Lydia Hislop's Road to Cheltenham

Has Willie Mullins’ chief Champion Hurdle hope run in the race before? No. Flick down your Faugheen, Annie Power and Nichols Canyon tiles on your game board. Is Willie Mullins’ chief Champion Hurdle hope a chestnut? No. Knock down Limini. Is Willie Mullins’ chief Champion Hurdle hope a mare? Possibly! But now it’s someone else’s turn in this god-forsaken edition of Guess Who.

Yes this week, apart from the latest twist of the Mullins-applied head-screw, the Road sets off on the winding uphill single-lane track that is the novice-hurdling division. Like I promised last week. I haven’t forgotten.

Stan James Champion Hurdle

So Limini wasn’t supplemented for the Champion Hurdle today, despite Willie Mullins suggesting the idea last week. To be fair, owner Rich Ricci was right about his own horse this time when telling the crowd at the BetBright preview three days later that she wasn’t certain to be supplemented. Some you win…

It had been remarkable that neither the market nor the preview circuit had taken much notice of Ricci’s assertion even though David Casey, the yard’s representative at the Sean Graham/Irish News preview night earlier this week, flatly asserted that Vroum Vroum Mag was a much better mare than Limini.

Even Gordon Elliott waded in with an observation on Limini’s credentials via collateral form with his mare Apple’s Jade, who “wouldn’t get in the first five in the Champion Hurdle”. Still nobody took much notice.

Then the news – or lack of it – broke. But Vroum Vroum Mag has been on antibiotics after “brewing some sort of cold” so presumably Limini’s absence means the older mare’s recovery isn’t going so well and that she may not even make the Mares’ Hurdle, yes?

Not necessarily. She’s still in the Champion Hurdle. Go figure. (But don’t waste too much of your life on it.)

Mullins appears a tad taciturn in the Guardian’s report on the decision not to supplement Limini. “We just decided not to do it. I really don’t want to say much more about it now. I imagine she’ll run in the mares’ race,” he said. “We just decided it wasn’t worth it.”

Asked by journalist Chris Cook what his decision about Limini meant for Vroum Vroum Mag, Mullins said: “I really don’t know. We don’t have to make that decision yet anyway. The only decision we’ve made this morning is not to pay the £20,000 to put Limini in the Champion.”

Joe Chambers, Ricci’s racing manager, later added: “Rich was categoric last week in saying he didn’t want to pay £20,000 just to get £20,000 back [for finishing fourth]. He wanted to be competitive if she was going to run and, between the jigs and the reels, it came down to that. We felt it wasn’t a chance worth taking.”

I shall be sitting out the next dance.

A total of 13 horses have stood their ground at this stage for the Champion, including Ch’Tibello, whose breathing operation has reportedly gone well but any hold-up in his training would rule him an unlikely participant, and novice Moon Racer, whose trainer David Pipe has said he’ll decide between this race and the Supreme at the 48-hour stage. He added that the horse “went well in a racecourse gallop at Wincanton the other day”.

Tombstone, the other mooted supplementary entrant, has also not been added to the list as indicated by what the O’Learys clearly allowed to be a workable British handicap mark. That may mean Elliott gets his wish of running the horse in the Coral Cup. 

The news from the JP McManus camp on his trio of contenders was that Mark Walsh partners Yanworth, Noel Fehily is reunited with slick-jumping Buveur D’Air and Aidan Coleman will be on My Tent Or Yours.

Walsh is heading to Alan King’s yard to familiarize himself with the favourite, who hasn’t been ridden by anyone other than injured Barry Geraghty since he went hurdling. His trainer has reportedly expressed entirely logical concerns that Yanworth is not a straightforward horse and benefits from being known.

OLBG David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle

Ricci could be doubly represented in this race. Or not. My head hurts.

Limini is now best priced at 6/4 NRNB with Skybet and her stable companion Vroum Vroum Mag, who’d arrive following a health hiccup but whom Casey reckons is the far superior mare, is 5/2 NRNB with Paddy Power.

A line through the slighted Apple’s Jade suggests there isn’t much between any of them and I suppose you could argue the Champion Hurdle’s loss is this race’s gain, making it probably the most competitive edition yet. That’s if they all show up, natch.

Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle

It has been confirmed that Noel Fehily will be reunited with his winning Albert Bartlett mount Unowhatimeanharry in the absence of Geraghty.

It’s also been suggested at one preview night that Ballyoptic has undergone a breathing operation since finishing well beaten in the Cleeve and that would go some way to explaining why he had an off day there. If he can reproduce his Long Walk form, he’s overpriced.

Camping Ground does not run here according to trainer Gary Moore and only a deluge would persuade him to have a go at the Coral Cup.

Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup

The road to the Gold Cup continues to run smoothly for Djakadam this year after he pleased Mullins during racecourse schooling at Leopardstown last Sunday and Casey, who rode him in work the preceding day. “He’s absolutely flying,” the latter asserted at that gung-ho preview night.

Elliott couldn’t muster similar enthusiasm for Outlander, suggesting that he shouldn’t be good enough and isn’t a certain stayer. He’s even intimated that Empire Of Dirt would be his best shot at the race – superior even to Don Poli – were Gigginstown not insisting he contests the Ryanair instead.

In other schooling yak, More Of That is meant to have been “electric” of late and will be ridden by Mark Walsh. Coleman is the lucky jockey who again gets to stay on board for as long as possible on Minella Rocco.

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

It’s increasingly unlikely that 2014 Champion Chase hero Sire De Grugy will take part in this year’s edition after Moore reported him working “extremely lethargically”.

But stablemate Traffic Fluide is a possible contender despite having not yet beaten a rival in two starts this season.

"He seems to be working really well and if the word ‘soft’ appears in the going description, as looks likely at this stage, that’s where he will go," Moore said in his Betway column.

"If the ground dries out quickly, we do have the option of stepping him up in trip for the Ryanair Chase, but the Champion remains the preferred option.

"The two quick runs he had last month have definitely helped with his fitness, as he seems to be working a lot better now.

"On face value, those runs were disappointing, but it was important to get him back on the track."

But Simply Ned, who finished fifth two years ago, will be swelling the numbers against Douvan according to trainer Nicky Richards.

Ryanair Chase

It’s time to make a decision on the Ryanair and, though the forecast is volatile, at this stage it appears as though the sizeable chunk of rain that had been set to empty on Cheltenham this week may no longer materialize. If rain does arrive, it may come on the day of the Ryanair which is cutting it fine.  

That’s not great news for favourite Un De Sceaux but I would have been inclining towards Empire Of Dirt anyway because he’s improving, a course-and-distance winner and boasts assured stamina. Given the presence of both Josses Hill and Sub Lieutenant ensures a strongly run contest, that final attribute is a prerequisite. 

Connections of Un De Sceaux point to his French success at this trip but the tempo of such races tends to be very different from a Festival contest and at this stage it is clear his banner form is at around two miles. The quicker the ground, the greater the pressure on his jumping also. 

Like Elliott, I’d prefer Empire Of Dirt to contest the Gold Cup because this glorified handicapper seems to have improved further for a step up to three miles this season. But he doesn’t lack pace and the fact he’d be considered in a player in next Friday’s much deeper race only strengthens his claims for this high-class consolation prize.

Novice chasers

Yorkhill will be asked to redo his homework after failing fully to impress during his public schooling session at Leopardstown last Sunday. On the upside, he did warm to his task and was powering on strongly when it was all over but yet was buzzed up beforehand and jumping clunkily left over the first three obstacles.

“He went a bit left at the first few fences and then he jumped high and Ruby said he gave himself a bit of a fright early in the back straight but he was electric after that when they went quicker. We might school him again before Cheltenham,” said Mullins.

That first fence comes up fast in the JLT and, were Yorkhill to make a mistake there, it could be his whole race cooked. In fact any time he makes an error, he could forfeit the inside rail which is surely the best place for this left-adjustor to be.

Preview nights have betrayed what a huge rep he has in Ireland, for the size of both his engine and his “ignorance” as Jamie Codd succinctly put it. Davy Russell reportedly even suggested a hood might be applied come the day.

Clearly, this horse perhaps more than any other favourite at this year’s Festival has the potential either to blossom or blow out. He’s a huge talent but at 7/4, with all those concerns, no thanks.

At least he didn’t leave the playground with grit in his knees (metaphorically speaking) like stable companion Bellshill, who fell at the first fence in his schooling session.

“He’s a little bit stiff afterwards,” said Mullins at the time. “I’d have liked to have schooled him again after that but because he was a little bit stiff it was best not to and we’ll see how he is in the morning. Rule Supreme did fall here in a schooling session and went on to win the RSA Chase.”

But back in 2004, Rule Supreme hadn’t also hit the deck in his previous race. It would be an assertion of the regard with which Bellshill is held if Mullins persists with his RSA ambitions, especially given this horse has underperformed at the last two Festivals also – although admittedly over inadequate trips.

Bellshill has since reportedly schooled again and earned a more positive review from Ruby Walsh. Owner Graham Wylie has also been quoted at a preview night saying he expects the horse to run at the Festival although whether that will be in the RSA or the JT McNamara NH Chase is not clear.

There have been two notable Irish withdrawals since last week in leading RSA fancy Coney Island, who has badly bruised his foot, and Identity Thief, whose eleventh-hour attempt to secure his place in the Arkle ended with a leaden-footed fourth at Leopardstown last Sunday.

A total of 15 horses stood their ground in that two-mile Grade One, including odds-on favourite Altior. Among them is Charbel, who missed a prep run due to a bout of coughing but has been confirmed for this race rather than stepping up in trip for the first time in the JLT.

Nigel Twiston-Davies has not yet decided between those two targets for Warwick winner Flying Angel but Richard Johnson has been booked for A Hare Breath in the Arkle.

Unfortunately, Waiting Patiently has suffered a minor setback and instead heads for Aintree but stablemate Cloudy Dream is still a potential contender for Malcolm Jefferson.

After an extended public deliberation, Henderson and Davy Russell appear to have settled on Whisper joining stablemates Might Bite and O O Seven in the RSA Chase. But Harry Fry has warned American might not run unless he gets soft ground – although be warned, he has been tempted to ignore his own provisos in the past.

Codd has been booked to ride A Genie In Abottle in the NH Chase where his rivals could include Arbre De Vie for Mullins but Premier Bond is reportedly heading for the Kim Mui. Emerging Force and Shantou Village both miss the Festival.

Paul Jones reported in his latest copy that, when pressed at a preview night, Henderson’s assistant Toby Lawes revealed the stable are encouraging the owners of Beware The Bear to have a pop at the NH Chase with Sam Waley-Cohen likely to be on board. He stood his ground at the latest stage.

Novice hurdlers

I’ve been trying for days to wind myself up to back Movewiththetimes for the Supreme because it looks such a good argument each-way at 9/1 on paper. But, when it came to it, I just couldn’t do it.

Here’s the case for the prosecution: in finishing second and first in the Betfair Hurdle last time out, he and Ballyandy respectively have already achieved form good enough to hit the frame in most Supremes. 

Yes, unlike other novices they’ve also taken part in a race that enabled them to demonstrate such a level of form – a point we’ll return to later with West Approach – but you’re not still guessing whether they’re capable of it.

Movewiththetimes was conceding 1lb to Ballyandy and was beaten only three-quarters of a length. He heads to Cheltenham on the back of that career-best effort, is open to further improvement and is bred to appreciate ground likely to be less testing than it was at Newbury.

(On the subject of the Festival going, I’m currently working on the basis that it will be genuinely good-to-soft ground – as opposed to officially good-to-soft and actually on the fast side of good, as it often is on day one. The forecast is volatile, however, so this premise could be subject to change.)

You can argue the waywardness Movewiththetimes showed when asked to battle with Ballyandy may now be ironed out by this experience of coming off the bridle, making him a more complete competitor next time out. Crucially, he is also 9/1 NRNB (or 8/1 more widely), four points longer than Ballyandy and in a market in which two similarly or shorter priced competitors – Moon Racer and Neon Wolf – might not run in this race.

So that’s the logic but I just can’t do it. It’s the way he hung behind Ballyandy when asked to win the race by Barry Geraghty that stops me, the way he was careful when asked to fly the final hurdle, the sense that if they’d carried on for a circuit he’d have remained just under a length behind the winner.

Perhaps what we saw at Newbury was nothing more than a function of soft ground and naivety for the fight. Yet it’s equally possible Movewiththetimes will recoil from that experience. It’s not as if Geraghty – who appeared certain for much of the straight that he was going to win – rode him for another day, as it were. The horse just didn’t find as much for pressure as he expected.

It’s therefore also perhaps not ideal that Mark Walsh is having to take over, purely in the sense that this might not be – with the emphasis on might, given he’s a novice – the most straightforward horse and benefits from some knowing. Walsh has been down to Ditcheat according to Nick Schofield but there’s no substitute for a race in getting to know a horse’s game-face.

The more I watched the Betfair Hurdle, the more sure I became that Ballyandy will place in this race. He’s a good jumper and clearly thrived in a strongly run event. He has plenty of experience, is proven at the Festival as last season’s bumper winner and clearly took a good step forward last time out.

However, he’s already 5/1. Should Melon be backed – and Willie Mullins’ throwaway bullishness about the formality it will be for Ruby Walsh to choose between that horse and Bunk Off Early will surely do nothing to temper that dynamic – that doesn’t offer much juice. I have little time for yak but Mullins’ expressions of in-house hierarchy tend to be significant.

Neon Wolf boasts the best novice-hurdling form on this side of the Irish Sea. He recently contracted in the Supreme market, with bookmakers and punters taking positions for the scenario of the day-one ground being soft and this Harry Fry-trained hurdler running here rather than in the Neptune.

His official rating of 148 surely underestimates him on the basis of time and sectional comparisons with Champion Hurdle contender The New One when they both won at Haydock last month.

However, it might be that Neon Wolf needs soft ground to operate optimally and his lack of experience could catch him out in the Supreme. Unlike Melon, he hasn’t benefitted from any sneaky schooling races… as far as we know. If conditions are in his favour next Tuesday, he would be the rightful favourite.

Moon Racer has been backed across the board for the Champion Hurdle of late, suggesting confidence is growing that when Pipe makes his choice at the 48-hour declaration stage he will not be favouring the Supreme.

He’s reportedly been schooling well but his trainer has admitted he recovered from his mid-winter break with less alacrity than hoped, forcing plans of a prep run to be jettisoned. That said, there was no talk of a need for such a warm-up when Pipe was projecting his campaign last November.

Although Ballyandy’s exploits compliment Moon Racer’s form, it is not a given that the former’s dual conqueror has improved comparably while standing in his box at home, avoiding winter ground. A cool-eyed assessment of his form suggests he’s achieved little more than Melon at this stage; his rating of 148 was earned collaterally rather than directly.

Moving into the double-figure prices for the Supreme, recent Dovecote winner River Wylde has been confirmed for this race which means that Lough Derg Spirit, in the same yard and ownership, heads instead to Aintree. The latter was taken out at the latest stage, in which 26 horses stood their ground.

Although the evidence is not conclusive, the fact River Wylde’s one poor run under Rules came on the one occasion he didn’t race on a sharp, flat track – when beaten favourite in a Cheltenham bumper last October (albeit returning from a break) – is of concern. He would need to improve as it is.

His stablemate Beyond Conceit will surely get outpaced here and trainer Nicky Henderson must have selected this target with a characteristic eye on his long-term future rather than his immediate needs in that this hard-puller must have more chance of settling in this race than in the Neptune.

Lawes confessed at that preview night that he’d prefer this horse to contest the Neptune. Incidentally, he also reported that William Henry will represent the yard in the longer event.

Elgin chased home Neon Wolf at a respectful nine lengths at Haydock and River Wylde by three-and-a-half lengths at Kempton last time out. He would have finished closer on the latter occasion had he jumped more cleanly and is clearly overpriced at anything from 33/1 to 50/1. That said, trainer Alan King might well be correct that he’s at his best going right-handed.

Finally for the Supreme, a mention from leftfield for Glaring: he might have been second to Elgin when they met at Kempton in December had he not snatched at the second last and skidded on landing. He hasn’t raced since but has extensive Flat experience and should manage to settle in this contest. He’s a 66/1 shot and would be advantaged by drying conditions.

One horse to have raced since the last Road and would be more than capable of playing an active role in the Supreme is Mount Mews, who won the Grade Two at Kelso last Saturday. Palpably a talent, he’d hitherto been most famous for chucking away a race he should have won at Wetherby in December.

He won very impressively in testing conditions, trashing the Challow form of Finian’s Oscar by dint of second-placed Capitaine lifelessly pulling up and third-placed Chalonnial finishing 49 lengths adrift. Ever-circumspect Malcolm Jefferson plans to run the winner at Aintree in the event he took with Cyrus Darius two years ago.

 “Mount Mews would be up there with some of the best ones I’ve had,” said Jefferson. “He’s not a flashy type but he’s the sort of horse I like. He probably learned more when he got beaten at Wetherby than in any other race. I am sure he will be fine at two miles or 2m4f.”

Turning to the Neptune, Neon Wolf will surely be shorter than his existing best odds of 5/2 if there is any whiff of cut in the ground – and justifiably so. He should stay further but this race often perversely ends up being a speed test anyway.

The form of Finian’s Oscar has started to look distinctly flimsy, not just due to that collateral form at Kelso but also after Taws was well beaten in a mares’ Listed event at Doncaster. Her stamina looked stretched there but she’d previously been hard to absolutely shake off at Exeter. Finian’s Oscar is a promising horse, no doubt, but his price is poor.

In the last 48 hours, Let’s Dance has been backed for the Neptune despite the hitherto prevailing vibes that she would be heading for the Trull House Stud Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in order to have a better chance of securing a 50,000 Euros bonus for stable staff. The payout is triggered by winning any Cheltenham Festival race and was offered by the Leopardstown sponsors of the Grade Two race she won in January.

Were she to run here, that would potentially prompt an interesting dilemma for Walsh given this is also the stated target for Grade One winner Bacardys. That horse was ridden by Patrick Mullins when winning at Leopardstown last time out, with Walsh having opted for Saturnas and Paul Townend for Bunk Off Early.

He’d previously won there over Christmas despite twisting off a shoe en route to the track, meaning he was lame before and after the race, and this time shaped over 2m2f as though an extra three furlongs will reap a good deal of improvement. The way he took lengths out of his opposition when moving into contention was impressive and he’s peaking at the right time.

He’s got a strong chance but the mare’s 7lb allowance is the potential game-changer for this race. She will be far more suited by this trip than trying to get away with two miles against her own gender. Let’s back her at 7/1 NRNB with Coral. What could possibly go wrong?

The Huntingdon form, in which Keeper Hill beat Messire Des Obeaux when in receipt of 8lbs, entitles them to consideration here. The former is improving steadily and is overpriced at twice the odds of the latter, who in turn should be better suited by returning to a less sharp track.

Willoughby Court will get some of the cut he needs and is progressive. Last week stablemate Le Breuil also emerged as a potential contender for this or the Albert Bartlett. He’d been sidelined since November with a setback and, as predicted by trainer Ben Pauling, was keen on his return. Nico de Boinville opted not to fight him and he ultimately won with authority.

Waiting for Aintree would give him more time to recover from these exertions but he’ll need to learn to settle if stepping up to three miles.

Henry de Bromhead must choose between the same two Cheltenham targets for Monalee but the Mullins-trained Invitation Only is reportedly only 50/50 to make this race. Shattered Love, a rangy mare with ground to make up on Let’s Dance, and Brelade, third to Bacardys last time out, both head to the Neptune according to Elliott.

He is represented in the Albert Bartlett by longstanding favourite Death Duty, whom he has compared favourably to Gold Cup winner Don Cossack at the same stage in their careers. He’s confident that a likely sounder surface and a step up in trip will both suit but the horse’s form doesn’t merit him being such a clear market leader.

West Aoproach, as a second-season novice hurdler, and Wholestone, who has the experience of seven hurdle races under his belt, boast the more typical profiles of a winner of this usually attritional race. The latter has a 3-0 lead on their head-to-heads but the former has improved via a step into open company providing him with the style of race he needs. It should be replicated here. The flaws in Wholestone’s jumping still bother me.

It looks like the Road’s ante-post selection Kemboy is now back in the game for this race rather than the Neptune – but until the day, who knows? His lack of experience is a concern; at the time I had envisaged him running again prior to the Festival.

As has been widely pointed out, Mullins has not yet found the keys to the door with this race having saddled zero winners from 25 runners. He also plans to run Penhill, who at least has the experience but whose Flat form pegs him in my head at least as lacking the gumption for this kind of race, and Augusta Kate, whom I doubt would have beaten Death Duty when falling at the last at Naas when they met in January. But she wouldn’t have been thumped.

Having watched his Haydock success again, I’m convinced The Worlds End is a serious player provided he’s ready for an out-and-out stamina test at this stage in his career. He assimilated the knowledge he’d gained in three previous hurdle starts when winning that Grade Two and accounted for No Hassle Hoff by nine lengths.

That horse had previously run the progressive Constantine Bay close in a decent race at Doncaster yet here, in a well-run race, was outpointed by The Worlds End at all stages despite sticking manfully to his task. The winner looks capable of handling a variety of ground and, if you didn’t back Kemboy, holds some appeal for a less exposed horse at 12/1 NRNB.

However, I keep coming back to what a perfect fit West Approach is for this race. Steadily run early season novice events simply weren’t enabling him to demonstrate his full capabilities but the Albert Bartlett should be a big-field, strong-paced affair and whoever rides him should be primed not to let him “fall asleep” in the early stages as [Ruby] Walsh said he did in the Cleeve. An interest at 6/1 NRNB against a less hardened favourite is the call.

Incidentally, two horses strike me as overpriced: Tommy Rapper, who wasn’t beaten that far by Keeper Hill at Huntingdon and should improve for a step up in trip but may lack the smarts for a race like this, and West Approach’s stable companion Elegant Escape, who didn’t handle testing ground last time but shaped when fourth in the Challow as if needing three miles.

The progressive Impulsive Star would not be out of place if lining up here rather than in the Pertemps Final but a revised mark of 140 has secured his place for his primary target.

Yak-flash: Elliott has nominated steadily improving novice The Storyteller in the Martin Pipe as his Festival charity bet.

Juvenile hurdlers

Defi Du Seuil is clearly the right Triumph Hurdle favourite but 2/1 and shorter isn’t appealing in a race packed full of horses that could improve markedly, especially if the race is staged on a sound surface that might play more to their strengths.

That said, the long-range forecast seems to suggest there might be some rain during the four days of the Festival – although these tend to be as reliable as Mullins or Henderson long-range target identification.

Rain would be good news for Mega Fortune, whose latest success indicated that he is Ireland’s premier juvenile in testing conditions. A positive ride and first-time cheekpieces enabled him to get it together against Bapaume, who continues to steadily improve. However, such tactics will be harder to pull off here.

Mullins’ positive comments about Meri Devie are worthy of some respect, in particular in the scenario of the rain holding off, but Kevin Blake says stable companion Dandy Mag was mentioned as an unlikely Triumph contender on the trainer’s open day.

If there is a case for Landofhopeandglory it rests upon him needing a sound surface. I suspect his form has merely been superseded, however.

Testing conditions would place a perhaps unwelcome extra accent on stamina for Master Blueyes, who showed gears in a steadily run edition of the Adonis and boasts form on summer Flat ground. Aintree – the original plan – could indeed be more his bag.

Although it can’t be construed as anything but a negative that he fell when rallying to engage in battle in the Adonis, it’s notable that Henderson has been unflinching in continuing to regard Charli Parcs as his primary Triumph hope.

That he got outpaced and was in the process of knuckling down when he fell suggests he’ll be more suited to this stamina test than first assumed and that he’s got the bottle for the fight. Rain would be a negative for his chances, too, however so it’s probably best to hold fire until the picture is clearer – and the bookmakers start to offer better place terms.

The argument for stablemate Soldier In Action places a lot of faith in his wide-margin sole success in a shallow race at Doncaster and his rating of 105 on the Flat – 17lbs higher than that of Master Blueyes, for example. His trainer has always given the impression that Charli Parcs is his first string.

It looks as though Dinaria Des Obeaux, who made a chance-ending error at the second last against Mega Fortune at Leopardstown but has since won at Fairyhouse, is heading for the Fred Winter. From a mark of 139, she could have top-weight but the way this race is likely to be run should suit her.

Two snapshots of yak: King has reiterated his delight with the mark of Dino Velvet for the Fred Winter and Nick Schofield - allegedly an accurate bellwether for the Nicholls yard in previews past – was downbeat about Dreamcatching (but positive about Lac Fontana for the Martin Pipe, if you like that sort of thing).

 

Ante-post betting portfolio

Djakadam: advised 15/11/16 for the Gold Cup at 12/1 each way

Top Notch: advised 30/11/16 for the Arkle at 25/1 each way [likely NR]

Sceau Royal: advised 30/11/16 for the Champion Hurdle at 33/1 each way

Arpege D’Alene: advised 15/12/16 for the NH Chase at 25/1 each way

Yorkhill: advised 21/12/16 for the Arkle at 7/1 win only [likely NR]

Don Poli: advised 31/12/16 for the Grand National at 25/1 each way [NR due to toys exiting pram left]

Valseur Lido: advised 31/12/16 for the Ryanair at 12/1 each way [NR]

Sizing John: advised 19/01/16 for the Ryanair at 8/1 NRNB win only [likely NR]

Any Second Now: advised 19/01/16 for the Neptune at 16/1 each way [NR]

Vroum Vroum Mag: advised 02/02/17 for the Stayers’ Hurdle at 7/1 NRNB each way [likely NR]

Kemboy: advised 02/02/17 for the Albert Bartlett at 33/1 each way

Yorkhill: advised as cover 09/02/17 at 3/1 NRNB for Champion Hurdle [NR]

Limini: advised as cover 03/03/17 at 13/2 NRNB for Champion Hurdle [NR]

West Approach: back now at 6/1 win NRNB for the Albert Bartlett with various firms

Empire Of Dirt: back now at 9/2 win NRNB for the Ryanair with Paddy Power

Let’s Dance: back now at 7/1 NRNB for the Neptune with Coral