Weekend Review: Exciting Fingal Bay makes it five at Newbury

The Cheltenham Festival / Timeform / 02 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Fingal Bay lands Newbury's Challow Hurdle.

"Fingal Bay remains a strong contender for the top novice events at the upcoming Festivals."

Timeform look back at a weekend featuring Newbury's Challow Hurdle on Saturday and an excellent day's racing at Cheltenham on New Year's Day...

Fingal Bay, trained by Philip Hobbs, made it five wins from as many starts when landing Newbury's Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle, ensuring that he remains a strong contender for the top novice events at the upcoming Festivals. The six-year-old did not have to match the form of his previous Sandown win (which looks particularly solid with the third-placed Barbatos also winning this weekend), but he was better than the bare result suggests after idling badly towards the finish.

Fingal Bay, who was was always finding enough to see off runner-up Ballyrock, is still available at [5.6] for the Neptune and [6.2] for the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. Be warned though, it appears that connections are still undecided as to which route they will take.

An hour previously, the Colin Tizzard-trained Cue Card gained compensation for his defeat by Bobs Worth on his penultimate start when making all to beat For Non Stop and Walkon in the novice chase. Cue Card coped well with softer conditions than he has generally faced and always appeared in control despite blundering two out. He is currently available to back at [12.0] for the Arkle, the race that appears his likely Festival target.

The run of the race did not suit For Non Stop nearly as much as when second to Al Ferof at Sandown on his previous start, and it simply remains a matter of time before he is winning races. He was not helped by making a mistake four out just as the pace was increasing, and may also have benefitted from a more positive ride.

Walkon did not jump nearly as well as at Exeter on his reappearance, incidentally the second year in a row that his seasonal bow has been much better than his follow-up attempt. Such was the impression he created on that return, however, that he merits another chance.

Minella Class, the other runner in the four-horse line-up, was somewhat unfortunate to unseat at the tenth, landing awkwardly and stumbling. He was in the process of showing more than enough to suggest he can win races.

In Newbury's 13:30, All The Aces got off the mark over hurdles at the second time of asking for trainer Nicky Henderson, having finished second to the Prospect Wells on his debut over timber. Despite the race not being all that competitive, All The Aces jumped fluently and was always in control; he looks well worth a try beyond two miles, and a step up in class beckons.

A quick mention must also go to Celestial Halo, who put up a game weight-carrying performance to land his second valuable prize of the season in the concluding handicap hurdle. Giving 20 lb and more to his rivals, the eight-year-old drew clear with runner-up Torphichen and battled on well to regain the lead on the run-in.

Spectators at Punchestown saw Mikael d'Haguenet take another step forward in his quest to get his career back on track when Willie Mullins' smart hurdler comfortably beat three rivals over two and a half miles. The 2009 Baring Bingham winner has now landed two minor events this season, and will more than likely have to go back up in grade for his next start.

Cheltenham's Sunday card was packed full of fascinating races and the feature event, the Grade 3 handicap chase, went the way of the Henrietta Knight-trained Calgary Bay. It was the nine-year-old's first win in over two years and came at the same meeting as when landing the Dipper Novices' Chase in 2009. Calgay Bay, who looked just about back to his best, was value for a bit more than the winning margin after doing no more than what was required up the home straight.

The aforementioned Dipper was won this year by Champion Court, who added his name to a role of honour that contains the likes of The Listener and My Way de Solzen. The Martin Keighley-trained seven-year-old erased the mistakes he had made on his previous start, jumping well at the head of affairs under fairly aggressive tactics, and the Jewson, for which he can currently be backed at [18.0], could be the ideal Festival target for him. That said, a tilt at the longer RSA is reportedly a possibility should Grands Crus head to the Gold Cup.

The same price is also available about runner-up Solix for the Jewson, and the Nicky Henderson-trained runner comes out Sunday's clash marginally the best at the weights after giving the winner 3 lb. His jumping was more efficient than it had been previously and he remains with promise.

A similar comment regards potential also applies to Paul Nicholls' Sonofvic, despite him making a catalogue of errors throughout. He was clearly disappointing, but he obviously has plenty of ability and a return to three miles could unlock his potential.

Oscar Whisky's winning margin of two lengths in the 15:20 does nothing to highlight the seven-year-old's superiority over his three rivals, with Barry Geraghty motionless in the saddle on the run-in as his mount drew clear with another exciting youngster in Poungach. The Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las is his next intended start and it will surely be at his mercy.

For all that connections appear to favour a crack at Big Buck's in the World Hurdle ([7.2]), his Timeform master rating of 171 suggests he would be very much a live contender for the Champion Hurdle, particularly with doubts surrounding Hurricane Fly. He's currently priced at [42.0] for the two-mile showpiece.

Poungach lost nothing in defeat to the top-class Oscar Whisky, bettering the form of last month's Sandown handicap romp and sticking to his task well. Three miles will probably prove his optimum trip, and there's many more races to be won with him.