Saturday, January 01, 2011
I know Celestial Halo has a bit to find in the conditions hurdle at Cheltenham today, but it will be no surprise to me if he manages to turn things around.
He was third to Karabak and Any Given Day on this track last time and you can certainly argue there is no real reason for the result to be any different.
But Paul Nicholls’ horse went there on the back of a couple of poor enough efforts over fences and that recent spin should have restored his confidence.
As well as that he was very free and keen for the first mile and, when a horse does that, then their is bound to be a deficit towards the end of a race.
I would imagine Celestial Halo will be allowed to bowl along naturally near the front now. He doesn’t have to make it, but getting into a nice rhythm is important.
Of course Karabak, in particular, will be hard to beat and he is a cracking good horse, when on song but I still believe Celestial Halo capable of giving him a real race — on this occasion.
Paul, unusually for a Saturday, doesn’t have the strongest of hands through the card. My Will, for instance, is hard to fancy in a handicap chase.
He’s not the most reliable and has a lot of weight, so plug in the kettle for this and enjoy a leisurely ten minutes with a cuppa.
I will be watching Sang Bleu with a lot of interest in the Grade 2 novice chase. I schooled him back in October and thought he was a star in the making.
I was looking forward to him and then he proceeded to run a shocker at Newbury. He finished third of three to Finian’s Rainbow, beaten 39 lengths.
I was puzzled by that display and, in all conscience, can’t recommend anyone to back him, until he does on the racecourse what he’s shown me at home.
Paul runs two, Taranis and Five Dream, in a two miles and five handicap chase. Taranis was seventh behind Diamond Harry in the Hennessy at Newbury and, apparently, didn’t stay.
As a former winner of a Ryanair at Cheltenham this trip will obviously suit, while Five Dream is a consistent little horse, although fences do tend to get in his way! My idea of the winner, however, is Hey Big Spender, who set them a merry-dance for a long way in the Hennessy.
Paul also has two in the three mile handicap hurdle and King’s Legacy looks the best of them, having run with distinct promise at Cheltenham on his seasonal debut.
Willie Mullins has two live chances at Fairyhouse today, Aughaloor and Enterprise Park. Aughaloor should win the two and a half mile maiden hurdle.
He had been working well at home, prior to running badly first time up at Clonmel. He then showed his true colours when winning well at Navan subsequently. He has schooled nicely and is ready to start.
Enterprise Park, a fine big horse, has his first outing over fences in the beginners chase. This was always going to be his game.
He went to the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham in March, but suffered an injury and had to be pulled up. Enterprise Park is well over that by now, is one hundred per cent and very much on song to rock ‘n roll.
Willie runs Barker in the Listed chase at Tramore and he is the highest rated in the contest. His campaign last season could be best described as up-and-down, but I understand he has plenty of work done.
Willie should get among the winners at Naas tomorrow, starting with Cadspeed in the novice chase. He was beaten by Torphichen at Clonmel, but that horse showed the form in good light at Leopardstown this week.
You’d imagine Cadspeed will bowl along at a fair old pace in front and Naas will more than suit his style of running.
Willie has a very strong hand in the Slaney Hurdle, with Bishopsfurze and Gagewell Flyer, both horses impressing on their initial runs over jumps at Cork and Navan respectively.
If I had to choose between them then I would have no hesitation teaming up with Bishopsfurze. He had not schooled well heading to Cork, but hardly touched a twig that day.
I think this is a horse with a fair old engine and Willie seems to like him a lot.
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