All roads have led to the Cheltenham Festival for some time, but with just over three weeks left between now and the four-day extravaganza, plenty of big guns were set their final examination on Friday and Saturday to ensure they were up to the championship level required.
Peddlers Cross is firmly on course for the Stan James Champion Hurdle after extending his unbeaten record to seven in the Victor Chandler Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso on Friday.
The six-year-old faced just eight rivals as he sealed his Cheltenham Festival preparations with a bloodless 11-length verdict.
Sent off a 1/6 shot, Peddlers Cross travelled sweetly for Jason Maguire on the heels of the leaders, easing into the lead on the run to the last. While he idled on the run-in and was given a couple of reminders by Maguire, Donald McCain's charge had plenty in hand over runner-up Bygones Of Brid.
McCain was relieved to get his stable star back on the track after plans to run at Haydock last month were scuppered by the weather, while a cough ruled him out of a possible outing earlier this month.
McCain said: "He has been switched off a bit at home because he has been on the go for so long. I have not been looking forward to today, all the tests we have done have been clear but I have seen him better.
"We needed to get a run into him though. He travelled well but he looked at the stands on the run-in and I said to Jason not to be afraid to give him a couple of smacks. This race was instead of a racecourse gallop. I was not thrilled when the ground went heavy and he will have a quiet week now, but we have a month to get him ready for Cheltenham."
Maguire added: "He travelled well and jumped well and coped with the ground. He just idled on the run-in and I gave him a few reminders, it was a horse race and there was a job to do."
Peddlers Cross drifted slightly to best-price 11/2 (William Hill) for the Cheltenham test, in what is set to be a cracking renewal (our 2011 Champion Hurdle odds table can be found further down this post).
Also on Friday, at Newbury, What A Friend a potential contender for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, failed to impress in the Grade 2 Aon Chase and was beaten a head by stablemate Noland, three quarters a length in front of third placed Fair Along in a driving finish.
What A Friend came on and off the bridle as the jockey tried to nurse his mount to the front when closing to challenge between the last two flights. Switching inside and out, Skelton was unable to put the eight-year-old’s head in front of his stablemate ridden by AP McCoy who held on with Fair Along closing with a final rally.
What A Friend was making his second racecourse appearance of the season and is still looking to get off the mark after being beaten fourteen-and-a-half lengths by Gold Cup favourite Imperial Commander at Haydock in November.
Speaking after the race, Paul Nicholls indicated that he was considering putting blinkers on for the Gold Cup: "What A Friend's run was adequate. He'll be better on better ground and I might just put a pair of blinkers on him in the Gold Cup.
At Ascot on Saturday, Riverside Theatre boosted his Cheltenham Festival claims with a win in the Betfair Ascot Chase.
Nicky Henderson's charge had previously finished runner-up to Long Run in the King George VI Chase and gave that form a real boost as he draw clear of 14/1 chance Gauvain to score by six lengths.
Pride of Dulcote was the winner's main market rival but he took a crashing fall at the eighth fence.
Riverside Theatre is currently best-price 7/1 for the Ryanair Chase next month.
"He quickened well. He ran in the Arkle last year but that was just a bit sharp for him and this trip is ideal for him/" said rider Barry Geraghty.
Henderson said: "We had a bit of a board meeting this afternoon because I didn't think that was his ground. He's learnt a lot in the jumping department and it's a good compliment to Long Run."
Riverside Theatre is entered in the Ryanair Chase over two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham and Geraghty added: "He stays all day and it's much slower ground than it was at Kempton. I suppose the Ryanair could be a race for him but it's really up to Nicky."
It was later confirmed that the Paul Nicholls-trained Pride Of Dulcote who had been as short as 12/1 for the Gold Cup had broken a leg in his fall and had to be put down and Nicholls was obviously upset at the loss:
He said: "I believe he broke one of his hind legs and had to be put down. It's a real sickener."
Ryanair Chase leading contender best-price odds:
Will Hill £25 free bet | Bet365 £200 free bet | Skybet £35 free bet | 888sport £25 free bet Victor Chandler £25 free bet | Stan James £25 free bet | Paddy Power £50 free bet Sportingbet £50 free bet | Ladbrokes £25 free bet | totesport £10 free bet
Also at Ascot on Saturday, Master Of The Hall cruised to success in the Prestige Reynoldstown Novices' Chase.
Nicky Henderson’s talented chaser made light work of his task after his rivals seemed to blunder away their chances and connections of the horse will be hoping he can continue his good form in next month’s RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The bookies cut the potential superstar’s RSA Chase odds to best-price 20/1 and delighted winning jockey Barry Geraghty explained: "He got me there easy. He was maybe a little bit disappointing (at Cheltenham on New Year's Day) but he just wasn't 100% that day."
An equally thrilled Nicky Henderson explained: "In fairness, the main opposition made a hash of one on the back straight. He was really good from there and Barry said it's not often you get to have a school round in a Grade Two. He's had good bit of educating and three miles is helping him.
"The owners won't need persuading to go for the RSA and Burton Port who won this last year nearly won it, so we'll see. I wouldn't put anybody off it."
RSA Chase leading contender best-price odds:
Will Hill £25 free bet | Bet365 £200 free bet | Skybet £35 free bet | 888sport £25 free bet Victor Chandler £25 free bet | Stan James £25 free bet | Paddy Power £50 free bet Sportingbet £50 free bet | Ladbrokes £25 free bet | totesport £10 free bet
Meanwhile, it was revealed by trainer Nick Williams on Saturday that Reve De Sivola will make his third Cheltenham Festival appearance in the Festival Handicap Chase and not the RSA Chase.
A dual Grade 1 winner over hurdles, Reve De Sivola finished sixth in the 2009 JCB Triumph Hurdle and second to Peddlers Cross in last year's Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.
The six-year-old has been switched to fences this season and posted a win over Wishfull Thinking at Cheltenham in December before running third to Hell's Bay and Medermit in the Grade 2 Tigmi Travel Dipper Novices' Chase last month.
Reve De Sivola holds entries in both the RSA, for which he was as short as 16/1 and the Jewson although Williams said the horse would not be lining up in either:
"He doesn't go for the RSA, he goes for the three mile handicap chase that used to be the William Hill Trophy. I think he's a stayer more than a middle distance horse and I think three miles will suit him better. His run against Wishfull Thinking is very encouraging."
Finally from Ascot this weekend, we witnessed a tremendous finish to the Kingwell Hurdle (Grade 2), a race that has traditionally been a useful trial for the Champion Hurdle.
Victory went the way of Mille Chief, and his jockey Robert Thornton was very happy with the gelding's performance, however in seeing off Celestial Halo by just a nose, it doesn't look good enough form (on paper at least) to win the big one in March.
What was more pleasing however, was the way in which he travelled. As Overturn set a strong gallop, Thornton was content to let his mount work slowly into the race and it was clear from before the turn for home that he was travelling best. He moved into second before the second-last hurdle and moved through to challenge Celestial Halo for the lead before the final obstacle. He cleared the last flight well, but soon found himself in a dog-fight with his older and more experienced rival whom he beat by just a nose.
Bookmakers were understandably not too impressed, although a bigger field at Cheltenham is likely to suit, and with cover for longer, he is not a horse to underestimate. The runner-up ran his best race of the year, although it has been shown before that he isn't good enough to win a Champion Hurdle. Second in the 2009 renewal behind Punjabi, he may well go for the contest again after this showing.
The major disappointments of the race were the well-backed Silvinaco Conti and Overturn. The former tracked the pace throughout, but jockey Tony McCoy looked unhappy with how his mount was travelling before turning in. He was quickly left behind, and whilst McCoy looked after him once defeat was inevitable, it is hard to muster up any enthusiasm for the run despite conceding weight all-round. Similarly Overturn wasn't given a hard time, but the way he dropped out suggested that more may have been up with him than merely setting too strong a tempo. He wasn't as fluent at his hurdles as he has been and has something to prove after this run.
Meanwhile, while some are attempting to enhance burgeoning reputations for Cheltenham, others are attempting to restore theirs - none more so than another Champion Hurdle contender, Dunguib, who made his seasonal reappearance at Gowran Park on Saturday in the Grade 2 Red Mills Trial Hurdle.
Only third in the Supreme Novices' last season when considered by many the banker of the Festival, the eight-year-old then finished sixth behind Hurricane Fly at Punchestown in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle and hasn't been seen since last April.
Luska Lad and Gimli's Rock provided the opposition to Dunguib and Brian O'Connell just had to push Dunguib out from his main rival after the last to reinforce his Champion Hurdle credentials.
Bookmakers were quick to react, shortening the odds of last season's top novice for the Champion Hurdle, now just 10/1 in places though available at best-price 14/1 (William Hill).
Following months of trainer Philip Fenton having to be patient with his eight-year-old, who disappointed when third in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at last year's Cheltenham Festival, he was clearly thrilled with the result, saying: "He's on the way now. It was always going to be a tactical race and he warmed up gradually. Hopefully he'll come on a fair bit for it.
"He's beginning to blossom. Two things need to be said, five weeks ago he was a sick horse and this was his first run of the season. He can only come on leaps and bounds."
Champion Hurdle leading contenders best-price odds:
Will Hill £25 free bet | Bet365 £200 free bet | Skybet £35 free bet | 888sport £25 free bet Victor Chandler £25 free bet | Stan James £25 free bet | Paddy Power £50 free bet Sportingbet £50 free bet | Ladbrokes £25 free bet | totesport £10 free bet
The one other noteable Festival trial on Saturday was the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Haydock where Albert Bartlett favourite Court In Motion was sent off at odds-on to repeat his impressive victory at Cheltenham last month.
However, he had his colours lowered as outsider and recent Irish import Back In Focus ran out an easy winner from the odds-on favourite and sent his own odds tumbling for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.
It was a stunning reverse for Court In Motion, who had been imperious on his previous outing. But the Emma Lavelle-trained six-year-old had no answer to the driven finish Brian Hughes executed on the Howard Johnson-trained Back In Focus.
Hughes said: “He’s a big baby. He jumps really well. We know he loves the ground and he stays every yard of the trip. He’s beat some decent ones.”
The decision to throw Back In Focus straight into a Grade 2 on his British debut and his debut over hurdles clearly indicated stable confidence in the newcomer who came over from Ireland with a big reputation following a smart victory at Kilfeacle point-to-point last month, and by the time he finished six lengths clear of Court In Motion, that reputation will have grown enormously.
Hughes added: "I had a chat with [leading point-to-point rider] Derek O'Connor and he said he's one of the nicest he has ever ridden and he's a good judge."
Bookmaker reaction was to cut Back In Focus's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle odds to best-price 8/1 (William Hill) from around 66/1.
Court In Motion, meanwhile, was pushed out to best-price 10/1 (William Hill).
There may not be many takers at that price. Even accounting for heavy ground - which he handled last time out - Court In Motion was extremely disappointing, travelling strongly but finding nothing when tackled by Back In Focus.
Albert Bartlett Novices' Chase leading contenders best-price odds:
Will Hill £25 free bet | Bet365 £200 free bet | Skybet £35 free bet | 888sport £25 free bet Victor Chandler £25 free bet | Stan James £25 free bet | Paddy Power £50 free bet Sportingbet £50 free bet | Ladbrokes £25 free bet | totesport £10 free bet
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