|
|
A Preview Of February's UK Horse Racing |
By:
Malcolm Heyhoe |
|
|
Sandown opens the month on February 4 with an excellent card and
another set of possible Cheltenham clues. In recent seasons the
Agfa Diamond Chase has suffered through small and uncompetitive
fields but that worrying trend has started to change of late and
this year's renewal is sure to be a competitive one.
Alan King's tough stayer Fork Lightning may well be among the
entries for the 'Agfa', and given his preference for racing
right-handed and his fine run behind Joaaci in a strong heat
last time, he is likely to be among the more fancied runners.
Some of the season's smarter novice chasers will be in action in
Sandown's Grade 1 Scilly Isles Chase, a contest that was won
last year by Henrietta Knight's El Vaquero and it'll be
interesting to see whether Ms Knight decides to let her rising
chase star Racing Demon take his place in the select field.
Over at Wetherby on the same day the staying novices strut their
stuff in the Grade 2 Totty Construction Towton Novices' Chase
where the accent is firmly upon stamina in what is always a
gruelling contest. Northern trainer Sue Smith won this race a
couple of years ago with smart stayer Royal Emperor and may have
another similar candidate in Rebel Rhythm, who has already won a
novices' event around the West Yorkshire track.
A week later sees Newbury stage the totesport Trophy Handicap
Hurdle, Europe's richest handicap over timber, on February
11. On a day of cracking action the pulsating two-mile contest
takes pride of place and is always won by a good horse.
Finding the winner is never easy but the bookmakers seems to
think that Martin Pipe's talented novice Acambo is the one to
beat and he heads the ante-post market with most firms. Pipe has
won the race a couple of times in recent years courtesy of
Copeland (2002) and Make A Stand (1997) and Acambo is sure to
figure highly in Pipe's plans for Newbury.
Local handler, Nicky Henderson, has also been a trainer to watch
out for in this valuable event, saddling no less than four of
the last ten winners and the stable's main hope in 2006 looks to
be Grand Jete, a one-time Champion Hurdle hope who looked like
winning at Aintree last April until he went lame approaching the
last.
Twelve months ago Ireland's Essex justified favouritism to give
the Emerald Isle its second winner in three seasons. One year
later there's a strong Irish challenge once again with the
Jessica Harrington-trained Studmaster bidding to follow Essex's
footsteps by winning at Newbury after landing Ireland's
prestigious Pierse Hurdle one month earlier. Significantly, Mrs
Harrington landed this valuable pot with Spirit Leader in 2003.
Top weights boast a good record too and Irish trainer John
Queally believes his stable star Al Eile will go close to
winning the totesport Trophy off 11st 12lb. Queally's gelding
didn't hurt his Newbury chances by winning at Haydock the other
day because he incurs no penalty for that success and has to be
on any one's short-list.
The same is true of the Venetia Williams-trained Chief Yeoman,
who looks terrific value at 14-1 with most bookmakers.
Connections have been pleased with his two runs so far and he
has been aimed at this race since returning to action behind
Acambo at Windsor before Christmas. Expect hi to step up on what
he's done so far this season.
The main attraction on Newbury's supporting card is the Game
Spirit Chase, a two mile and a furlong conditions chase that is
often used as a final preparatory race by trainers for the Queen
Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
This year's race is likely to be won by the current Queen Mother
favourite Kauto Star, who will be using the Newbury event as a
stepping-stone to Festival glory. Over at Warwick course
specialist Voy Por Ustedes will be treading a similar path as he
bids to earn a place in the Arkle Trophy line-up at the Festival
by running well in the coralpoker.com Kingmaker Chase at Warwick
on the same day.
On the following weekend - February 18 - all eyes will be on
Champion Hurdle aspirants in the Axminster Kingwell Hurdle at
Wincanton. Trainer Alan King may well let Penzance, his Triumph
Hurdle hero of 2005, take his place in the line-up at the West
Country venue after a series of disappointing efforts so far
this season.
Who knows, maybe even the elusive Lingo will return to action
for Jonjo O'Neill. He won easier than most horses do at
Cheltenham in November and following good support for the
Champion Hurdle in March would be a fascinating runner.
Up at Haydock on the same day Grand National hopefuls will go on
trial in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup, a punishing test of
stamina over Haydock's big drop fences in a contest that has
sometimes exerted a strong influence upon the outcome of the
world's most famous race at Aintree in April.
Trainer Ginger McCain, a four-time winner of the Grand National
courtesy of Red Rum and Amberleigh House, looks to have another
leading Grand National candidate in the guise of Ebony Light, a
surprise winner of January's Peter Marsh Chase from the joint
Gold Cup favourite, Kingscliff. McCain plans to run Ebony Light
in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup before going to Aintree for a
crack at the Grand National.
The best of February's action closes on the weekend of February
25 with Racing Post Handicap Chase day at Sandown Park. The
betting is often a strong guide to the outcome of this classiest
of chases and well-fancied runners boast a good record.
Take note too of the winner and placed horses because this
influential contest has frequently yielded a winner or two at
next month's Cheltenham Festival. Among the more potent
contenders this season are likely to be the well treated
Ladalko, who has been talked about as a possible for this prize
by his trainer, Paul Nicholls, and Lacdoudal from the Philip
Hobbs stable that has sent out three winners of this race in
recent years.
On the same day at Newcastle there's the four mile and a furlong
Tote Northern National, a marathon chase in which shock winners
are a rarity. Stamina is of the essence here and the
locally-trained Ossmoses, who relishes racing over
long-distances and has long looked a natural for this race and
will be a name to note among the entries later in the month.
|
|
Article Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article13202.html |
Article: A preview of February's UK Horse Racing
Author: Malcolm Heyhoe
Total Views: 32
Word Count: 985
Category:
Home /
Animals / Horses
|
|
|
|
|
|
Categories 
