David Cleary's Cheltenham Notebook: Sprinter and New One far from impressive in key trials

David Cleary
19 January 2015

Sprinter Sacre was encouraging, but not encouraging enough

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In the second instalment of David Clearly's look ahead to the 2015 Cheltenham Festival our man highlights a few handicappers worth keeping in mind, while he also casts some doubt on last Saturday's two star attractions...

"Even though Sprinter Sacre was eased a bit to 3.711/4 in the Champion Chase betting, there is little appeal in backing him at this juncture."

For more Cheltenham 2015 Betting Tips please visit cheltenhamfestivalbets.com

Sprinter Sacre, in the Clarence House at Ascot, was the main attraction over the weekend.

No one really knew quite what would happen when he was asked to race for effectively the first time in 20 months, and Sprinter Sacre left a lot of those uncertainties still up in the air: it was clear he retained a lot of ability, but unlikely that he retained it all. Though he travelled strongly, he was ultimately put in his place pretty swiftly by Dodging Bullets, even if his rider Barry Geraghty accepted the situation very quickly.

Encouraging, but not encouraging enough, seems about the right view to take. Even though Sprinter Sacre was eased a bit to 3.711/4 in the Champion Chase betting, there is little appeal in backing him at this juncture.

Dodging Bullets, rather easier to pin down, got somewhat overlooked in the Sprinter circus, though he has solid place claims for Cheltenham and seems finally to have found the resolution common to so many of his sire Dubawi's stock, this his second gritty victory in a row at Grade 1 level.

Saturday's other big draw was The New One in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock. On paper, this seemed likely to be another stroll, but it proved rather harder work, even allowing for bad ground and a muddling gallop. The New One was almost shown up by an enterprising move three out from Harry Skelton on Bertimont, The New One's jumping rather hesitant as he gave chase before stamina gained the day after the last.

Excuses were made for The New One after he was badly hampered in last season's Champion, but it may well be that he was beaten fair and square, his lack of pace down the hill the key to his defeat. He remains the second favourite at 4.03/1 however to win this season's Champion Hurdle.

The Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas featured a speculative Champion Hurdle entry in the shape of Kitten Rock, who got the better of Glens Melody after the latter fluffed the last, the pair doing well to quicken so far clear off a steady pace on very testing ground.

Kitten Rock took a long time to settle and a truer gallop back at two miles would suit him down to the ground. He may yet emerge as a dark horse for top honours in the spring, even if not at Cheltenham itself. Glens Melody was second to Quevega in the Mares Hurdle in 2014 and seems sure to make a bold bid to go one better in March.

Vautour was the big draw at Leopardstown on Sunday, set to win easily from his one serious opponent when left well clear at the last. Vautour still could be anything, but he hasn't been tested on his completed starts over fences and his Festival target is up in the air, though the JLT/Golden Miller seems the likely option.

If the performances in the top races weren't quite as decisive as they might have been, there were quite a few handicappers that ran with a lot of encouragement and are worth adding to the notebook list.

At Ascot, Eastlake and Tenor Nivernais performed a fair bit better than the result behind Rebel Rebellion. Eastlake travelled strongly but left the impression he was just short of a run - the Grand Annual and the Topham may well be his spring programme.

Tenor Nivernais lost his pitch with a bad mistake five out but was staying on strongly after the last. He is effectively untried at three miles but runs as if it should suit him well, so may well come under consideration of entered for either of the handicaps over that trip.

Two previous Festival winners shaped well in the Boylesports Hurdle at Leopardstown, Ted Veale finishing strongly for third from a poor position, Savello tanking along but running out of puff after the last.

Ted Veale won the County Hurdle in 2013 and it would be no surprise to see him a major player again. Savello won the Grand Annual last year and he may well have that as the target again, his mark over hurdles too low to get him into the County.

Finally, to Taunton, where Southfield Royale progressed again off a stiffish mark on his handicap debut, going down narrowly and paying a big compliment to War Sound who beat him in such style at Exeter.

Southfield Royale would be worth qualifying for the Pertemps, while War Sound may be short on experience but it would be no surprise if he was up to a Cheltenham novice entry.

Notebook Shortlist

Au Quart de Tour: Champion Bumper
Eastlake/Savello: Grand Annual
Grand Vision: Kim Muir
L'Ami Serge: Supreme Novices'
Tenor Nivernais: 3m handicap chase
Top Wood/Southfield Royale (needs to qualify): Pertemps Final
War Sound: Baring Bingham/Spa