NIGEL Twiston-Davies is planning on more patient tactics with The New One when he tries three miles for the first time in the Sun Bet Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival this year as he outlined in his stable tour last Thursday.
He said: “I expect The New One and Wholestone will dead-heat in the Sun Bet Stayers’ Hurdle! No, I don’t know as it is a whole new game for The New One.’’
Twiston-Davies has had 17 successes at the Cheltenham Festival, headed by Imperial Commander in the 2010 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup. He has notched up close to 2,000 wins in his career since taking out his full licence in 1989.
WHOLESTONE (IRE)
FORM: (13F/112113-42612)
A talented novice hurdler, Wholestone won three times at Cheltenham last season, including two Grade 2 victories, before finishing third to Penhill in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle over three miles at last year’s festival.
Wholestone finished a three-length second to Agrapart on his latest start, in the gallairdhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham at the end of January. Successful four times in seven Cheltenham starts (never been out of the first three at the course), Wholestone is entered in the Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle over three miles at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Twiston-Davies said: “Wholestone could run a big race at a decent price. His jumping is good and he’s a lively outsider. He likes Cheltenham and just got slightly outstayed there last time (Cleeve Hurdle) in that heavy ground and it won’t be heavy this time, so he has a good chance.
“He was an excellent novice last season and he ran well in the Albert Bartlett, so he could be a horse at a price who could run well.
BALLYOPTIC (IRE)
FORM: (5111/1F2F4P5-51241)
“Ballyoptic has a good chance in the RSA Chase. Sam may possibly ride and it was a very good run at Wetherby last time. He did everything right and bounced back to form after Kempton. He must be my best chance of a winner at the festival this year along with The New One.’’
Ballyoptic earned himself a shot at the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase by winning the Towton at Wetherby earlier this month. Switched to fences after one run over hurdles this term, Ballyoptic has won twice over the larger obstacles in four starts. That included a 13-length victory over Elegant Escape at Exeter in November and victory over Vintage Clouds in that Grade 2 race at Wetherby on his latest start. Ballyoptic was fourth to Black Corton in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.
“He’s got much the same sort of profile going into the race as Blaklion when he won the RSA,” said Twiston-Davies. It was a very good run at Wetherby. He was very good and he did everything right.”
JAMESON (GB)
FORM: (12312-21244)
Jameson has run five times for Twsiton-Davies since joining the yard this season from Nicky Henderson, for whom he won a novice hurdle in April last year.
Second to West Approach on his first start for his new stable in a beginners’ chase at Ffos Las in October last year, the six-year-old came out best in a two and a half mile novices’ handicap chase at Sandown Park last November.
Jameson most recent starts has seen him finish last of four in novice chase events at Cheltenham and Newbury over two and a half and two miles in December and January.
He is entered in the JLT Novices’ Chase and the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase.
His trainer said: “Jameson has done nothing wrong all season, though two miles was too quick for him last time. He will go for the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase.”
CALETT MAD (FR)
FORM: (343/1212952-11541)
Calett Mad was disappointing in a Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle trial at Cheltenham in November and flopped again in the River Don at Doncaster but redeemed himself when winning a Pertemps Qualifier at Musselburgh last time out.
“I would have thought he’ll go for the Albert Bartlett,” Twiston-Davis said: “He was disappointing in the River Don. He just got worn out and was well beaten. I didn’t want to run him again quickly, but Anthony Bromley (racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede) said we should get him qualified for the Pertemps Final.
“We just rode him totally differently at Musselburgh, to run on and try to get a place really, and it really suited him and he romped home. We’ll hold him up again at Cheltenham as that was what brought about the transformation.”
BIGBADJOHN (IRE)
FORM: (/1021/P312S1P-U7081)
Having moved from Rebecca Curtis’ yard in January, Twiston-Davies’ newcomer had won the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase a year ago. On his first run for new connections in early Februrary, Bigbadjohn won a handicap chase over three miles at Kempton.
Twiston-Davis said: “It was a nice performance at Kempton last time and the festival is something we’re definitely looking at.
“We didn’t do much differently with him, but it was a smaller race last time - he had come down in the handicap and he is a quality horse.”
Bigbadjohn is entered in the Ultima Handicap Chase and the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase.
BALLYHILL (FR)
FORM: (247/711443500-235F10)
Ballyhill’s was getting plenty of weight from his rivals when he won over two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham in Januray. Having fallen in his previous race at Aintree, his jumping at Cheltenham was sound and he finished bravely.
Last time out at the end of January, again at Cheltenham, Ballyhill made a mistake four out, stumbled badly three out and tailed off to finish 10th to Frodon.
“He was a winner over two and a half miles at Cheltenham and he is the sort of horse who could pop up and win a handicap,” Twiston-Davies saID.
THE NEW ONE (IRE)
FORM: (/111212/11231/11115/1214F/121534-14221)
Now 10, the stable star has run in the last four renewals of the Champion Hurdle, and was third in 2014, fifth in 2015, fourth in 2016 and fifth again 12 last year.
The New One has run over the two-mile route so far this season, most recently claiming his fourth victory in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock, but will step up in distance on his return to Cheltenham next month.
His trainer said: “I am not confident about three miles for The New One at all, which is why we have hung on so long to try him over it.
“We will be riding The New One differently - we won’t be making all. He has won over two and a half miles quite a few times, but was he really staying on then? I don’t know.
“Looking at the races he has run this season, The New One is probably better than he has ever been. I think his races have been incredible this season and the handicapper thinks so too as the horse is still very highly rated.
“We had to have a go at the Champion Hurdle trials this season because they are so valuable and he has run well in all of them. He just has this huge earning capacity at two miles and he is likely to go back to that distance next season. That is where the money is and if he is earning £200,000 a year why do anything else?
“He is the horse of a lifetime - it would be nice to win the Stayers’ Hurdle as it was so sad when the first Champion Hurdle was there for the taking and he was knocked out of it.
“Sam has been keen to try The New One over three miles for a long time.”
The New One has won 20 times in all over his career, earning over £1 million in prize money and has only finished out of the first four just four times in 36 starts.