flyer there (third Ball d’Arc won since) in January.