Events / Graham Cunningham / 13 December 2007 / 2

Graham Cunningham rounds up the talking points ahead of another big jumping weekend

Osana the value in a race full of question marks

Make no mistake, Saturday's Boylesports International Hurdle will be the most significant Champion Hurdle trial staged on either side of the Irish Sea this season.

But it's also a race in which all the main contenders come with ifs and buts attached.

Sublimity is the reigning champ and blitzed his rivals for speed last March but is expected to come on for the run by connections, while Afsoun couldn't live with Sublimity last March yet has no fitness doubts following a fine reappearance at Ascot.

Straw Bear hammered Afsoun at Wincanton last February only to pull up with blood streaming from his nose in the Champion, while Katchit's winning spree was brought to a grinding halt on his first venture into open company at Newcastle.

In short, it's a race which many a sensible judge will swerve. However, after much deliberation this particular judge will be backing Osana win and place with a small lay of Katchit for good measure.

Osana plainly needs to produce a career best to score at this level, but he shaped as if still on the up when second in the Greatwood Hurdle and a little further progress looks highly likely under less demanding conditions here.

Those who have followed Katchit to four Cheltenham successes will doubtless keep the faith. But I am less forgiving. That Fighting Fifth defeat behind Harchibald suggests Katchit might just come up short against the very best and I will be opposing him accordingly.

Another Bric in the Nicholls wall - or one to take on at Cheltenham?

They call it Blind Faith.

No, not the 1960's supergroup set up by Eric Clapton and a few other rock dinosaurs, but the willingness of punters to hop on the Paul Nicholls bandwagon with little regard to the cost of a ticket.

For those who have spent the last month in prison or in a cave, the champion jumps trainer has been winning major Saturday chases like they are going out of fashion.

Kauto Star, Denman and Twist Magic have lined the pockets of Nicholls followers over the last three weekends and New Little Bric has been gambled on to keep the ball rolling in Saturday's Boylesports Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Can he do it? Of course he can. Is he good value at around [5.5] after a slightly sluggish reappearance at Ascot? Not in my book he isn't and, for better or worse, I fancy a small lay of New Little Bric in a race where most of the field look very closely matched indeed.

Commander can get the ball rolling for a festive Friday

Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to drive away from Cheltenham tomorrow night having won enough to fund a cheerful Christmas and a cheeky New Year skiing trip for the Cunningham clan.

It could all end in tears, of course, but the plan at this stage is simple enough. We kick off with Imperial Commander, who heads a small yet select field of four in the 12.45.

The Nicholls-trained Ornais will help make the market after his emphatic Wincanton success, but Imperial Commander relishes the Cheltenham hill and his jumping in two novice chase wins here has been very impressive.

Next up is Heads On the Ground, who bids to capitalise on the absence of his celebrated stablemate Spot Thedifference from the cross country chase at 13.55. Enda Bolger's gelding has been hiked in the weights for his Festival win over this course. He is highly progressive, though, and a win bet on him with a place bet on the frustrating Le Duc looks the way forward here.

Last but not least, keep a close eye on Snap Tie when he renews rivalry with I'msingingtheblues in the finale at 3.40. The latter just had the edge when they met here last month, but Snap Tie has a 3lb pull and can improve again if ridden with a shade more restraint this time.

The answer lies within for fallen Fallon

How do you help those who refuse to help themselves?

The eternal question surrounding those with drink or drugs problems to hang over Kieren Fallon like a shroud after yet another astonishing week in the life of the 42-year-old Irishman.

Alastair Down of the Racing Post advised Fallon to "clear off" until such time as he can "treat this sport with the respect it has so generously accorded you."

And Down, who has been a colleague and punting pal of mine for many years, knows more than most about addictive behaviour.

He knows those who fall prey are usually indulged by their friends and that such indulgence, no matter how well intentioned, never helps.

He knows those whose generosity is spurned are then sorely tempted to tell the addict to "clear off." And he surely knows such rejection also does no good whatsoever.

But what every addict - or friend of an addict - knows deep inside is that the cure lies solely in the heart of the individual.

Fallon will know when the time to change has come. His friends - rather than the brown nosers and hangers on - will recognise he is on the mend without being told.

But will those changes come in time to save Fallon's job with Coolmore? It seems the jury is still out on that one.

Final thoughts as Fallon prepares for his latest ban

Before signing off, it's worth posing a few more questions on the Fallon saga.

Firstly, am I being cynical in wondering whether Sir Michael Stoute's decision to finally tie the knot with Ryan Moore had anything to do with rumours that Coolmore might be on the lookout for a hungry new stable jockey?

Secondly, am I being even more cynical in wondering why Fallon has tested positive twice on his occasional visits to France when there has never been - if you will pardon the expression - a sniff of a positive test from him on home soil in Ireland?

And finally, what price Fallon to come back with his powers undiminished in 2009 if the French authorities hand him another lengthy ban?

In theory, you would want odds against a man of 44 returning to the very top, but this is a rider who has never conformed to logic.

Dean Gallagher is a veteran by jump jockey standards but has shrugged off two cocaine bans to resume at a high level in France, while Lester Piggott was well into his fifties when he rode Royal Academy to win the Breeders' Cup Mile in 1990.

And what about Led Zeppelin? They came back from nearly three decades on the sidelines to rave reviews at the 02 Arena this week.

Perhaps Kieren ought to text Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, no strangers to banned substances themselves, for a few tips on how to manage his latest comeback.

Graham's Cheltenham choices
Friday

12.45 Back Imperial Commander
1.55 Back Heads Onthe Ground to win and Le Duc to place
3.40 Back Snap Tie

Saturday
2.40 Lay New Little Bric
3.10 Back Osana win and place, lay Katchit

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1. Redd | 14 December 2007

   Cancel the christmas new year trip !

2. Bernard B | 18 December 2007

   Well done on the Osana win and place pal, not sure about your other ones though!

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