Row in with Toubab in the Tolworth
If it does then I think we can row in with Paul Nicholls’ Toubab in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle. He certainly surprised me at Haydock.
To say Toubab was impressive would be an understatement, he absolutely skated in. Paul really likes him and there are Cheltenham pretensions. They will be sunk if he fails to win this.
Paul has two chances in the following handicap chase, Tchico Polos and Free World. Tchico Polos will be on the pace and Free World will be taking his time.
But this is wide open and you’d have to say that neither of them has anything which is hidden from the handicapper.
The big one at Chepstow is the Welsh Grand National and I always believe this is the greatest stamina test of the season.
I know the National at Aintree is seven furlongs further, but Chepstow is run on dead ground and just feels like it takes for ever to get to the line.
Paul runs Watamu Bay, who comes here on the back of winning twice at Exeter. But he has his share of weight for what has been achieved and is up against it.
It is interesting that Willie Mullins sends Arbor Supreme across and Richie McLernon takes a valuable 3lbs off. He seems to be reasonably well treated, is a sound jumper and will love the trip.
Arbor Supreme may only have been ninth to Jack The Bus in the Troytown at Navan, but is not without hope.
I’ll be especially disappointed if Sam Winner, a horse we have been with a couple of times here, fails to deliver in the Grade 1 hurdle for juveniles.
To win at Chepstow you have to be able to stay and there are no doubts about Sam Winner, looking at the manner in which he came home when scoring twice at Cheltenham.
Wincanton probably won’t be high on the list of priorities for many, but you really should be with The Minack in a novice chase.
He’s a fair sort, who has schooled well for his first assignment over fences. I’d say Paul has high hopes he is going to be one of his better novices this season.
Punchestown today, like Sandown, has to pass an early morning inspection, with the chase track the main cause for concern.
If all eight races go ahead then look to Willie’s Flat Out to produce a decent effort in the first, a beginners chase.
I can tell you that he jumps fine and it is worth remembering Flat Out wasn’t too far off the best as a novice hurdler.
Willie’s Shifa, a French-import and successful in the provinces in her native country, starts off over jumps in the first division of the maiden hurdle.
She hasn’t been asked any serious questions at home, but I saw her at Thurles last Tuesday and she certainly went nicely.
Blackstairmountain is on a retrieving mission in a conditions hurdle. I rode him when he finished fifth and last to Gimli’s Rock at Down Royal and he hasn’t been seen since.
He ran no sort of race that day and nothing has since come to light to explain the performance. We have to draw a line though that - he hasn’t become a bad horse overnight - and has lots in hand of his rivals.
Samain, second at Fairyhouse for Eddie Hales in April, has his first outing for Willie in the bumper. He was third in a schooling bumper at Thurles on Tuesday and I saw enough to make me think will be hard to beat now.
Willie has loads of possibilities at Leopardstown tomorrow, but there’s hardly a good thing among them. He runs two in the featured MCR Hurdle, Final Approach and Call The Police.
Final Approach is owned by the sponsor of the race, so you wouldn’t need to be a genius to work out that this has long been his target.
Call the Police, having a first run for Willie, will be worth watching. He’s a big strapping horse and every inch a chaser in the making.
Rattan is another starting off for Willie in the opening maiden hurdle, having been trained in England by Henry Cecil and Rae Guest.
He was essentially a miler across the water, but shapes as if staying won’t be a problem and the way he’s working and schooling has been encouraging.
Tawaagg has been showing plenty of enthusiasm and won’t be far away in the beginners chase.
