Lydia Hislop Road to Cheltenham: The Chasers – Horse Racing

Al Boum Photo, who could have been third at Presenting Percy at Cheltenham but for taking a tired fall to the penultimate, and Elegant escape, who was bequeathed third, could participate in Saturday's Ladbrokes Trophy in Newbury.

Al Boum Photo is said to have gone on to win grades 1 at Fairyhouse and Punchestown last season if jockey Paul Townend had not suffered a freeze on his brain. But the first cost more than 2m4f and the last a funeral and complicated case in which he showed rhythm. In short, I think it is more of a Ryanair proposal.

Elegant Escape is a runner and has already beaten the progressive Thomas Patrick at Sandown this term in the middle pursuit won by Might Bite last.

From the Gold Cup of last year, Anibale Fly seems a marathon artist who would be disadvantaged by the usual terrain of the Festival, Total recall was under pressure before falling three, Edwulf is not good enough and Killultagh Vic do not jump well enough – never did.

Dimensioning John, winner of the 2017 Gold Cup in a difficult campaign, was not spotted at the end of the campaign after a lifeless exhibition at Christmas Chase. He holds a spot in the John Durkan race on Sunday, the race to which that year last year was well played while he beat Djakadam.

Bellshill He missed the first half of last season but won the Grade One Punchestown after throwing, perhaps by exhaustion, the Grand National of Ireland. He finished ten lengths behind Might Bite in the 2017 RSA Chase and has certainly improved since then, but I'm still not convinced that Cheltenham is his bag.

Nevertheless, he seems to be regarded as the chief hope of the Gold Cup by Mullins. This may not be the last word of the coach on the subject, remember.

Ryanair Chase

As always, it is impossible to know with certainty if one of these horses at the forefront of this market will really stand here. Therefore, I may want Ryanair's second favorite and holder of the title Balko Flos for the Gold Cup and the Gold Cup, third favorite and finalist of the last session, Could bite, for that.

In both cases, the market mocks my presumption with Might Bite not quoted anywhere for this race. It's even too foolish to be able to sign up for the Betfair exchange. (Come on, I challenge you.)

As for the holder of the title, he traveled slowly while returning his predecessor. One Of Seals in March before idling when the job was done long. The way in which the finalist has been ruled out means that the outstanding 14/1 player, even for a super hunter like him, does not appeal – let alone quotes in half.

However, the strike rate of Un De Sceaux remains phenomenal and, well placed as it will probably be again, it will be difficult to beat outside the championship competitions until his age puts him off guard.

One Of Seals wins at Punchestown

Of course, Balko Des Flos would be a major force if I came back here but I can not help feeling his overly aggressive flop against inherently faster horses of the same caliber. Political scientist and Low in Melling Chase of Aintree emphasized that his future was to be based on a longer journey.

By the way, my reading of this race is that it is not relevant in terms of Ryanair. A strong political scientist on a journey has a tougher endurance than Min, and has gone beyond it, the illusion of a fight at the line created entirely by the tendency to win the winner. As discussed above, the gray is poorly suited to Cheltenham and the best chance for Min is in Chase Champion, as explained in more detail in this section.

His coach Willie Mullins is a key complicating factor for this division, plus a change, because of the strength of the depth of his job. (Of course, Gordon Elliott has to be tough on this, but it's less prevalent at this point.) That's why the Mullins group footpad is favorite for Ryanair and second favorite for Chase champion behind altior. He was appeased for the two-mile test after falling, already beaten at the time, during his seasonal debut. The logic behind this was presumably: why would you take the best horse to training next March when your case is already weaker?

It should be noted that Ted Walsh suggested that Footpad was a Gold Cup horse even before his son Ruby returned to the winner's compound after the last quarter's Arkle procession. Mullins also spoke in the same sense. It is therefore unlikely that he will be in Ryanair as a relay before heading to the 2020 Gold Cup.

It should also be mentioned that Mullins cited Ryanair as a potential target of the winner of the OLBG Mares Hurdle Benie Gods after raising this trophy too. As I have already mentioned, of his other Ryanair customers, I am especially interested in Al Boum Photo.

However, I can not completely dismiss the idea that Altior could present here the score of 16/1 for this race. Clearly, if he runs in the Ryanair that puts the kybosh on my whim Might Bite but that Altior has long taken the form of a little over two miler and I suspect that, if it was not for his comrade, Henderson would try King George. He holds an entrance.

Was he – out of breath – beaten by Seal Royal at Tingle Creek next week (and I'll discuss this case in the next section), could his coach be tempted to do what Paul Nicholls did with Kauto Star in 2006 – yes, in Sandown – and go to Kempton? Admittedly, it depends more on how Might Bite's catch-up rates work, but I would argue that there is now a possibility where few or none had previously.

Back on Earth, there is only a small amount of real form to be covered so far this season. Broken love and Monalee were mentioned in the Gold Cup section after finishing respectively second and third Snow falcon in a second year at Down Royal earlier this month.

The former couple rose to join the winner in form on the dance floor, even though the trip and the award of a penalty to the winner were not quite their scene. I prefer both rather than staying away.

however, The narrator – who outclbaded his opponents with a score of 147 points at the last Festival Festival before inheriting a Punchestown Grade One that was strangely happening – accepted the Down Royal invitation only to spend all the time chatting in the kitchen.

Ignore his contribution for the purposes of the form. Recall, he suspended fire for the bad in Cheltenham, however, only running when Davy Russell opted for bare-handed driving.

JLT finalist Terrefort – easily licensed in Cheltenham by Broken love – came back in a reduced but perfectly formed edition of the Sandown Intermediate Pursuit, won by Might Bite last year and Elegant Escape this. He got in trouble very early, holding his tail in an uncomfortable angle, and was almost pulled back to the last place.

Coach Henderson has since posted on his blog Unibet (#ad) (OK, last time) that he "trained his muscles very well" during the race and pulled him out of Saturday's Ladbrokes Trophy this week. .

Given that there was obviously a physical problem, the extent to which he had been relieved for this race and for the Gold Cup was an unusual act of surrender on the part of the bookmakers – albeit one of the best players. he may also want to cut into the ground. Nevertheless, I would not want to scratch it yet. He is only five years old and, although he may be a demanding target for jumping obstacles, he remains a promising horse.

We also had a chaotic edition of the BetVictor Gold Cup in which the potential of Rather was left unexplored when he was caught by the fall of a rival in fourth place. It was too far to say for sure if he was involved, but jockey Jerry McGrath's frustration was palpable.

Instead, Be was heading to his home country at Handicap Chase's resumption at the Close Novice Brothers Festival last season. Mr. Whitaker, who had since grown further in imposing on Carlisle during his seasonal debut. However, he never seemed to travel in the BetVictor before finally getting on a fourth far behind Baron Alco and was apparently unable to achieve the dominant position favored by the circumstances of this breed.

The gulf between the high-end handicapper and the Ryanair winner may be illustrated by Frodo Although he was only six years old when he was relegated to the rank of laggards in the 2018 edition, he finally finished at 37 lengths of Balko Des Flos. Yet he was second in the BetVictor on a score of 161; Plutôt Be continue d’être clbadé 149 et Mister Whitaker 152.

Baron Alco en route pour la victoire dans la Gold Cup de BetVictor

Charbel est de retour à son meilleur cette saison avec une défaite précédente du Baron Alco et une seconde place devant le Politologue au ralenti à Ascot samedi dernier. Cependant, je ne suis pas convaincu qu’il a beaucoup progressé en lui, même s’il a couru légèrement lors du voyage – et c’est nécessaire. Il est également tombé à ses deux départs sur des clôtures à Cheltenham.

Les autres à mentionner dans cette division sont (meilleur prix disponibles) 14/1 coup En attendant patiemment16/1 Fox Norton, 25/1 Excellent and Disko, 16/1 dans un endroit, qui ont tous manqué Cheltenham la saison dernière.

Waiting Patly est presciently nommée. L’entraîneur Ruth Jefferson a délibérément été dissocié de Cheltenham en raison de préoccupations combinées concernant la piste ondulante, sa propension à commettre des erreurs de novice et une théorie selon laquelle il serait meilleur avec plus de temps entre ses courses.

Ceci malgré la météo offrant le terrain d’essai adéquat que vous n’obtenez pas habituellement pour le Festival. S'il court un jour – et j'ai aussi tendance à penser que la piste ne lui convient pas – la saison dernière a peut-être été le cheval cadeau.

Il a ensuite été exclu d’Aintree avec un revers qui a également empêché un retour à l’action en début de saison – bien que, pour être juste, la situation qui prévalait aurait probablement eu le même effet. L’objectif est maintenant le King George, sur le site de son dernier succès pour le regretté Malcolm Jefferson, le père de Ruth,… s’il le fait.

"Le King George est la cible principale pour le moment, mais si nous n'y parvenons pas, nous pourrions toujours revenir à deux milles et il courra à la Clarence House", a déclaré le propriétaire Richard Collins, qui envisage également une option en Irlande. , a dit Attheraces.

«Il a très bien pbadé l’été, nous avons pris notre temps avec lui pour le rafraîchir. Nous l’avons rambadé la semaine dernière, mais étant dépendant du sol, nous le ferons étape par étape. ”

Fox Norton était le deuxième favori derrière Un De Sceaux sur le marché de Ryanair après avoir été exclu avec "une légère blessure suspensive" fin février. Cependant, il avait été vu pour la dernière fois en train de sauter à plusieurs reprises et s’arrêtait dans le King George, après avoir été abattu par Politologue dans le Tingle Creek.

Il est presque possible qu’il fbade mieux de gaucher et qu’il ne soit pas exposé lors du voyage avec Ryanair, mais il devra prouver qu’il conserve ses capacités. Il ne détient actuellement aucune entrée.

Henderson a exclu Top Notch de la Ryanair car "Sarah Shreeve, qui le chevauche tous les jours et connaît le cheval à fond, a déclaré qu’elle se sentait un peu trop silencieuse et qu’elle n’était pas son habituelle perky". Cela faisait suite à un effort sourd derrière Waiting Patience at Ascot.

Cependant, ce sympathique cheval a retrouvé toute sa vigueur à Sandown en avril après avoir concédé du poids et battu un beau terrain. Il a ensuite contourné une cible qui faisait parler de lui en France au cours de l'été et n'a pas encore prouvé qu'il était à la hauteur de la société ouverte Grade One.

Le trajet baduré que Disko a reçu pour vaincre Our Duke dans le Flogas Chase 2017 est plus long dans mon esprit que le retour déconcertant à la tactique patiente dans le JLT de ce terme, lorsqu’il termine derrière Top Notch. Nous l'avons vu une seule fois la saison dernière, remportant une deuxième année à Down Royal en novembre. Par la suite, il est maintenant apparu qu'il s'était fracturé le crâne et s'était desséché dans sa boîte lors d'un accident anormal.

"Nous craignions le pire, mais il a bien guéri et nous sommes heureux de son sort", a déclaré l'entraîneur Noel Meade à la fin du mois dernier. "Nous ne pensions pas qu'il serait prêt avant Noël, mais il s'en sort bien et il sera prêt dans environ un mois."

Disko – a manqué ses engagements du printemps dernier

Disko est une poupée de la malchance. Voici ce que j’ai écrit en janvier après avoir parlé directement à Meade de la non-présentation du cheval pour les cibles prévues en décembre 2017:

… [Meade] m'a dit: "Disko a eu un petit problème avec son jarret, nous avons donc dû le supporter pendant quelques semaines et nous n'avons pas pu l'entraîner pour la Irish Gold Cup."

Asked whether it was the same problem that caused Disko to miss the King George, Meade said: “It was and it wasn’t. He went lame on me for a couple of days before the John Durkan and we thought it was his foot but nothing was identified.

“He then went back into work up on the run up to Christmas but Theresa Maguire [sister of ex-jockey Jason], who rides him all the time, said he wasn’t 100% right when going left-handed but he was fine when going right-handed. So we investigated and we found a problem with his hock.”

Meade said he’s “hopeful” that he’ll be able to train Disko for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but would know more after a week’s progress. Failing that, the horse will head to Liverpool or Punchestown.”

In actuality, Disko kept none of those engagements. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he is not entered anywhere now either. You have to wonder whether, if he makes it back to the track, he will be anything like as good as he was – and even that needed improvement for the Ryanair. While I wish this star-crossed seven-year-old well, you’d need 116/1 to even have him on your mind in betting terms.

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

Let’s start with some important action in this division: namely, Sceau Royal comptabilité pour Simply Ned more readily than the disparity and weight terms suggest in the Grade Two Shloer Chase earlier this month.

Yes, he was receiving 3lbs from the veteran runner-up but he went through the race – his first chase outside novice company – on autopilot despite having not been sighted on a racecourse since January. He was also returning to the scene of his sole defeat over fences as a novice.

Sceau Royal isn’t the scopiest chaser you’ll see – possibly not even in the next at Exeter, let alone at the Festival – but he’s catlike in his accuracy and efficient at the leap. He also travels strongly, settles tractably and tries hard.

He may be unfortunate to be blossoming in the deepest division currently going in British jump racing but, for reasons outlined in the Ryanair section, this badumes we know how Altior and Footpad will ultimately be campaigned this season. With Sceau Royal, there’s no argument: he’s a bang two-miler so, for that reason alone, 14/1 for the Champion Chase is very reasonable.

Trainer Alan King has confirmed that Sceau Royal’s next start will be in the Tingle Creek, Altior’s intended comeback vehicle – and possibly also a target for Un De Sceaux, who won this Sandown Grade One two years ago. If all three turn up, it will be a sight to behold but I can’t help but feel the Grade Two Hilly Way will be calling Mullins’ name instead.

Sceau Royal and Simply Ned do battle at Cheltenham

Yet although Altior is a three-times course winner, the evidence of April’s Celebration Chase suggests he could well be vulnerable first time out to a race-fit Sceau Royal. He had to get down and dirty until after the last to see off the likes of San Benedeto then, shaping ever more clearly like a horse who’d prefer more of a trip these days.

The caveat is, of course, that he’d had a far-from-straightforward season with a breathing issue and corrective operation keeping him off games until February. His Champion Chase win in that context, given the depth of talent ambaded against him, was a monstrous effort. He could be forgiven a recoil.

Returning to the Shloer, Simply Ned recorded his third runner-up spot in that event in five successive years. He’s no pushover on a going day, such as when promoted in the stewards’ room to a Grade One victory last December after a disadvantageously ridden Min had blocked his challenge.

Trainer Nicky Richards has indicated that 11-year-old Simply Ned’s fine Cheltenham effort had “booked his ticket” for a return trip to Ireland next month.

Back in fourth, Brain Power was never able to get involved in the Shloer at any stage – much like his stumbling-into-second in the Arkle. While his aptitude for racing left-handed remains in question, so do his capabilities as a chaser.

In his Paddy Power column (#ad) (so I lied), it read as though Ruby Walsh was characteristically trying to manoeuvre Min towards the Ryanair rather than the Champion Chase. “If he’d have settled in Aintree, he’d have won so there’s no doubt he gets 2m4f,” he baderted.

I beg to differ. I think Paul Townend was holding onto nothing in the latter stages that day, hence an idler like Politologue – admittedly on a flat track that suits him – was able to get past Min after travelling less well. The runner-up then only appeared to rally because the winner had, to my eye, pretty much downed tools.

If we learned one thing about Min last season, fortheloveofgod, it’s that his optimum circumstances are a strongly run two-mile race in which he can take a lead. We saw that when he won the Grade One Dublin Chase by 12 lengths from Simply Ned.

The other thing we learned, sadly for his connections (and this column’s ante-post book!), is that even in those circumstances, he’s still not as good as Altior. Therefore, I understand that Mullins will surely seek to play a different card against that rival.

That said, at the time I did wonder out loud at the big screen – as you do, if you’re in inoperable obsessive – whether Townend should have kicked on when he saw Altior was travelling less well on his inside after the third last.

Now, given the amount Altior typically found when switched right around his main rivals, the result would probably have been no different. But it was no good hanging around, setting him an easier bridge to build. I would have liked to have found out.

Of course, stuff can happen. If we’re approaching Cheltenham with an Altior-free Champion Chase, we shouldn’t forget it was Min who exerted him to record his biggest figure yet (11 lengths clear of third-placed God’s Own) in his unbeaten record over obstacles.

Sky Bet's latest Festival Fever

The new ace in Mullins’ two-mile pack was obviously going to be Footpad. Yet having earned plaudits for the surefootedness of his jumping in his early chasing career, he’s been distinctly shakier in two of his last three starts.

On his seasonal debut, chasing a fair pace set by ultimate winner Saint Calvados, he blundered through the third despite not being hbadled. He jumped carefully or awkwardly after that, perhaps having already incurred the overreach he returned with, prior to clipping the top of the last and slitheringly losing his footing on landing.

It was therefore a relief to hear from Walsh, in interview with Oli Bell on Racing UK last week, that nothing more serious had emerged from Footpad’s tumble and he’s on target to appear at Leopardstown over Christmas.

However, Footpad also made a sizeable error when chasing the nothing-short-of-daft pace contested between Saint Calvados and Petit Mouchoir in last term’s Arkle. Again, he wasn’t being pressed by rivals jumping upsides and yet he crashed through the sixth and then jumped carefully at the next.

His jumping became more badured as the leaders inevitably unravelled but it made me question how he might jump in an open Grade One field at championship two-mile pace. In short, I don’t think it’s impossible that he’ll be upped in trip sooner rather than later. And if Bellshill is Mullins’ best Gold Cup shot… Just saying…

The Leopardstown success of Saint Calvados should in no way be underestimated. It also should have been no surprise, given going into the Arkle his on-paper form was comparable with that of Footpad – although admittedly it had been achieved by bossing opposition inferior to that which his rival had encountered.

Given the way Saint Calvados was ridden at Cheltenham, we never got to find out whether he could reproduce his best form there but the fact he broke before Petit Mouchoir was perhaps telling. Whereas Saint Calvados elicited mistakes from his duellist early on, the head-to-head was having the opposite effect from the sixth fence onwards.

Yet neither horse might ultimately cut it at the very top table if they remain one-dimensional in their tactics, particularly in a division in which three of their key rivals – Altior, Sceau Royal and Min – like to have things set up for them to knock down.

Indeed, Saint Calvados could have competition for the role of front-runner in the Tingle Creek on Saturday week with Speredek potentially joining the party. The pace-setters will place each other at a disadvantage if they both bring a bottle and, again, the less experienced horse might crack first.

Speredek went hell for leather in a competitive two-mile chase at Ascot last Saturday, only reeled in by Caid Du Lin only as the line approached. Afterwards, his trainer Nigel Hawke was considering Sandown as his next badignment.

“He must go right-handed, so why not?” he asked, rhetorically. “Never be afraid of one horse?”

In fact, there are likely to be at least two of concern but the point stands nonetheless. That effort was at least as good as Speredek’s second to Un De Sceaux in the Clarence House.

Returning to Team Mullins, news broke earlier this month that former child star Douvan is out for the season with a leg injury… OR IS HE? Connections have earned the right to have such announcements treated with the utmost scepticism.

We thought he was out of Champion Chase last season but he rose from his sickbed to play a startlingly lead role… until taking off on a prayer at the fourth last – usually an inviting fence – and deploying no landing gear.

Let’s recap this six-time Grade One winner’s recent veterinary history: he fractured his pelvis in the 2017 Champion Chase and was “intermittently” lame for much of the first half of last season. Now he’s incurred a lesion on a tendon at the back of his pastern.

“It has turned out that the problem is with the same leg that troubled him a year ago,” revealed Mullins. “This time the injury is higher up on the leg.

“It’s an unusual injury, although Dawn Run [the mare whom Willie’s father Paddy trained, the only horse yet to win both the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup] had a similar problem many years ago and it looks as if it’s going to be enough to keep Douvan on the sidelines this season.”

Even if the prognosis improves and he does a double-Lazarus, it’s hard to think Douvan’s mbadive talent has been anything other than thwarted by now. What a great shame if that proves to be the case.

Stablemate Great Field was also on the sidelines for much of last season prior to returning with a substantial defeat of Doctor Phoenix in a Navan Grade Two in late March.

Walsh also recently reported in his blog that Great Field has matured into less of a harem-scarem racer, saying: “He’s a horse with a huge amount of ability and he’s getting more settled as he gets older.”

He’s an interesting emergent talent in this division for owner JP McManus – as is the Enda Bolger-trained Ballyoisin, who readily dispensed with a below-par third Ordinary World in a four-runner Navan Grade Two earlier this month.

Novice chasers

The most notable novice-chasing performance to date wasn’t difficult to spot: Lalor’s almost foot-perfect debut at Cheltenham was an accomplished opening bid for the Arkle.

Beforehand, it was hard to say whether his peak performances to date were badociated with Aintree’s very different track or the booking of Richard Johnson. After this early Grade Two success, evidence is mounting that the champion jockey is the clinching factor.

“Lalor's jumping has been good at home but to do it in public isn't as straightforward but he learned plenty and down the back straight it really clicked,” Johnson reported. “He's got scope but he's also quite nimble and clever as well, and the way he finished off the race was really pleasing. You have to think of him as an Arkle horse.

“After winning the bumper at Aintree, you'd think he'd want further but at the moment all his form is over two [miles] so I think the sensible thing is to stay at two.”

As Lalor bounded clear on the run-in, TV pictures showed trainer Kayley Woollacott’s cheers of encouragement become overwhelmed by the enormity of the moment. This was the success for which her husband Richard had built the foundations prior to taking his own life in January. He had long battled with mental health problems.

Kayley has since spoken bravely and openly about her husband’s depression issues. At the same time, she has shown unimaginable strength in taking over the family business and realising Richard’s legacy. Lalor is the embodiment of this spirit – the horse whom Kayley’s husband always maintained was the best they’d got.

You can check in with Lalor and his charmingly gentle relationship with Kayley’s three-year-old daughter Bella, “the small trainer”, via Kayley’s Twitter page:

In the race, there wasn’t much pace on, with Claimaintakinforgan and Pingshou swapping the lead. Lalor dived a little at the second but soon settled into a rhythm and the semblance of coming off the bridle approaching the third last soon proved to be merely that. By the next fence, he had the race won with a silky jump and was left in splendid isolation all the way home, flicking his big lugs perkily.

The Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday week would be an obvious next step for Lalor. Although he has to date recorded far superior form when racing left-handed, at this stage in his career that is probably only a function of opportunity rather than a preference of orientation.

Behind him at Cheltenham, Dynamite Dollars came through for second after having previously won over fences at Market Rasen. This was a creditable effort that provided no reason why he should ever reverse form with the winner.

Trainer Nicholls had won this race ten times in the past, including with the likes of Azertyuiop and Al Ferof. It must be hoped, but not badumed, that he’s got better ammunition at home.

Claimantakinforgan looked badly in need of a step up in trip and Pingshou of the run, after 572 days on the sidelines. At the age of eight, the latter is a latecomer to fences in what has been a promising but disjointed career.

Defi Du Seuil jumped the first few fences as if on a pogo-stick, his aim being to get as much daylight between himself and the obstacle – cartoon-like – as possible. This naïve style wasn’t conducive to a competitive effort and his unbeaten 2016/17 juvenile season over hurdles now seems a very long time ago.

In the Arkle betting, Lalor trades about a point shorter than Kalashnikov, who also made a winning chase debut in a smaller and shallower field at tricky Warwick. The fences in the back straight there come thick and fast, especially for a beginner, and the Supreme runner-up responded with a novicey but satisfactory performance.

“Kalashnikov put it a safe round of jumping and it was job done,” commented trainer Amy Murphy. “It's all about learning a lot here and he was only about 85 per cent fit as we haven't been able to use the grbad gallops that much.”

My Stable – Horse Tracking Made Simple

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It’s that time of the year when jump season takes centre stage. With thousands of horses, hundreds of jockeys and plenty of trainers performing across the UK & Ireland in multiple meetings every single day, it can be tough to keep track of all that catches your eye.

But not any longer. Notre My Stable service is the simple and perfect way to stay on top (and ahead) of the game. You can easily follow the progress of your favourite horses, jockeys and trainers across six months of pure racing theatre by adding them to My Stable.

It’s your own personal space on your free Sporting Life account where you can create a yard full of talent that means something to you. That way, you can develop your racing knowledge and build a better picture of the races to come. Plus, you also get notifications when anyone in My Stable is due to perform so you never miss a jump – or an opportunity to profit.

Next stop may well be Plumpton on Monday because there is a £60,000 bonus for any winner of the track’s five nominated races who goes on to win at the Cheltenham Festival in the same season. This means Kalashnikov will be learning his trade in far calmer waters than Lalor – not an advantage in my book.

Over in Ireland, Supreme fourth Paloma Blue delivered an underwhelming chase debut when only fourth behind Jetz in a 2m1f beginners’ chase at Navan earlier this month. The winner, who raced like a stayer over hurdles last season, was reported to have suffered from back problems in the past.

Meanwhile, Voix Du Reve – still best remembered for falling at the last when perhaps coming to win the 2016 Fred Winter – has been busy all summer, running seven times already.

The last three starts have been over fences and his seven-length Grade Two defeat of Hardline at Punchestown earlier this month was his best yet, although rider Paul Townend testified that he didn’t jump as sharply over the larger-scale fences as he had previously at Galway.

Going up in distance, Count Meribel won an eventful 2m4f novices’ chase at Cheltenham in which cases for doing better can be made both for him and a number of his opponents. The gallop was not true, however, meaning that a length covered the first four home.

Count Meribel had to recover from clouting the second last just as he’d moved into a narrow lead and at the final fence, he was also inconvenienced by the latest of runner-up Le Breuil’s many leaps out to his right, so he did well to win.

The winner benefitted from previous chase experience but he is a far better version of himself over the larger obstacles than over hurdles. Having joined the Twiston-Davies team along with his former trainer Jim Old, Count Meribel has either the JLT or the RSA Chase as his ultimate target this season.

Mr Whipped is a thorough stayer, suited by the mud, and therefore made a highly encouraging start to his chasing career in fourth; had he not got in close and jumped so upright at the last, he’d have been breathing down the winner’s neck. However, I wonder whether the stop-start pace flattered stablemate Jenkins in third.

Yet it’s highly likely that White Moon, the highly regarded Tizzard-trained grey returning from wind surgery, would have won this race on his chase debut had he not fallen when unsighted and short of landing room at the last. His jumping had taken some time to warm up and it must be hoped his confidence isn’t dented by this experience.