Gentleman Joe (GB)

3 b g F (8-163)

Authorized – Belle Lulu

Henry de Bromhead

Henry de Bromhead took charge of the previously unbeaten Quilixios last spring on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival following Cheveley Park Stud’s decision to remove their horses from Gordon Elliott. The change of scenery didn’t prevent the Maxios gelding from making it five wins from as many starts when taking the Triumph Hurdle by three and a quarter lengths.

The same handler will be thinking in terms of the same event for his high-class flat recruit Gentleman Joe. Rated 92 on the level when trained by Joseph Tuite, the son of Authorized has been gelded since joining De Bromhead and spent time at Paul Power’s livery yard during the summer.

A 43,000gns foal, he is a half-brother to John and Thady Gosden’s unbeaten 98 rated four-year-old Faisal. Eighth on his only run as a two-year-old at Kempton in November, Gentleman Joe has left that form behind this term.

Well supported on his reappearance at the same track in March, he won a mile maiden by nearly four lengths stretching clear inside the final furlong.

Elevated in class a month later, he wasn’t disgraced in finishing sixth in the Listed Feilden Stakes over nine furlongs at Newmarket’s Craven meeting. The winner, Highland Avenue, has subsequently finished sixth in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes and fourth in a Group 2 event in France.

Flat career

He rounded off his flat career with a most respectable third in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood. Stepping up to 11 furlongs, he couldn’t match the first two, namely Lone Eagle (runner-up in the Irish Derby) and Yibir (won the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes) but was keeping on in the closing stages. Both the fourth (listed win) and fifth (rated 89) have scored subsequently.

It is top-class three-year-old form. Bought privately afterwards by agent Alex Elliott on behalf of Robcour, Gentleman Joe is suited by an ease in the ground, he stays well and has the ingredients to make a very good hurdler. There is a possibility he will make his jumping bow at Gowran Park (November 20th). Otherwise, his new connections may elect to wait for Leopardstown’s prestigious Christmas fixture.

Authorized is responsible for some top-class jumpers, namely the ill-fated Nichols Canyon, Tiger Roll, Goshen and Echoes In Rain and this three year old could be another.

Matterhorn (FR)

3 b g NH (3)

Martaline – Sacarine

Paul Nicholls

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has recruited the likes of Dolos (third in 2016), Hinterland (won in 2011) and San Benedeto (second in 2014) from the Listed Prix Wild Monarch at Auteuil during the last 10 years.

Ditcheat is the home of the once-raced Matterhorn, who finished third in the 2021 renewal in April. Previously trained by Gabriel Leenders, the Martaline gelding was unlucky not to make a winning debut following a bad mistake at the final hurdle. Subsequently bought on behalf of patron Johnny de la Hey, who is also responsible for recent Chepstow winner Magistrato, he looks a terrific prospect.

Both Footpad (seventh in 2015) and Long Run (second in 2008), who won a dozen Grade 1 races between them, also made their debuts in the Prix Wild Monarch and 15 runners assembled for the latest edition.

Losing legs

Positioned on the rail, Matterhorn was never too far off the pace before making his move on the approach to the second last off the home turn. Leading at the penultimate hurdle, he was switched to the stands’ side and was still in front when losing his hind legs after the last.

Handing the advantage to Paradiso, his chance soon disappeared but he rallied well to regain third position.

Beaten 11 lengths, the form is strong with the David Cottin-trained winner landing listed and Grade 3 hurdles at the same track in May and June respectively. The eighth Issam has also won since.

Paul Nicholls was responsible for arguably the best juvenile hurdler last season in Monmiral, who also began his career in a three-year-old hurdle at Auteuil. Don’t be surprised if this gelded son of Martaline follows a similar programme – low key to begin with before a tilt at the Grade 2 Summit Juvenile Hurdle at Doncaster (December 11th). The stable have won three of the last five runnings and Town Moor will play to Matterhorn’s strengths.

Adrien Du Pont, Diego Du Charmil, Irish Saint and Solo all won graded juvenile hurdles for the De la Hey family and you can expect this exciting three-year-old to do likewise this winter.

Shallwehaveonemore (FR)

4 b g NH (1- )

Authorized – Princess Roseburg

Gary Moore

Owner Steven Packham and trainer Gary Moore are responsible for the high-class hurdler Goshen who could be a very interesting proposition stepping up in trip this season. Still only five, he ploughed through the mud to win the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton by 22 lengths in February.

Most effective when racing right-handed and when the ground is testing, the gelded son of Authorized is set to reappear in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle over the same course and distance early next month.

Winning dam

The same connections are understandably excited about another of Authorized’s offspring in the unbeaten Shallwehaveonemore. A cheap yearling (€7,000), his dam was a dual winner on the flat in France and listed placed over a mile. He appears to have inherited plenty of speed judged on his debut win in a bumper at Kempton in March.

The two-mile event has been dominated by former champion trainer Nicky Henderson in recent times with the Seven Barrows outfit winning five of the previous eight renewals, including with Mister Fisher (2018) and Shishkin (2019). Their representative last spring was the well-bred Walking On Air.

Above average

However, the 11/8 favourite was put firmly in his place with the Moore-trained runner winning decisively by four and a half lengths. Held up in the early stages, Josh Moore’s mount moved smoothly into contention turning for home before taking charge with a furlong to run.

Shallwehaveonemore quickly settled the issue pulling away in the manner of an above average performer. The form has yet to be tested with the second, third and fourth not seen again.

Reported to have schooled well at home, Gary Moore has indicated he will make his hurdles debut at Ascot next weekend (October 30th). Blessed with a turn of foot, Shallwehaveonemore may always prove at his best on level tracks and one could envisage him returning to the Sunbury track for the two-mile novice hurdle on St Stephen’s Day – it has been won by subsequent graded winners Altior (2015), If The Cap Fits (2017) and Mister Fisher (2018). This once raced four-year-old looked every inch a similar type last spring.

Longer-term, it will be interesting to see if he is aimed at the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February. Novices have won nine of the last 12 renewals and Moore is seeking his fourth win in the race – he has won it twice with five-year-olds – plus, Fifty Ball was runner-up as a novice last season.

Hartur D’Oudairies (FR)

4 b g F (1-)

Kapgarde – Brise D’Oudairies

Dan Skelton

Dan Skelton has been busy acquiring fresh talent from France. They include a couple of potentially useful juvenile hurdlers, namely In This World and Message Personnel. Fourteen times champion owner in Britan, J.P. McManus has sent another French recruit Hartur D’Oudairies to Paul Nicholls’ former assistant.

A four-year-old by Kapgarde, he is a half-brother to Fumut D’Oudairies, who won a couple of hunter chases this spring for Tom Ellis.

Powerful

Previously owned by M.L. Bloodstock, he made a winning start to his career in an AQPS flat race for Daniela Mele at Le Mans (left-handed) in November. A tall powerful-looking gelding, he made all the running and was taken wide for much of the race. Ridden along turning for home, the Kapgarde gelding responded well and powered clear to win comfortably by two and a half lengths. The further he went, the better he looked.

The third and sixth have lost their maiden tags since and the seventh has finished runner-up at Auteuil and joined Willie Mullins afterwards. Given plenty of time since being bought by the leading Irish owner, he joined Dan Skelton in the late summer/early autumn and his new trainer describes Hartur D’Oudairies as “a lovely horse”.

The plan is to start him off in a two-mile maiden/novice hurdle but there is every chance he will improve when stepped up to two and a half miles. He is a smashing prospect who will jump fences, too.

State Man (FR)

4 ch g NH (2- )

Doctor Dino – Arret Station

Willie Mullins

Footpad could only finish a remote seventh in the Listed Prix Wild Monarch at Auteuil in April 2015 when trained by Robert Collet. Runner-up the following month at the same track, he was purchased soon afterwards on behalf of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and subsequently won six Grade 1 races, including the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham in 2018.

The Creachadoir gelding was trained by Willie Mullins and Ireland’s champion trainer is in charge of the once-raced State Man who finished runner-up in the same listed contest at the Parisian track last year.

Owned by M.L. Bloodstock and trained by Daniela Mele, he was towards the rear of the 19-strong field for the majority of the contest.

Overcoming a mistake in the back straight, he made headway after the third last but was still in 11th position turning for home. Staying on well, the Doctor Dino gelding got to within two lengths of Busselton (runner-up in a Grade 2 and third in a Grade 1 for Joseph O’Brien last season). The third Bimbo Has won a Grade 3 chase at Auteuil in June this year, and the fourth Hades has won over fences and finished third in a Grade 1 chase at France’s number one jumping track.

High-profile owner

Willie Mullins, via agent Pierre Boulard, snapped up State Man and the four-year-old now belongs to high-profile owner Joe Donnelly. Despite being given an entry in the Triumph Hurdle last spring, Mullins purposely didn’t run him last term in order to protect his novice status for this winter.

The Doctor Dino gelding left the impression he stays well and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him ridden from the front over two miles for his new connections. The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March looks a realistic target.

Mullins is seeking his eighth win in the Cheltenham Festival opener (Vautour (2014), Douvan (2015) and Klassical Dream (2019) won it as five-year-olds). The Donnellys claimed the prize courtesy of Shishkin in 2020.

Vauban (FR)

3 ch g F (441)

Galiway – Waldfest

Willie Mullins

Rich Ricci is understandably excited about his latest purchase from France, Vauban and it is hoped the progressive three-year-old will develop into a leading contender for the Triumph Hurdle. Trained overseas by Philippe Decouz, he is from the family of St Leger winner and stallion Masked Marvel.

Chantilly

Unraced at two, the Galiway gelding shaped well on his first two starts at Longchamp and Chantilly during the spring finishing fourth on both occasions. He was beaten three and a quarter lengths by the subsequent German Derby runner-up Alter Adler at the latter venue.

Vauban confirmed the promise of that run by running out an easy four and a half lengths winner at Lyon in late June. Held up, he made smooth headway on the outside in the home straight before streaking clear to win decisively (second and third have won since).

Better display

Less than a month later, he produced an even better display when overcoming traffic problems to win the Listed Prix Frederic De Lagrange at Vichy. Even though there were only six runners, the Jules Mobain’s mount found himself hemmed in on the far rail and was forced to pull his mount wide.

Acceleration

With ground to make up, Vauban showed good acceleration to lead close home and win by a short head from the Coolmore-owned Friendly Face. His victory proved he possesses speed, stamina and determination, which will hold him in good stead for his future over timber.

Rated 104 on the flat, Vauban is likely to return to the level at some stage but he has been bought with a hurdling career in mind, too. His jumping bow is eagerly anticipated.

One Jump Ahead 2021-’22 is priced at £10.99 (plus £5 overseas) and can be ordered from Mark Howard Publications Ltd, 69 Fairgarth Drive, Kirkby Lonsdale, Carnforth, Lancashire. LA6 2FB. UK

Web: mhpublications.co.uk