Lucinda Russell is keen to run Ahoy Senor in Saturday’s Betfair Ascot Chase to see if he warrants his place in the Ryanair at Cheltenham.
Pulled up on his first two outings of the season, the Grade One-winning novice chaser showed much more of his old spark last time out at Cheltenham.
Running in the Cotswold Chase, which he had won 12 months earlier, Ahoy Senor was still bang in contention approaching the third last when jockey Stephen Mulqueen’s stirrup leather broke.
Regular rider Derek Fox will be back on board this weekend having returned from injury when he will meet his old foe L’Homme Presse, who beat him into second in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival in 2022.
“He’s on track for the Ascot Chase on Saturday and I’m quite hopeful he’ll run very well,” Russell told her William Hill blog.
“It was so unfortunate what happened at Cheltenham with the stirrup breaking as he was travelling brilliantly. He’s been really well at home since and we’re looking forward to it. We all know he takes a bit of time to get going, but he comes alive in the spring.”
One problem Ahoy Senor may have this weekend is the fact Ascot is right-handed as he has never won when going in that direction.
“Going right-handed at Ascot is a bit of a worry, but we won’t really know until he tries it,” said Russell.
“We’re dropping back in trip as the Ryanair looks a very good option for him. If you’re classy enough to win a Gold Cup, then you’re certainly classy enough to win a Ryanair. His run style suggests this might just be what he wants now.”
Another runner for the stable on the card will be the mare Apple Away in the Sodexo Live! Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase as she builds towards a possible tilt at the Ultima next month.
“The plan is to run her in the Reynoldstown at Ascot on Saturday. She looks very fit at the moment and has come to hand well since Warwick. It gives her a bit more jumping experience ahead of the big spring festivals and again this will help us decide where we target her,” said Russell.
“All options are open at this stage and while we were leaning towards the Ultima, it’s not a definite by any means.
“I think she’s better than she showed at Warwick and I thought she probably ran with the choke out a bit too much. She bumped into a pretty smart horse too and I think she might just take a little bit of time to really come into herself. If you look back to last year, she really thrived after the turn of the year and the way she looks now, might just be evidence of that.”
Gentlemansgame remains on target for a crack at the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup having recovered from a setback which ruled him out of the Savills Chase at Christmas.
Mouse Morris’s grey has only been seen twice this campaign, at Gowran over an inadequate trip and when lowering the colours of last season’s King George winner Bravemansgame in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.
Morris had wanted to take on Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown over Christmas but a stone bruise put paid to that and it was then decided to keep him fresh for Cheltenham rather than take in the Irish Gold Cup.
The Fethard handler’s last Festival win came via First Lieutenant in what is now the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle in 2011 but he does have a Gold Cup win to his name thanks to War Of Attrition in 2006.
“Touch wood, he’s on target, he obviously had the hiccup which ruled him out of Christmas but he did a nice bit of work on Saturday, so we’re on track as long as we don’t have any hold ups,” said Morris.
“He had a stone bruise but it went right up to his foot, it went very deep.
“We didn’t bring him over last season as he had a setback. He’d beaten the winner of the Irish National (I Am Maximus) in his beginners’ chase but he’s so big, he keeps having issues.
“We took him down to the beach the other day, we take all the Cheltenham horses there, it’s a bit of a tradition and it’s great for them, a bit of a change.
“He goes well fresh and he’ll be fit as a fiddle, don’t worry about that, experience is the problem.”
Despite the Charlie Hall being only his third outing over fences, Morris fancied his chances.
“I hate saying it but I was very hopeful going to Wetherby as he’d run a good race at Gowran over two and a half against a horse (Easy Game) who has won 15 times or something like that,” he said.
“We couldn’t take him to the north (Down Royal) as the other fella (Gerri Colombe, same ownership) was, but I was confident.
“There’s absolutely no similarities with War Of Attrition, he probably lacks a bit of toe but he jumps well and stays forever.
“Most of mine don’t run from Christmas to Cheltenham, not many of the winners have, anyway.
“Darragh (O’Keeffe) will ride him, he’s only had three runs over fences and we’ll take him somewhere to school.
“I’d say he might not be fast enough to make it! He’ll be doing his best work at the end I’d say.
“I don’t miss being in the spotlight but I don’t mind it. I never had more than 35 horses in and I’m still about 30 but they just aren’t the same quality, unfortunately, you just can’t compete.”
Kieran Cotter’s star filly Matilda Picotte will kick off her season in the Turf Sprint at the Saudi Cup meeting on February 24.
A promising juvenile, she made a taking start to her three-year-old season when second in a Guineas Trial at Leopardstown and was then third in the 1000 Guineas itself at Epsom in May.
She rounded off the year with back-to-back successes in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster and the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket, both over seven furlongs.
The ultimate aim this year is to pick up a Group One prize, but first she will start out her campaign in the Middle East as she is among the entries for the 1351 Saudi Turf Sprint, a seven-furlong Group Two run for a prize fund of over £1.5 million.
“She doing fantastic, she had a break for six or seven weeks out at grass and then prior to Christmas we got an invitation to run in the Sprint,” Cotter said.
“She’s back in and being prepared for that, we’re delighted with her and she leaves for Saudi on Saturday morning to run the following Saturday.
“She flies from Shannon to Stansted and then it’s direct to Riyadh, door to door it’s a 20-hour journey which is no more than from here to Newmarket and she’s a very good traveller.”
Matilda Picotte is owned by the Matilda and Kilmichael Racing Partnership, some of whom will make the journey to Saudi Arabia to see her start what they hope will be a fruitful season at the top level.
“We’re looking forward to seeing her give her best. Her last run was exceptional but she’ll need to bring her whole A-game to the table in two weeks time,” Cotter said,
“It’s a good international field and I think the first, second and third from last time are going to turn up again.
“It’s serious money and we had to take the opportunity, our main target this year is to try to win a Group One with her and it’s a Group Two but if she’s a Group One horse she’ll have to go close.
“A few of the owners are going, there’ll be enough there to make a bit of noise anyway! She’s never run a bad race so it’s all to play for.”
Kieran Cotter’s star filly Matilda Picotte will kick off her season in the Turf Sprint at the Saudi Cup meeting on February 24.
A promising juvenile, she made a taking start to her three-year-old season when second in a Guineas Trial at Leopardstown and was then third in the 1000 Guineas itself at Epsom in May.
She rounded off the year with back-to-back successes in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster and the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket, both over seven furlongs.
The ultimate aim this year is to pick up a Group One prize, but first she will start out her campaign in the Middle East as she is among the entries for the 1351 Saudi Turf Sprint, a seven-furlong Group Two run for a prize fund of over £1.5 million.
“She doing fantastic, she had a break for six or seven weeks out at grass and then prior to Christmas we got an invitation to run in the Sprint,” Cotter said.
“She’s back in and being prepared for that, we’re delighted with her and she leaves for Saudi on Saturday morning to run the following Saturday.
“She flies from Shannon to Stansted and then it’s direct to Riyadh, door to door it’s a 20-hour journey which is no more than from here to Newmarket and she’s a very good traveller.”
Matilda Picotte is owned by the Matilda and Kilmichael Racing Partnership, some of whom will make the journey to Saudi Arabia to see her start what they hope will be a fruitful season at the top level.
“We’re looking forward to seeing her give her best. Her last run was exceptional but she’ll need to bring her whole A-game to the table in two weeks time,” Cotter said,
“It’s a good international field and I think the first, second and third from last time are going to turn up again.
“It’s serious money and we had to take the opportunity, our main target this year is to try to win a Group One with her and it’s a Group Two but if she’s a Group One horse she’ll have to go close.
“A few of the owners are going, there’ll be enough there to make a bit of noise anyway! She’s never run a bad race so it’s all to play for.”
The City of York Stakes will again be contested as a Group Two in 2024 after an attempt to have it upgraded to the highest level was unsuccessful.
Much work has been been put into trying to achieve Group One status for the seven-furlong contest in recent years, with the race achieving the requisite rating in 2023, when it was won for a second successive campaign by Kinross.
However, the European Pattern Committee failed to agree to an upgrading of the race, which would have been the only top-level contest at that distance in Britain, as well as opting not to reclassify the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot as a Group One.
Ruth Quinn, the British Horseracing Authority’s director of international racing and development, said: “After more than a decade of building towards Britain’s first seven-furlong Group One in the City of York Stakes, with the open encouragement of the EPC, the race achieved the required rating parameter in 2023.
“Sadly, however, it seemed the committee could not support this upgrade unanimously at this time.
“We remain hopeful of working with the committee to demonstrate why our ambition would be of collective benefit to the European Pattern, in the same way as we will for the Long Distance Cup on Qipco’s British Champions Day in order for that too to become a long-awaited and much-deserved Group One race.”
The Group Three Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury plus two Listed races, the Ganton Stakes at York and the Scarbrough Stakes at Doncaster, have been voluntarily removed from the black type programme while three high-profile British races are theoretically “at potential risk of downgrade depending on their performance in 2024”.
The Group One Commonwealth Cup – the six-furlong three-year-old sprint at Royal Ascot introduced in 2015 – is one of those in possible danger, along with the five-furlong Temple Stakes at Haydock and the Chester Vase, a Derby trial that has produced subsequent Epsom winners such as Henbit, Shergar and Ruler Of The World.
A notable downgrade in France is the Prix Saint Alary which drops to Group Two level, with the overall number of Pattern and Listed races declining from 852 in 2022 to 826 in 2024, a change that concerns EPC chair Jason Morris.
He said: “The European Pattern Committee continues to enforce the most stringent international quality control measures so that the racing and breeding industries can have the utmost confidence in the quality of European black type.
“However, this also reflects a worrying overall decline in the ratings of European black type races, with an increasing number of races coming under review and many three-year-old races in particular struggling to achieve their required parameters.
“The reported increasing exports of quality horses overseas is of concern to the EPC, and the major European racing nations are committed to working together to ensure the continued production and retention of sufficient high-class horses to sustain our domestic and international programmes, with a particular focus on the middle distance and staying race areas.”
Henry de Bromhead will rely on a mixture of some familiar faces and fresh talent at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
The Knockeen handler has enjoyed exceptional Festival results in recent years, securing back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cup wins with Minella Indo and A Plus Tard in 2021 and 2022 respectively and successive Champion Hurdles with Honeysuckle.
Put The Kettle On, the 2021 Champion Chase victor, Triumph Hurdle hero Quilixios, Ryanair Chase winner Envoi Allen and dual Festival scorer Bob Olinger are others to have taken starring roles for De Bromhead in the last few years, with the trainer having 21 Festival winners on his record.
Honeysuckle bowed out in a blaze of glory in last year’s Mares’ Hurdle while A Plus Tard was retired last month, leaving De Bromhead to look to other quarters this time.
He said: “We’re probably not as strong as previous years but I probably feel that every year to be fair!
“Obviously our galacticos that we had are either a bit older now or have retired, but we have got a lot of nice young horses coming through and we’ll see how we get on.
“I’m not sure (how many we will send) yet, I’d say in and around 20, we try to keep it tight. Hopefully there’s plenty of nice ones there, so we will see how we go.”
Minella Indo is one of those who is back for more, making his sixth Festival appearance as he moves to the cross country sphere in the Glenfarclas Chase.
The 11-year-old has switched disciplines as De Bromhead and owner Barry Maloney look to extend his career, with an initial fourth over the banks course in December raising hopes of a bold Festival showing and a possible subsequent Randox Grand National bid.
The trainer said: “He loved it. We felt we had to go and just give him a taste of it – it’s going to be tough to go there on your first go otherwise. Rachael said he really enjoyed it and obviously he had top weight, but we couldn’t have asked for a better run.
“He’s in good form, we kind of backed off him as he’d been busy enough for one of ours up until then, so we kind of backed off through Christmas, freshened him up and he’s in mighty form now.
“It’s lovely for a horse like him to sort of prolong his career a bit, it’s good fun and not too hard a race I don’t believe and it’s a different way of training. I think it’s great for him, he’s probably not going to compete in Grade Ones so it’s nice.”
Of an Aintree bid, De Bromhead added: “We will see what your handicapper thinks next week (when weights are announced), if we feel he’s giving him a chance, why not? It seems to be a really good route to the National, as Gordon (Elliott) has proved and others.”
Envoi Allen will defend the Ryanair Chase title he won last year and although he has not run since being caught on the line by Gerri Colombe in the Champion Chase at Down Royal back in November, De Bromhead does not see that as a negative.
He said: “I hope (it will be an advantage). That was our plan. He’s had the same number of runs as last year I think but it was just a bit earlier this year, his last run was in November and last year it was the King George, but he’s really well now and that was our plan. He runs well fresh.”
Captain Guinness finished second in last year’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase and he will be back for more in the two-mile heat after finishing third to hot favourite El Fabiolo last time on what was something of a fact-finding mission following a previous issue over Christmas.
De Bromhead explained: “He had this atrial fibrillation at Christmas which was really disappointing and he had as a novice. All the tests were done on him, the IHRB did all the tests and he seemed fine, everyone was happy.
“I’d say we rode him the last day just to see where we were and I’d say he lacked a little bit of confidence as well, so it was lovely to see him finish out his race well.
“It’s always in the back of your mind, the fact that it’s happened again, but his run last year was savage so he could be there at a big price hopefully and pick up the pieces from the big guys if anything goes wrong.”
The My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase picture became a little more murky following Marine Nationale’s Leopardstown defeat earlier this month and De Bromhead is happy to roll the dice with Quilixios after he bounced back to form dropped to two miles last time.
He said: “We stepped him up to three (miles) and he never showed up at all.
“He was really good in Naas and I was delighted with him. He jumps really quick and I would say the faster they go, the better for him.”
Telemesomethinggirl was brought down when still travelling well in the 2022 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle and she will tackle that test again, with Slade Steel and Monty’s Star the leading youngsters for the team.
Grade Two winner Slade Steel came home a seven-length second to Ballyburn at the Dublin Racing Festival, with the six-year-old shorter in the betting for the two-mile-five-furlong Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle than the two-mile Sky Bet Supreme, although Ballyburn’s destination may inform connections’ thinking.
De Bromhead said: “We had two sort of slogs, certainly the one in Navan looked a bit of a slog, so I didn’t want to go again over two and a half (miles) on heavy ground, so it was nice to run him over two and I thought he acquitted himself well.
“The winner looked good but we will improve for better ground ourselves. I think our options are open, we probably don’t particularly want to take on the winner again so we’ll see.”
Monty’s Star, who sports the Minella Indo colours, has won one of his two starts over fences as he heads into the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
De Bromhead said: “I’m delighted with him and always hoped this would be what he was doing. He’s a big horse and never showed up last year.
“He had a lovely run first time, I thought he was very good the second day and we said we’d go fresh. I don’t think he will mind nicer ground.”
Champion Hurdle third Zanahiyr opened his account over fences at the second attempt when coming out on top in a thrilling duel with Aspire Tower in the Horse & Jockey Beginners Chase at Thurles.
It looked a competitive event on paper with Willie Mullins fielding Feu Du Bresil and Figaroc, Noel Meade sending Pinkerton and Cian Collins’ Mighty Tom lining up, but only two were ever involved.
Rachael Blackmore bounced out on Aspire Tower but Jack Kennedy was keen not to let her get too far ahead of Zanahiyr.
Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old came up just short of the very best over hurdles and had the misfortune of bumping into the highly-regarded Fact To File on his chasing debut.
He was not as fluent as he could have been on that occasion but he jumped with much more finesse here, although Aspire Tower did appear to be travelling better approaching the last.
Zanahiyr (7-4 favourite) had got within three and a half lengths of Constitution Hill over two and a half miles at Aintree, though, and his stamina came to the fore as he won by half a length.
“It was a good performance and I suppose he was really only getting going (at the finish). He is a good age now and gets further than two miles, so I’m delighted that he got his head in front,” said Kennedy.
“I was keen to be forward and wasn’t concerned about the distance, although in the race I thought Rachael was quickening away from me. He knuckled down though and dug in.
“He can step up in distance but is also OK over a strongly-run two miles so there are plenty of options.”
Gavin Cromwell will make a late decision over whether Flooring Porter bids for a third Stayers’ Hurdle crown or lines up in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham.
He took to fences well in October when beating the smart Broadway Boy but connections’ fears about going right-handed were realised next time out in the Florida Pearl at Punchestown, although he was also hampered by a loose horse as he came home third.
Most recently at Leopardstown over Christmas, he finished third behind the currently sidelined Grangeclare West, prompting Cromwell to consider running him over further at Cheltenham in March, but he has not ruled out trying to regain the Stayers’ crown he won in 2021 and 2022.
“Flooring Porter is in the Stayers’ and the National Hunt Chase. Nothing is definite and we’ll just see how both races are unfolding nearer the time, I definitely wouldn’t rule the Stayers’ out,” said Cromwell.
“I suppose if you take Gordon’s (Elliott’s, Irish Point and Teahupoo) out, the Stayers’ looks open enough which is why he’s still in.
“He got off to a good start over fences, you can rule the Punchestown run out going the wrong way, we may have got away with it if not for the loose horse, but he ran a good race all things considered.
“At Christmas he ran a good race but we were probably disappointed he could only finish third. He jumps well but the one thing is he knows how to win there and spring ground will be no harm.
“It wasn’t always the plan to go chasing but he hadn’t won a race since his second Stayers’, so we thought we’d give it a go.”
Cromwell has been a frequent visitor to the UK this season and is operating at a near 20 per cent strike-rate having had seven winners at Cheltenham already.
“We started off in October, I saw a couple of races and I thought they looked good opportunities that worked out. We had three winners at the first meeting and then went back in November and kept the ball rolling,” he said.
“We’ve concentrated more on finding the right race, the best example is Stumptown on New Year’s Day, a 50 grand five-runner handicap. If that was in Ireland it would probably be a full field.
“It’s a special place, there’s nothing like a winner at the Festival, any winner there is fantastic. It’s a unique place.
“We’re mostly heading for handicaps this year. The horses are running well so hopefully we get them there in one piece.”
Regarding his likely team he said: “We thought My Mate Mozzie was an Arkle horse, he’s a good Flat horse and a good hurdler without being that top level, so it was always up for debate if he would be good enough.
“He has a mark so the Grand Annual could come into it but the Arkle is open this year. Saying that, he’d have to run well above his mark to win any Arkle but there is only one Arkle.
“Limerick Lace and Brides Hill are both likely to run in the Mares’ Chase.
“Only By Night is in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle but I’d say she might stay at home, she was very disappointing at Lingfield and when she got home she was quiet for a week after, so we just put a line through it.”
Cromwell won the Champion Hurdle back in 2019 with the five-year-old Espoir D’Allen who sadly never ran again. While the trainer is not one for looking back, he admits the win is something to be proud of.
“The Champion Hurdle was a great race to win, it was just unfortunate it was his last race. I’m not one to dwell on the past, I have a massive picture of him and it’s the first thing I see every morning, I’m just not one for dwelling on the past, I’m always looking forwards,” said Cromwell.
“Having won it, it’s a vote of confidence for the owners and it helps them think their horse in good hands.”
Middleham Park Racing’s well-travelled Brave Emperor will try to break new ground as he bids for further Group success in Qatar on Saturday.
The gelding is one of racing’s most prolific globetrotters and has brought home significant prize money from Italy, Germany, France and Sweden in the last year alone – as well as winning on home turf.
He won the Listed Prix de la Californie at Cagnes-Sur-Mer last term before travelling around Europe to pick up three Group Three events and the Group Two Premio Vittorio Di Capua at San Siro in November.
Now Archie Watson’s charge will return to action at the same level in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup at the Amir Sword meeting in Qatar this weekend.
The bay is currently settling in ahead of his first run in the Middle East and will compete for a total prize fund of nearly £400,000, with the winning connections taking home over £225,000.
“He’s the second top-rated for the race, he definitely deserves his chance and it’s fantastic prize money,” said Tim Palin of Middleham Park.
“It’s going to be the experience of a lifetime for the half a dozen owners going over.
“It’s going to be once in a lifetime, for all they’ve tasted success in Milan and Sweden, twice in Germany and in France as well.
“He’s a real globetrotting horse, he’s the perfect horse. He’s a Group Two winner and three times a Group Three winner.
“He was originally purchased as a yearling by Robson Aguiar and we bought him privately as a two-year-old just before the breeze-ups.
“He’s been an absolute revelation for us and everybody has experienced a fantastic journey with him. Hopefully he’ll continue to acquit himself well on Saturday.”
Rising fast bowler Shamar Joseph has dedicated his ICC Men’s Player of the Month for January award to his West Indies Test teammates and cricket fans at large, with a vow to continue working hard to deliver more memorable performances in what promises to be an exciting career.
Not many players have made a more impressive start to their international career than Joseph, who burst onto the scene during the Two-Test series against Australia and rose from relative obscurity to the cusp of stardom after just two matches. His pivotal role in West Indies’ historic second Test victory over the world champions, not only etched his name in the annals of the sport's history, but it also left an indelible impression on cricket fans around the world.
Joseph's introduction to international cricket was so eye-catching, that the right-arm bowler beat out strong opposition from England batter Ollie Pope and Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood to claim the first men's monthly award for the new calendar year.
“I am extremely delighted to win this award. To get such an award on the world stage feels special. I totally enjoyed every moment of that experience playing for West Indies in Australia, especially the magic of the final day at the Gabba. Taking the wicket to win the match was a dream," Joseph said shortly after ICC's announcement on Tuesday.
“It was a truly memorable moment for me, and I just want to continue to work hard and deliver more match-winning performances for the West Indies with the ball; and when required also with the bat," he added.
It didn't take long for Joseph to make his mark on debut in the first Test against Australia, as the 24-year-old revived memories of West Indies quicks of yesteryear, when he claimed the prized wicket of the world's number two-ranked batter Steve Smith with his very first delivery.
Joseph picked up another four Australian scalps on his way to sensational figures of 5-94 in his first Test appearance in Adelaide and he backed up the effort, with decent scores of 36 and 15 coming into bat for his side at number 11.
Somehow, Joseph produced an even better performance during the West Indies' upset victory over Australia in the second Test in Brisbane. He produced a spell for the ages to collect figures of 7-68 that helped the Caribbean side to their first Test triumph in Australia since 1997.
Through two Tests, Joseph collated 57 runs at a decent batting clip of 28.50, and also took 13 wickets at an imposing average of 17.30.
“I want to say special thanks to the teammates and support staff in Australia who backed me from the start to get the job done. I will be the one receiving the award, but this is also for the team, and all the fans of the West Indies as well," Joseph noted.
Emmet Mullins insists the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle is more than just a stepping stone to the Randox Grand National for Noble Yeats.
The nine-year-old was the Aintree hero in 2022 but finished fourth last year when saddled with 11st 11lb in the four-and-a-quarter-mile contest, a 19lb higher mark than the previous year.
Noble Yeats prepped for that title defence by finishing a distant fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and went on to run down the field in the Grand Steeplechase de Paris, leading to a later start to his campaign and a Stayers’ Hurdle bid.
Beaten as an odds-on favourite on his seasonal bow, Noble Yeats roared back to form when edging out the ever-popular Paisley Park in a thrilling finish to the Cleeve Hurdle and Mullins believes that result puts him right in the mix for top honours at the Festival.
He said: “He’s bouncing – he definitely improved a lot from the first time up at Limerick at Christmas. He would have needed that plenty and he definitely improved between then and the Cleeve Hurdle, hopefully he should come on again.
“That was always the plan. He was late back into training as we had such a big campaign last spring and I said to Robert (Waley-Cohen, owner) back in October, we had been put in our place in the Gold Cup last year and I couldn’t see a way past those horses this time around, so we changed direction.
“I’m not saying he’s going to win the Stayers’ Hurdle either but I think he could run a good race in it. I suppose Gordon’s (Elliott) horses are still unexposed, I thought Irish Point was impressive stepping up at Christmas.”
While Aintree in April is likely his ultimate aim, Mullins is not compromising on his preparations for the Stayers’.
He added: “It’s a target in it’s own right. It definitely won’t be as demanding a race as the Gold Cup but we’re definitely training for the Stayers’ as a race in it’s own right.
“I think we were quietly confident going into the Cleeve, and I said to Robert that if we didn’t lay down a marker we’d not deserve our spot in the race, so it was good to see that he did.”
Corbetts Cross holds a clutch of novice chase entries at the Festival but his build up suffered a blow when taking a fall at Fairyhouse last week.
Mullins pointed out Corbetts Cross is the only National Hunt Chase entry for owner JP McManus, but he is unsure how much a mark that tumble has left.
He said: “He seems none the worse for the race so it’s just taking it one day at a time. Physically he looks OK and I suppose we will take our time and we won’t be schooling him for another bit of time – fingers crossed there’s no lasting damage done.
“I can’t really say (if it will be too tight for Cheltenham) without schooling him. He’s a very versatile horse. He has form beating Found A Fifty over a mile and seven in Naas last year and he has form winning over three miles. We will just keep all options open for now.
“He’s got a high quality cruising speed, so if his jumping stands up to it he can always come back in trip a bit.
“He was JP’s only entry in the National Hunt Chase, so I think he’s keen enough on going there.”
Mullins ranks So Scottish among his possible handicap contenders, expecting to travel “four or five” but Leopardstown bumper winner Jeroboam Machin will not be among them after suffering a season-ending injury.
The trainer has the distinction of having ridden a Festival winner in 2011 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle victor Sir Des Champs and saddled a victor in The Shunter, winner of the 2021 Plate at a meeting run without spectators during the pandemic.
Mullins added: “It’s a special place. Training the winner was during Covid so there was no one there but it still hit home on the day. I got a big kick out of it even though there was no crowd there.”
Carole’s Pass was the pride of the Murphy family on Sunday after her Exeter success reached as far as the safari reserves of South Africa.
The mare is trained by Amy Murphy and was bred by her father Paul and started out over fences this season having won twice over hurdles and a bumper.
She made her chasing debut in a Listed Exeter event and finished third over two miles, after which she stepped up to two and a half miles and was third again in the Yorkshire Silver Vase.
In the Lady Protectress at Huntingdon she was then unlucky to part company with Jack Quinlan as another horse fell in front of them, but there were no such hard luck stories at the weekend as she jumped without a glitch in another Listed event.
An 11-1 chance in a field of good mares, Carole’s Pass seemed to relish the step up to three miles and strode to an unchallenged seven-and-a-half-length success to secure black type font on her pedigree – a boon to her dedicated breeder who was watching on from another continent.
“We had her dam (Carole’s Spirit) and her grand dam (Carole’s Crusader), two generations of homebreds that dad has bred, which is really nice,” Murphy explained.
“He’s actually away on safari in South Africa and he somehow managed to watch it live, I even had a quick debrief with him.
“I rang him to give him the result and somehow he’d managed to get enough WiFi to watch it live and he already knew!”
Cheltenham is unlikely to feature in Carole’s Pass’ plans but the spring festivals in Ireland and Aintree could be a possibility for the bay.
“I’m delighted to get her a Listed win, she’s from a cracking family of chasers and this was always going to be her forte,” Murphy said.
“It’s easy to forget that she’s only a novice so for me it was a great performance.
“She’s been in top gear over two (miles) and two and a half, so Sunday she travelled round very sweetly and that probably is her trip.
“You wouldn’t have picked her out as the novice in the field, she put in a foot perfect round of jumping in that ground and we were really pleased.
“She’s only young so I don’t think she’s for Cheltenham this year but we will try and find her something in Ireland or Aintree.”
Reigning champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy reclaimed their regular position in the top two on the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League standing, following a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Harbour View at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Monday.
Devonte Campbell (25th) and Shaqueil Bradford (35th) got the goals for Mount Pleasant, after Demar Rose gave Harbour View an early second-minute lead in the encounter that started at a decent pace, but lost tempo in the second half.
The win, which extended Mount Pleasant’s unbeaten run across seven games, pushed the St Ann-based team up to 39 points, one behind leaders Cavalier, on 40 points.
Tivoli Gardens (37 points), Portmore United (36 points), Arnett Gardens (34 points) and Waterhouse FC (26 points), occupy the other playoff positions. Harbour View are ninth on 19 points.
Winning coach Theodore Whitmore was pleased with his team’s recovery after conceding early.
“It was a high intensity game which is what we expected, but the problem is how we started the first half, and secondly, we played in the middle, instead of going out wide where we needed to play because that is where we are dangerous. After we sorted that, we got back into the game and got the job done,” Whitmore said in a post-game interview.
“After conceding, we didn’t panic, we maintained our focus and used the width of the pitch and that is where we were successful. So, it was a good win, but we want to take it game-by-game and just do what we have to do,” he added.
It was a frantic start to the contest, as Harbour View grabbed the early ascendancy, when Demar Rose lashed a right-footer past Mount Pleasant’s goalkeeper Shaquan Davis from deep inside the 18-yard box, after Jashaun Anglin neatly chested the ball down into his path.
The ‘Stars of the East’ continued to enjoy the better of possession and should have doubled the lead in the 11th Okeemo Jones broke down the right channel with Rose for company in a two-on-one situation. However, he was hesitant in getting the pass off and was later dispossessed by a recovering defender.
That missed opportunity proved costly 14 minutes later, as Mount Pleasant pulled level courtesy of a tidy team build up, which ended with Campbell firing home his second of the season from an angle, after Daniel Green’s initial effort was parried by Davis.
From there, Whitmore’s side took advantage of the game, as they spread the ball to the left channel, in particular, where Campbell utilized his speed and nippy footwork to rattle Harbour View’s defence.
Three minutes past the half-hour mark, the 20-year-old Campbell produced a burst of speed down the left channel and was felled inside the danger area by Jones.
Referee Christopher Mason quickly pointed to the spot, and Bradford, who was assigned responsibility, made no mistakes from the 12-yard spot to put Mount Pleasant 2-1 up.
Mount Pleasant thought they had a third when Sue-Lae McCalla got the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed by referee Mason, who spotted a handball.
They again got the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time, but again it didn’t count as Bradford’s finish was from an offside position, and the score remained 2-1 at the break.
The second half, which was marred by stoppages, offered very little to write home about where goalmouth action is concerned, as both teams nullified each other’s attacking prowess and, as such, were unable to really produce anything meaningful in the final third.
Though slightly disappointed with the outcome, Harbour View’s Head coach Ludlow Bernard took heart from his team’s performance.
“I thought we gave it our all it is just unfortunate that after two breaks, we conceded and this about the third time this has happened, so we have to concentrate better,” said Bernard, who also took a jab at the officiating.
“I wouldn’t entirely say it was down to indiscipline, but more incompetence on the part of the officials. I think they were extremely poor, but that is that my guys battled hard, I think we needed to continue being patient with our build ups and that is a positive that we will build on going forward,” he noted.
Matchweek 18 Results
Cavalier 4, Lime Hall Academy 0
Molynes United 2, Portmore United 2
Dunbeholden FC 1, Treasure Beach FC 1
Humble Lion 0, Tivoli Gardens 2
Montego Bay United 0, Arnett Gardens 0
Vere United 0, Waterhouse FC 1
Harbour View 1, Mount Pleasant FA 2
Kemar Foster, one of the most influential shot stoppers in the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League, produced a gritty goalkeeping display to ensure Waterhouse edged Vere United 1-0 in a lively contest at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Monday.
Foster, who often partners Reggae Boyz captain Andre Blake on national duties, made a number of saves to shutout Vere United in a dazzling performance that pushed the Drewsland-based team over the line after Revaldo Mitchell’s solitary 24th-minute strike.
The 31-year-old Foster displayed unbeatable form, which underlined his credentials. He claimed crosses, shut down angles and even went full stretch to tip shots around and over his goal frame. Nothing was too much to ask of Foster on the day, as he flew around his box, putting his body on the line to deny Vere United.
It’s gritty goalkeeper performances like this that keep teams in the hunt for championship honours, and the shutout not only handed Waterhouse three points, but also propelled them back into the top six on 26 points, two points ahead of seventh-placed Dunbeholden, and three ahead of eighth-placed Montego Bay United, their closest pursuers. Vere United on the other hand, remains 10th on 19 points.
Foster, who required medical attention on a few occasions, felt he was exposed too often, but expressed content with his display between the sticks, which is sometimes overlooked.
“In the midfield, I think we gave Vere too much space to play and they did play. Teams will hurt you once you give them space, but I am fortunate to come out with a clean sheet,” Foster said in a post-game interview.
“It (goalkeeping duty) is rough to be honest, you have to stay focus after a game like this and not get ahead of yourself, and also ensure you recover properly and rest when possible before hitting training hard again. This is the best performance I had so far this season, it’s a long season, so I am hoping I can have many more like this going forward.” he added.
After a spirited start, it took Vere United 15 minutes to ask their first question of Foster, and the custodian proved equal to the task when he went full-stretch to his right to parry Odane Murray’s stinging right-footed effort.
That may have been the wake-up call Waterhouse needed, as they got into their rhythm shortly after, and eventually found the go-ahead goal. It came when Navardo Blair’s free kick sparked a melee, which ended with Mitchell tucking home from close range after Javane Bryan and Andre Fletcher’s efforts were desperately kept out by Javier Brown on the goal line.
Though they continued to threaten in open play, Waterhouse failed to add to their tally, as numerous half-chances were squandered and, as such, the score remained unchanged at the break.
Like they did at the start, Vere United came out more purposeful on the resumption, but unlike the first half, they didn’t allow Waterhouse a look-in on this occasion, and were only denied by Foster’s resilience.
It took two great saves in quick success by Foster to deny Vere United in the 54th, as he first blocked Kemar Beckford’s well-struck left-footed shot and recovered well to parry Justin Cohen’s acrobatic effort on the rebound.
Vere pressed the ascendancy and found a couple more openings in the latter stages of the contest from which they again tested Foster’s mettle in their probe to pull level.
Javon Smith got on the end of weighted Javier Brown corner kick with a firm header, but Foster got down well to his right to squeeze out the effort at his near post.
And even with the game nearing its end, Vere United’s substitute Lorenzo Lewin unleashed a well-struck snapshot, and Foster again came up big in time added to ensure his team secured all three points.
Waterhouse’s assistant coach Damion Gordon hailed the defensive line for holding firm as their attacking front came up short.
“The big question surrounds our consistency. I thought our first half was very good and they (Vere United) were clearly better than us in the second half, but in terms of our defensive structure, I think we did well,” he said.
For Vere United’s Head coach Linval Dixon, there is cause for concern over his team’s failure to convert a goal in five straight games, but he is also mindful that it is not for a lack of trying.
“Not scoring goals is disturbing for us because we have really been working hard in training to score, so it is cause for concern. But we are still working, and we are still fighting. It is just that we came up against a national goalkeeper and he was the difference in the game. I can’t fault the team for effort so like I said, we will continue working because when we start scoring things will change,” Dixon declared.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
