As the name indicates, Festival Trials Day acts as a warm up for the main event and whilst many of the main protagonists for the Festival are already wrapped in cotton wool for their big day, it still provided plenty of clues for March. Below we review yesterday's big race action and the Festival market movers.
Without doubt the performance of the day was potential superstar Grands Crus who turned the competitive Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle into a procession.
Trainer David Pipe's normally docile grey has a habit of being keen in his races and jockey Tom Scudamore’s hardest job was restraining the six-year-old, who cruised alongside the front-running Knockara Beau at the second-last and then came right away from the field to win by 10 lengths, although it could just as easily have been double that.
Knockara Beau battled on well after the final fight to keep second place, whilst Restless Harry also emerged with credit and a place in the World Hurdle is not a pipe-dream, especially in a truly run race.
Hitherto, Big Buck’s has looked invincible in the staying hurdle division, but even he might know he has been in race when he meets Grands Crus on St Patrick’s Day.
Pipe is not given to hyperbole, but he could not disguise the liking he has for the gelding owned by Roger Stanley and Yvonne Reynolds.
“Most dreams are shattered here, but he did it very nicely,” he said. “Roger will tell you, I’ve always had the highest regard for this horse and he’s proved it today.
"That was the World Hurdle without Big Buck’s and let’s hope they both get there in good form. I wouldn’t swap my horse for anything.”
The authoritative nature of his win (never off the bridle) resulted in bookmakers taking evasive action, with Grands Crus now best-price 3/1 (Bet365 and totesport) for the World Hurdle, whilst Stan James were impressed enough to push Big Buck’s out to best-price 5/6...what looked like a one-horse race is now a fascinating clash.
Bensalem is one other to take out of the race, with Alan King's talented performer a very solid fifth. He travelled well for a long way, hugging the inside rail, but just seemed to be caught a bit flat-footed coming down the hill. Connections will be delighted with the way he kept on and he looks sure to strip a lot fitter for the run; better awaits at the Festival, whether over hurdles or fences. He was travelling well when falling in the William Hill Chase 10 months ago and the corresponding race this year (now the Festival Handicap Chase) could be his target again.
The Grade 2 JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial used to be a shocking guide to the Festival race until Katchit completed the double in 2007, as the previous 16 winners to line up in the Triumph were beaten. Since Katchit however, two of the three winners were then second in the Triumph, so the trial is proving more effective these days and was won yesterday by Local Hero
Steve Gollings' gelding had beaten nothing of note in two hurdling runs at Wetherby and Doncaster but he had impressed on both occasions. He didn't jump spectacularly well here, making a bad mistake at the fifth flight and at the last, but he responded very gamely under pressure up the run-in.
He had actually jumped to the front at the last but found himself in a scrap with runner-up Third Intention, and he will have learnt plenty from the final fifty yards, the last twenty of which he quickened two lengths clear.
His trainer described him as a bit of a know-it-all, but it looks like he will have the services of McCoy, who has now won on all three starts on the juvenile and the best-price 20/1 (Victor Chandler) might therefore be seen as value by some, especially given the recent record of Triumph Hurdle trial winners.
Runner-up Third Intention is best-price 25/1 (totesport and Stan James) for the March renewal.
The big race of the day was the Grade 2 Argento Chase which featured five Gold Cup entries. However it should be noted that, despite a golden spell between 1995 and 2000 during which the race signposted three Gold Cup winners, 11 years have now passed since Looks Like Trouble, the last horse to run here before winning the big one at the Festival.
Yesterday it was won by Neptune Collonges, the veteran of three Gold Cups, under a canny ride from AP McCoy, who was allowed an easy lead. He appeared to have the race won three out when Punchestowns, came under pressure, but it proved far from the case.
Tidal Bay had been subjected to a charm offensive by Brian Hughes throughout the race. However, while the gelding’s response, as it was behind Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase, came soon enough to make it interesting, it came too late to secure victory. Having been 100 yards behind the winner four out, he finished like a steam train up the hill to narrow the gap to a fast-dwindling length and a quarter at the line.
Third behind Denman in 2008 and fourth behind Kauto Star in 2009, Neptune Collonges can be backed at best-price 40/1 for the 2011 Gold Cup.
Tidal Bay is also now best-price 40/1 (Victor Chandler and William Hill) and funnier things have happened - Imperial Commander was also a narrow second in the Betfair Chase before he won the Gold Cup.
Punchestowns, the most likely Gold Cup contender before yesterday, finished 30 lengths back in third and is another who can be backed at best-price 40/1 (William Hill) for the 2011 renewal.
Another who really stamped his Festival claims yesterday was Bobs Worth who shortened to best-price 5/1 (Bet365) favourite for the Neptune Novices' Hurdle after beating Rock On Ruby by two and half lengths in the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle Trial.
It wasn't the fact that he won, but that he travelled with so much purpose, took being hampered in his stride, and then fended off a determined challenger after the last having been headed.
The runner-up, Rock On Ruby, also deserves a lot of credit - he still had several lengths to find after making a mistake two-out but, taking the step up in trip in his stride, he made up the ground and even jumped into the lead at the last with a flying leap.
However, Paul Nicholls' six-year-old then hung left throughout the run-in whilst the winner was aided by the rail. Had the runner-up kept to a truer line the margin of victory would have been significantly decreased.
Backspin, who lost his unbeaten record, travelled well at the head of affairs for a long way. He was generally very slick at his obstacles but he paid the price for being too keen early on (including on his way down to the start) and can now be backed at best-price 14/1 (totesport) for the Neptune, whilst Rock On Ruby is best-price 8/1 (Victor Chandler).
The Giant Bolster will head for the RSA Chase a fresh horse following his brave victory in the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase. The six-year-old regained winning form after a fall in a race won by Time For Rupert at Prestbury Park last time out
David Bridgwater's flag-bearer made short shrift of top weight in an intriguing handicap over two miles and five furlongs to initiate a return to Cheltenham in March. He stayed on strongly under Rodi Greene to show why his trainer rates him so highly.
Bridgwater is keen to keep The Giant Bolster champing at the bit, however, and will resist the urge to run him again before the Festival.
"He's a lazy horse that needs to be kept interested, but we'll not go to the well before Cheltenham. I don't want to run him into the ground as he's best fresh," said the Stow-on-the-Wold handler, whose 466 winners as a jockey included five at the Festival.
He has now won two of his three races over fences, having gained an easy success at Worcester on his seasonal bow in October and Bridgwater thinks he has the potential to compete at the highest level in the long term, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup:
"He's a very, good horse. When he fell here last time, I'm not saying he would have beaten Time For Rupert – they think he's brilliant – but I think he'd definitely have been second to him.
"He's a brilliant jumper and was just travelling so well in behind last time that he just took his eye off the ball and tipped up, but there you go and we're back on track now."
"I don't have many runners here because I don't believe in running horses at a place like this if they're not good enough. But this horse will really really mix it and personally I think he'll go to the RSA with a right shout...he'll be a bigger price than he should be.
"He's not really an Aintree horse, so we'll probably just have one run and put him away. He's definitely got a future, though, and in a couple of years' time he should be some horse."
The Giant Bolster can currently be backed at best-price 25/1 for the RSA (Bet365).
Finally, Wishfull Thinking is now favourite for the new Jewson Novices' Chase at the Festival after his authoritative success in the Grade 3 Murphy Group Chase. The eight-year old is best-price 10/1 (Victor Chandler and totesport) for the Jewson although he can also be backed at best-price 16/1 (Victor Chandler) for the RSA Chase.
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Grands Crus crushed his rivals in Cheltenham's Cleeve Hurdle yesterday
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