Last year Zaynar won the Triumph Hurdle and finished third in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday. Is there anything of the quality of Zaynar here, well maybe.

Certainly there have been a few performances of note this season and I think that Super Kenny who won on Monday would have had a good chance had he gone for the Triumph Hurdle.

The Irish are flying at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival, they have a great chance with Carlito Brigante but I think this will be one that stays at home with it being fought out between Henderson and Nicholls.I was very taken with both Advisor and particularly Soldatino. Nicky Henderson is the best trainer of hurdlers in my view and I think yet another French import, Soldatino can win the Triumph Hurdle.

After his last win Nicky Henderson was quoted as saying;

“He’s only been with me for five weeks and I haven’t really galloped him. We were going on what we were told which was that he could be a bit wild so we decided to leave in the earplugs which were used on him in France.

If he comes on for that he will win and win well. Soldatino is my Triumph Hurdle bet and one I am heavily on.

Good Luck!

This is a great race, in many ways one of the best of the meeting. It was another Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins win last year with Cooldine but I don’t think the Irish will get much of a look in here. Nicky Henderson holds all the aces in the 2010 RSA Chase with the two leading fancies.

Long Run has taken over at the head of the market, he was a good winner at Warwick last time out, but it was the reported set back by Punchestowns that cemented his position as RSA Chase favourite.

I am and always have been a Punchestowns fan. If he is right, and I don’t think Nicky would run him if he wasn’t, then I will be a mojor backer. Punchestowns is one of my bankers of the meeting. He was a close second to Big Bucks in the World Hurdle last year and has looked a very high class chaser. Last time at Sandown he made his first jumping error, it was a shocker, but he came back to win and win well.

Punchestowns second to Big Bucks in the World Hurdle

Barry Geraghty takes the mount, he has not had to choose as the owners son, a decent amateur, but an amateur nonetheles, takes the ride on Long Run. If there is nothing between the horses then there is no contest with the jockeys. In my view Punchestowns will win the RSA Chase.

One horse I do like is Diamond Harry who is thrid favourite here. He may just be short of top class but i would like to see him run well and get in the places. Although I like Diamond Harry there is no room for sentiment and Punchestowns is where my money is going in this RSA Chase.
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Tuesdays big race The Champion Hurdle. Go Native will land a £1m bonus if he wins here but there are 10 horses standing in his way. The Champion Hurdle has in many way been the hardest race antepost to fathom. There has been more in outs than the hokey cokey for the Champion Hurdle Field. We know that there are eleven runners, but who will win?

Nicky Henderson saddles three in the race with Punjabi, the reigning champion being the choice of stable jockey Barry Geraghty. In my view he has made a mistake, I think Zaynar will perform better and in my view represents the best each-way value in the race. He was beaten at Kelso but I am prepared to forget that, the ground was a joke and he will get perfect going at Cheltenham. Last year he won the Triumph Hurdle and is looking to emulate Katchit to win the Champion Hurdle as a five year-old. However only one five year old from 79 that have started since 1985 have won.

What is interesting is that Ireland have a strong hand in The Champion Hurdle with Solwhit and Go Native reopposing. Go Native beat Solwhit in TheFighting Fifth Hurdle and I think can do it again. Here is that run at Newcastle last year;

Go Native looks very strong here. Go Native has only been beaten once this season which was by Voler La Vedette and has done nothing wrong since. Certainly against this field I would opt for Go Native. Binocular has looked a shadow of the horse he was, Punjabi won an egg and spoon race last time and has shown nothing since his Champion Hurdle win last year, Celestial Halo could run well but I am prepared to overlook Paul Nicholls’ horse here.

I think this is a really tough race but I am going with two in The Champion Hurdle.

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Tony McCoy rides Binocular in Champion Hurdle

Indeed, he had initially been ruled out of the race by Henderson on February 17 after suffering a muscle problem. But following a pleasing schooling session on Wednesday, he came through a gallop on Friday morning with flying colours. The recent Sandown scorer will be ridden by Tony McCoy.

Binocular will add a third string to the Champion Hurdle bow of the Seven Barrows handler, who will also be represented by the Barry Geraghty-ridden Punjabi and Zaynar, the mount of Andrew Tinkler. Binocular could finish only fifth in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle, but showed more promise when third in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. He then won a three-runner race at Sandown but connections were not happy in the aftermath and he was ruled out of the Festival. Having gone back into training last week, Henderson is now satisfied that he should take his chance.

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Punjabi…

Barry Geraghty has chosen to ride Punjabi in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. Nicky Henderson’s stable jockey was aboard the gelding for his victory in the race 12 months ago and has stayed loyal despite having the option of partnering Zaynar.

The trainer confirmed riding plans for his three runners in the race, saying: “Binocular will be ridden by AP (McCoy), Barry (Geraghty) will ride Punjabi and Andrew Tinkler will now ride Zaynar.

“They are all very well and all three are pleasing me.”

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Andrew Tinkler is thrilled to be on Zaynar….

Andrew Tinkler has expressed his delight after picking up the ride on Nicky Henderson’s Zaynar in Tuesday’s Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The news comes after the Seven Barrows handler was able to firm-up jockey plans for the race following confirmation that last year’s third and stablemate Binocular would take his place in the line-up.

The JP McManus-owned gelding had initially been ruled out of the race on February 17 but following a pleasing schooling session on Wednesday, he came through a Friday gallop with flying colours.

His participation means McManus’ retained jockey Tony McCoy will be aboard Binocular and with Barry Geraghty opting to ride last year’s winner Punjabi, Tinkler will now get the leg up on Zaynar.

“It’s brilliant news and he’s a horse who I obviously had a good win on at Ascot and he goes there with a live chance,” said Tinkler.

“His form is there to see and he’s obviously a Cheltenham winner.

“I think on better ground he’ll come out with a bit more zest and a bit more speed and apparently he’s in good form at home.

“His schooling went well the other morning and he’s a very, very good ride to get.”

Zaynar’s Champion Hurdle credentials took a big knock when he was beaten as the 1-14 favourite at Kelso last time, but Tinkler was keen to praise his conqueror, Quwetwo.

“I think Nicky was glad he went there as he had to be beaten some time and a lot of attention was on Zaynar’s defeat, where as the winner didn’t get the credit he deserved,” Tinkler told At The Races.

“I’ll be watching re-runs of Champion Hurdles and seeing where the best place to be is, but I believe Zaynar is going there in tip-top condition.”

Geraghty admits the decision to side with Punjabi was not an easy one but his recent success at Kempton left the jockey suitably impressed.

Speaking on his blog on www.attheraces.com, Geraghty said: “After a lot of hard thinking, I’m going to stay loyal and ride Punjabi in the Champion Hurdle.

“It was not an easy decision to make because Zaynar is a very talented horse that any jockey would want to ride, but I couldn’t get off the reigning Champion Hurdler when he’s in such good form.

“He’s a horse that’s done it on the big stage and he knows what to expect on the big day.

“But more important still, he just gave me the most unbelievable feel at Kempton, when he really picked up impressively.

“I’m sure he is simply a spring horse and just comes to himself at this time of year, it was just a much better feel at Kempton to the one he gave me the time before at Haydock.

“My decision should not reflect at all on Zaynar as I’m sure he’ll run a big race.

“It is a tribute to the team that Binocular is now back in the picture.

“I got the impression that Nicky was buzzing after he schooled last week.

“It’s great that Nicky and the owners are letting Andrew Tinkler ride Zaynar in the Champion and I really am delighted about that because he deserves the chance on a well-fancied ride in a championship race.

“He gave him a terrific ride when they won at Ascot early in the season.”

Here is the Nicky Henderson stable tour courtesy of Racing Post TV.

Punjabi: I was thrilled to bits with him at Kempton on Saturday. It was exactly what we wanted, he was professional and he was quick. Barry (Geraghty) said ‘I pressed the button and the turbo-charge kicked in’. I thought it was very good.

I know the opposition wasn’t very good – and I hate belittling other people’s horses but he did what he had to do. To go to Cheltenham with a win under our belts is all we wanted and I have to thank everyone for putting the race on.

I go into this year’s race with much more confidence with Punjabi than I did last season. Then we were going in behind a defeat in the Kingwell, albeit we knew he’d blown up there. He’d been forgotten about and is still a horse who doesn’t appeal to everyone although he is the reigning champion. He’s sitting on the throne, wearing the crown and he wants to keep it. It’s up to the others to try and take it.


Zaynar: We wanted to a get a run into him before Cheltenham so took him to Kelso. The meeting was very nearly off, it was very frosty and when that comes out of the ground it makes the going tacky and horrible. It’s not that he’s a little horse but he has rather little feet and is a Daylami and he just sank in that ground. There was this great, big tank of a horse ploughing a furrow through the ground up front and poor Zaynar was sinking in it.

I would have thought the cheekpieces will go back on for the Champion although that had nothing to do with what went wrong at Kelso. If Barry chooses Punjabi, Tony McCoy will ride Zaynar. He’s probably already ridden him at home and he might jump five hurdles on him before the Champion but doesn’t need to.

Petit Robin: He’s in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair and I’ve been mulling things over this weekend. It could just be the Ryanair will be the easier race although I’ve Barbers Shop for that and nothing else for the Champion Chase. We’ve got to get Petit Robin into the race he has the best chance of winning though and it just occurs that could be the Ryanair. I didn’t get to speak to owner John Poynton on Sunday and will discuss it with him. It’s a possibility he’ll go over the longer trip, we’ll see.

Barbers Shop: I’m really pleased with him and the Ryanair Chase has been the plan since the King George. I’m not at all worried about not running him between Boxing Day and Cheltenham, we’ll just do our work at home. He looks great and I think he’s feeling great and when he’s like that he’s very good. He’s a horse who really tells you where he’s at and and at the moment he’s right where I want him.


Sentry Duty: There is obviously a question mark over whether he’ll stay in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle but won the Cleeve Hurdle very well over two miles five at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. I would never have had any desire to find out if he stays before the Festival as he’s a horse who has to be incredibly fresh. When he is, he’s very good and needs to have big gaps between his races. If there was a Grade One two mile five hurdle at Cheltenham he’d go there but there isn’t so we’re going to give it a try.

Big Buck’s beat Punchestowns last year but nothing is unbeatable and there are no certainties at Cheltenham, that’s for sure.

Punchestowns: I would possibly have liked three runs before the RSA Chase but the weather this winter has been awful and that wasn’t possible. He’s been very good two times, I was going to to Cheltenham on New Year’s Day but just didn’t dare on the ground, and consequently he had to go to Sandown where he made one mistake. That’s his only one in two rounds of fences and nobody is going to get round in the RSA Chase without making a mistake. I’d prefer it to be done but fear it won’t be!

I thought Barry was seriously good on him after the mistake at Sandown, AP just set sail as soon as it happened and quite rightly went and galloped off down the back straight without us. But Barry let the horse find his feet, get his composure and balance back and what he did then was very impressive,

Long Run: The RSA is his target unless the ground came up very, very soft then he may switch to the Arkle. He did prove at Warwick he can cope with two miles and is a horse with incredible talent, he’s frightening and he’s versatile. He’s got the speed and stays and is a bit special.


It’s very exciting to have horses like him and Punchestown in the yard. They are the future and I’ll keep going as long as they’ll let me but if you have horses like this coming through the system it does help. There’s a lot to look forward to in the years to come.

Burton Port: Our third runner in the RSA Chase and one who has done nothing wrong all season, he’s four from four over fences. He’s entitled to be there and is going to run. He’s a good solid benchmark and a very good horse.

Riverside Theatre: Really wants good ground in the Arkle and he too has done nothing wrong. He’s in very good form right now and has to be fresh. I think his owner (James Nesbitt) will be as nervous as anyone on the day, he absolutely loves it. It shows just what Cheltenham means when it touches his nerves if you consider some of the things he’s done during his career!

Mad Max: Our second Arkle runner and a great, big bull of a horse. He’s very talented and I actually think he’ll run really well at Cheltenham. We learned a lot from his last run at Doncaster, he’s better than that and the track will suit him much more in the Arkle.

Plans are more fluid elsewhere. In the Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Oscar Whiskey is a definite runner. He’s always been very pacy, very talented. He hasn’t had to get into a big scrap yet but with Dunguib in there at Cheltenham I suspect he’ll know he’s been in a fight this time. He’s got a lot of talent.

Bellvano is also in the County while Quantatitiveasing also has a handicap option. We’ll take a good look at the options for both and we have to try and juggle everything around to be the best for JP McManus.

Bellvano has a lot of speed and what he wants is a fast-run two miles. You might say the track on the Tuesday will be better for him than the County Hurdle as it is just a little faster. We’ll wait and see.

General Miller will run in the Supreme. He got beaten over two-and-a-half which led us to coming back to two at Cheltenham and he’s in very good form, he worked very well on Saturday. The only thing he needs to do is get his jumping absolutely nailed on at speed and may lack a little experience but he’s talented.

Quantatativeasing and Finian’s Rainbow are in the Neptune Investments Novices’ Hurdle. I’ve explained the options for the former but Finian’s Rainbow is a runner. This has always been the plan and I was disappointed when he was beaten in the Challow as he came to win it. I may just have been looking after him a little then as he’s a big horse, a chaser all over. I only want him for that game but he’s doing well at hurldling and has a very good chance at Cheltenham. He jumps well, has speed and can travel through his races.

It nearly looked as though we wouldn’t have a runner in the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Super Kenny is in there and is a horse I like. He could run at Newbury on Friday but wants good ground so will want this sunshine to last.

However at Kempton on Saturday Soldatino won the Adonis and booked his Cheltenham place. He’ll wear ear plugs in the Triumph, as he did at Kempton, and I like him. It looks a pretty weak year among the four-year-olds and we got some practice in on Saturday. He blew up halfway down the back straight, had a blow at the second last too. He was very sensible in the race, didn’t pull, was relaxed and jumped and when he got his second wind he picked up and took off. He can only come on an awful lot for the run and he came out of it really well. I think he’ll go.

We have yet to finalise our teams for the handicaps. Obviously the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual is a race we target.


French Opera is almost certain to have top weight having won three handicap cahses in the autumn. He wants good ground and has won twice round Cheltenham but I’ve gone and clobbered him with an amazing amount of weight.

In fairness he would almost come out top-rated in the Arkle if I ran him in that, and I suppose I could still do that, but I don’t expect we will.

Of the others Pepsyrock, Dave’s Dream and You’re The Top are all possible runners. All want good ground so no rain and no watering please!

It’s hard to work out what’s going to get into the other handicaps although we do know historically where the cut offs have been.

In the Martin Pipe we are intending to run Peveril. The whole point of last week was to get into this race and I do know he’s gone up three pounds to 138 which means he still qualifies – just! Lord Generous, Radium and Gold Award will also run if they get in, with the latter the most vulnerable.

The Coral Cup is a possible target for Spirit River and Quantativeasing. Tasheba and Fairyland will also get in and all four are probable runners.

Spirit River is fine after the totesport Trophy, he just made a horrible mistake three out and that was game over. He was going great at the time and the extra trip will help him at Cheltenham. It’s a nice race for him.

Dave’s Dream will go for the Jewson or the Grand Annual, while Aigle D’Or, Working Title and Thanks For That are other probable Jewson runners.

The Pertemps is the target for Ainama and Andytown.

Punchestowns (right)no longer RSA Chase Favourite

Nicky Henderson, speaking at Newbury on Friday, said: “We have a problem with Punchestowns on his near-fore.

“A similar thing happened last weekend and we had to take his shoe off, but it cleared up quickly and he spent a couple of days swimming, so didn’t really miss anything. He worked on Wednesday and I couldn’t have been more thrilled. The plan was to school him today, which we couldn’t do anyway due to the frost, as it was still minus 7C at 7am with us. We were then going to bring him to work here at Newbury on Sunday, but we found him to be lame on his foot again last night.

“We have X-rayed it and there is nothing there. I can’t say any more than that at the moment other than we will monitor it and let people know how he progresses.

“The last time it happened he was sound within 24 to 48 hours and he loved going swimming, but I did want to get another run into him and that hasn’t happened and now there is this, so I am just warning people.”

Henderson’s other RSA Chase candidate Long Run has taken over from his stable companion at the head of the betting with many bookmakers, and pleased Henderson in a recent schooling session.

“Long Run schooled in the indoor school with Yogi Breisner and all went well,” the Seven Barrows handler added.

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William Hill Reaction:
The news of Punchestowns lameness has prompted bookmakers William Hill to promote stablemate Long Run to their 5-2 favourite for RSA chase in 12 days’ time.

Nicky Henderson this afternoon revealed that the World Hurdle runner-up was found lame before a schooling session today, but has not yet ruled the seven-year-old out of the staying novices’ chase.

A strong wave of money for Long Run has seen his price begin to contract in recent years, and today alone Hills have slashed his price to 5-2 from 4-1. Punchestowns remains in the ante-post betting but has eased to 7-2 from 3-1, with Weird Al another clipped to 8-1 from 10-1.

Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’It has been a day of mixed fortunes for Seven Barrows but this latest announcement will assure that Long Run goes off favourite for the RSA. Punter enthusiasm for him has been building in the last few days, and this now clears the picture for many who viewed the race as a straightforward match.’’

RSA Chase: 5-2 Long Run, 7-2 Punchestowns, 8-1 Diamond Harry, Weird Al, 12-1 Weapon’s Amnesty, 16-1 Uimhiraceathair, 20-1 Bensalem, 25-1 Burton Port, Citizen Vic, The Nightingale, 40-1 Hey Big Spender, Knockara Beau, Little Josh, Shakervilz, 50-1 Apt Approach, China Rock, Clan Tara, Ogee, Petifour, Seven Is My Number, 66-1 Bar (EW ¼ 1,2,3)

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Long Run Won Well at Newbury

Burton Port, winner of the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot on Saturday, also represents the Seven Barrows handler. Other leading contenders include Nick Williams’ Diamond Harry, Ian Williams’ Weird Al and Alan King’s Bensalem. Among 13 remaining Irish entries are Willie Mullins’ Mikael d’Haguenet, Noel Meade’s Pandorama and Weapon’s Amnesty from the Charles Byrnes stable.

Thirty-seven horses were scratched including Aranleigh, Catch Me, Mighty Man, Nicanor and Tazbar.

Latest Prices: 3 Punchestowns, 5 Long Run, 7 Diamond Harry, 11 Weird Al, 12 Weapons Amnesty, 14 Mikael D’Haguenet, Pandorama, 16 Bensalem, 20 Uimhiraceathair, 25 Burton Port, The Nightingale, 33 Citizen Vic, 40 bar

Zaynar out to 6/1 with Stan James

For there is nobody better at serving up his Cheltenham offerings perfectly prepared, and while some might occasionally be a fraction underdone, you’ll never see them overcooked.

Hence, those ‘layers’ of Zaynar (at 8-1 generally) are taking the type of risks normally associated with an outbreak of salmonella. On Sunday, those dangers were underlined when Henderson, the first to train 100 winners this season, declared Zaynar to be “fine” after his recent Kelso excursion.

Zaynar, sent off a 1-14 favourite, had been beaten one length by the lumbering giant Quwetwo on Thursday, and while there must have been immediate concern that such a race on heavy ground might set him back, Henderson allayed those fears with an upbeat report.

“It was horrific ground, and he was not as straight as I wanted, but he has come through the race fine. He was racing alongside ‘a tank,’ who was ploughing through it. In fact, an extraordinary picture in the Racing Post shows Zaynar fetlock deep in that mud,” he said.

Henderson is clearly delighted he ran last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner for fitness reasons, as he now has every chance of getting him to post spot on for the Champion Hurdle, which the trainer may well end up dominating, even in the absence of the much-discussed Binocular, who has gone wrong.

The other piece of good news for Henderson is that Kempton Park are to add an eighth race on Saturday, which will be a replica of Wincanton’s abandoned Kingwell Hurdle in all but name. This will give him the opportunity to run Punjabi, the defending champion, who is still ridiculously long for the Champion Hurdle, at 11-1.

“I know it’s getting tight before Cheltenham, but I’d rather see him have the race than not have the race,” the trainer told me. Weather will remain a constant worry for all trainers with an eye on the Festival, and as Henderson reiterated: “The forecast is not good.”

Meanwhile, trainer Philip Hobbs reported all his high-profile runners from Saturday have come back in good order despite their disappointments. Dream Alliance, pulled up when toiling in Haydock Park’s Blue Square Gold Cup, is OK. “Unfortunately, he can be inconsistent, and can turn in a race like that,” Hobbs said.

Planet Of Sound has come back with a bruise to his left eye, but is otherwise fine following his fifth-fence fall in the Betfair Ascot Chase, and Menorah, overturned by Lush Life in a novices’ hurdle, will probably benefit from a truly-run Spinal Research Supreme Novices Hurdle.

Best finish of the day at Ascot featured amateur Josh Moore getting back up on Panjo Bere to beat Ruby Walsh on I’msingingtheblues in the Trisoft Handicap Chase. Moore is likely to cherish the picture of the finish for years to come. No doubt, he will also remember the Walsh pat on the back after crossing the line.

Previously unbeaten over fences, the 4-6 favourite came under a little bit of pressure turning into the home straight, and for a few strides it looked as though long-time leader Diablo might not stop in front.

Stan James left Burton Port unchanged for the RSA Chase at 20/1 but cut Fairyhouse winner Alaivan from 10s to 7s for the Triumph after his smooth victory in their Grade 2 Hurdle.

RSA Chase 2010 ~ Outright Ante post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)

3 Punchestowns
4 Long Run
7 Diamond Harry
8 Weapon’s Amnesty
9 Weird Al
12 Mikael D’Haguenet
12 Pandorama
16 Bensalem
20 Tazbar
20 Citizen Vic
20 Burton Port (unchanged)
25 Bar

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