NOTEBOOK.
SIR PITT
made an encouraging return to action
after his summer break when fourth of 14 run-
ners in the 2m novices' hurdle at Ffos Las. The
six-year-old Tiger Hill gelding has obviously had
his share of issues over the last few years, hav-
ing raced only twice, including his latest start,
since March 2011. He was a fair handicapper
on the Flat for John Gosden, before switching to
hurdles in early 2011 with trainer Alison Thorpe,
running respectably in juvenile maiden hurdles,
before improving to finish fifth behind Zarkandar
in the Triumph Hurdle that season.
After that, Sir Pitt only ran once for another
trainer, Andy Hobbs, when last of five runners in
a Huntingdon novices' hurdle in February this
year. Now with Peter Bowen, Sir Pitt was in con-
tention from the outset at Ffos Las, and moved
into the lead from the fifth, before he began to
weaken, just looking a little tired. The testing
ground at Ffos Las should have suited Sir Pitt,
based on his old form, so there's every reason
to think that he can build on this latest start. As
he is still a maiden over hurdles, he can be
placed to advantage in novice hurdle races this
season.
The David Pipe-trained
BALTIMORE ROCK
looked a decent sort in this race, based on the
fact that he finished one place ahead of the
more-experienced Sir Pitt on his hurdling debut.
Once a winner in three starts in bumpers last
season, this hurdles race looked a bit more com-
petitive than the races he had previously con-
tested, even allowing for the fact that he hadn't
competed over hurdles previously. For that rea-
son, he can be forgiven for being less than fluent
at his hurdles on occasion, but he ran on well on
what was also his first start on heavy ground,
beaten only a length by the winner. He should
make his mark over hurdles this winter.
At Plumpton, the 2m novices' hurdle looked a fair
race for a Monday afternoon meeting and plenty
were left in with a shout turning into the home
straight. The 33/1 runner-up
MINORITY INTEREST
enjoyed a prolific campaign on the Flat this season,
over middle-distances and further. Now with Kent-
based trainer Daniel O'Brien, this was a pleasing
hurdling debut by any standards, as he stayed on
really well from the rear, and ran as you might ex-
pect according to his Flat form, as though in need
of a longer trip, as he was doing all his best work at
the end of the race. He didn't appear to make
many, if any, mistakes at his hurdles and looks ca-
pable of scoring at this level.
In the same race, another hurdling debutant,
the Jamie Snowden-trained
LEMONS GROUND
,
was also making progress from the rear, but was
noticeably hampered at the last, and effectively
lost all chance of being at the sharp end from
that point onwards. He eventually finished sixth,
which wasn't a bad result in the circumstances,
and as this was only his third career start, hav-
ing won one bumper from two starts last sea-
son, he can only improve for the experience.
At Lingfield, the Seamus Mullins-trained
TIME
TO THINK
ran a fair race on her seasonal debut
when third of 10 runners in the 2m 4f handicap
chase. In each of the past two seasons, the
eight-year-old Alflora mare has come on for her
first run of the campaign, and although she's
rated higher now than at this point in previous
seasons, she looks one to watch out for this win-
ter, particularly when going left-handed and get-
ting her preferred heavy or soft ground.
==========================================================
STAT WATCH.
We maintained our winning run of stats-influ-
enced selections last week when the David
Pipe-trained Kings Palace landed the Grade
2 Bristol Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, and
those selections that didn't win were finishing
thereabouts, with John Ferguson's Broughton
finishing runner-up in the Grade 2 juvenile
hurdle at Doncaster at odds of 8/1.
The most successful Jump jockey of the last
seven days has been Noel Fehily, who rode 8
winners to 16 December, achieving that tally
from only 24 rides, which provided him with a
superb and leading strike rate of 33%. There
was nothing to separate long-time rivals
Richard Johnson and Tony McCoy, who both
rode 6 winners and recorded 27% strike
rates, with trainer Emma Lavelle's conditional
jockey Gavin Sheehan emerging as best of
the rest, with 4 wins and a 28.5% strike rate.
Trainers' championship rivals Paul Nicholls
and Nicky Henderson both achieved the
same tally of winners (5), although Nicholls
edged ahead by virtue of his superior strike
rate; 22% to Henderson's 17%.
Given the time of year, unsurprisingly, the
action on Channel 4 this Saturday centres
around the Jumps meetings from Ascot (1.50,
2.25, 3.00 and 3.35) and Haydock (2.45.)
The feature race at Ascot is the Grade 1 Long
Walk Hurdle, one that has been dominated by
Paul Nicholls' stable star Big Buck's in recent
years. That horse is set to comeback this sea-
son, but will miss this race, and all eyes will
surely be on his stablemate Celestial Halo.
This horse was an impressive winner at
Newbury last time, has won 33% of his starts
over distance and Nicholls is right at the top
of the trainers stats in the past 14 days and
also at this course in the longer term. Nicholls
may also run Salubrious in this race, who was
staying on when runner-up in a Grade 2 over
2m 5f at Cheltenham last weekend, and is 2
from 5 on the expected good-soft ground.
Later on the same card at Ascot, the Grade 3
Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle looks set to be a
decent renewal, with a number looking to
hold fair chances. One such is the Nicky Hen-
derson-trained Rolling Star, who returned to
action last month with a fine win at Haydock,
went well in Graded conditions races as a
novice last season, and could be poised to
run well on his British handicap debut. He has
won one of his two starts over distance. Paul
Nicholls's Sametegal has gone up 6lb in the
handicap for his second place in the Great-
wood Hurdle last time, but he could be open
to further improvement, has won twice on the
ground and is 4 from 8 over distance.
At Haydock, the Tommy Whittle Chase, a 3m
handicap chase, has been won only by horses
aged 7 or 8 years since 2005, with all starting
favourite or at odds of 10/1 or shorter.
Although Sydney Paget is only six years of
age, he won against older horses nicely last
time, on his seasonal debut. His trainer
Donald McCain has won this race previously
and is the leading trainer at this course by
wins in the past five seasons. Sydney Paget
is also one of two horses in the race to have
winning form on the ground, over distance
and at Haydock. The other is the Henry Daly-
trained Safran De Cotte, who has 40% strike
rates in all three categories, and this stable
is currently prospering, with a 29% strike rate
in the past 14 days.
===================================================
Race Ratings
Saturday, 21 December - 2.25 Ascot
Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) 3m 1f
1111-4 At Fishers Cross 21 6 11-7 Rebecca Curtis
Made a mistake last time at Newbury, on
seasonal reappearance, when finishing a beaten
fourth of five behind Celestial Halo. That was his
first poor run over hurdles after a top-class novice
campaign last season, including victories at this
level. May bounce back here, but needs to, to get
his season back on track. RATING 99
P3P7-5 Grands Crus 47 8 11-7 David Pipe
Didn't impress last season against the best 3m
chasers, having prospered as a novice chaser
the season before. The pick of his early hurdles
form could make him the one to beat today, but
latest start over hurdles on seasonal debut,
while respectable, doesn't make him an obvious
winner in this tougher company. RATING 95
O121-2 Mala Beach 41 5 11-7 Gordon Elliott
Son of Benefficial who progressed sharply as
a novice hurdler last season, winning a Grade
2 over 2m 4f by the end of the campaign. Lat-
est second on return to action in a Grade 2
suggested step up in trip should suit, but still
needs to improve to get on terms with the best
of his rivals here. RATING 96
11P-22 Medinas 21 6 11-7 Alan King
Last season's Coral Cup winner who returned
to action last month with a fine second to the
classy veteran Tidal Bay in a Grade 2 hurdle
over distance at Wetherby. Didn't jump that
well when beaten second behind Celestial
Halo at Newbury last time, which took the
gloss off his previously progressive profile. May
offer some each-way value here. RATING 97
42-013 Reve De Sivola 21 8 11-7 Nick Williams
A Grade 1 winner over hurdles in France this
autumn, Reve De Sivola won this race last year
in the absence of Big Buck's, but was subse-
quently beaten by Celestial Halo in the World
Hurdle and at Newbury last time. Arguably
needs soft/heavy ground to be seen at his
best, and may just find a couple too good
again on this good-soft going expected at
Ascot. RATING 98
115-22 Salubrious 7 6 11-7 Paul Nicholls
Has improved nearly 30lb since being beaten
by At Fishers Cross in a handicap hurdle at
Newbury a year ago, running well on return this
season, including last weekend, when second
in a Grade 2 hurdle at Cheltenham over 2m 5f.
Was outpaced over that distance, so step-up
in trip logical and may have more to offer, if
fresh enough only a week on. RATING 97
145/4- Time For Rupert 413 9 11-7 Paul Webber
Has been off the course for more than a year,
and has not run over hurdles since 2010, hav-
ing switched to fences. Ran to a very high level
over both types of obstacles, finishing runner-
up to Big Buck's in the 2010 World Hurdle.
Needs to be ready first time in what could be
quite a competitive race here. RATING 95
59-041 Tweedledrum 19 6 11-0 Tom Symonds
Listed-winning novice hurdler over 3m last sea-
son, although form still a long way short of best
of rivals here. Consistent mare who should have
conditions to suit, but looks likely to be outclassed
according to all previous form. RATING 90
26-161 Celestial Halo 21 9 11-7 Paul Nicholls
Brilliant servant for yard who has been
around for years and looked as good as ever
when routing the opposition last time in the
Grade 2 at Newbury. Goes on ground and
his World Hurdle-second last season, cou-
pled with his latest performance, makes
him the one to beat here.
RATING 100
==================================================
RACING NEWS.
Tony McCoy finished third in the 2013 BBC
Sports Personality Of The Year Award.
McCoy, who rode the 4,000th winner of his
career earlier this season, said he was mo-
tivated to win this season's jockeys' title,
and he was only dreaming if looking beyond
that and towards riding 5,000 winners. The
award was won by tennis player Andy
Murray, who, in 2013, became the first
Briton to win the men's singles title at
Wimbledon since 1936.
After The New One won the International Hur-
dle at Cheltenham last Saturday, trainer
Nigel Twiston-Davies confirmed that his
Champion Hurdle prospect could head for
Kempton's Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle next
week. Nicky Henderson's My Tent Or Yours,
who was an impressive winner of the
Fighting Fifth Hurdle last month, may also go
for the Christmas Hurdle. The New One is
currently a general 7/2 for the Champion
Hurdle in March, just ahead of the 4/1 for My
Tent Or Yours.
Willie Twiston-Davies has been named as
stable jockey to Mick Channon, replacing
Martin Harley, who is heading to Newmar-
ket to join Marco Botti. Since switching
from Jumps to the Flat two seasons ago,
Twiston-Davies, son of trainer Nigel, has
been riding mainly for Richard Hannon, and
rode his first Listed race-winner this sea-
son.
Nicky Henderson is looking to return to Chel-
tenham for the Grade 2 Dipper's Chase on
New Year's Day with Oscar Whisky, after the
two-time Grade 1-winning former hurdler
recorded his first win over fences at the
course last week. Oscar Whisky made all and
jumped well to beat the Paul Nicholls-trained
Wonderful Charm, leading some bookmak-
ers to shorten him to 7/1 in the ante-post
markets for the Grade 2 Jewsons Novices'
Chase at next year's Cheltenham Festival.
North-eastern racecourses Newcastle and
Catterick are both set to replace their Flat
turf tracks with all-weather surfaces. Both
courses will retain their turf Jumps courses,
but offer all-weather racing, with the addi-
tion of floodlights to enable evening meet-
ings. Newcastle hopes to lodge its formal
planning application next month with the
aim to be racing on the all-weather in 2015,
but Catterick anticipates that it may be a
season or so later before they will have
their track ready.
The BHA has announced that Newmarket
trainer Gerard Butler will appeal his five-year
ban for administering banned anabolic
steroids to horses in his care. It was reported
by the BHA that Butler will also appeal the
findings of the BHA's disciplinary panel, al-
though no date has been set for a future
hearing.
Binocular, winner of the 2010 Champion
Hurdle, has been retired following the diag-
nosis of a heart problem. Trainer Nicky
Henderson described the top-class hurdler
as a "very good horse. Absolutely bang top-
class." Binocular won 11 of his 22 starts,
including four Grade 1 races.
Briar Hill, winner of the Champion Bumper at
last season's Cheltenham Festival, main-
tained his unbeaten status over hurdles
when he won the 2m 4f Grade 1 novices' hur-
dle at Navan last Sunday. Trainer Willie
Mullins said that Briar Hill will probably step
up to 3m in the future, and will only have one
run before the Cheltenham Festival, for
which bookmakers have priced him at 12/1
for the Neptune Hurdle and 10/1 for the Al-
bert Bartlett Hurdle.
==============================================
John Ferguson: Could run Dubai Prince
Racing takes place in front of construction equipment at Great Leighs 
