Former champions Montego Bay United extended their unbeaten run across four games, as they showed grit and determination in their come-from-behind 2-2 stalemate with Waterhouse in a lively Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (WNJPL) encounter at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall on Monday.
It was a contest worthy to be the first at the venue in almost 10 months as fans, who braved a downpour, were treated to end-to-end action for the most parts. The small turnout particularly came to life when Montego Bay United through Lucas Lima Correa (75th) and Owayne Gordon (83rd) overturned a two-goal deficit, after the League's leading scorer Javane Bryan (32nd) and Revaldo Mitchell (59th) put Waterhouse up.
With the point, eighth-placed Montego Bay United inched up 19 points, one behind Waterhouse in seventh position.
Montego Bay United's Head coach Neider Dos Santos welcomed the point as part of their steady ascension up the order.
"I feel like we should have won the match in the last 20 minutes, but we didn't and it's just the nature of the game because they played well in the first half, and we played better in the second half. Our midfield was very open in the first half, and we fixed it second half and we proved something because even two goals down the players never gave up. So, we just have to build on this," he said in a post-match interview.
Waterhouse adjusted best to the underfoot conditions and dominated proceedings for most of the first half but squandered numerous chances. They inevitably broke the deadlock two minutes past the half-hour mark when Navardo Blair's weighted cross found and unmarked Bryan, who expertly headed home his 10th on the season.
Montego Bay United's best chances of the half came through Gordon and Brian Brown, but both were denied by Kemar Foster's brilliance in goal for Waterhouse, as they went to the break 1-0 up.
Waterhouse maintained their momentum on the resumption and doubled the lead on the stroke of the hour mark through Mitchell, who rose highest to steer Denardo Thomas' well-weighted corner kick past the advancing William Ferreira.
The Drewsland-based team could have added to their tally and put the game beyond doubt, but for faulty shooting on the part of the usually clinical Andre Fletcher and others, and they later paid for their profligacy.
Lucas Lima Correa pulled one back for Montego Bay United in the 75th when he finished off a rebound for his third goal of the season after Foster blocked Brown's initial effort.
And the host were back on level terms eighth minutes later when Gordon applied a delightful first touch to Gregson President's chip pass, followed by a stinging left-footed drive that whistled past Foster, who had no chance at a save. That goal marked Gordon's second since his recent return to Jamaica's top-flight, and 48th across his Premier League career.
Both teams pushed for the win but came up short and had to settle for a share of the spoils.
Waterhouse's Head coach Marcel Gayle, like his counterpart felt the win was there for the taking.
"When you look at it, it could be considered a loss, but nevertheless I thought we played well. I thought we were in full control of the game until we lost concentration and gave up two silly goals. It has been an issue for us all season and we paid for it, so we just have to take the point, move on and turn our attention to the next game," Gayle noted.
Matchweek 15 Results
Lime Hall Academy 0, Portmore United 2
Mount Pleasant 1, Treasure Beach 0
Harbour View 0, Vere United 0
Humble Lion 0, Dunbeholden FC 0
Tivoli Gardens 0, Cavalier FC 0
Arnett Gardens 4, Molynes United 1
Montego Bay United 2, Waterhouse 2
City Of Troy has been rated just 1lb lower than the figure achieved by the mighty Frankel as a two-year-old after being officially crowned the champion juvenile of 2023.
The son of American Triple Crown hero Justify carried all before him in each of his three starts last season, landing a Curragh maiden and the Group Two Superlative Stakes before putting the seal on a memorable campaign with a scintillating Group One success in the Dewhurst at Newmarket.
With a rating of 125, the colt becomes the 13th European champion juvenile trained by Aidan O’Brien and puts him only marginally behind Frankel and the Ballydoyle handler’s highest-rated two-year-old to date in Johannesburg, who were both given a mark of 126 following their respective debut seasons.
In the immediate aftermath of City Of Troy’s Dewhurst triumph, O’Brien said: “He is the best two-year-old we’ve trained, there’s no doubt”, while part-owner Michael Tabor described the hugely-exciting colt as “our Frankel”.
Reflecting on City Of Troy’s achievements, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s handicapper Mark Bird said: “City Of Troy proved himself the cream of the two-year-old crop in Europe this year with three impressive performances between July and October.
“His rating of 125 places him alongside high-class horses such as Zafonic and Fasliyev at the same stage of their careers and behind only four-time Group One-winning juvenile Johannesburg among his own stable’s illustrious roll call of European Champion Two-Year-Olds.”
City Of Troy finished clear of his rivals in the final classification, with Phoenix Stakes hero Bucanero Fuerte best of the rest with a figure of 120.
City Of Troy’s stablemate Henry Longfellow, who defeated Bucanero Fuerte to land the National Stakes at the Curragh in September, achieved a mark of 119 to take joint-third honours alongside Simon and Ed Crisford’s Middle Park Stakes victor Vandeek, who is the highest-rated British-trained juvenile.
Graeme Smith, the British Horseracing Authority’s handicapping team leader, said of Vandeek: “He posted the best two performances by a British-trained juvenile in 2023.
“His narrow defeat of the excellent French filly Ramatuelle came in one of the strongest renewals of the Prix Morny (118) in recent years and he was marginally better again when winning the Middle Park with authority on his final start (119).”
Jamaica's 400m world champion, Antonio Watson, is gearing up for the challenge of a lifetime as he sets his sights on the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. The 22-year-old sprint sensation, who was recently named Jamaica’s Sportsman of the Year 2023, is not resting on his laurels and has outlined an ambitious goal – to dip below the 44-second mark in the 400m.
Watson, a former Petersfield High School star, made history in 2023 by becoming the first Jamaican in four decades to clinch gold in the one-lap sprint at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. His standout performance included a personal best of 44.13 in the semi-finals, followed by a stunning victory in the final with a time of 44.22. These times solidified his position as the third-fastest Jamaican ever in the 400m, tied with Nathon Allen, and trailing only Rusheen McDonald (43.93) and Akeem Bloomfield (43.94).
As Watson basks in the glory of being named Sportsman of the Year, he remains acutely aware of the challenges awaiting him in Paris. The return of formidable competitors, including the likes of Steven Gardiner, Michael Norman, Wayde van Niekerk, and Kirani James, means the road to Olympic success won't be an easy one.
Watson expressed his clear objective for the Paris Olympics, stating, “My objective is to dip below 44 seconds. So, for me, I'm just trying to stay focused and stay healthy and just work hard.” The young athlete is resolute in his determination to push himself to new limits in pursuit of Olympic glory.
Reflecting on his unexpected success at the World Championships in 2023, Watson admitted that his initial goal was simply to make the finals. However, after an impressive opening round, he saw an opportunity and decided to seize the moment.
“After the first round, I said anything is possible because any card can play. So I just I just stay focused.”
Winning his first Athlete of the Year award adds to the motivation for Watson, who emphasized the significance of his parents witnessing the achievement.
“It is a big moment and I am glad my parents were here to witness it so it will keep me motivated and give me the strength to push forward.”
The Betfair Ascot Chase is seen as the perfect stepping stone to the “greatest race of the season” by connections of L’Homme Presse, as they plot a course to the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
There were emotional scenes in the Lingfield winner’s enclosure on Sunday, after Venetia Williams’ nine-year-old defied a 391-day absence with a victorious return to action in the Fleur De Lys Chase to put himself firmly in the Gold Cup picture.
But before the blue riband, L’Homme Presse could drop back to two miles and five furlongs at Ascot and seek a third Grade One triumph on February 17.
“He’s won at Ascot before, he won the graduation chase there, so we know he likes it there,” said Andy Edwards, who owns L’Homme Presse in partnership with Peter Pink
“It’s a lovely, big galloping track and the fences take proper jumping and he’s a good jumper.
“The timing is almost exactly four weeks to Ascot and then the same to the Gold Cup, so everything is right for him and that is where we would like to go really.”
Having successfully blown any cobwebs away on his eagerly-awaited return in the Winter Million Festival feature, the L’Homme Presse team are determined to leave no stone unturned in their quest to have their charge arrive at the Gold Cup primed to perfection on March 15.
“When we discussed this with Venetia and the other owners Pat and Peter (Pink) and Pam (Edwards, wife), they are racehorses and they love their racing and are ready to race,” continued Edwards.
“If we had one or two runs before Christmas, we might be saying we will wait for the Gold Cup, but this was our first run of the season and a stepping stone, and Ascot will be another stepping stone to what is the greatest race of the season, the Gold Cup.
“There’s nowhere to hide and you can’t be ring-rusty when you go to the Gold Cup, you have to be spot on.
“Yes there’s an element of taking your opportunities when they arise because as we found last year something small can upturn the apple cart, but it is another stepping stone and we felt along with Venetia that this is the right way to go.”
The Fleur De Lys showdown between L’Homme Presse and Dan Skelton’s Protektorat lived up to its top billing as the focal point of Sunday’s Winter Million card, with the duo embroiled in a titanic tussle all the way up the Lingfield home straight.
The winner is reported to have bounced sprightly out of his return to action, while Edwards is also keen to point out it takes two to make a great race, with the sportsmanship of the Protektorat team coming to the fore post-race.
“I went down to see him first thing this morning and he’s tip-top, everything is fine he has come out of the race for well,” he added.
“The best horse on the day won and it could easily have been Protektorat. He had race-fitness on his side and he gave us 4lb for that race fitness. It was a great spectacle for everyone and for the sport.
“As the horses were going out I went over to Dan Skelton and we both had these big silly grins on and wished each other the best of luck and hoped it would be a great spectacle and everyone comes home happy.
“He was then one of the first people to come up to me and congratulate me in the winner’s enclosure afterwards and that speaks volumes of him. His horse was marvellous, Protektorat jumped like a stag and I imagine all his connections and the staff at Dan’s yard are really proud of him, as they should be, and as we are of L’Homme Presse.
“It was a proper horse race from two excellent racehorses.”
It had been a long and anxious 13-month wait to see L’Homme Presse back on the track since an injury discovered shortly after his run in the 2022 King George VI Chase crushed dreams of competing in last year’s Gold Cup.
His comeback triumph was met with rapturous applause by those in attendance at Lingfield and L’Homme Presse’s journey back to racecourse action was credited as the cause for the emotional post-race scenes as Edwards reflected on an unforgettable afternoon at the Surrey venue.
Edwards added: “You’ve all seen me in tears (on television) – sometimes you don’t need words, the emotions speak volumes in their own way.
“Thirteen months has been a long time, and the King George and Boxing Day was a horrible day for all of us. You can only dream of having a runner in the King George and for it to end in such a sad way that day, from there until now has been a long road and a long journey. I think if we weren’t emotional, I don’t think we should be in it (racing).
“The cameras never showed everyone else in tears outside of the winner’s enclosure – people who knew me or may have had dealings with me – but a lot of people were in tears because what a great emotion it is when you see a story or journey like that. It should be emotional.
“The amount of well-wishes and warmth I received from people wanting him to run well was fantastic and Martin Cruddace (CEO of Arena Racing Company) said to me the roar he got when he won and came back to the winner’s enclosure, it made the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. You could really feel the love for the horse.”
Ground conditions at Doncaster are likely to dictate whether Famous Bridge is rerouted to Saturday’s Great Yorkshire Chase after the weather scuppered his planned return to Haydock last weekend.
The eight-year-old, who runs in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, has won his last two starts over fences at the latter venue, most recently landing the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase pre-Christmas.
He was due to bid for a hat-trick on Merseyside in Saturday’s Peter Marsh Chase, but the abandonment of Haydock’s card has forced trainer Nicky Richards back to the drawing board.
When asked whether it was the plan to run Famous Bridge in the Great Yorkshire Chase, the Greystoke handler said: “It is and it isn’t. Mick (Meagher, racing manager) said to put him in, so we confirmed him, but we’ll just be keeping an eye on the ground. If it’s windy and dry all week and it’s edging towards good ground, I’m not quite sure what we’ll be thinking.
“He’s in grand form and it’s a shame Saturday was off (at Haydock). I don’t know why they couldn’t reschedule for Sunday, but I suppose in the circumstances that wouldn’t have been very pleasant either.
“A bit of good to soft ground wouldn’t bother him. I wouldn’t like to pigeon-hole him and say he’s just a Haydock horse or anything like that. He’s won two around Wetherby, he’s won at Kelso and Ayr – this horse would go around anywhere.
“He’s just a proper National Hunt horse, a fairly big boy and a strong horse, so we’ll just keep an eye on the weather and the ground and see where we are later in the week.”
Richards – whose yard was feeling the effects of Storm Isha on Monday, being without power for large parts of the day – has also confirmed Universal Folly, who has won three times and finished second on four occasions from only eight chase starts, and the trainer feels a sound surface may bring him into the equation off a light weight.
He added: “His owner is away on holiday, he’s in Barbados, I think, and I think I woke him up this morning when I gave him a call and asked him what he thought about entering for Doncaster.
“There is also the Edinburgh Grand National at Musselburgh for him and if it’s softer ground at Doncaster, the Musselburgh race might not be as strong, so we’ll just see what the weather does.
“If it’s a windy, dry week, I know it will take a lot of winning the Great Yorkshire, but it might take a bit less winning if it’s on good ground as a lot of other trainers might be thinking like we’re thinking with Famous Bridge.
“We’ll just see how the week pans out, but he’s in grand form as well and is ready to run somewhere.”
The Richards pair are among 27 horses still in the mix for the £100,000 contest, with the weights headed by Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law, who looked the likely winner when falling at the final fence 12 months ago.
Snowden could also saddle Git Maker, while ante-post favourite Victtorino is set to represent Ventia Williams following back-to-back wins at Ascot.
Other hopefuls include Anthony Honeyball’s Forward Plan and the Nicky Henderson-trained Mister Coffey, who finished first and second over the course and distance last month, and the improving Surrey Quest from Toby Lawes’ stable.
The only remaining Irish contender is the Emmet Mullins-trained Sweet Will.
St. Lucian Lewis University sprinter Tyler Toussaint opened his 2024 season with a 60m win at the Notre Dame Invitational on Saturday.
The 22-year-old was the fastest man in the preliminaries with 6.90 before producing 6.86 to win the final ahead of DePaul’s Dominic Cole (6.91) and Eastern Illinois’s Cameron Yarbrough (6.92).
Toussaint finished third in the 100m at the St. Lucian Championships in 10.76 last year. His personal best 10.65 was done in the semi-finals of those championships.
Toussaint’s schoolmate, Barbadian Khristel Martindale, ran 7.63 for second in the women’s 60m which was won by Notre Dame’s Michelle Quinn in 7.57. Another Lewis University sprinter Rose Ogbuli was third in 7.68.
Martindale was a finalist in both the 100m and 200m at the 2023 Carifta Games in Nassau, finishing sixth in the 100m in 11.97 and fourth in the 200m in 24.25.
Persistence paid off for Hayley Turner after she bounced back from being unshipped leaving the paddock to ride Flag Carrier to victory at Kempton.
The 41-year-old was thrown off in dramatic fashion ahead of the Try Unibet’s Improved Bet Builder Handicap and the Harry Eustace-trained gelding had to be walked down to the start on his own.
Turner only got back on board her mount in the stalls and the three-year-old continued to cause her problems by pulling hard in the early stages.
However, when Flag Carrier finally settled down to business in the home straight of the seven-furlong contest, he picked up well from mid-division and went on to score by a length at 3-1.
“I think what’s happened is that he’s run with the blinkers on quite a lot and I just think it might have got the better of him today,” Turner told Racing TV.
“He’s been here before but he’s just got himself into a tizzle, so I think the guys have done a really good job of actually getting him to the start in one piece.
“I should probably give them my riding fee, because actually in the race he was a little bit keen but did it quite comfortably in the end.”
It was the first time Turner had partnered Flag Carrier, who broke his duck at the seventh time of asking, and she was happy to laugh off his unruly behaviour beforehand.
“He wasn’t the most straightforward and that’s not him generally, but he just had a bee in his bonnet today,” added the jockey.
“He still won despite that and at least I got a nice fall, because I landed in the hedge. The hedge hasn’t done very well out of it, but I was fine!”
Fergal O’Brien is happy with his plan to send Long Walk hero Crambo straight to the Stayers’ Hurdle, as he begins to step up his star performer’s work ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.
Owned by Jared Sullivan and Chris Giles, the seven-year-old advertised his potential with some fine performances in handicap company, including when winning last year’s EBF Final at Sandown.
However, he announced himself as a major player in the staying division when outbattling the stalwart Paisley Park to claim Grade One honours at Ascot prior to Christmas.
Crambo is as short as 6-1 for Cheltenham success in the spring, but while some of his Stayers’ Hurdle counterparts will tune-up for Festival action in Saturday’s Cleeve Hurdle, O’Brien is content to prepare his charge at his Ravenswell Farm base.
“Crambo is in great form and he had a hard race at Ascot, so he’s just stepping up his work again and tipping away,” said O’Brien.
“Eve, who looks after him and rides him, is very happy with him and he actually did his first piece of work on Saturday since he won and we were very happy with him.
“He was in a proper battle with those boys at Ascot and he doesn’t need to do that again until Cheltenham, so fingers crossed he will turn up at Cheltenham in the same form as Ascot and do the job for us.
“What I loved about Ascot was he jumped the last and looked like he was going to go away and win and Paisley Park thought ‘I’m not giving this up’ and actually got back ahead of him.
“Five or six strides from the line, he managed to get back in front and started to go away again, so it will give him huge confidence and give Johnny (Burke, jockey) confidence in him.
“He doesn’t show anything at home but he just has a fantastic will to win.”
O’Brien is still to taste success at National Hunt’s showpiece meeting but will head to Prestbury Park with one of his strongest hands to date, as alongside Crambo, he is also poised to saddle Dysart Enos, who is one of the leading fancies for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
The Grade Two bumper winner has maintained her unbeaten record since switching to timber this term and is in line to complete her Festival preparations at Doncaster on Sunday in the Download The At The Races App Novices’ Hurdle.
“She hopefully goes to Doncaster on Sunday for just an ordinary novice,” continued O’Brien.
“Fingers crossed, she can have a nice clear round there, do her job and then go to Cheltenham.
“She wouldn’t be able to wait until Cheltenham, it would be too long for her, but we’ve been very happy with her.”
Givemefive looks set to take his famous golfing owners to the Cheltenham Festival after maintaining his unbeaten record over obstacles with a runaway success at Warwick.
The four-year-old carries the colours of Smash Racing, a syndicate that includes a couple of Major champions in Northern Ireland’s 2010 US Open hero Graeme McDowell and his American colleague Brooks Koepka, who claimed back-to-back victories in the same event in 2017 and 2018 and has also won three PGA Championships.
A winner on the Flat for Johnny Murtagh in September, the Holy Roman Emperor gelding was subsequently snapped up to pursue a jumping career with Harry Derham.
Derham recalled how winning a challenge with McDowell during a Pro-Am contest led to him getting the two golfing stars on board.
He said: “I’ve known Graeme for a long time and the conversation about owning a racehorse came about at a Pro-Am event. He said if I got closer to the pin than him then he would buy a horse and I somehow managed to get it within a few feet of it and beat him.
“Graeme then got the other guys involved and they are both very engaged in all the conversations about the horse on WhatsApp.”
With Koepka’s friend Daniel Gambill also an owner, Givemefive made a successful debut for his new connections at Market Rasen last month and was a 2-1 shot to follow up under a penalty in the Hazelton Mountford Insurance Brokers Juvenile Hurdle.
Derham had been eyeing the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Festival prior to his second jumping start – and while that still looks his most likely Cheltenham target, the trainer admitted he will also have to look at the Triumph Hurdle following a dominant 18-length victory in the hands of Paul O’Brien.
It could be a big weekend for Gary Moore’s juveniles as Irish Derby fourth Peking Opera is pencilled in to begin life over obstacles at Fontwell on Sunday.
The son of Galileo was a Listed winner for Aidan O’Brien on the Flat before going on to finish just over nine lengths adrift of Auguste Rodin at the Curragh in the summer.
He also saw Group One action in the Grand Prix de Paris before finishing his spell at Ballydoyle with a third behind Vauban in the Ballyroan Stakes.
The four-year-old is now set to try his hand at a new discipline and, having been picked up for 100,000 guineas at the sales, has joined Gary Moore to run in Steve Packham’s colours, made famous by Goshen.
He can be backed at a best price of 20-1 for the Triumph Hurdle, but before thoughts of the Cheltenham Festival enter the picture, he will have to pass his first assignment, having been handed an entry for the Join The Vickers.Bet Free Bet Club Novices’ Hurdle.
“If everything is all right, we might run on Sunday at Fontwell,” said Moore.
“We’re running tight on time and I need to get a run into him.”
Although Peking Opera has yet to jump a hurdle in public, stablemate Salver has already put down a marker when romping to a wide-margin victory in Chepstow’s Finale Juvenile Hurdle over Christmas.
A best price of 14-1 for the Triumph, he is unbeaten in three over obstacles and holds an entry for the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday although ground conditions at Prestbury Park are set to determine his participation.
“The horse is very well and he has an entry just in case the ground came up soft,” said Moore.
“He’s probably not going to get his ground and if it did come up soft, he would go there, but if it isn’t then he won’t go.
“It’s a stiff two-mile-one and I thought I would just make the entry, but he would be 50-50 – it would have to be good to soft or softer at least. I wouldn’t even want too much good in it, I want it proper soft ground.
“I’m very mindful of the fact he has improved with every time he has run and it will also depend on how he works in the morning more than anything.”
Jonbon is the headline act among six entries for the rearranged Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham – but Gary Moore is hoping history will repeat itself for defending champion Editeur Du Gite.
Nicky Henderson’s Tingle Creek hero began his campaign with victory in the Shloer Chase at Prestbury Park in November and was fully on course for a clash with old adversary El Fabiolo at the race’s traditional home of Ascot last Saturday.
With that card falling victim to the weather, the Seven Barrows handler was eager for the race to be swiftly rearranged to the Cheltenham Festival Trials Day, as it was when Editeur Du Gite downed Edwardstone and Energumene in a thrilling contest 12 months ago.
There is set to be no Irish representation this time around, with as expected El Fabiolo keeping his powder dry in favour of the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown a week later.
But Jonbon will head to the Cotswolds, with Moore also keen to add Editeur Du Gite’s name to the mix on the back of his second Desert Orchid Chase victory over the Christmas period.
“It would be nice wouldn’t it, if lightning could strike twice,” said Moore.
“He seems in good order and the horse is very well – he’s entitled to take his chance.
“We’re under no illusions we will beat Jonbon, but I just hope he runs a big race – I’m sure he will.”
Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra got the better of Elixir De Nutz in the battle for second when three lengths adrift of Editeur Du Gite at Kempton last month and both are set to reoppose in the Grade One contest.
Despite struggling to make an impression so far this term, Venetia Williams’ Funambule Sivola finished second in the Champion Chase behind Energumene in 2022 and represents a team in good order.
Richard Hobson’s December Gold Cup hero Fugitif completes the entries but is also engaged in the £100,000 Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase on the card.
Betfair Chase champion Royale Pagaille will get the chance to strengthen Venetia Williams’ Cheltenham Gold Cup hand in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase.
Owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci, the 10-year-old looked to be at the peak of his powers at Haydock in November when scooping his first Grade One success, and is one of six entries for the blue riband trial at Prestbury Park on Saturday.
Royale Pagaille was set to return to his favoured Merseyside venue for a crack at the Peter Marsh before the cold snap intervened, but his trainer is more than happy to head to Cheltenham, where he could follow up stablemate L’Homme Presse’s dazzling success in Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase.
“He’s been good since Haydock (Betfair Chase), the Peter Marsh looked a nice opportunity for him, but he’s not run badly at Cheltenham before so we will see,” said Williams.
“If you take his run in the Betfair at Haydock in a straight line, it suggests, at the age he is, he is at a career high, so let’s hope. We will see how we get on.”
Patrick Neville’s King George fourth The Real Whacker and Paul Nicholls’ well-regarded novice Stay Away Fay both have fond memories of Prestbury Park and were successful at the Cheltenham Festival last year, while Lucinda Russell will be hoping a return to the Cotswolds inspires Ahoy Senor, who was victorious 12 months ago.
Jamie Snowden’s Coral Gold Cup hero Datsalrightgino and Irish raider Capodanno are also in the mix.
There may be no Constitution Hill in the Unibet Hurdle, but it promises to be a competitive event with 10 in the mix at the six-day stage.
Willie Mullins has three possible runners, with Festival scorers Impaire Et Passe and Lossiemouth both handed entries alongside stablemate and fellow Grade One winner Gala Marceau. However, both Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau are engaged at Doncaster on the same afternoon.
Rubaud has marked himself out as one of the best British two-mile hurdlers this term and chased home Constitution Hill at Christmas, while James Owen has given Triumph Hurdle favourite Burdett Road the option of competing in open company despite also holding an entry for the Triumph trial that opens proceedings.
Love Envoi has seen possible outings at both Sandown and Lingfield scuppered by the weather in recent weeks, but now gets the chance to return to a track where she has a fine record.
“We looked at going to Lingfield but obviously that wasn’t on, but she will have a run in the International on Saturday,” said Noel Fehily of her owners Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates.
“She’s run well on the New course before, she’s in great form and we’re really looking forward to getting her out again.
“There are probably going to be a few Irish horses coming over, but it is a good race, there’s plenty of prize-money on offer. It’s going to be competitive, but we’re looking forward to running her.”
Also on the card some of the best staying hurdlers around will clash in the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle and Emma Lavelle’s Paisley Park is one of 10 entrants as he seeks his fourth victory in the race.
Fellow veteran Dashel Drasher was second in the race behind French raider Gold Tweet last year before filling the same spot in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival, while Nicky Henderson could call on the services of both Champ and Marie’s Rock.
Emmet Mullins’ Grand National hero Noble Yeats and Dan Skelton’s West Balboa are other notable names on the list of entrants.
Jereem Richards and Michelle-Lee Ahye, two outstanding athletes from Trinidad and Tobago, were crowned the "Athletes of the Year" for 2023 at the National Association of Athletics Administration of T&T (NAAATT) annual awards ceremony held at the Radisson Hotel in Port-of-Spain on Saturday.
Richards, a sprinter representing the Abilene Wildcats, secured the men's honor for the sixth time, previously winning in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. His exceptional achievements in 2023 included a gold medal in the men's 400 meters at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in El Salvador, where he set a personal best time of 44.54 seconds.
Additionally, Richards played a crucial role in anchoring T&T’s men’s 4x400m team to victory at the CAC Games. Despite being the lone local athlete to reach the semifinal round at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Richards finished the year with the 18th quickest 400m time (44.54) globally. He also ran the 25th fastest time (20.08) in the 200m.
Michelle-Lee Ahye, a renowned sprinter and 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, claimed the women's "Athlete of the Year" following her impressive bronze medal run in the women's 100m at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on October 31. This marked her eighth time winning the top women's crown, having previously achieved the honor in 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2013.
The junior "Athletes of the Year" were awarded to Sanaa Frederick and Tafari Waldron. Frederick, a US-born athlete, secured the junior female trophy after winning the Carifta Girls Under-20 200m in the Bahamas and contributing to T&T's silver in the girls' U-20 4x100m and 4x400m. Waldron, representing Cougars Athletic Club, claimed the Carifta boys’ U-20 5,000m title.
Richards and Ahye were absent from the ceremony.
As the accolades were distributed to these exceptional athletes, the ceremony also recognized Janae De Gannes and Imani Matthew as the Youth "Athletes of the Year," with Kernesha Shelbourne receiving the President’s Rising Star Award.
Intellotto could lead Joseph O’Brien’s small but select team into battle at next month’s Dublin Racing Festival, with his stablemate Nurburgring set to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Having shaped with promise on the Flat, Intellotto made a smart start to his career over timber at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and is being readied for an immediate step up to Grade One level in the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle on February 3.
Nurburgring, who has already won a Grade Three over hurdles and was narrowly beaten by Kala Conti in a Grade Two at Leopardstown last time, also holds a Spring Juvenile entry, but he may now be kept fresh for the showpiece meeting in the Cotswolds.
O’Brien said: “We’re probably just going to run Intellotto in the Grade One in Leopardstown and Nurburgring will probably go straight for the Triumph Hurdle.
“Intellotto produced a smart performance over the course and distance. It’s obviously a big jump in class to go straight into a Grade One, but I think he deserves a shot at it.”
O’Brien’s Boldog made a big impression on his hurdling debut at Tramore on New Year’s Day, but his trainer revealed he is unlikely to take up his Grade One entry in Leopardstown’s Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle.
Discussing his other options for the meeting, O’Brien added: “Boldog is probably not going to go, but I have Busselton in a handicap, Solness in a handicap and I have Roedora in the Graded mares’ bumper.”
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