James aboard former chaser Senior Whim.
With Ed giving the blog a rest throughout the winter, Racing Secretary Chris is taking over with a weekly feature focussing mainly on the jumps campaign.
The overwhelming tendency to focus on the Cheltenham Festival throughout the winter months can be irksome to some, but I must confess to enjoying the long road to March and the often ill-founded attempts to piece together the jigsaw with only a few pieces set in stone. However, the feature race tomorrow is very much about the here and now as opposed to what the spring might hold.
We are unlikely to learn much from the Betfair Chase as odds-on favourite Silviniaco Conti goes in search of a third victory in the race having made a pleasing return to action earlier in the month. He landed the spoils in 2012 and 2014, those victories sandwhiching a third-place finish behind Cue Card, his chief market rival this time around. Colin Tizzard's horse also made a promising comeback by landing the Charlie Hall Chase three weeks ago and that was his first start since undergoing a wind operation for a trapped epiglottis.
Both horses are closely matched on their peak form, but Cue Card was undoubtedly well-primed for his Wetherby success having completed a racecourse gallop a few days before. He lost his way last year, a dip in form connections attributed to his breathing difficulties, but he didn’t have to be at his very best to beat the increasingly frustrating Dynaste and the reappearing Ballynagour last month.
Silvinaco Conti, on the other hand, ran over hurdles and an unsuitable trip to tee him up for this weekend. With his record in the Cheltenham Gold Cup reading F47, trainer Paul Nicholls appears even more intent to focus on the first-half of the campaign this time around.
Cue Card will need to step forward from his Wetherby victory to beat a peak-form Silviniaco Conti, so while all the old ability might remain intact, I want to see that before I am certain. Testing conditions will also play more to the strengths of the market leader, who is a bet if you can steal even money in the morning.
Vautour should eat his rivals from breakfast over at Ascot, but his credentials as a genuine Gold Cup contender won’t become clearer until he tackles the King George next month.
The redoubtable Rock On Ruby has been chalked up as favourite for the Ascot Hurdle thirty-five minutes later, but giving 8lb to the improving Brother Tedd will be no formality. The latter has a habit of being keen and was a poor jumper at times last season, but he moved through his reappearance victory like a different animal and he has the potential to take high-rank this winter.
For those, like me, who like to try and unravel big handicaps, the Venetia Williams-trained Yala Enki is a decent betting proposition in the Fixed Brush Hurdle back at Haydock. He chased home an improver on his first British start in the spring, rallying after the last over an inadequate trip, while he made mincemeat of a novice hurdle field at Exeter earlier in the month.
That form is only moderate, but his mark of 130 reflects that, and he travelled like a horse capable of significantly better. He loves the mud – seven of his rivals were pulled-up at Exeter as rain made conditions particularly testing – and his previous experience over fences in France will stand him in good stead for these intermediate obstacles.
The Venetia Williams team exploded into a life a couple of weeks ago and Yala Enki’s participation tomorrow feels like a beautifully executed plan thus far. Back him at 6/1, each-way four places if you want some security.
Earlier in the week, Faugheen relinquished his unbeaten record by hanging in behind stable companion Nichols Canyon in the Morgiana Hurdle. That was an unusual character trait for the Champion Hurdle winner and I want to see him run straight and true again before thinking he is a good thing to retain his crown.
Sir Des Champs made a taking return from a monster absence at Thurles yesterday, picking up Rubi Light between the last two fences in the style of a horse who retains his engine. Here’s hoping he remains sound.
Lastly, Bristol De Mai jumped with alacrity when beating Karezak in a Warwick novice chase on Wednesday. He had previously finished second behind subsequent Grade 2 winner Garde La Victoire at Uttoxeter, but he learnt plenty from that experience and looks a more fluent jumper than Philip Hobbs’ horse. I’ll be backing him to reverse the form should they meet again, which could be in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown next month.
Have a good weekend.
Chris.