18 February 2019

On a Roll

The Gordon Elliott-trained Tiger Roll, last year's Grand National winner, kicked off his Spring campaign with a decisive victory in the Ladbrokes Ireland Boyne Hurdle at Navan yesterday. The Authorized gelding was sent off at 25-1 for this Grade Two race over two miles and five furlongs. Coquin Mans, trained by Willie Mullins, led until three flights from home. Then Tiger Roll jumped ahead at the last-but-one hurdle and went on to win by four lengths. The plan is now to go for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham, which he won in 2018 and then bid to become the first horse since Red Rum (1973-74) to land back-to-back victories in the Grand National.

Great Eight!

A ten-time champion trainer saddled eight winners over three fixtures yesterday. Paul Nicholls notched up five of the seven Ascot winners, two more at Wincanton and one at Haydock. Brio Conti, ridden by Bryony Frost, was the first one off the mark in the first race of the afternoon, the Ascot Supports Berkshire Community Foundation Handicap Hurdle. Then two hours later Harry Cobden steered stable star, Clan Des Obeaux, to an eleven-length victory in the Betfair Denman Chase. Harry Cobden was back in action again aboard Cyrname, who won by a staggering seventeen lengths. The same trainer/jockey partnership scored again in the next race with Worthy Farm in the Best Racing On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle and in the final race of the day, the British EBF Mares' Standard Open NH Flat Race Harry Cobden did it again with Silver Forever. Meanwhile over at Wincanton, Daryl Jacob did the honours on Magic Saint in the Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap Chase, followed by Harry Skelton's sterling effort on Grand Sancy in the Betway Kingwell Hurdle. Earlier in the day Sean Bowen was the hero at Haydock Park where he partnered Quel Destin in the William Hill Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle, winning by eight lengths.

Strictly Dancer!

The antepost favourite for the prestigious Betfair Hurdle at Newbury also justified 5/2 favouritism in the rearranged fixture at Ascot yesterday. Ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, Al Dancer, won this two-mile feature contest convincingly by three-and-three-quarter lengths. Already twelve pounds heavier as a result of his easy eleven-length win in handicap company at Cheltenham last time out, this six-year-old Al Namix gelding faces yet another increase from his current 141. So it looks like his days are numbered in this sort of race.

Kaylina Aramis

Breeding Shares available for 2019! 

By Kayf Tara

• full sister to Kayf Aramis 85 runs & over £153,000 prize money, Winner Cheltenham Festival; 3xWinner at York Dante Festival
• full sister to Kaylif Aramis, his career very sadly cut short at a young age: 3 wins, 4 places, over £59,000 prize money, Winner Ascot grade 2; 2nd grade 3 Aintree