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Time to bask in the joy that the jumps are back, although the irony is, they never went away.
I’m out of hibernation, Gambling.com have asked me back to join the Panel, so I’ve dusted down the old form books and the frayed-edged paper statistics ready to go for the 2024/2025 season.
No offence to the Cesarewitch meeting, (check out the big handicap itself, hurdles could be placed over the 2m 2f and it would probably be a better race) and York, which will be sorely missed until next May.
But the best meeting on Saturday is Chepstow. What a card it is, closely followed by Hexham and Fairyhouse.
Established 1997
I have a tale to tell about one of the runners in the Cesarewitch, bear with me. Back in 2023 there were questions about what I fancied for the Cheltenham Festival.
To which my reply was a number of horses including a left-field each-way and place only Jacovec Cavern. I watched lots of replays of his races prior and felt there was much more ability to come.
If you check his form he was 300-1 for that Triumph Hurdle and it might be worth watching that race and the subsequent Punchestown Grade 1 run.
Anyway when flagging this runner before Cheltenham, it was met with the “Say that name again”, “You’re clueless”, “What do you know”.
Well, it was put in the tracker and 459 days later Jacovec Cavern popped up, now trained by Emmet Mullins, at Galway just beaten three quarters of a length.
Established 2013
So in answer to all those who rather aghast said “What do I know”. Well I didn’t know at the time that in October 2024 it would run in the Cesarewitch and be towards the head of the market on horse racing betting sites.
It leaves me with a bit of a predicament; do I pick it or leave it? It’s an amusing aside which will distract me away for a few minutes to watch the race.
Back to the case at hand and focusing on the return of the jumps. We crave and love the code so much because the participants give us a rollercoaster of emotions.
They’ve won for us, they’ve beaten us. Or they’ve wowed us, they resonate, for all as on the way home there is a subsequent story to tell.
From next week I hope to be putting together a weekly column with thoughts and views and eyecatchers, then the weekend tipping and some ante-post thoughts now and again so watch this space.
Established 2007
This week is a gentle restart to get my eye in. Let’s start with the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle, Chepstow’s 3.20pm, there are bound to be some enhanced place terms.
Jonjo O’Neill (2), Paul Nicholls (2), Dan Skelton (2), Nigel Twiston-Davies (3) and Philip Hobbs (4) are all multiple winners of the race previously so it is no surprise to represent them all in the line-up in 2024.
And as the big danger to my selection, I would think Crebilly has some room for manoeuvre with his mark over hurdles and if he is good value, he might be worth checking out with the place terms on betting apps.
I also sense there is a target for him at the November meeting at Cheltenham and this may well be the right route in.
Back in 2020, Tom Lacey joined the roll of honour of winning trainers with Tea Clipper, who was five at the time and had a profile of three wins and a second coming into the race.
In 2024 Lacey runs Tune In A Box who was one of the success stories of last season. A year ago he was beaten 47 lengths in a maiden hurdle at Bangor, followed by a 33-length drumming at Wetherby in ninth place on Charlie Hall Chase day.
The key was stepping up in trip and the galloping grey went on to succeed in four of his next five hurdle races including the romp at Punchestown in April when never coming off the bridle.
He has a shiny new mark of 123, which a year ago stood at 85. Yet I think there is more to come.
Chepstow could be a fabulous day for the Moore training operation of Gary and Josh as they unleash a couple of their superstars, starting with Editeur Du Gite in the 16:00 at Chepstow.
He has pulled up on his last two runs, but I can forgive him as it was a very busy season in the top echelon and some of the races he ran in, he couldn’t dominate like we know he can.
His stats show he loves Cheltenham, but in reality he is at his best when he is attacking his fences and jumping with fluency out in front. I appreciate he is running over a distance that might be alien to him.
He did try it back in October 2020 at Ascot and he lost nothing in a four-length defeat, as he landed awkwardly after the last but he was 11 lengths ahead of the remaining runners.
Every horse is a danger to him in this race, especially Jetoile who is unbeaten in three at the course and GA Law who is classy, but the latter might find this too sharp. I’m hoping for an all the way success for Editeur Du Gite.
Then finally the 4.35pm at Chepstow has to be the race of the weekend and it could house the 2024 Welsh Grand National winner. It certainly sees the 2023 winner making his seasonal debut.
Nassalam is back and running off an enormous 158. I’m still reeling from the amount he was put up after his big success last year. I found it incredibly harsh and the penalty weighed heavily on him in the Gold Cup and Grand National. Hopefully there will be a reset.
As much I would love to see him win and will give him the upmost respect in this contest, I still think the burden is high. Luckily, he loves the course, but the ground might not be soft enough providing there is no more rain. Caoilin Quinn will help with an extra three removed from lead in the saddle.
I’m holding out for one last time with Sail Away. Last season, he had the most bizarre campaign, which had a few highlights, but he comes with a wealth warning as he doesn’t win that often.
Back in April 2023 he gave Forward Plan a stone, made all at Ayr’s Novices Champion Handicap Chase and won by 11 lengths.
He has not won since then, but he has twice had wind surgery, yet there have been a couple of runs to hold out hope that he still retains ability.
Firstly, he was only beaten four lengths into fourth in the Great Yorkshire Chase conceding lots of weight to the first three. Then there was that run in the most perplexing and unusual Grade 1 Ascot Chase.
He was only beaten 10 lengths but he could have been involved much sooner and finished closer. He was in the tracker after that which lay dormant until Cheltenham in April and Aintree in May when he was very underwhelming.
He has obviously had his issues, but has a feather weight to try and make all. Fingers crossed.
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