David Pipe: Festival agenda for Pond House stars

The Cheltenham Festival / Timeform / 22 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

David Pipe with Grands Crus.

"We have always thought a lot of him. He [Great Endeavour] has won at one Cheltenham Festival already and we are hoping he can make it a second time there..."

As David Pipe opened his yard to the racing media this week, Timeform hone-in on his thoughts on the stable's main Cheltenham Festival contenders as well as a pair that may go on to contest the Grand National...

Grands Crus' path to Cheltenham has been well documented (read about it HERE) and it remains undecided as to whether he contests the Gold Cup or the RSA. However, a number of Pond House inmates have more clear cut targets.

Dynaste (6 gr.g Timeform Rating 160)

David Pipe said: "Dynaste has had a great season so far - winning very impressively at Haydock. We tried to make all at Ascot and run the finish out of Big Buck's which did not work. We have tried numerous ways with greys to beat Big Buck's but none of them have worked so far - we will keep trying.

We changed tactics at Cheltenham last time and held on to him a lot longer and he ran a much better race to finish second to Big Buck's and the third (Mourad) franked the form at the weekend. It was all roads to the World Hurdle after that and we have freshened him up. He won't mind what the ground is at Cheltenham, though preferably there would be some cut. It is very nearly impossible to beat Big Buck's but it won't stop us from trying. If he can finish in the first three, it will be a great run."

Mourad went on to win the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle whilst the fourth from Dynaste's latest start, Restless Harry, has since won the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle. Dynsate faces a stiff task in lowering the colours of Big Buck's, but he can be backed to do so at [24.0] or at [6.8] in the "Without Big Buck's" market.

Great Endeavour (8 gr.g Timeform Rating 160)

David Pipe said: "We have always thought a lot of him. He has won at one Cheltenham Festival already and we are hoping he can make it a second time there. Since December he has been freshened up. We did the same thing last year when he went to the three-mile handicap chase but unfortunately things did not go to plan - he got left at the start. He's at his best on better ground - he would not want it too soft.

He is in the Ryanair and we have given him an entry in the Byrne Plate (March 15) as well. He is sort of in between - he has to carry top-weight in the Byrne or has to find a few pounds with Riverside Theatre in the Ryanair. Riverside Theatre is 165 and we are 157. He should run a big race."

Great Endeavour can currently be backed at [14.0] for the Ryanair and [26.0] for the Byrne Group Plate. If heading to the Ryanair, he would have 11-lb to find with Riverside Theatre on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.

Kazlian (4 b.g Timeform Rating 128p)

David Pipe said: "He is a big strapping four-year-old who had some very decent form in France, rated about 95 on the Flat. He has only had three runs here. He has beat nothing in his two wins but did it very well. He is rated 130 and is in the Fred Winter, the Triumph and my father's race. We decided to keep him fresh for Cheltenham. He jumps and stays well. He acts on soft but would be fine on better ground. He looks a classy horse and is a good work horse at home."

Finishing second at Market Rasen on his hurdling debut, Kazlian has since run out an easy winner at both Ffos Las and Leicester. He will face considerably stiffer competition at Cheltenham but is likely to continue on the up, and can be backed at [75.0] for the Triumph Hurdle and [14.0] for the Fred Winter.

Buena Vista (11 b.g Timeform Rating 148)

David Pipe said: "Buena Vista is quite special to Pond House and it will be great to have him run at his eighth Festival. He ran a decent race at Wincanton three runs ago and I thought he was coming back to himself but he then went to Kempton and ran a shocker. We were slightly worried but he went to Newbury last week and ran much better.

The ground has come right for him in the last two seasons and he rises to the occasion. He is a lot better on good ground. He has won off 133 and 138 and his latest mark is 140 so it is not going to be easy and you cannot expect him to be improving at the age of 11, but he deserves to take his chance and will be ridden by one of the claimers in the yard."

Buena Vista is presently available to back at [12.0] in his bid to land an unprecedented third Pertemps Handicap Hurdle.

Junior (9 ch.g Timeform Rating 153)

David Pipe said: "He ran well at Newbury over hurdles the other day. He got tired in the straight and everything leads to the Grand National, but we are hoping to give him a run before and that will be in the Grimthorpe at Doncaster, the JLT Specialty Chase or the Gold Cup. The Gold Cup has been a good trial for the National and there is another week between Cheltenham and Aintree this year.

Junior currently heads the market for the Grand National, at [18.0], but Pipe may have another National contender in The Package. Currently trading at [85.0], the Package is another who could use Cheltenham as an Aintree stepping-stone.

David Pipe said: "You won't have seen much of him of late. He had a tendon injury and has had time off. He has been at Timmy Murphy's resting and has not been back with us for that long. He is in good form at present. The plan is to hopefully to go to Cheltenham but we do need everything to go A1.

He is an old-fashioned Irish store horse who may go to the National after Cheltenham. The time off has not done him any harm and he seems as well as ever at home, showing his old sparkle."