Keppols Hill owes me — and this is a good opportunity
I’m on Michel Le Bon for Paul Nicholls and I’m hoping for the best, in what looks a fiercely competitive contest.
The Welsh National is always an absolute grueller and is far more stamina-sapping than the Aintree equivalent, even though that is run over much further.
Basically, what you need for this ferocious test is a horse who stays six miles and, perhaps, Michel Le Bon may end up ticking all of the right boxes.
He is now a ten-year-old, but doesn’t have huge mileage on the clock. Indeed, this will only be his fifth ever outing over fences.
He ran a cracker last time when chasing home The Package at Wincanton. There is a load of jumping to be done at Chepstow and, for Michel Le Bon to have a shout, he is going to have to get that aspect of his game largely spot-on.
I’ll be trying to get him into a good rhythm, will then creep away, creep away, and see where all of that takes us.
I start on Sin Bin in a maiden hurdle. He has been second twice at Chepstow of late and this isn’t the stiffest of tasks.
But, at the same time, all he has is a chance and I’m not exactly jumping up and down when it comes to his prospects.
I do, however, think I’ll win the beginners chase on Keppols Hill. He did his best to fall at the last at Ffos Las and then managed it at Exeter next time.
We were about two lengths clear at Exeter and there is no doubt Keppols Hill would have won. He owes me and this is a good opportunity.
Caid Du Berlais is certainly interesting in the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle. This is his first run for Paul, on the back of finishing second on two occasions at Auteuil.
It is going to be a real ask for four-year-olds, but Paul likes this horse a lot, so let’s hope he is right throwing him in at the deep end.
Then it is Cedre Bleu in a handicap chase. I won on the horse at Ascot and he did his job nicely that day. Trip and track will suit, so he shouldn’t be far away.
If I’m still waiting for a winner come Roger Beantown, in another handicap hurdle, then I’m going to be in trouble.
He can be keen, so it will be a case of switching him off and attempting to stay on as best we can in the closing stages.
I only have three rides at Naas tomorrow, but they are good ones and have every reason to believe will figure among the winners.
Upazo gets the show on the road in the opening maiden hurdle, after running second to a smart Gigginstown horse, Umpact, at Gowran Park.
That was Upazo’s first run in Ireland — he arrived from France — and is entitled to come on plenty. An extra three furlongs in trip will help, but my worry is the ground.
He’s a light-actioned horse and, I think, will be better in the spring, when meeting a decent surface. Mind you, this doesn’t look a great race and he is well capable of winning.
I like Marito in the novice chase. He won for me first time over fences at Thurles and his jumping was near faultless.
He came from France with a huge reputation and that Thurles run was just his third for Willie Mullins. He’ll be hard to beat.
And then Champagne Fever, a horse I particularly like, is the icing on the cake in the Slaney Hurdle. His second to Jezki in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse could hardly have worked out any better.
Both Jezki and Zuzka, who was third in the Royal Bond, both bolted in subsequently and you can’t ask for better than that. The Royal Bond was over two miles and Champagne Fever is crying out for this two and a half.
A word about Hurricane Fly, who was so impressive when winning at Leopardstown last Saturday. I was delighted with him.
He travelled quite beautifully through the contest and jumped like a stag. Then I gave him a squeeze turning in and he bounded clear.
Hurricane Fly has now produced two excellent displays so far this season and I’ll be looking for more of the same in the Irish Champion Hurdle, back at Leopardstown, at the end of this month.
