IT’S hard to believe that we are already nearing the halfway point in the current National Hunt season.
Most trainers are waiting for the rain to arrive before they get their better winter horses out and racing. A large number of horses are ready to start off, but the recent dry spell has put a stop to that.
From a spectator’s point of view, that is bound to create some intriguing clashes in maiden hurdles and novice chases over the next few weeks.
It wasn’t that long ago, that Listowel was the week when the ‘winter’ horses started to reappear, but the last few summers have been (from a jumping perspective) pretty dry with the result that the majority of the top horses won’t reappear until we get a good drop of rain.
Jockeys and trainers alike are just itching to get some of their big name horses out and running and one man who is likely to have a fine season is Jonathan Burke.
With over a dozen of the Potts’ horses now based with Colin Tizzard, he will be a familiar face on the ‘red eye’ flights at Dublin airport over the coming weeks and months and he is looking forward to what will be a new adventure for him.
It’s an exciting time. Sizing John, Supasunae, Sizing Coal, New To This Town, Sizing Granite and we could go on, but he has a serious team of horses behind him. He has never been afraid of hard work and travelling is part of the job and it comes easy to him.
Burke has been over the sit on the Potts’ horses at their new base in Dorset and he was impressed.
Whenever Tizzard is interviewed on television, he appears to be incredibly relaxed. Nothing seems to faze him and you also get the impression that he just loves the game - he is a real enthusiast.
Earlier this week, I caught up with Burke and he was impressed by the set up at Tizzards and he said: “what you see on television is what you get. He is gentleman and I’d say that when you get to know him, he’d be great fun. I went over last week for a look - I had spoken to him a few times on the phone before I went over. The horses are there about a month now, but they have all settled in well.”
“He has a good mix of horses. There is a nice range of horse from Sizing Granite, who is a Grade 1 horse, and the chasers that have run are rated somewhere between the mid-120s to 140s. They look great and they have settled in well, but it’s a bit early to be thinking about plans for them. They have to settle in to their new routine and Colin is still getting to know the horses. There are some good hurdlers there as well that will go novice chasing.”
“Colin had a great year last year and the horses ran consistently well all season. It will be interesting to see how they fare out. I suppose in an ideal world, you’d be hoping that the majority of them will develop into good Saturday horses over there. They are based over there, so it makes sense to race them over there. I suppose there are more opportunities for some of the horses over there and even on a Saturday, there might be two or three options for a good class handicap hurdler/chaser.”
There will be clashes between Ireland and England and Burke will inevitably face some tricky choices and he said: “That comes with the job. I suppose the best racing of the week in England is on a Saturday whereas our big day tends to be on Sundays. Look there will be times when I have to make a call as to where I go to, but that is a great position to be in.”
SHANAHAN’S TURN
8yo b g (/F01740-70)
Indian Danehill - Chanson Indienne
Colin Tizzard
“He looks great and is settling in nicely. He has struggled since he won the Galway Plate a couple of years ago and this move might open up more options for him. Smaller fields over there might suit him as well. On his day, he is a very good horse and he looks great and all seems good with him.”
SIZING GRANITE
8yo br g (U111/25P2-)
Milan - Hazel’s Tisrara
Colin Tizzard
“He is a top horse and Colin is happy with him. I’d imagine that he’ll go down the two mile route. He was unlucky in the Champion Chase last year. He made a bad mistake at the first and he never got into a rhythm after that. He then jumped poorly behind Top Gamble at Fairyhouse. But he is back and is fresh and well again now. He has schooled well and if he got back to his best, he could be an exciting horse. He is versatile ground wise - he won his Grade 1 on good ground. He handles the soft as well, but ideally he’d like a bit of decent ground. I am not sure yet where he’ll start off, but he is one that I’m really looking forward to.”
VICONTE DU NOYER
7yo gr g (/33F/0311333-3)
Martaline - Zouk Wood
Colin Tizzard
“He is another horse that is with Colin and he was unlucky not to win the Red Rum Chase at Aintree. I’d say two miles is his best trip and he travels and jumps well. The fact that he is based in England, means there are more opportunities for him and long term, you’d like to think that he could be a horse for the spring festivals next year.
SIZING PLATINUM
8yo b g (/311223U-40)
Definite Article - Quest Of Passion
Colin Tizzard
“He is another horse that Colin has that could do well over there.”
SIZING CADELCO
7yo b g (523/51U2U-3
Flemensfirth - La Zingarella
Colin Tizzard
“He is also with Colin and he along with Shanahans Turn have the ability to do well over the winter.”
NEW TO THIS TOWN
5yo b g (110-)
Milan - Jade River
Mrs John Harrington
Burke is really looking forward to riding this smart bumper performer last season, he could develop into a fine novice hurdler this season and he stated: “He is back and he looks super. He won two bumpers last season and he has strengthened up and has done very well physically. You’d like to think that he could develop into a graded novice hurdler.
“He has a world of schooling done and he is one that I’m really looking forward to riding. He isn’t too far off a run and he is a fine big horse. He races lazily, but you know that when you go for him, there is plenty left in the tank. I sat on him last Tuesday and he felt great.”
SUPASUNDAE
6yo b g (1/16/9317-4)
Galileo - Distinctive Look
Mrs John Harrington
“He has done well over the summer and Jessie is feeling her way with him. I’d imagine that he will remain over hurdles this season. Jumping has always been a little issue for him, but if that comes together, he will hopefully have a fine season. He likes nice ground, but he has won his maiden on heavy ground.”
SIZING JOHN
6yo b g (6/41213/211223-3)
Midnight Legend - La Perrotine
Mrs John Harrington
“He looks great, but he is sick of the sight of Douvan! He ran some great races behind him last season and the chances are that he’ll have to contend with him again this year, but we might try and up him in trip this year. Jessie is feeling her way with him, but if we could stretch him out a bit, that will open up more options for him.
“He is a very good horse, but we’ll have to see what route he’ll go. I’d love to win a good race with him and if any horse deserves to win one, he does. Every day, he gallops to the line so he would have a chance of getting a bit further. He gives me the feel of a horse that will get a bit further, but we won’t know for sure until we run him. He has great scope and he loves jumping.”
SMASHING
7yo gr g (/032173/111P1-)
Smadoun - Faragreen
Mouse Morris
He had his first start for Mouse at Punchestown on Thursday and finished sixth and the grey holds an entry in next month’s Grade 1 the JNwine.com Champion Chase.
“He looks great and we’ll get Punchestown out of the way first. I think he’ll get three miles and he loves soft and heavy ground.
“The race at Down Royal would be the logical race to go for. He is only seven so time is on his side. He travels so well in his races that if he got a bit further, he can really lengthen and quicken and that would be a real asset in those good staying races. He has developed into a very solid graded horse and the race at Down Royal would tell us if he really gets three miles.”
BUCKERS BRIDGE
10yo (15165/051030/560)
Pelder - La Fiere Dame
Mouse Morris
“He looks great and he likes soft ground. Mouse is happy with him and he could be one for those good staying chases over the winter.”
SIZING COAL
8yo b g (1273/P3P-31)
Presenting - Hollygrove Cezanne
J.T.R Dreaper
He heads south in a few weeks’ time for the Cork National. He won as he liked on his comeback run at Sligo a couple of weeks ago and Burke remarked: “All is good with him and I was very happy with him at Sligo. He loves a trip and he is a relentless galloper.
“I think he has really grown up this year and he could be a horse for Aintree. He was third in the Irish National as a novice and he was placed in a good handicap at Punchestown last season. He is an out and out three-mile chaser and he handles any ground bar quick. He is just a very likeable horse.”
GOONYELLA
9yo br g (/2U7312/39425-)
Presenting - Miss Fresher
J.T.R Dreaper
“He is another very good staying chaser. He gave me a great spin at Aintree last season and I’d imagine that he’ll go back there again. He might start back over hurdles and he could run away in all those good staying handicap chases over the winter.”
VENITIEN DE MAI
7yo b g (22321/F3119-4)
Network - Meylba
J.T.R Dreaper
“He had a nice comeback run there at Limerick last Sunday. I was very happy with him, but the ground was a shade quick for him and the trip was too short. I’d imagine that he’ll be aimed at the Troytown and he is another horse that loves soft ground and three miles plus. He won the Leinster National last year and he is another that you’d like to think would be very competitive in all those good three mile handicaps over the winter. The Troytown, the Paddy Power and the Thyestes all look realistic objectives for him.’
He doesn’t have a lot of mileage on the clock and, typical of all of Jim’s, he had a world of schooling done before he ever ran and all that jumping as young horse, really stands to them.”