Trinidad & Tobago Red Force leg-spinner Imran Khan has hinted that the 2024 West Indies Championship could be his last.
A stalwart in regional cricket, the 39-year-old Khan has played 113 first-class matches, taking 450 wickets, a milestone he achieved in the final game of the 2023 West Indies Championship against Jamaica Scorpions at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.
Khan also had 71 wickets in 53 List A games. With the bat, Khan has 3,622 runs with a lone century of 125. He also has a half-century in List A cricket.
Asked if he was thinking about the time he has left in the game, “I haven’t set a time frame to step away,” was his response in an interview with the Trinidad Express recently.
“I’m still fit and wanting to play. I’ve always put Trinidad and Tobago cricket first for many decades however, I know the time will come soon for me to step down to make way for younger players, but I’ll still like to be around to share my experience and knowledge,” he said.
Khan made his first-class debut as an opening batsman in 2005 and was part of the 2006 T&T squad that won the regional first-class competition, the last time the country has done so to date.
“In 2024, I am looking forward to the four-day and possibly another Super50 tournament, maybe my last, and of course maintaining my fitness and ensuring that I continue to pass each fitness test will be key,” he said.
Despite his regional success, Khan never represented the West Indies at the highest level and accepts that, at 39, that dream is likely over.
“I guess the dream playing for West Indies is over, safe to say...but I’ll like to be around to share my knowledge. Now I’ll like to explore more franchise cricket. Clearly, I have what it takes to perform,” he said.
“Yes, I have achieved being one of the best all-rounders regionally; I have several accolades to prove that, but it always will hurt that I never got the opportunity to play for West Indies. I did everything required of me, but God has a better plan,” he added.
He most recently represented the Manipal Tigers in the Legends League T20 in India from November-December last year, taking nine wickets in five matches for the eventual champions.
Khan didn’t feature in the Super50 for the Red Force towards the end of 2024 and played four out of five matches for the franchise in the West Indies Championship at the start of the year, grabbing 13 wickets with a best of four for 47.
Off-spinner Bryan Charles was the top bowler for T&T in the four-day competition, taking 21 wickets in five matches.
“I wasn’t selected in the playing 11 for the first four-day game, but I used that to get mentally stronger, which showed in my performance with the bat and ball,” Khan explained.
Having missed the season opener, Khan scored 92, his 15th first-class half-century, against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
“I really wanted to score runs this year and I definitely did. Of course, not being selected for the squad for 50 overs was disappointing but I’m happy the team won,” said Khan.
“However, not being selected for that tournament, other doors opened...I had a great Legends League tournament finishing with most wickets and the title. I’ll say 2023 has been good to me,” he added.
Despite being pleased with how things went last year, Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men’s Head coach Angus Eve, says there is still more work to be done with sights set on this year’s Copa America and, by extension, 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup qualification.
Eve’s men will kick the year off with the Copa America playoff against Canada in March, where victory would put them into the prestigious CONMEBOL tournament scheduled to take place in the United States in June.
“We said we want to go back to where we are competing against these teams. We are now in the last eight of Concacaf, fighting in the last four for a place in the Copa America. Who would have thought in a couple of months we would have been here?” Eve asked rhetorically, during an end-of-year interview with TTFA Media.
One of the Soca Warriors’ biggest accomplishments for 2023, was their 2-1 victory over United States in the second-leg of the Concacaf Nations League A quarterfinals.
Still, Eve pointed out that the work continues.
“There is a lot more to be done. Player development, exposure for players is so important and playing at the higher levels consistently. Then, we will get more players playing outside of Trinidad and Tobago like we used to,” he said.
“The clubs have to understand that sometimes you need to take the players for four days. We have to work in tandem with each other to get the players where we want them to be,” Eve added.
Reflecting on their journey since 2021, Eve confessed that explained that much like the players, he too has benefited from exposure via coaching courses, and rubbing shoulders with top coaches in the region.
“It has motivated me even more to do well because of the level of professionalism; the type of people you’re rubbing shoulders with. You learn by having conversations (and) the most that I would have learned is when I have conversations with other coaches at the side, or with the tutors and lecturers,” Eve revealed.
Looking ahead, the tactician hopes for greater Government and corporate support, as he requested a more professional approach, improved staffing, proper processes put in place, and regular exposure for his charges.
“The local players need to be playing more. Even if we get an international game every two months,” Eve declared.
“America came down with about 35 (staff) members. They had a whole hospital set up. They had a whole technical department set up with all the analytics and things. Our department is one guy, McShine and the other department is one guy, Derek King. And the other department (medical) is one guy, doctor Danai. Everything is one guy, when other people have departments for these things,” he stressed.
With the dust settling on Hewick’s fairytale King George VI Chase victory at Kempton on Boxing Day, Shark Hanlon has finally had time to take in what victory in the showpiece race means to a yard of his size.
Hewick’s name now sits proudly on the roll of honour alongside some of the greatest chasers to have raced, like Arkle, Pendil, Wayward Lad, Desert Orchid and Kauto Star.
He was already a Galway Plate and American Grand National winner, but a Grade One at level weights against a field full of previous top-level winners took his achievements to a new level.
A crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup now awaits, having run well until falling late in the contest last season, but after seeing Galopin Des Champs bounce back to his best over the Christmas period, Hanlon would only take on last year’s winner on his preferred good ground.
“It’s only when you get home and look at the trophy and remember some of the greats who have won it, all the right ones, that you realise what he has achieved,” said Hanlon.
“Good ground is so important to him. He’s not a big horse and he needs good ground. With the way the weather has been the last two years, he has been very hard to place.
“Had the race been at Leopardstown, I probably wouldn’t have run. The only reason we went over was for the good ground and it was only just good enough.
“Willie’s (Mullins) horse (Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase) was very, very impressive though. I’m hoping by the time March comes around the ground is good because I don’t think anything will beat Willie’s horse on soft ground.
“The only chance we’d have of beating him is on good ground. Cheltenham last year wasn’t good enough for him – hopefully this year the ground is good enough for him. If the ground was soft, I’d say we wouldn’t run.
“If it’s soft in March, I’d probably wait for the National, because usually the ground in Aintree is fairly good.”
Hewick has bounced out of the race in great form and Hanlon feels the strong pace throughout enabled the gelding’s endless stamina to come into play.
“He came home out of the race 100 per cent, he’s fresh as a daisy and I could run him again today,” he said.
“In my opinion, they all went too hard. We have a horse who made the running in the Galway Plate and the Gold Cup, and to make the running in those races you’ve got to go hard – and he couldn’t lie up.
“I think they went a million miles an hour. You had Ryanair winners (Allaho and Frodon) and an Arkle winner (Shishkin) taking each other on – they were going a two-mile pace.
“They jumped off, went a real good clip and Gavin (Sheehan) said they quickened again from six out. They were taking each other on the whole way. It happens every time, you’ve really got to stay.
“The only chance we have of beating Willie’s horse (at Cheltenham) is good ground, so we’ll be hoping it dries up. If it’s good ground, we’ll definitely take him on.”
Connections of Marie’s Rock appear to have abandoned ambitions of conquering the staying hurdling division in favour of another crack at the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Her previous attempts at three miles have proved fruitless, but the team behind Nicky Henderson’s nine-year-old have always felt they needed further evidence over a staying distance before completely giving up on the Stayers’ Hurdle dream.
A run in the Cleeve Hurdle later in the month was mooted as the potential acid test of her staying credentials, but following a seven-length defeat by a resurgent Bob Olinger when trying to defend her Relkeel Hurdle crown, attentions will be turned to another run over two and a half miles at the Festival in March and an attempt to win the mares’ only Grade One for a second time.
“I think she ran a Marie’s Rock race. They went a good enough gallop. James (Bowen) was very happy with how she settled and she jumped very well,” said Middleham Park’s National Hunt racing manager Tom Palin.
“I think we were just beaten by a resurgent Bob Olinger and you can do nothing but tip your cap and go ‘well played’.
“We were discussing about going three miles again, but I would say at this point we are going to go for the Mares’ Hurdle. That would be the hot take, if you were.
“I think this tells us we should be looking back to what we know and to go and try to win the Mares’ Hurdle again. Hopefully, we get a truer-run race in it this year.”
Although surrendering her Relkeel crown to Henry de Bromhead’s on-song raider, the Middleham Park Racing team were pleased with Marie’s Rock’s efforts at Prestbury Park and will now return their star mare to her own sex for her Festival tune-up, which is likely to be Warwick’s Listed Hurdle on February 10.
“That performance she put in was the real Marie’s Rock and I think that performance is good enough to be competitive in a Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival,” continued Palin.
“I don’t think we will go to Ascot (for the Warfield) or the Cleeve Hurdle.
“I think we will go to Warwick for the Listed race she won before the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival. That is in mid-February. That is about six weeks away now, then it is a month to the Festival and that appears the route we will go.”
Tuesday’s meeting at Fakenham was abandoned shortly before the first race as heavy rain prevented the emergency vehicles from being able to navigate a safe passage.
The jockeys had come out of the weighing room for the scheduled opener at 12.30 before any issues had arisen.
However, just before the off time, it became apparent there was a problem, with the meeting then called off shortly afterwards.
Clerk of the course David Hunter told Racing TV: “We’ve had forecast rain from 11am along with rain last night and my medical team have done some trials and they are concerned that the ground is so slippy they would not be able to get the ambulances around.
“We don’t have a service track at Fakenham, so we have to strategically deal with instances like that, they would not be able to get an ambulance to a stricken jockey in the required time, which is one minute.
“He (medical officer) has discussed it with the BHA and there’s been an inquiry – it’s just really hard luck.
“I’ve been doing this for 26 years, we’ve had wet days and this has been a torrid season so far – this is the thing we always consider, we’ve walked it two or three times this season and felt there was no problem at all.
“What we have got is rain throughout the afternoon, so the situation will only get worse, not better.
“It’s beyond regrettable, nobody is more disappointed than me and my team and I’m really sorry for everybody who has arrived, and we’ll be giving a full refund.”
There has also been heavy rain in Wales, forcing Chepstow to call an inspection for noon tomorrow ahead of their meeting on Sunday, January 7.
Last year’s winner Galopin Des Champs is one of 20 entries for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 15.
Trained by Willie Mullins, Galopin Des Champs came out on top in a terrific duel with Bravemansgame last season and the pair are on course to meet again.
Galopin Des Champs returned to winning ways at Leopardstown over Christmas with a spectacular display which propelled him back to the head of the betting, having suffered two defeats at the hands of the Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow.
Brassil’s charge has also been entered for the blue riband this year, having gone close in handicap company at the Festival last season. He was a late absentee at Leopardstown.
Mullins has also entered the injury-plagued Monkfish, an impressive winner of the 2021 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, but limited to just three starts since then.
Hewick, Shark Hanlon’s King George winner, Gerri Colombe, Envoi Allen and Gentlemansgame are others from Ireland with the option.
Gary Moore’s hugely-impressive Welsh National winner Nassalam is entered along with the Venetia Williams-trained pair of L’Homme Presse and Royale Pagaille.
Shishkin, so unlucky when coming down two from home in the King George, and Paul Nicholls’ novice Stay Away Fay are also in.
There are 19 entered in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase on March 13 in which last season’s first two from the Arkle, El Fabiolo and Jonbon, dominate the betting.
The pair are due to meet at Ascot in the Clarence House Chase later this month first.
Mullins has six contenders in total, including the now nine-year-old Ferny Hollow, who has not seen since December 2021, along with the mare Dinoblue and Appreciate It.
Boothill, Captain Guinness, Edwardstone and Editeur du Gite are others to note, with the last two runners also entered in the Ryanair Chase on March 14.
Mullins’ Allaho will be bidding for a third win in the race having gone close in the King George over Christmas. He is one of eight for the trainer, along with Sir Gerhard, in a total field of 32.
El Fabiolo, Fastorslow, Jonbon and Envoi Allen, winner of the race last season, are among those who have multiple options while Fugitif is in for Richard Hobson
Paul Nicholls has reported that Stage Star returned “a tad sore” after his disappointing run at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
A winner at the Festival in March, he also landed the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November and was having his first run since that success.
However, the combination of heavy ground and a handicap mark of 166 meant he was soon struggling and when his chance had gone coming down the hill, Harry Cobden took the decision to pull him up.
The champion trainer is not too concerned, though, and believes with over three months to go before his next target – the Ryanair Chase back at Cheltenham – he can get him fit and firing once more.
“He was a tad sore when he finished and when he trotted up this morning he wasn’t quite 100 per cent, so I’m guessing he’s pulled some muscles somewhere,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“He’s had a few little issues in the past. He made a couple of mistakes going up the hill and I wasn’t sure he was going that well before then in that ground.
“The vet is in this morning, he’ll give him a full MOT and we’ve plenty of time to get him sorted before the Ryanair. That’s why I was so keen to get a run into him now rather than in a month, as there weren’t many options really.
“We’ve got time to get him back to himself. He had a couple of runs last year when it didn’t go quite right.
“Yesterday morning I was looking for any excuse not to run him and that is unlike me because I’m always positive and always want to run, but when he trotted up and everything, it was all positive, he gave us no reason not to run.
“It wasn’t to be yesterday but I’ve been there a million times before with horses like this, we can just put a line through that run. We’ve loads of time before the Ryanair on spring ground and we’ll get him back for that.”
On a brighter note, Nicholls landed yet another edition of the Challow Hurdle through Captain Teague at Newbury a few days earlier.
“I was pleased with him, he’s improving physically and mentally all the time and he jumped a lot better than he did at Cheltenham – he just idles a little once he’s in front,” said Nicholls.
“I haven’t spoken to Johnny (de la Hey, owner) about what we’re going to do in the spring with him, but ultimately we’re building his career to be a novice chaser this time next year.”
Venetia Williams has confirmed L’Homme Presse is on track to make his eagerly-awaited return at Lingfield during the Winter Million Festival.
The Cheltenham Festival winner has been on the sidelines since unseating his big-race jockey Charlie Deutsch when booked for second place in the 2022 King George VI Chase, missing out on a return to Prestbury Park for a shot at the Gold Cup last spring.
L’Homme Presse is a general 16-1 chance for the blue riband this time around and his handler has the Fleur de Lys Chase on January 21 inked in as the race where the nine-year-old will be back from over a year off the track.
“He’s fine and Lingfield is the plan for the Fleur de Lys,” said Williams. “All being well, he is on course for that.”
Williams also has another talented chaser on her hands in the form of Djelo, who enhanced his growing reputation in Ascot’s Noel Novices’ Chase prior to Christmas.
The six-year-old won just one of his five starts for Williams over hurdles last term but has excelled since switching to fences and, after victories at Aintree and Newbury, took the step up to Grade Two company in his stride when an impressive six-length scorer over Paul Nicholls’ Kandoo Kid.
It was the first time the gelding had raced over further than two miles over the larger obstacles and his trainer is unconcerned about distance, as she assessed what her charge has done so far and what is possible in the future.
“I was very pleased with him and, like all these horses, it is one step at a time, but each question we’ve asked of him, he’s answered very positively,” said Williams.
“He’s a very different horse to L’Homme Presse, he’s much smaller and different, L’Homme Presse is a big wheel and this horse isn’t.
“I don’t think the trip is that important to him. For the time being, I’m not worried whether it is two or two and a half – I could have run him in the graduation chase (at Ascot) over two-miles-five.”
Owner Brian Acheson believes Galopin Des Champs is the best horse since Kauto Star and has conceded his Gerri Colombe will be running for second place when he tackles Willie Mullins’ defending champion in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Galopin Des Champs was an imperious winner of the blue riband in March but had since suffered defeat twice at the hands of Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow, with Acheson’s Gerri Colombe emerging as a real Gold Cup contender when making a winning return at Down Royal.
The two talented stayers clashed for the first time at Leopardstown in the Savills Chase and with the Closutton Cheltenham hero back to his very best, Gerri Colombe was helpless as Galopin Des Champs romped to a brilliant 23-length success.
That shot the eight-year-old back to the top of the Gold Cup market, with Gerri Colombe eased to a best price of 11-1 with Unibet, and Acheson – who runs his horses under the Robcour banner – feels there is no way of turning the tables when they meet again at Prestbury Park in March.
He said: “Galopin is the best horse since Kauto Star and I’ve said it since the day of the Turners (Novices’ Chase, at Cheltenham). He is an absolute rocket, a weapon.
“We lost nothing in defeat and I don’t think there is a horse in training that can stay with him, he’s just a machine.
“You are running for second place. In the era where we don’t have enough good horses, if I didn’t have Gerri in the race, then you would love him to win by half the track just to make him look a superstar – and he is a superstar, I would love to own him.
“Hats off to him and it was actually an honour to run against him, he’s so good.
“We will take him on but there is only one winner.”
Acheson also outlined plans for his plethora of stars in the staying hurdle division.
Bob Olinger and Irish Point have both thrown their names into the mix with victories over the Christmas period, but it is last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle third Teahupoo who is currently carrying his owner’s main hopes following his second Hatton’s Grace success last month.
“Bob Olinger will be going to Aintree,” said Acheson. “If you had three horses, would you run three horses in the Stayers’?
“At the moment, I have two horses who could run in the Stayers’ and the one horse who is going there if he is fit and well is Teahupoo.
“Irish Point won well last week, but Home By The Lee didn’t run his race and Asterion Forlonge was a great horse but is a little bit older now.
“Teahupoo’s run against Impaire Et Passe was better form-wise, so he’s number one, but this French horse (Theleme) is meant to be a superstar.”
The year 2023 was a good one with the gloves for West Indies Test wicket-keeper Joshua Da Silva.
The 25-year-old Trinidadian, who made his debut back in 2020 against New Zealand, recorded an impressive 31 dismissals in just six matches.
Overall, Da Silva has 98 dismissals in 24 Tests.
Of the 31 dismissals, 29 were catches and two were stumpings. Only Australia’s Alex Carey ended 2023 with more dismissals in Test matches.
Carey played 13 matches for the World Test Champions, recording 54 dismissals (44 catches and 10 stumpings).
The rest of the top five includes England’s Jonny Bairstow (30 dismissals in six matches), New Zealand’s Tom Blundell (29 dismissals in seven matches) and Pakistan’s Sarfaraz Ahmed (14 dismissals in four matches).
Riviere D’etel ran away with the John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares Chase for Gordon Elliott at Fairyhouse.
The seven-year-old was one of five contenders in the race and a 100-30 chance, as Willie Mullins’ Allegorie De Vassy was the 8-13 favourite.
On testing ground, there was no contest, however, and it was Elliott’s runner that won by an unchallenged 33 lengths under Jack Kennedy.
“She’ll probably be very hard to place, I’d say going right-handed really suited her and Jack said she loved the ground,” said Elliott.
“Jack said she stayed very well and we’re delighted with her.
“I don’t know where I’ll go with her but I’d love to go right-handed.”
When asked if that would rule out Cheltenham, Elliott added: “It wouldn’t be out of the question, I’ll talk to Noel (Moran, owner) and see what they want to do, but it just might not be the right place for her.”
Mollys Mango returned to winning ways for the same trainer in the Wishing Everyone A Healthy 2024 Mares Hurdle.
The six-year-old started the campaign in winning form at Thurles but was pulled up last time at Wexford.
She was still the 2-9 favourite at Fairyhouse and certainly looked to be back on song with a 17-length success under Kennedy.
“Jack said she gave him a good feel again, she was disappointing the last day in Wexford but she gave him a good feel there today,” said Elliott.
“We’ll probably come back here in three weeks’ time for the Solerina, try and see if we can get a bit of black type.
“She didn’t turn up for whatever reason the last day, maybe we ran her back too soon.”
Elliott completed a treble when Staffordshire Knot landed the Jump Into January @ Fairyhouse (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race under Harry Swan at 9-4.
Mullins’ I Will Be Baie made a winning hurdles debut in the ITM Irish Stallion Trail 12-13 January Maiden Hurdle.
The six-year-old is a point-to-point and a bumper winner and set off at 11-8 under Paul Townend, jumping fluently to secure a two-and-three-quarter-length success over Elliott’s odds-on favourite My Trump Card.
David Casey, Mullins’ assistant, said: “It was great, he did it well and jumped well.
“We weren’t sure how he’d handle the heavy ground but Paul said he went through it okay. He said he won well.
“He won his point-to-point well and jumped well throughout. Hopefully, we’ll find a race for him in a few weeks and see where we go from there.
“The runner-up was a decent winner of a bumper and had a bit of jumping experience on his side, he set a nice standard and I thought it was a good performance.”
Mullins had another winner on the card with Nick Rockett, successful by seven lengths as the 2-7 favourite in the McInerney Beginners Chase.
“He was good. He improved a little bit from his first run, he obviously jumped very well,” said Casey.
“He did what you’d hope he would do, with natural progression, today.
“Paul (Townend) was very happy and said he was comfortable everywhere.
“He’ll get further, that was two-five today and he’d have no issue getting a trip. He’s a good, relaxed horse and jumps very well. The boss will make a plan now.”
Karl Thornton had a double on the day as Don’t Talk took the Tote+ Pays You More At Tote.ie Handicap Hurdle at 9-2 and Mighty Oak Lad won the Fairyhouse Membership 2024 Handicap Hurdle at 7-2.
“That’s nice. There wasn’t much pace on, and he’s a good jumper, so Donagh (Meyler, jockey) lobbed away in front,” said Thornton of the latter performance.
“He said he made a mistake at the first in Thurles and his race was over, everything was happening a bit quick for him around there, as he’s a big old horse.
“I’d say he’s definitely suited by a bigger track. I’d say he’ll stay hurdling, we’ll give him a couple more runs and see if he can improve again.”
Of Don’t Talk, the trainer commented: “He did it well. Danny (Gilligan) gave him a good ride and everything was straightforward, he seemed to improve from the last day. We thought he had.
“They get caught eventually (by the handicapper) but he’s definitely improving and he jumps a fence well.
“The horses were sick all last year, we just tried to change things around a bit and everything seems healthy now. When they are healthy, you can make a plan, but when they aren’t, you can’t do anything.”
Jungle Boogie proved the toughest of the field in taking the Savills New Year’s Day Chase for Henry de Bromhead at Tramore.
Six contested the Grade Three event run over two miles and seven furlongs on heavy ground and the winner was not especially popular as a 10-1 shot.
Under Darragh O’Keeffe the 10-year-old was headed two out, but as the race neared its conclusion stamina came to the fore and Jungle Boogie displayed plenty to rally and win by a length from Classic Getaway, the 2-5 favourite.
The win initiated a big-race double for the De Bromhead team, with Bob Olinger on the scoreboard in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham.
“He was very good. Henry said to jump out and make the running on him,” O’Keeffe said.
“He jumped very good bar the fence at the top of the hill the first time, he just got under it. I kind of gave him a squeeze and he kind of put down on me.
“Other than that he jumped really well and kept at it well. I’m delighted to win this race, especially after having three seconds earlier on.
“When I saw Danny (Mullins) coming to me, I thought ‘not again!’.
“Thankfully my lad rallied and got back going again. He wasn’t beaten that far the last day against the best of the two-milers in Ireland and he stayed on really well.
“For a horse that wants a trip, he travels really well. I’m delighted to get that with him now and I’m very grateful to connections for giving me the spin on him.
“I said to the lads afterwards that the track was plenty tight for him, as he is a big, big horse. Thankfully he got the job done and it’s a nice race to win.”
Joseph O’Brien’s Boldog was a convincing winner of the David Flynn Construction Maiden Hurdle at 5-1 under J J Slevin.
The six-year-old was a bumper winner for Stuart Crawford and got off the mark at the first opportunity for his new stable with a five-and-a-half-length win.
“Good performance, actually. He coped well with the ground, and his bumper runs were decent enough last year,” Slevin said.
“He’s going to be a staying horse. He was fine until halfway down the back when he took off.
“It was going to be hard for him to win doing that, but he stuck it out well. Joseph is having a great season with his jumpers, and it’s nice to have this one for Simon and Isaac (Munir and Souede, owners).
“Daryl (Jacob, retained rider) is in Cheltenham today so I’m lucky I got to step in.”
Bynx (6-1) took the Jimmy Shanahan Memorial Handicap Hurdle for Martin Hassett and Sean Flanagan in a three-and-a-half-length triumph.
“She’s been fierce unlucky. A few times things didn’t go our way, but, as I said to Sean, when in doubt, call on Flanagan. He gave her a masterclass. I know it looks simple but he got the fractions spot-on on that ground,” Hassett said.
“She’d probably win more but she’s hard on herself at home. When she comes racing, she switches off.”
Willie Mullins’ Stoke The Fire made light work of the Ryans Cleaning Services Maiden Hurdle under Danny Mullins as the 5-6 favourite.
A dual-purpose campaigner who was second on the Flat four times in a row last year, the five-year-old has been purchased by Middleham Park Racing and is their first runner with the champion trainer.
His hurdling bow was a great success as he crossed the line 15 lengths ahead of his nearest rival.
“We’ll stoke the fire tonight!” Mullins quipped in relation to the weather conditions.
“He did it well and jumps well for a Flat horse. I was very happy with how he handled that ground for a Flat horse as well. Hopefully it’ll be the start of something.
“It’s Middleham Racing’s first runner for us and I’m not sure where I’m going to go with him now, we’ll see. We’ll get home and plan something for him.
“He’ll probably mix it between hurdles and Flat racing.”
Bob Olinger was a Cheltenham winner once again when striking in the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle.
Under Rachael Blackmore he returned to the track at which he has enjoyed two Festival successes, in the 2021 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and in the 2022 Turners Novices’ Chase.
Now reverted to hurdling after seeming to lose his way over fences, the Henry de Bromhead-trained bay was the 6-4 favourite for the Grade Two feature.
In a field of four each of the quartet still held a chance turning for home, but it was Bob Olinger who strode up the hill to secure an impressive seven-length win from market rival Marie’s Rock.
Nicky Henderson has warned Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite Jeriko Du Reponet needs another run before the Cheltenham Festival.
The JP McManus-owned gelding took his record under rules to two from two when winning in style at Newbury on Saturday.
However, despite being impressed by what he has seen so far from the high-class prospect, he will need to see the racecourse again before March, according to the Seven Barrows handler.
“Jeriko was fantastic, I thought he was special,” said Henderson.
“We rode a horse who is a real good galloper for speed and he actually beat speed horses. I thought he was fantastic. He waltzed away from them and he will gallop forever.
“He’ll have to have another run before Cheltenham and if he doesn’t run before then, he won’t run at Cheltenham.”
One option available is Haydock’s Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle, which Henderson won with Jonbon two seasons ago, while Kempton’s Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle could be another route to Prestbury Park available to the five-year-old.
Henderson added: “It’s not where I would like to go (Haydock) but there isn’t too much else. Kempton would be very close, so I don’t know – someone put a race on somewhere!”
Henderson is still coming to terms with Shishkin’s dramatic exit from the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The multiple Grade One winner was going strongly in front when he slipped after jumping two out, unshipping Nico de Boinville.
“He’s got a very sore splint and I’m thinking we’re trying to hesitate a reason for doing what he did,” said Henderson.
“He gave himself a right whack on his off-fore, where a splint which was probably already there has become very sore. He’s not lame but very sore.
“If he clonked that in mid-air or whatever, he would have landed going ‘ahhhhhhh’. But you can’t land on one leg and pick the other one up.
“We’ve got the splint itself to settle down and the soreness will come out of it, but if you do touch it, he is very, very sore, the poor old boy.
“It just means I think I know what happened, but what does it matter what happened. He tripped over at the end of the day, why he did it doesn’t even matter.
“I have no idea where he will race next, we will let the dust settle, no one has even thought about it.”
Henderson also had news of Willmount, who lost his unbeaten record in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury.
The trainer said: “He’s fine. I don’t think it was the ground. There’s a few things we might check out before we decide what we do next, but it’s not an easy thing to check out on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, because the men you want to try to find these things out (are busy), unlike me last night, who was fast asleep.”
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