A SEASON that has already featured three Grade 1 successes could be about to get even better for Joseph O’Brien as he readies an impressive team for next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
The top two-mile novice chaser Le Richebourg and the unbeaten Grade 1 winner Sir Erec both hold every chance of giving O’Brien a victory on the greatest stage of all and he will have a number of other strong candidates to rely over the course of the four days at Prestbury Park.
Furthermore, an impressive array of talent among his juvenile hurdlers and bumper horses points to the trainer becoming an ever more influential presence under National Hunt rules over the coming years.
ARKWRISHT (FR)
9yo br g (U212f4076-3P0U)
Lavirco - Latitude
Gigginstown House Stud
Last year he ran very well to finish sixth in the Irish Grand National and that is probably what he will be aimed at again. He’s been a frustrating horse as he has quite a lot of ability and is certainly good enough to win a big pot somewhere.
BAND OF OUTLAWS (IRE)
4yo b g NH (311) F (52151/43261830274-)
Fast Company - Band Of Colour
J. Carthy
You’d have to be impressed with how he won at Naas last weekend. The race was probably run to suit him but he was good and he’s been given a rating of 134 after that so I’d say he could head for the Fred Winter at Cheltenham. His rating leaves him a bit short for the good graded novices so the Fred Winter looks a good option. His jumping was poor when he made his debut over hurdles at Cork in December but it has really improved in his two runs since then.
CHOUNGAYA (FR)
6yo b g (73-2313356)
Walk In The Park - Autorite
Gigginstown House Stud
He might take his chance in a Pertemps Qualifier at Punchestown on Wednesday. If he did run well there and qualify for the final at Cheltenham that would be an option for him. He’s run well in some good novice hurdles this season and he stays well.
EDWULF (GB)
10yo b g ( F2/7F1F/3U21F1P/P187-58)
Kayf Tara - Valentines Lady
J.P. McManus
He takes his chance in today’s Red Mills Chase with the ground appearing suitable for him. We’ve given him an entry in the Grand National at Aintree, but that is only an option at the moment and Saturday might tell us a bit more about where we are going for the rest of the season. He’s in good form
EMBITTERED (IRE)
5yo b g (U313)
Fame And Glory - Kilbarry Classic
Gigginstown House Stud
He ran a lovely race to finish third to Envoi Allen in a Grade 2 bumper at Leopardstown a couple of weeks ago.
The plan would be to keep him for the Champion Bumper at Punchestown.
FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES (FR)
4yo b g NH (264F11) F (4-)
Kapgarde - Niagaria Du Bois
J.P. McManus
When he won at Cheltenham last month he was very impressive. Perhaps the manner of his Cheltenham win was surprising as you don’t expect to go over there and win like that but he won nicely on his first start for us and we did think quite a lot of him going there.
He’s an experienced, tough horse and he has a few different options at Cheltenham as he’s entered in two of the novice hurdles as well as the Triumph.
I’ll speak to J.P. and Frank (Berry) closer to the time to see which route to take with him.
GARDENS OF BABYLON (IRE)
4yo b g NH (122) F (3-4-)
Camelot - Condition
J.P. McManus
I’d say he’s in the mix for one of the races in Cheltenham. Possibly he’s going to be a little high in the weights for the Fred Winter and he will have to improve if he’s going to run in one of the Grade 1s but it’s likely he’ll go. He’s shown a good level of form over hurdles so far and I’d like to think that he could do better still. The decent ground that we’ve had this winter has been a help to him.
IVANOVICH GORBATOV (IRE)
7yo b g NH: (14123-334336-00700P0-08200003) F: (3-11///3)
Montjeu - Northern Gulch (Usa)
J.P. McManus
Over the last couple of seasons he’s become very hit and miss and he isn’t the easiest to predict but his last run was encouraging and was much more in keeping with his old form. He’ll probably get a few handicap entries at Cheltenham.
KONITHO (FR)
4yo gr g (66-715)
Konig Turf - Haute Chartreuse
J.P. McManus
He won well on his first run for us at Naas last month but he was disappointing back there last weekend when he was fifth to Band Of Outlaws. The slow pace wouldn’t have suited him but apart from that he had no excuses. He is better than that so we will regroup now and I’d say Cheltenham could be unlikely for him.
LE RICHEBOURG (FR)
6yo b g (32-1116280-511211)
Network - Fee Magic
J.P. McManus
He’s a horse that we have always held in very high regard and chasing has brought out the best in him. He’s had a great season already having won two Grade 1s and the Arkle at Cheltenham makes a lot of sense for him.
The tempo of two-mile chasing really suits him so the Arkle should be ideal for him and he’s one horse who has been very well served by the dry winter. He’s a very straightforward horse and a really good jumper and this season it’s been great to see him realise the potential we always felt he had.
LONE WOLF (IRE)
6yo b g (3531-15)
Gold Well - Luna Lovegood
J.P. McManus
I was slightly disappointed with his run in a Grade 1 at Naas last month when he was fifth to Battleoverdoyen as I think he is better than that but it was a little bit of a messy race from his point of view. I’d say he might now come back to two miles and move into handicaps but I’d like to think that there is more to come from him.
METICULOUS (IRE)
5yo b g (142)
Fame And Glory - Refinement
M. Tabor
He could well line up in the bumper at Cheltenham. He ran well to finish second to Envoi Allen the last day and Barry O’Neill, who rode him, was very pleased with him. He had a break after his first run and I probably left him a bit short for Leopardstown at Christmas and he showed last time that he’d come on a good bit from that run.
MIDNIGHT RUN (IRE)
5yo b g (12)
Well Chosen - Knockamullen Girl
Gigginstown House Stud
He won nicely first time out and then he was second to Envoi Allen at Navan a couple of months ago. Hopefully he might be another one for the Grade 1 bumper at Punchestown but he’s going to run again before then and you might see him at Naas next weekend.
MORTAL (IRE)
7yo b g (1/4F226-126)
King’s Theatre - Pomme Tiepy
Gigginstown House Stud
He didn’t run up to his best in the Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown earlier this month and I’d say he might be best going back up to three miles. He’s got different novice chase options at Cheltenham and even though he’s got a high enough rating he’ll probably be entered in a couple of handicaps too. His first two runs over fences this season were promising.
RHINESTONE (IRE)
6yo b g (2129-142)
Montjeu - Apticanti
J.P. McManus
I would imagine he will line up for one of the staying novices at Cheltenham and maybe it will be the Albert Bartlett but I’ll speak to J.P. and Frank closer to the time. I was delighted with his last run at Leopardstown when he was second to Commander Of Fleet. I’m not saying it would have changed the outcome but missing out the last hurdle didn’t help our horse as he jumped very well that day. He’s a talented horse and will hopefully show up well wherever he goes at Cheltenham.
SEMPO (IRE)
5yo b g (431)
Oscar Miss Cozzene
Martin O’Sullivan
He was very impressive at Thurles recently and might just get an entry for Cheltenham. We hadn’t been planning in terms of Cheltenham but he won very well the last day and he produced a performance that means he’s well entitled to get an entry for that race. He’s a lovely horse who has improved with every run.
SIR EREC (IRE)
4yo b c NH (11) F (4/2113-)
Camelot - Quiritis
J.P. McManus
I’m very happy with him and he’s in great shape. When he won at Christmas he made a couple of mistakes but he was entitled to do so as it was his first run over hurdles and it was a big field but you could see that he sharpened up a good bit from that run when he won back at Leopardstown a couple of weeks ago. His jumping was much slicker and he won very well and you couldn’t have asked any more of him really. He looks a high-class juvenile hurdler and we’re looking forward to the Triumph with him.
TRIPLICATE (IRE)
6yo b g NH (4-112245) F (311/)
Galileo - Devoted To You
J.P. McManus
He’s been busy enough all season and he has been on the go since the Galway Festival so he’s on a little break with a view to coming back later in the spring. He’s run to a good level since winning his maiden at Galway.
US AND THEM (IRE)
6yo b g (24/31120-41222)
Stowaway - Manorville
Burnham Plastering & Dry Lining Limited
It’s a bit unfortunate for him that he’s around in the same season as Le Richebourg – he’s been second to him in a couple of Grade 1s. He’s still a young horse who is improving all the time and he’s a superb jumper which is probably his main asset. He’ll head across for the Arkle now as I’d say he might be a bit high in the weights for a handicap.
WISHMOOR (IRE)
9yo br g (1-353615/532411-F0862)
Winged Love - Presentingatdawn
Gigginstown House Stud
He ran very well last weekend when finishing second in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown. It was nice to see him run well and he’d been a bit disappointing since coming to us. I’d imagine that we will aim him at the Irish Grand National.