Il Est Magnifique!

The 2023 King George VI meeting at Kempton started out on ground officially described as Good, with the Hurdle Course reading (7.0) on the Going Stick and the Chase Course (7.5). As usual with this column I will be using the Grade 1 speed figure par of (117) as a reference point. Each step down the class ladder will represent two lengths per mile, which will also equal two points on the speed figure scale. I will insert the speed figure after each horse’s name. It wasn’t the hardy three mile veterans of the Chase game that came to the front on the clock at Kempton on St Stephens’ Day, but rather the much talked about Novice Chaser from France – Il Est Francais (121). The 13/8 second favourite, who was unbeaten over fences in France, made all and travelled like a dream throughout the race, bar a mistake five out. It was the response from two out though when it looked like Hermes Allen was coming to pose a question that was most impressive. A mere hands and heels effort from jockey James Reveley, and the five-year-old found another gear entering the final furlong before a spring-heeled leap at the last. The eventual winning distance of 11 lengths could have been a lot more, and there was no doubt this was a performance like we have not seen at the Novice level for many a year. Connections look likely to bypass Cheltenham this season in favour of the Grande Steeple-Chase de Paris, but wherever he goes from now on he will have the eyes of all National Hunt enthusiasts firmly on the lookout for this superstar.

 

Far From Vintage King George VI Chase

The main attraction of the day turned out to be something of a disappointing event with the Shark Hanlon trained Hewick (112) coming from another parish to collar Allaho and the Paul Nicholls trained 9/4 favourite Bravemansgame well inside the final furlong. Backers of the Nicky Henderson trained Shishkin will have been on good terms with themselves after the nine-year-old agreed to take part in this race, and will consider themselves very unlucky after he stumbled and unseated jockey Nico de Boinville after the second last when a length clear at the time. The race can be considered a far from vintage renewal but connections of the winner will be delighted with how the horse kept up to his work, and will be looking at races like The Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Aintree Grand National going forward where the emphasis is on stamina.

 

Still King Of The Hill

Constitution Hill (107) took his winning streak to eight when taking the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle in a canter by 9 1/2 lengths from the Paul Nicholls trained Rubaud (102). Harry Cobden may have tried different tactics to get the Nicky Henderson trained superstar beaten by going a slower than usual pace, but when he turned up the heat entering the home straight the six-year-old son of Blue Bresil cruised past before putting in a delightful jump at the last. A closing four furlong sectional of 51.40secs, courtesy of Course Track, from the winner proved too much for his four rivals to handle. Connections are keen to have one more run in the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Trials Day before attemping to defend his Champion Hurdle crown in March. Wednesday’s card at Kempton may have lacked the talent of the previous day, but there was one noteworthy performance for students of the clock. Master Chewy (119) may have had the perfect set-up just sitting off the duelling duo of Nickle Back and Bourbali but this was another step forward from the seven-year-old on just his fourth start over fences. It would appear that arriving late on the scene off a strong pace suits him best.

 

Galopin Back To The Top

Leopardstown’s four day Christmas meeting saw a feast of National Hunt action with nine Graded races on offer. Conditions were very much on the Soft side with Heavy ground a feature in the going description as the meeting progressed. The Grade 1 Savills Chase over the extended 3 miles posed many questions beforehand. Most notably whether the Cheltenham Gold Cup has a long-term effect on it’s winners going forward, such was the drop in form of it’s most recent winner. Galopin Des Champs (119) put those theories to bed with a sparkling display in Thursday’s feature race with a dominant display of jumping coming home a long looking 23 lengths clear of the Gordon Elliott trained Gerri Colombe (111). Even taking into account the withdrawals of Fastorslow and Envoi Allen on account of the ground, this was still a performance to get the pulse pumping once again. Connections allowed him to race more prominently than in previous defeats, and the result was the return of the horse we saw in last year’s main attraction at the Cheltenham Festival. The most revealing aspect of the performance was the manner in which he powered home up the home straight as his opposition toiled in behind. Course Track recorded a closing four furlong sectional of 59.88secs for the winner with Gerri Colombe posting a laboured 64.29secs. Bookmakers were quick to cut him into 5/4 favourite to retain his Gold Cup crown again in March. The clock also revealed, however, that we didn’t get to see the real Gerri Colombe in the testing conditions. Connections offered no excuses and it will be interesting to see where he is aimed at next.

 

State Man The Matheson Man

The Willie Mullins trained State Man (121) repeated last year’s success in Friday’s main event the Grade 1 Matheson Hurdle over two miles. Connections may have entered last year’s star novice hurdler Impaire Et Passe (119) in order to gauge his true ability at the track against the winner, but there was no excuses for the five-year-old who came up 3 1/4 lengths short. The winner travelled strongly throughout, and it was his slicker jumping that ensured he kept his Closutton rival at bay in the end, recording a closing four furlong sectional of 57.56secs. In another era the winner would be renowned as a fabulous champion hurdler, unfortunately for him the current champion hurdler looks to be a once in a lifetime performer…

 

Grangeclare West To The Fore

The Neville Hotels Grade 1 Novice Chase over the extended three miles also went the way of the Willie Mullins stable with Grangeclare West (117) putting in a solid performance for the grade coming home 6 lengths clear of the Emmet Mullins trained Corbetts Cross (115). The front running Flooring Porter (111) and Favori De Champdou (105) were below their usual best, and it was the unbeaten over fences seven-year-old who cruised through after the second-last fence to record an easy hands and heels victory. Conditions were only slightly slower than the previous day but it was still an excellent closing four furlong sectional of 60.42secs from the winner. With stablemate Klassical Dream on the injury list, connections will be hoping that they have a strong contender for the Novice division and the winner was cut to a best priced 4/1 for the Brown Advisory.

 

Caldwell Relishes Conditions

Wednesday’s Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle saw the improving five-year-old Caldwell Potter (117) handle the Heavy conditions much better than most of his rivals, with only the Willie Mullins trained Predators Gold (113) showing anything resembling a challenge in the home straight. The winner grinded it out well after taking up the lead three out, and was kept up to his work following a less than fluent jump at the last. Connections seem keen to step him up in trip, and he is currently a 12/1 chance for the Ballymore Novice Hurdle.

 

Irish Point Stays The Distance

The Gordon Elliott trained Irish Point (111) gave encouragement for a tilt at the Stayers Hurdle with a dominant display in the Grade 1 Jack De Bromhead Christmas Hurdle on Thursday. While the pace was not what enthusiasts of the sport would have preferred, it was still enough to show the staying qualities of the winner who was still cruising entering the home straight while his rivals were under the pump. Home By The Lee (104) set a pedestrian pace for the first circuit, and raced lazily throughout. Asterion Forlonge (107) and Ballyadam (107) looked the only dangers approaching the last but the winner found another gear, and despite a slight nod on landing at the last had 11 lengths to spare at the line. The winner is now a best priced 6/1 for the Stayers Hurdle, and with the Elliott stable’s Teahupoo already around a 4/1 chance for the same race connections have a nice conundrum to solve come March.

 

Top Debut From Marine

The Barry Connell trained superstar Marine Nationale (114) produced a dazzling debut over fences when taking Wednesday’s Paddy Power From The Horses Mouth Podcast Beginners Chase over seventeen furlongs by 8 1/2 lengths from the Gordon Elliott trained Firm Footings (110). The likeable six-year-old made all the running and jumped beautifully under jockey Michael O’Sullivan while wearing a first time tongue tie. The writing was on the wall for his rivals entering the home straight, and the odds-on favourite barely came out of second gear to record a final four furlong sectional of 61.32secs. The Irish Arkle looks the next target, and the Arkle at Cheltenham already looks a formality in March for which he is already an odds-on shot. It was interesting that his trainer has a soft spot for the Champion Chase going forward mentioning the likes of past heroes Badsworth Boy and Viking Flagship in a post race interview.

Other noteworthy performances on the clock over the four days included Meetingofthewaters (114) taking the Listed Paddy Power Chase, Dinoblue (107) taking the Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase by 7 1/2 lengths, Jetara (105) taking the Grade 3 Mares Hurdle on Friday, and two slowly run races going the way of Found A Fifty (94) and Kala Conti (91).

 

Until the next Review,

Stay Lucky,

Graham