This year's Hennessy, however competitive, didn't have the look beforehand of a race that would shake up the Gold Cup market and so it proved. There's no doubting that winner Triolo d'Alene and several others besides will be featuring in other good staying handicaps as the season wears on, but the winner's new Timeform rating of 155 is indicative of the standard we're looking at.
The Grand National is a more realistic ambition for Triolo d'Alene, who has proven his credentials for that race on all grounds except stamina, Saturday's contest having put the emphasis more on speed than might be expected in a typical Hennessy. His chance at Aintree will depend primarily on the BHA handicapper's reaction to Saturday's convincing victory, especially considering that as a Topham winner he's bound to fall foul of Phil Smith's notorious 'Aintree factor'.
If there is to be a Gold Cup contender among the Hennessy runners it's probably either Katenko (remains on 159p), who fell before the race had seriously taken shape, or runner-up Rocky Creek. He was among the most unexposed in the line-up and went as short as 1.61 on Betfair before being outgunned late on by the race-fit winner. He's now rated 156+, with the feeling being he has a high-class performance in him at some stage, perhaps once he's fully fit and has the emphasis even more on stamina.
There was a bigger shake-up in the betting for the World Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday. The Long Distance Hurdle, for so long the preserve of Big Buck's, stayed with the Stewart family as Celestial Halo (163) made all to win from Medinas.
The big story of the race was the performance of At Fishers Cross, second-favourite for the World Hurdle. He jumped less than fluently throughout but was looking the only realistic threat to the winner when losing all chance with a bad mistake two out. He's been rated on the day as a fairly close second, as the game Celestial Halo was still going the better at the time. At Fishers Cross' master rating remains at 155p, though that symbol is perhaps more ground-dependant than it would have been before Saturday, all of his best efforts having come on going softer than good.
The finish of the weekend was probably at Newcastle. The Rehearsal Chase doesn't carry the significance it used to, but despite moving from Chepstow it's retained its position as a leading prep for the Welsh National and two entrants for that race fought out a thriller on Saturday.
The final result was a victory for Hey Big Spender (146§), who was running from a 10 lb lower mark than when successful in the same race two years ago. He's not a forlorn hope for Chepstow from a handicapping point of view, but Vintage Star (143+) is probably the more interesting for future big handicaps. He again looked game in going down by a neck and is still unexposed over long distances, while he's evidently well handicapped if taking up his engagement in the Welsh National. Along with Highland Lodge and Merry King, fourth and fifth respectively in the Hennessy, Vintage Star is another from the weekend to view positively for Chepstow.
The main focus at Newcastle was on the Champion Hurdle, as leading hope My Tent Or Yours reappeared against recent Elite Hurdle winner Melodic Rendezvous in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. In event, the second-favourite failed to fire, leaving My Tent Or Yours to run out an easy winner from Cockney Sparrow. My Tent Or Yours remains on a Timeform rating of 167p and his chances for the Champion Hurdle are neither diminished nor significantly enhanced.
The same comments should apply to Jezki, winner of the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday, though some outlets have been less than enthusiastic about his winning reappearance. Jezki, like My Tent Or Yours, wasn't always totally fluent, notably at the last in his case, but still ran out a more comfortable winner than the bare margins imply.
To brush a very smart and fairly reliable opponent in Zaidpour aside on your first try at a new trip is no mean feat. Fans of Jezki should take heart from that in spite of less than two lengths separating them at the line. In terms of Timeform ratings, Jezki's Timeform rating of 166 keeps him as one of the leading Irish-trained threats to Hurricane Fly, along with Our Conor (169p).
With clues for the Champion Hurdle, World Hurdle and Gold Cup revealed over this weekend, jumps fans should brace themselves for the set to be completed this coming weekend. Saturday's Tingle Creek is scheduled to see the return of Champion Chaser Sprinter Sacre, who is currently Timeform's top-rated chaser in training on 192p. Looking at the opposition, that figure- the highest since the days of Arkle and Flyingbolt- is unlikely to be bettered this week with next-best Sire de Grugy rated a full 28 lb below him. Yet as ever with Sprinter Sacre, we live in hope that the next performance will be the defining one.
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