Willie Mullins goes in search of further riches at Newbury on Saturday as he unleashes fascinating French recruit Ocastle Des Mottes in the Betfair Hurdle.
Ireland’s perennial champion trainer obliterated the opposition at last weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival, enjoying a clean sweep in the eight Grade Ones and nine winners from 15 races overall.
A week on, he goes in search of a first victory in Britain’s most valuable handicap hurdle with a horse who has yet to run this side of the Channel, but has won twice over obstacles in his homeland.
Carrying the colours of prominent owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede for the first time, it is no surprise bookmakers are taking no chances and have priced Ocastle Des Mottes as clear favourite, but connections are not getting carried away.
“Basically, he’s a horse that’s been bought for steeplechasing next year, so if we were going to run him this spring, we were going to run him in a valuable handicap hurdle,” said the owners’ racing manager Anthony Bromley.
“He’s lower rated in England than in Ireland, so that’s why he’s coming to England and it will give him some experience of big fields and the tempo of British racing.
“Two miles might be a bit short for him, he does want soft ground. I wouldn’t know if he should be favourite, but I find that the French horses that have their first run in an English, big-field handicap, they can get a shock from the tempo of the race.
“The race will tell us a lot more about the horse. We like the horse, but he’s next year’s project and we want to learn a little bit more about what trip he needs moving forwards.
“As he’s lower rated here, we thought we’d start him off in an English race and it’s obviously the richest handicap hurdle in the UK, so why not have a dart at it – and a good one.”
Mullins will also be represented by outsider Alvaniy, ridden by Bryony Frost, and the enigmatic Onlyamatteroftime, who was called up as first reserve following the withdrawal of Ben Pauling’s Tellherthename.
Harry Cobden had been set to partner Tellherthename but now switches to Ito Ditto, twice a winner at Chepstow this term.
Nicky Henderson has won the Betfair Hurdle on five occasions, with dual winner Geos (2000 and 2004) joined on the roll of honour by Sharpical (1998), Landing Light (2001) and My Tent Or Yours (2013).
This year, the Seven Barrows handler fires a four-pronged assault, with top-weight Luccia accompanied by Iberico Lord, Under Control and Doddiethegreat.
“The ground is going to be important and I’m never sure about Luccia. She won a bumper at Sandown in desperate ground very impressively and we all got the impression that was how she wanted it, but I’m not so sure she does. I think better ground helps her,” said Henderson.
“I know Nico (de Boinville) feels Iberico Lord will like the soft ground and probably Doddiethegreat – they might be the soft ground boys.
“I cannot explain Iberico Lord’s run last time, his performance was shocking really. Nothing came to light and his work has been very good, so there is nothing you can do but go again.”
Of Under Control, he added: “She only ran a fortnight ago, but that doesn’t worry me, as at the backend of last season, we backed her up from a race at Cheltenham to Sandown in nine days and she was very impressive at Sandown.
“I don’t think she got a desperately hard race to be honest at Doncaster in the mares’ Grade Two. She was well beat by Willie Mullins’ mare, but then anyone can be beat by a Willie Mullins mare! I’m looking forward to her running.”
Neil King has high hopes for Lookaway, who has enjoyed a well-earned break since filling the runner-up spot behind Captain Teague in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury in late December.
King said “There’s no getting away from it, he had a hard race in the Challow; he battled and fought all the way to the line in testing conditions there.
“I thought at the time that he definitely wouldn’t want to go anywhere for a month after that, although in fairness to him, he did actually bounce out of the race quite nicely and was fresh and well the next week. But I’m sure he’ll benefit from waiting just that little bit longer.
“I’m confident the rain will help us as well, I’d have been far more worried if it had been a really drying time and got on the fast side of good, because then two miles might have been a bit sharp for him in that calibre of race.”
Brentford Hope has been one of Harry Derham’s star performers in the early stages of his training career and he now has the chance to provide the handler with his biggest victory to date.
A course-and-distance winner in November, he was third again over track and trip in the Gerry Feilden, with the testing conditions set to be a positive.
“He likes Newbury and it is like a home game to him,” said Derham.
“I absolutely got drowned on my gallop all morning on Thursday and that will help. It’s obviously an exceptionally competitive race, but we’ve kept him back over Christmas with this race in mind.
“I don’t think he’s exceptionally well handicapped, but I think he can run well. We’ve put cheekpieces on him for the first time, just because some horses run above themselves first-time in cheekpieces and if you are going to run above yourself, you might as well do it in a Betfair Hurdle.
“The rain has come at the right time, he’s in good form, and we’re going to have a go.”
Harry Fry feels the rain-softened ground will bring the best out of Altobelli, who has gone close in a couple of similar races at Ascot already this term.
He said: “Conditions will certainly play to the strengths of Altobelli, who has run well in two competitive handicaps at Ascot, including the last day when the ground had dried up plenty for him.
“If you watch the replay back and see his action, it is really clear that he wants a good cut in the ground, so he’ll relish conditions on Saturday and we’re hoping he can transfer that good form at Ascot across to Newbury and be very competitive. We’re looking forward to it.”
In a nail-biting series-opener at Bellerive Oval, Australia emerged victorious by 11 runs against a full-strength West Indies in the first T20 International, despite a valiant effort from the Caribbean side. The match, which saw Australia post an equal-record T20I score in Hobart, featured standout performances from David Warner, Tim David, and legspinner Adam Zampa.
Australia, batting first, set the tone for an exhilarating encounter with Warner smashing a blistering half-century in his 100th T20I, scoring 70 off 36 deliveries. Tim David's explosive 17-ball 37 further fueled Australia's innings, propelling them to a formidable total of 213 for 7.
Andre Russell took two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the final over of the Australian innings to finish with 3-42. Alzarri Joseph took 2-46.
Chasing 214 for victory, West Indies displayed early promise with openers Brandon King (53) and Johnson Charles (42) forming a dynamic partnership. King, in particular, played a stellar innings, reaching a half-century off 36 deliveries. However, legspinner Adam Zampa's brilliant performance in the middle overs proved crucial for Australia as they successfully defended their total.
Zampa, with figures of 3-26, outfoxed the aggressive West Indies batsmen, preventing them from achieving the challenging target. Despite a late onslaught from Jason Holder, who scored an unbeaten 34, West Indies ultimately fell short, finishing at 202 for 8.
The match served as a platform for auditions and milestones, with Josh Inglis getting an opportunity to partner Warner as the opening batsman. In his 16th T20I, Inglis showcased his 360-degree range, contributing 39 off 25 balls.
While Warner starred in his milestone 100th T20I, reaching the elite company of players with 100 internationals in each format, West Indies' big-hitters, including King and Charles, went for broke in their pursuit of victory.
Australia's left-arm quick, Jason Behrendorff, faced early challenges in the windy conditions but managed to claim a late wicket, finishing with figures of 1 for 38 off 3 overs. The pivotal moment in the match came in the 16th over when Zampa's brilliance dismissed Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran, tilting the scales in Australia's favor.
Testing conditions will be the order of the day at Newbury on Saturday but no problems are anticipated if the forecast proves correct.
While more rain has fallen at the Berkshire track than was expected earlier in the week, no inspection is currently planned.
“We’ve had 45 millimetres this week, which is more than we were anticipating on Monday ahead of entries,” clerk of the course George Hill told Sky Sports Racing.
“We were expecting 25-35mm in total after entries but we’ve had more and we’ve seen a few tracks caught out already, but luckily we’re OK as we stand at the moment.
“The going is heavy, soft in places at the moment. We’re expecting 2-7mm, the forecasters are saying, but the heaviest of that will be this afternoon, so we’ll monitor that. It is due to finish by 5pm, so fingers crossed we only get what is forecast and we don’t end up with more, as we’re looking forward to tomorrow.
“I don’t think it will have a chance to get holding or tacky, I think it will ride as described or a little better, given we could have a dry 18 hours.
“The track is in very good condition, we’ve got fresh ground on both tracks and we vertidrained the track last week, which helped us out massively ahead of this heavy rain.
“Obviously, the Betfair Hurdle has filled for the first time in four years, which is fantastic, it’s great to have the Willie Mullins horses, they arrived in the early hours of the morning safe and sound.”
Unfortunately, Saturday’s meeting at Warwick has been called off due to a waterlogged track.
The fixture was due to feature both the Grade Two Kingmaker Novices’ Chase and the Listed Warwick Mares’ Hurdle, in which Cheltenham candidate You Wear It Well was set to run.
However, a total of 36mm of rain fell at the track on Thursday, leaving the course unfit for action.
Clerk of the course Tom Ryall said: “We had 36mm in total yesterday, it started about 4am and carried on through to midnight.
“When we came in this morning, parts of the back straight where it runs parallel with Gog Brook are waterlogged, as that was put on red alert last night, while the owners and trainers car park has flooded and that has spilled onto the track.
“We are basically about 50 per cent under water, so there is really no hope of racing.”
Uttoxeter were also due to race on Saturday, but that fixture has been abandoned.
The course is waterlogged, with further rain forecast.
Friday’s meeting at Kempton got the go-ahead after a morning inspection, while the other scheduled jumps fixture at Bangor was called off on Thursday afternoon.
Martin Brassil is relishing the prospect of running Fastorslow in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, confident his star performer will not let him down on the big occasion.
Brassil’s flag-bearer had got the better of reigning Cheltenham champion Galopin Des Champs in both the Punchestown Gold Cup last April and the John Durkan earlier this season, but suffered defeat at the hands of Willie Mullins’ charge in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last weekend.
Although beaten four and a half lengths, Fastorslow more than played his part in what was a terrific showpiece to the Dublin Racing Festival – and with the race run to suit the defending champion, Brassil was content with the performance of his charge.
He said: “We were very happy with the run and he hadn’t run since November 26, so you have to be very happy with it.”
There was an argument to suggest Fastorslow may have been able to test Galopin Des Champs on the run-in if he had not been distracted by the front-running mount of Paul Townend at the final obstacle.
However, Brassil believes that is immaterial to the outcome of this particular battle.
“We might have got a flyer (at the last, if Galopin Des Champs had not jinked) but my horse was quick to spot what the other horse did and he just hesitated and got over the fence carefully,” explained Brassil.
“He was on the back foot then and Galopin Des Champs had him all the way to the line. However, I don’t think there would have been any different result I would say, he had the run of the race dictating it, so in that race he always had our measure.”
Fastorslow now heads to Prestbury Park as the general 4-1 second favourite for the Gold Cup, as he prepares to tackle the odds-on favourite for a fifth time, with the score currently 2-2, but Brassil is expecting a much deeper event on March 15 at a venue where his charge has performed well in the past.
“If you headed into a Gold Cup only worrying about one horse, then you wouldn’t be doing too bad, but I’m sure there will be a lot more competition when we get to the race though,” he added.
“He seems to like Cheltenham, which is always a positive. He’s a horse who has never let us down and you can always depend on him to perform at his best. Sometimes that’s good enough and others you come up a bit short. If he continued to do that, there will be no one complaining.
“It’s five weeks today we’re working towards and we’re looking forward to it.”
Iroko is on course to make the Cheltenham Festival but which race he runs in has still to be decided.
Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the six-year-old won the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at the meeting last season in the famous JP McManus colours.
He went on to finish third to Apple Away in Grade One company at Aintree and reappeared over fences at Warwick in early November, putting up a faultless chasing debut over two and a half miles.
Unfortunately he picked up an injury a couple of weeks later that connections initially felt would rule him out for the season, however, he has returned to full training much quicker than anticipated and has been entered in the Arkle and Turners Novices’ Chases next month.
While Greenall favours the Turners, McManus also owns ante-post favourite Fact To File which may have a bearing on his destination.
“I think he’ll get to Cheltenham,” said Greenall.
“He won’t be able to have a run before, there’s not enough time, but he’ll get to Cheltenham.
“Which race he’ll run in there, I’m still not sure. I’d rather go over two and a half miles but JP has obviously got other options in that, so we’ll just have to see.
“The Arkle may have opened up after last weekend but obviously he ran so well in the three-mile Grade One novice hurdle at Aintree.
“It’s great that he’s back anyway, and he’s back in full training.”
Saturday’s meeting at Warwick has been called off due to a waterlogged track.
The fixture was due to feature both the Grade Two Kingmaker Novices’ Chase and the Listed Warwick Mares’ Hurdle, in which Cheltenham candidate You Wear It Well was due to run.
However, a total of 36 millimetres of rain fell at the track on Thursday, leaving the course unfit for action.
Clerk of the course Tom Ryall said: “We had 36mm in total yesterday, it started about 4am and carried on through to midnight.
“When we came in this morning, parts of the back straight where it runs parallel with Gog Brook are waterlogged as that was put on red alert last night, while the owners and trainers car park has flooded and that has spilled on to the track.
“We are basically about 50 per cent under water, so there is really no hope of racing.”
Friday’s meeting at Kempton got the go-ahead after a morning inspection, although an area of the track is riding heavy, while the other scheduled jumps fixture at Bangor was called off on Thursday afternoon.
Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners are faced with an uphill task, after Kevin Wickham’s 139 piloted Barbados Pride to a massive 344-8 declared on Thursday’s second day of their West Indies Championship encounter at Chedwin Park, in Jamaica.
The 20-year-old Wickham smashed nine sixes and eight fours on his way to a third First Class century in a 135-ball innings. He was well supported by Jonathan Drakes, whose 84 off 99 balls, included 12 boundaries.
Marooners in their reply, ended the day on 10-1, still 334 runs behind Barbados Pride heading into Friday’s third day.
Scores: Barbados Pride 344-8 (72.2 overs); Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners 10-1 (18 overs)
After losing Wednesday’s first day due to a wet outfield caused by a ruptured water main, Barbados Pride wasted little time to establish a solid footing in their innings, as they declared intentions of securing a result in the contest.
Despite losing captain Kraigg Brathwaite (seven) and Shayne Moseley (10) cheaply, Zachary McCaskie (30) gradually steadied things, before Drakes and Wickham took the Marooners bowlers to task with a healthy fourth-wicket stand.
The foundation left by both was so healthy that it mattered little that Roshan Primus (five) and Akeem Jordan (14) failed to contribute meaningfully to the innings. However, wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Dorwich added a 50-ball 41, including five fours and a solitary six, with the declaration coming shortly after his dismissal.
Romario Greaves (2-54), Jediah Blades (2-64), Zishan Motara (2-68), led the Marooners bowling.
Meanwhile, Jordan removed Kirstan Kallicharan (seven) to put the Marooners under early pressure in their turn at bat.
With members of last year’s senior Reggae Girlz FIFA World Cup squad and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) still yet to amicably agree on the way forward, interim Head coach Xavier Gilbert has once again pooled a fairly inexperienced team for a two-match friendly against Chile later this month.
Gilbert, who welcomed the fixtures, and his Reggae Girlz is expected to assemble in the South American country on February 21, ahead the two games scheduled for February 23 and 27.
“It is always important to utilize the FIFA windows so getting these games is a good move from the JFF and, of course, we get to expose some of the young talent that we have to offer to top level competition so they can gain the necessary experience that will be required as we look ahead,” Gilbert told SportsMax.TV.
The 22-player squad comprises mostly players that contested last year’s Women’s Gold Cup qualifiers, with former Liverpool midfielder Jade Bailey, who recently signed with London City Lionesses, making a return to the national setup following a knee surgery, while National Under-17 representative Naya Cardoza, makes her transition to the senior team.
“It is very good to have Jade back she is a very good player who was out for quite some time, so it is good to have her back in the fold giving her level of experience and we expect her to be one of the leaders in the team where guiding the younger players is concerned,” Gilbert noted.
This will be the second two-match friendly series between the two teams following their 2019 meeting in Jamaica, which the Reggae Girlz won 1-0 and 3-2. However, Chile came away 6-0 winners in their most recent meeting at last year’s Pan American Games.
“We are expecting another good game from Chile, obviously they are a pretty good team with a lot to offer. It is never comfortable going into another team’s base to play, so we just have to go there and give of our best, because like I said, these games are important for players to not only gain experience, but also to develop some semblance of cohesion going forward,” Gilbert reasoned.
Squad: Theanna Burnett (Sacred Heart University), Serena Mensa (Fordham University), Malikae Dayes (AAB, Denmark), Zoe Vidaurre (George Mason University), Nevillegail Able (University of Maine, Fort Kent), Chinyelu Asher (SCU Torreense), Alika Keene (SK Slavia Praha Zeny), Ricshya Walker (LaSalle University), Marlo Sweatman (Viktoria Haladas), Christina Salmon (William Carey University), Davia Richards Player (Hill College),Mikayla Dayes (Rodez AF, France), Shaneil Buckley (Excelsior High), Melissa Johnson (Charlton Athletic Women FC), Aliyah Morgan (George Mason University), Jade Bailey (London City Lionessess), Destiny Powell (Excelsior High), Lachante Paul (Burnley FC), Isreala Groves (London City Lionesses), Naya Cardoza (Brown University), Njeri Butts (University Of Florida), Sydnie Street (Seneca College)
The Windward Islands Volcanoes are firmly in the drivers’ seat at the halfway stage of their 2024 West Indies Championship opening round fixture against the Jamaica Scorpions at Sabina Park in Kingston.
The Volcanoes started day two 157-2 off 41 overs trailing the Scorpions by just two runs and looking to build a substantial first innings lead on Thursday.
The pair at the crease for the Windwards, Johann Jeremiah and Sunil Ambris, carried the score up to 180 in the 52nd over before Ambris was dismissed by Peat Salmon for a 75-ball 45.
The Scorpions then built some much-needed momentum going into the lunch break with the wickets of Jeremiah, Shadrack Descarte and Tevyn Walcott leaving the Volcanoes 219-6 at lunch, leading by 60 runs.
Jeremiah, who entered day two unbeaten on 66, eventually made 80 off 115 balls including 11 fours and a six while Descarte and Walcott made one and 20, respectively.
The post-lunch session, however, was anything but fruitful for the Scorpions as Shamar Springer and Ryan John, the pair who did most of the damage with the ball in the Scorpions first innings, repeated their exploits with the bat.
The pair batted excellently on their way to a 118-run seventh-wicket partnership that killed all the momentum the Scorpions may have built before lunch.
The partnership was finally ended when John went caught off the bowling of Gordon Bryan for 57 to leave the Windwards 328-7 off 97 overs at tea.
His knock lasted 85 balls and included five fours and three sixes.
Shortly after the resumption, Springer was next to fall for a well-compiled 131-ball 71 including seven fours.
Shermon Lewis and Darius Martin fell soon after as the Volcanoes were bowled out for 341 off 105.2 overs, a lead of 182 runs on first innings.
Pacer Gordon Bryan led the way with the ball for the hosts with 4-64 from 23 overs while Peat Salmon took 3-78 from 31 overs with his off-spin. Marquino Mindley also chipped in with 2-60 from 22.2 overs.
The Scorpions reply then got off to a less than ideal start as, for the second time in the contest, their top three failed to significantly contribute.
Carlos Brown and Kirk McKenzie both fell to Darius Martin in the second over of the innings without troubling the scorers before, seven overs later, the Scorpions were three down with just 34 runs on the board after Chadwick Walton was bowled by Martin for 20.
Nkrumah Bonner and Captain Jermaine Blackwood then tried to lead the Scorpions recovery with a 36-run fourth-wicket partnership before Blackwood went for 16 with just 15 minutes left in the day’s play.
In the end, the Scorpions were 76-4 at stumps, trailing by 106 runs with Nkrumah Bonner on 36 and Gordon Bryan on one.
Darius Martin has taken 3-29 off seven overs for the Volcanoes.
Full Scores: Jamaica Scorpions 159 all out off 41 overs (Romaine Morris 35, Peat Salmon 26, Ryan John 5-43, Shamar Springer 3-53) & 76-4 off 18 overs (Nkrumah Bonner 36*, Chadwick Walton 20, Darius Martin 3-29)
Windward Islands Volcanoes 341 all out off 105.2 overs (Johann Jeremiah 80, Shamar Springer 71, Ryan John 57, Sunil Ambris 45, Gordon Bryan 4-64, Peat Salmon 3-78, Marquino Mindley 2-60)
Dunskay booked his ticket to Aintree in the spring when capping off a fine afternoon for Ben Pauling at Huntingdon in the manner of a smart operator.
Pauling had earlier won the feature M1 Agency Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle with Handstands and was doing somersaults after seeing Dunskay bounce back to his very best in the concluding PHP Architects Open National Hunt Flat Race.
A taking winner at Exeter on debut, he was disappointing in Listed action at Ascot prior to Christmas, but carried a penalty to a comfortable success at odds of 4-1 in the hands of Harry Cobden to tee-up another step up in class at the Grand National meeting in April.
“It’s been a good day and this is a lovely horse,” said Pauling.
“He trach washed dirty after Ascot and I was fairly easy on him between there and now, so I thought he might need today. He’s done it nicely, so I’m really pleased.
“He’s a very nice, straightforward, big, gorgeous horse – a big, powerful horse. He’s going to be one for the future again, but he’s a lovely horse and I was delighted with that. Winning under a penalty is never easy, so I’m pleased.
“He will go to Aintree for the Grade Two next. We have some nice novices and bumper horses and it’s going the right way – we’re building a nice team of young horses, which is what it is about.”
Gavin Sheehan’s fine season continued with a double at the Cambridgeshire track.
He got the day off to a brilliant start aboard Christian Williams’ Fortunefavorsdbold (16-1) in the Newlands Developments Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase, before following up on Katy Price’s 6-4 favourite King Of Brazil in the Winvic Construction Handicap Chase.
Another jockey hitting the headlines was 10lb conditional Lewis Saunders, who made the early mornings on the gallops at Olly Murphy’s Warren Chase base worthwhile when earning the praise of his boss after putting his claim to good use aboard Barricane.
It was just the second winner of the 20-year-old’s career and, having won aboard the nine-year-old at Uttoxeter in December, he showed his talent in the saddle to drive the 4-1 shot home to a three-length victory in the Urban Logistics Reit Handicap Hurdle.
“He’s a good little rider who came to me from Oliver Sherwood,” said Murphy.
“A lot of things went through my mind there. I was giving him a telling off for being left at the start, he was then getting a telling off for not pulling him up and then I thought, you know what, you have done the right thing and this is going to be the ride of the season.
“Well done to the young lad. He’s ridden his first two winners on Barricane and is good value for his claim and works hard.
“I’ll give young lads chances if they work hard and muck in. I make them work hard and they ride early lots – all my conditionals are in at 6.30am riding an early one – but I do it for the right reasons.
“You have to work hard for what you get in life – and if they work hard and have ability to go with it, I will look after them.”
Harry Derham’s gamble to run Nordic Tiger (11-10 favourite) quickly after his wide-margin win at Wincanton last week paid dividends when the game five-year-old held on by a neck in the Mulberry Developments Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.
“I was so nervous about running him because it was only seven days after his last race and it is not normally my style at all,” explained Derham.
“But he’s about to go up 10lb, which is a fair old hike, so we said we would try our luck and Alice (Stevens, jockey) takes off 5lb, which is very helpful – and he’s just a lovely, genuine horse.
“When it was raining all morning driving up here, I thought it was his chance gone, but he really knuckled down well.
“He’s going to be 10lb higher now and life will get tough, but when you have an attitude like him and you jump and try like him, then he will always have a decent chance and he is a horse who will probably win a few more races next season.”
Meanwhile, you may have seen Hermes Le Gris (2-1 favourite) on your television in adverts in the past, but he put his name in lights when gaining compensation for a fall when leading at Southwell last week by claiming the Oxenwood Real Estate Handicap Hurdle for Robbie Llewellyn.
“He’s been in a Coral advert, so he’s had a few spins round Newbury,” said the trainer.
“After last week, where we thought he would have won and it was disappointing for him to fall, to come back six days later and produce a performance like that shows he obviously has a bit more left in the tank.
“You never quite know when you run them that quick if they will bounce, but I’m delighted.”
Oliver Greenall expects another bold showing from Windtothelightning in the TrustATrader Warwick Mares’ Hurdle on Saturday.
While the six-year-old is taking a big jump in class and is facing Jamie Snowden’s Cheltenham Festival winner You Wear It Well, Greenall is buoyed by the fact that only four will go to post for the Listed race.
The winner of four of her seven races under rules, Greenall, who trains in partnership with Josh Guerriero, hopes she can pick up some black type before potentially going chasing next season.
“She’s a mare on the up and I couldn’t believe that there was only four runners,” he said.
“She seems well, she’s had plenty of time since her last run, she should like the ground and she’s a tough, honest little mare.
“I can’t quite believe we are where we are with her to be honest, because she’s not flashy at home at all. She wasn’t over-expensive and when we first got her, she was a bit workmanlike and we didn’t have great expectations.
“We’re just delighted really that she keeps progressing and hopefully she’ll run well again.
“I think she’ll get three miles in time and, while she is a little bit small, I think she’ll go chasing.”
Dan Skelton’s Get A Tonic also runs, along with Mel Rowley’s Blue Beach.
Having watched the Soca Warriors parade their skills at the 2006 FIFA World Cup with tremendous amount of pride, Trinidad and Tobago’s Denmark-born Marc Gangia was inspired to push to one day boast a successful career in which he achieved a similar World Cup feat.
Fast forward 18 years later, Gangia has now found himself in the right place to possibly bring that dream to fruition, as he was invited to the Soca Warriors setup by Head coach Angus Eve.
However, Gangia, 26, who earns his Trinidad and Tobago stripes through his father, knows all too well that breaking into Eve’s final squad for the upcoming Copa America qualifying playoff against Canada on March 24 and, by extension for the World Cup qualifiers later this year, will take some doing, but he intends to make the most of the opportunity.
"It is nice to be here. It is a big opportunity hopefully to be a part of (the squad). I remember the 06 World Cup and also following the (English) Premier League (with T&T footballers) Dwight Yorke and Kenwyne Jones and players like that," Gangia said, during a meet the press hosted by TTFA on Tuesday.
"It is a big step for the country if we could qualify for the (2026) World Cup and also (for the Copa America tournament) in the summer. It is a big match ahead in Canada, so we will see if we could get through,” he added.
Though it was his first time being called to a training camp with the Soca Warriors, Gangia, who is a striker for Danish fifth-tier side Dalum IF, pointed out that he is no stranger to the twin island republic.
"This is probably my fifth time now. My dad has a lot of family here, so we have been here a couple of times,” Gangia shared.
He also revealed that his call up was only a matter of timing, as things have been in process for almost a decade.
"Approximately ten years ago it started, but it has been a long process with the passports and all those kinds of things,” he said.
With his appetite for international action now open through the just-concluded four-day camp at Larry Gomes Stadium, which launched the Soca Warriors preparation for the campaign ahead, Gangia is now ready to raise his game even further to become a staple in Eve’s side.
“The weather is hot compared to Denmark so there is a transition I have to get used to, but I think the boys have been nice and taking good care of me, so it has been good so far,” he noted.
Handstands appears to have earned himself a place on Ben Pauling’s Cheltenham Festival squad after maintaining his unbeaten record in the M1 Agency Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon.
Bought for £135,000 after winning his only start in the point-to-point field in October, the five-year-old made an immediate impact under rules at Hereford two months later before following up under a penalty at Newcastle early in the new year.
Pauling’s charge faced a step up in class for his hat-trick bid, with Nicky Henderson’s Grade One winner Jango Baie among his rivals, but he proved more than up to the task under Harry Cobden.
Bugise Seagull took the four-strong field along for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey before 9-4 shot Handstands took over before the home turn, at which stage Jango Baie was being niggled along by James Bowen and was briefly caught in behind the other two runners.
The 5-4 favourite, winner of the inaugural Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day, stuck to his guns in the straight and was not far behind Handstands at the final flight, but the latter never looked in any serious danger of being caught and had a length and a half in hand at the line.
“He’s so raw and looking at him walking around the paddock there against a couple of those he looked a shell,” said Pauling.
“He looks a horse for next year, but there is just no bottom to him and he has just lobbed round there as easy as you like and when Harry wanted him he’s come alive really – he didn’t pick up the bridle for the first two miles and it’s really pleasing.
“I don’t think he is short of speed either and I’m very pleased. I don’t think he has had to try too hard again there and I couldn’t be happier. He was a bit careful at the second but other than that he has jumped brilliantly and it was a brilliant ride from Harry.”
Coral cut Handstands to 16-1 from 33-1 for the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, while Paddy Power offer 10-1 from 20-1 in their non-runner money back market.
Pauling added: “It’s job done today and then we will see what we do next. He’s an exciting horse for the future and we might look at the Baring Bingham.
“I think we will probably go (to Cheltenham), why not? He doesn’t have to do an awful lot does he and that won’t have taken too much out of him. He’s won on good ground and he’s won on heavy ground – it doesn’t really matter to him.
“There’s not much to separate him and Tellherthename (runs in Saturday’s Betfair Hurdle at Newbury). I still think Tellherthename is probably a bit better, but that isn’t to say this lad is not class in his own right.
“They are different horses – Tellherthename travels that bit sweeter, whereas this lad goes to sleep then comes alive afterwards.”
Henderson was far from disappointed with the performance of the runner-up Jango Baie, who was conceding 5lb to Handstands.
“James said it was a bit of a stop-start sprint,” said the Seven Barrows handler.
“I’m sure he got the trip all right and he stayed on well. He got messed around a bit (in running) but I’m not making excuses. We were giving them 5lb and well done to the winner. I think they are two smart horses, it is always a decent race and I think it was.
“He probably wants all of this trip. He’s finished both of his races very strongly – he certainly did at Aintree when he stayed it out very well and finished very strong.”
On whether Jango Baie could run at Cheltenham, he added: “These are young horses and we’ve got to see who is coping with what.
“Aintree (over two and a half) would look the obvious place for him, but we will see. I will talk to the owner.”
Friday’s card at Bangor has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track.
Early on Thursday afternoon, it became apparent the course could be in difficulty when an inspection was called for 4pm due to areas of the track being under water.
With rain, sleet and snow all falling, the decision was an easy one as the two furlongs after the winning line were under water, with further rain forecast.
Thursday afternoon’s meeting at Doncaster was called off due to heavy snow.
Having initially passed an early morning inspection, snow began to fall about an hour before the first race.
As the opening contest approached at 12.55pm, it was snowing heavily and by the time the jockeys had entered the paddock to mount, an inspection was called.
A deputation of course officials, jockeys and stewards went out on the track but even in the short time that took, visibility was getting worse and the meeting was soon abandoned.
Clerk of the course Paul Barker told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s very disappointing.
“When I walked it this morning, it was nice and we’d had nothing overnight. I walked it again at 10.30am with the stewards panel chair and it had just started to sleet and no snow, but nothing was settling.
“Jockeys were arriving and so were the trainers – and all were happy.
“Then about 45 minutes before the first, the snow started falling heavier and never really stopped.
“Concerns were raised by everybody during the inquiry and I spoke to the weather station, who said we had about 45 minutes more snow and then it wasn’t going to thaw.
“You just can’t beat Mother Nature.”
Doncaster was not the only fixture called off on raceday, with officials at Thurles cancelling their card due to heavy rain.
Friday’s National Hunt fixture at Kempton is also subject to a precautionary inspection at 7.30am due to the threat of rain.
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