Alan King profile, winning festival record and his thoughts on his 2012 festival runners
ALAN KING
Born into a farming family in Lanarkshire on December 13, 1966, Alan was a member of a local pony club and also competed on the show jumping circuit before joining David Nicholson in Gloucestershire as an amateur jockey in 1985, having previously worked for John Wilson in hisnative Scotland.
He managed to finish third in a couple of hunter chases, but soon realised that race riding was not for him and served as assistant for 15 years to Nicholson, from whom he took over the licence at Jackdaws Castle stables near Temple Guiting on December 3, 1999.
He only had to wait until the following day for Mini Moo Min to provide him with a first success at Towcester. In that rookie season, Alan also saddled Relkeel to take a third Bula Hurdle (now the StanJames.com International) at Cheltenham a week after breaking his duck and the following weekend captured the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot with Anzum, who formed part of a four-timer. He also sent out Go Ballistic to finish second behind See More Business in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.
Alan was based at Jackdaws Castle, then owned by Colin Smith, until the end of that 1999/2000 season, when he moved (June 1, 2000) to the Barbury Castle estate near Marlborough, Wiltshire, which was bought by one of his principal owners, Nigel Bunter, and the trainer has since gone from strength to strength from that base.
Horses of the calibre of Stromness, winner of the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in 2002, Spendid, victorious in the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle at Ascot the same year, and 2004 Grade Two Cleeve Hurdle victor Crystal D’Ainay helped to cement Alan’s position as one of the most talented and successful trainers in Britain. He gained 66 successes during the 2004/05 season and came within three of that total the following term. A memorable campaign in terms of both numbers and quality in the 2006/07 season saw him end the term with 92 winners, while there was another significant leap forward in 2007/08 when 128 successes were seen.
Alan’s first win at The Festival came in 2004, when Fork Lightning won the JLT Specialty Handicap Chase and the following year the trainer landed the JCB Triumph Hurdle with Penzance.
The 2006 Cheltenham Festival saw Alan secure a Grade One double, as Voy Por Ustedes captured the Racing Post Arkle Chase and My Way De Solzen battled to victory in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.
The trainer completed a Grade One three-timer over the four days at Prestbury Park in 2007. My Way De Solzen got the ball rolling when charging up the hill five lengths clear of Fair Along to give the handler back-to-back wins in the Racing Post Arkle Chase on the opening day, while Voy Por Ustedes landed the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase in fantastic style just over 24 hours later. Katchit rounded off the perfect Festival for Alan when scoring a runaway nine-length victory in the JCB Triumph Hurdle on the fourth day.
Katchit returned to The Festival in 2008 to take the Stan James Champion Hurdle, becoming the first five-year-old to triumph in the championship race for 23 years, while Nenuphar Collognes won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and Charlie Huxley rode Old Benny to victory in the National Hunt Chase.
The 2008/09 season saw Alan take third spot in the trainers’ championship for a second consecutive season, with a career-best 136 wins to his name and £1,888,035 in total prize money. Voy Por Ustedes continued to be a standard-bearer for the stable, easily landing the Grade One Ascot Chase and recording a second victory in the Grade One Melling Chase at Aintree. Alan continued to enjoy remarkable success with his juvenile hurdlers as Walkon triumphed in the Grade One Finale Juvenile Hurdle in December.
Hopes were high for both horses at The Festival in 2009 as Voy Por Ustedes was sent off a red-hot favourite for the Ryanair Chase and Walkon headed the market for the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Both horses ran gallant races in defeat with Voy Por Ustedes going down by two lengths to Imperial Commander and Walkon finding Zaynar three quarters of a length too strong in the JCB Triumph. Medermit also took the runner-up spot behind Go Native in the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, while Karabak chased home Mikael D’Haguenet in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle. A frustrating week for the Barbury Castle stable ended on a brighter note as Oh Crick landed the final race of The Festival, the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase, giving Alan the 700th victory of his training career.
A muscle enzyme problem affected many of Alan’s string at the start of the 2009/2010 campaign and the trainer endured a frustrating campaign that saw him saddle a total of 76 British Jump winners. Notable successes included Medermit, who triumphed in the Grade Two Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock and Trenchant, successful in Fontwell’s Grade Two National Spirit Hurdle.
Last season Alan sent out 84 winners, including his 12th at The Festival when Bensalem took the JLT Trophy Specialty Chase. Highlights so far this season include Raya Star’s victory in the Ladbroke at Ascot, while West End Rocker looks a live contender for the John Smith’s Grand National following his win in the Becher Chase at Aintree. Alan looks set for a powerful assault on The Festival once again. He has trained 62 winners so far this season (before racing on Thursday, March 1). He has also had considerable success on the Flat over the years.
Alan married his wife Rachel in Antigua in 1998 and they have a son Henry and a daughter Georgia.
ALAN KING’S 12 WINNERS AT THE FESTIVAL
JLT Specialty Handicap Chase
2004 Fork Lightning, 2011 Bensalem
Racing Post Arkle Chase
2006 Voy Por Ustedes, 2007 My Way De Solzen
Ladbrokes World Hurdle
2006 My Way De Solzen
sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase
2007 Voy Por Ustedes
JCB Triumph Hurdle
2005 Penzance, 2007 Katchit
Stan James Champion Hurdle
2008 Katchit
Diamond Jubilee National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup
2008 Old Benny
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
2008 Nenuphar Collognes
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase
2009 Oh Crick
ALAN KING’S ENTRIES AT THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL
Tuesday, March 13 – Champion Day
William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle - Balder Succes, Montbazon
JLT Specialty Handicap Chase - Walkon, Hold On Julio
Pulteney Land Investments Novices’ Handicap Chase - Bless The Wings
Wednesday, March 14 – Ladies Day
Diamond Jubilee National Hunt Chase - Iron Chancellor
Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle - Secret Edge, Bygones In Brid, Batonnier
RSA Chase - Invictus, Walkon
Coral Cup - Secret Edge, Smad Place, Sir Harry Ormesher, Batonnier
Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle - Volcan Surprise, Fire Fighter, Ardlui, Secret Edge, Vendor
Weatherbys Champion Bumper - Valdez
Thursday, March 15 – St Patrick’s Thursday
Jewson Novices’ Chase - Kumbeshwar, Invictus
Ryanair Chase - Medermit
Ladbrokes World Hurdle - Smad Place
Byrne Group Plate - Kumbeshwar, Bless The Wings
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase - Midnight Appeal
Friday, March 16 - Cheltenham Gold Cup Day
JCB Triumph Hurdle - Grumeti, Vendor, Ardlui, Balder Succes
Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle - Raya Star
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle - Lovcen
Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup - Medermit
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle - Torphichen, Sir Harry Ormesher, Secret Edge, Lovcen
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup - Kumbeshwar
ARDLUI (IRE)
4 b c Galileo (IRE) – Epping (Charnwood Forest (IRE))
Form: 313
Owner: Thomas Barr
Breeder: Sunderland Holdings Ltd
Ardlui was smart on the Flat for trainer Henry Candy, achieving a rating of before joining Alan King for a juvenile hurdling campaign. He was a promising third to Nick Williams’ Urbain De Sivola at Newbury on November 25, before gaining a narrow success back at the Berkshire course on December 14. He returned from a short break at Doncaster on February 22, finishing third behind the progressive Eagle Rock, to whom he was conceding 7lb. Entered in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (10st 2lb) and the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Race Record: Starts: 3; 1st: 1; 2nd: 0; 3rd: 2; Win & Place prize Money: £3,839
BALDER SUCCES (FR)
4 b g Goldneyev (USA) – Frija Eria (FR) (Kadalko (FR))
Form: 1111
Owner: Matersons Holdings Limited
Breeder: Damien Bellanger & Nicholas Bellan
Alan King said: “He is a different type to Grumeti as he has never run on the Flat. He won narrowly on his debut at Auteuil and we bought him then. We loved him from day one. We took it quietly and went to Plumpton where he trotted up. We stepped up to Ascotbut it cut up to three runners. He won well and went back to Ascot a fortnight ago where I hoped he would win and he didn’t just win – he completely routed them. How good a race it was, I don’t know. He is extremely straightforward to train. He has done all his winning on soft ground but again he is good-actioned horse and I see no reason why he won’t go on better ground. We are extremely lucky to have two very good four-year-olds for the Triumph Hurdle. They would be right up with the best four-year-olds I have had – nothing fazes them.”
Balder Succes is one of the few juvenile hurdlers not to have run on the Flat, but he did win his sole start in France over hurdles atAuteuil in October, 2011. He was subsequently moved to Alan King’s yard and made a winning British hurdling debut at Plumpton on January 2, before being an even more impressive winner at Ascot 19 days later. However, he pleasantly surprised his trainer on his latest start when beating some classy older rivals at Ascot on February 18 by seven lengths, putting himself firmly in line for one of the novices’ hurdles at The Festival. Entered in the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Race Record: Starts: 4; 1st: 4; 2nd: -; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £41,068
BATONNIER (FR)
6 ch g Spadoun (FR) – La Bazine (FR) (Dreams To Reality (USA))
Form: 13552-2321
Owner: Raymond Mould
Breeder: Olivier Delegue
Alan King said: “A couple of years ago we though he was our best bumper horse. He won well on his debut at Fontwell. He did not follow up and it has taken a long time to get him back. He ran well at Cheltenham on January 1 and we took him back there for a Grade Two race at the end of the month. His home work on the run-up to that race was very good and he settled well and came through to win from a horse Nicky Henderson thinks a lot of. He has got an entry in the Coral Cup but is 99 per cent to run in theNeptune. He is very much a good-ground horse and is an interesting runner. He has got to improve again on what he has done but he is giving every indication at home that he has certainly not gone backwards. He has gained confidence.”
Batonnier began his career with a very impressive bumper success at Fontwell in May, 2010. He failed to win in three subsequent bumper starts before a making a promising hurdle debut at Market Rasen in March, 2011, finishing second. He continued to progress over hurdles when stepped up to around two and a half miles, finishing second at Southwell in April, third at Ascot in a novices’ handicap and second at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day again in novice company. Evidently the form of that Cheltenham run suggested Batonnier was improving rapidly and he built on that effort when a ready winner of the Grade Two Neptune Investments Management Novices’ Hurdle on Festival Trials Day, January 28, at Cheltenham. Entered in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and the Coral Cup (10st 7lb).
Race Record: Starts: 9; 1st: 2; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 2; Win & Place Prize Money: £19,885
BLESS THE WINGS (IRE)
7 b g Winged Love (IRE) – Silva Venture (IRE) (Mandalus)
Form: 644/2462-121
Owner: Mrs Lesley Field
Breeder: C Kenneally
Alan King said: “He is a course and distance winner and an improving young horse. He has won two of his three races over fences and will probably go for the novices’ handicap chase (Pulteney Land Investments Novices’ Handicap Chase) on the Tuesday but has the option of the Byrne Group Plate. We will leave him in both and have a word with the owners. He jumped very well at Cheltenhamat the end of January. He was probably in front a little bit soon – three out which is plenty soon enough for him – but there was carnage around and behind him. He stayed on powerfully up the hill and seems in real good order. I don’t think he minds what the ground is like.”
Bless The Wings was purchased at the Doncaster sales in May, 2008, for £42,000 and made his debut for Alan King in a bumper at Huntingdon in December 2009, when he finished sixth of 17. He continued his progression in bumpers at Market Rasen and Newbury, finishing fourth on both occasions, but improved for the switch to hurdles when flashing home to finish second at Wetherby over two and a half miles in November, 2010. He returned from a short absence in February, 2011 at Leicester, but didn’t appear to enjoy soft ground there or next time out at Newbury over three miles. He made a successful start to his chase career in a novices’ handicap chase at Exeter on November 20, before finishing second at Kempton over Christmas. He won on his latest start at Cheltenham in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase on Festival Trials Day (January 28) by two and a half lengths. Entered in the Pulteney LandInvestments Novices’ Handicap Chase (11st 10lb) and the Byrne Group Plate (10st 4lb).
Race Record: Starts: 10; 1st: 2; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 0; Wins & Place Prize Money: £23,378
FIRE FIGHTER (IRE)
4 b g Tiger Hill (IRE) – Firecrest (IRE) (Darshaan )
Form: 312
Owner: Matersons Holdings Limited
Breeder: Airlie Stud And Sir Thomas Pilkington
Alan King said: “He is a bit of a lad and we decided not to bring him over to show you this morning because he would cause havoc. He won at Warwick before just being beaten at Sandown the other day. He is a second string to our bow in the Fred Winter. He will probably be fitted with blinkers in the Fred Winter. He is thoroughly genuine but they will just make him focus.”
Fire Fighter, a 90-rated performer on the Flat for trainer Sir Mark Prescott, was purchased at Tattersalls for 75,000 guineas in October last year and sent to Alan King. He made his debut at Sandown on January 7 and ran an encouraging race to only get beaten half a length into third. He turned out again three weeks later and won comfortably at Warwick before returning to Sandown to go down by a neck to Kapga De Cerisy on February 17. Entered in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (10st 3lb)
Race Record: Starts: 3; 1st: 1; 2nd: 1; 3rd: 1; Wins & Place Prize Money: £3,774
GRUMETI
4 b g Sakhee (USA) – Tetravella (IRE) (Groom Dancer (USA)
Form: 1F11
Owner: McNeill Family
Breeder: Catridge Farm Stud Ltd
Alan King said: “He won well at Kempton on Saturday – I was not sure whether to give him another run or not but he seemed to be in such good form at home that I just thought it would be good for Choc (Thornton) to have a feel of him. We decided to take on the older horses rather than run in the Adonis as on paper it looked the easier race. He jumped extremely fluently and accurately and quickened up. He has come out of the race in grand form. He will go on any going but I think good ground does suit him as he has plenty of toe. At the Cheltenham in January the dead ground blunted him a bit. He has done very little wrong and it is unfortunate that he slipped up on his second start after jumping the hurdle pretty well. He is extremely straightforward and a pleasure to train.”
Grumeti won twice on the Flat for trainer Michael Bell prior to being sold for £100,000 at Tattersalls in October, 2011. He made his debut for Alan King in a novices’ hurdle at Taunton on December 30, when he won impressively by 14 lengths from subsequent winner Ted Spread. After an unlucky fall at Newbury on January 18, he lined up 10 days later in the Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial atCheltenham and despite finishing runner-up by a short-head to Pearl Swan was awarded the race by the stewards as he was suffered interference during their struggle to the line. The son of Sakhee achieved a third success when a ready winner of the Grade Two Dovecote Novices’s Hurdle at Kempton on February 25. Entered in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Race Record: Starts: 4; 1st: 3; 2nd: 0; 3rd: 0; Wins & Place Prize Money: £29,790
HOLD ON JULIO (IRE)
9 br g Blueprint (IRE) – Eileens Native (IRE) (Be My Native (USA))
Form: PP/1-11
Owner: Mr & Mrs F Bell, N Farrell, A Marsh
Breeder: John Goodwin
Alan King said: “Hold On Julio will run in the JLT Specialty Handicap Chase. He was bought last season at Doncaster Sales when he was a Northern point-to-pointer and hunter chaser. We didn’t realise what we had until we started working him in the autumn – everybody who sat on him in September and October thought he was a very nice horse. He duly trotted up on his debut for us at Sandown and followed up again at the same course despite making one or two fairly serious errors. He did not meet the railway fences in a good stride and gave one or two of them a nudge. We did have a hold-up at the end of January. He should have gone toDoncaster (Sky Bet Chase) but he had a discharge two days before and a cough for a fortnight. We are just getting him back. He worked very well yesterday but there wasn’t time to send him to Kempton (Racing Plus Chase) last weekend so the logical plan was to wait and go straight to Cheltenham. In the past, this race has been a fairly lucky race for us (2004 Fork Lightning and 2011 Bensalem).”
Hold On Julio started his career in novices’ hurdles at Kelso and Ayr in 2008 for trainer Vicky Simpson, but was pulled up on both occasions. He returned to Kelso in a hunter chase in April, 2011, winning by 28 lengths prior to being purchased by Alan King for £28,000 at Doncaster sales in May. He made his debut for yard in a three-mile handicap chase at Sandown on November 5, when he trounced the opposition, but unfortunately a bout of ringworm prevented him from running for two months. He returned to Sandown in even better form on January 7, taking apart a good quality field to score by nine lengths. He is entered in the JLT Specialty Chase (10st 11lb).
Race Record: Starts: 5; 1st: 3; 2nd: 0; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £40,035
INVICTUS (IRE)
6 b g Flemensfirth (USA) – Clashwilliam Girl (IRE) (Seymour Hicks (FR)
Form: 4U301-1131
Owner: Richard & Lizzie Kelvin Hughes
Breeder: J O’Connell
Alan King said: “It looks as though he will head to the RSA. He was a reasonably good novice hurdler last season but he has made rapid progress since he saw a fence. He did win an Irish point-to-point before we bought him and we started him off in a novice handicap chase at Hereford in which he was very impressive. He really stepped up on that again when winning at Plumpton. There was a horse of Gigginstown’s that came over for that and we gave him a pretty good thrashing. He had a hiccup when beaten at Cheltenham in January – he lost his near-fore shoe pretty early according to Wayne and was quite sore on that foot afterwards. I though he was probably minding himself a little bit. We gave him a bit if time to get over that and he reappeared at Ascot the other weekend when he was the very impressive winner of the Reynoldstown – always jumping and travelling well. One or two people think Bobs Worth will turn the tables but I would be surprised if he does. Invictus is a real exciting horse. He will go an any ground but for a big horse he acts well on good ground.”
Winning Irish point-to-pointer Invictus joined Alan King after being purchased for £162,000 at Brightwells sale at Cheltenham in April, 2010. In five hurdles starts from January, 2011, to April, 2011, his best performance was at Ascot on April 10, when he won narrowly by a short-head. His chasing career, however, got off to a much better start with an easy victory at Hereford on November 17, before an impressive display at Plumpton which saw him readily dispatch of Irish raider Gift Of Dgab, who was subsequently placed in a Grade One in Ireland. He disappointed at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day when third, but continued on his upward curve with an authoritative success in the Grade Two Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot on February 18, which was his first attempt at three miles. He is entered in the RSA Chase and the Jewson Novices’ Chase.
Race Record: Start: 9; 1st: 4; 2nd: 0; 3rd: 2; Win & Place Prize Money: £32,207
IRON CHANCELLOR (IRE)
7 b g Alderbrook – Masriyna (IRE) (Shahrastani (USA))
Form: 322-33314
Owner: Lesley Field,J Sigler & D Anderson
Breeder: G O’Neill
Alan King said: “He is heading to the four-miler (the Diamond Jubilee National Hunt Chase) on the Wednesday. He has been placed in all his starts over fences this season and trotted up in a very weak race at Southwell two runs back. I was desperate to get one more run into him before Cheltenham. He has to go left-handed and the only place I could find was Fakenham. He did not handle the track at all – it is a tight mile around and he was totally taken off his feet but he did stay on powerfully at the end to go past quite a few horses. I don’t think the trip will be an issue. He might not have the class but I like to think he will be staying on towards the finish.”
KUMBESHWAR
5 b g Doyen (IRE) - Camp Fire (IRE) (Lahib (USA))
Form: 13322-28012122
Owner: McNeill Family & Nigel Bunter
Breeder: G E Amey
Alan King said: “He is a good, tough horse who was just beaten in the Fred Winter under top-weight last year. He is running well over fences this season, winning two and finishing second in several Graded races. He clearly was not going to be good enough for the Arkle so we took him out of that and he has got entries in three races. It is pretty certain he will run in the Grand Annual – a fast-run two miles is what he wants. We may pop blinkers on him. He did wear them on the Flat with David Evans and they may sharpen him. The Grand Annual looks like it will be dominated by novices. He has 10st 8lb – he is a good tough horse and has just had a little break since Doncaster. We had been fairly hard on him and had run him three times in just over a fortnight. He worked great yesterday and nothing will faze him. Groundwise, he is very adaptable again.”
Kumbeshwar won three of his 12 starts on the Flat for trainer David Evans and gave his sire Doyen a first success when taking a seven-furlong Chester maiden in September, 2009. He was purchased by Max McNeill and Nigel Bunter after completing a hat-trick of Southwell victories in December, 2010, and made a winning debut for Alan King when staying on well to take a juvenile hurdle at Sandown two months later. He followed up that victory with a pair of third places – in the Victor Ludorum Hurdle Juvenile at Haydock and the Grade Two Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton – prior to going down by a neck to What A Charm in the Grade Three Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at last year’s Festival. He continued to impress with two subsequent seconds in Grade One company, finding Zarkandar a length and a quarter too strong in the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree and going down by nine lengths to Grandouet in the Punchestown 4YO Champion Hurdle. Kumbeshwar had two more starts over the smaller obstacles, disappointing in both a Listed handicap hurdle at Ascot in October and the Grade Three Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham’s Open meeting the following month, but made an impressive debut over fences with a decisive victory in a Hereford novices’ chase at the end of November. After coming home second behind Zaynar in a Grade Two novices’ chase at Ascot’s Christmas Meeting, Kumbeshwar regained the winning thread with an easy all-the-way success at Plumpton on January 2. He has finished second on his two most recent starts – in a Kempton novices’ chase on January 14 and the Grade Two Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster on January 28. He holds entries at The Festival in the Jewson Novices’ Chase, the Byrne Group Plate (10st 9lb) and the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (10st 8lb). Jump Race Record: Starts: 13; 1st: 3; 2nd: 6; 3rd: 2; Win & Place Prize Money: £79,914
LOVCEN (GER)
7 b g Tiger Hill (IRE) – Lady Hawk (GER) (Grand Lodge (USA))
Form: 41F1
Owner: The Barbury Apes
Breeder: Georg Baron Von Ullmann
Alan King said: “He has won two of his four starts this year. He only got to the second hurdle at Doncaster which is extremely unlike him. He won at Wincanton last Saturday over two miles and six furlongs in a handicap and was pretty impressive. He went up 12lb for that and I think he will almost certainly run in the Albert Bartlett. He probably wants three miles and is the most laid-back of horses. He won’t mind the ground and will be staying on at the finish.”
Lovcen, a winning Irish point-to-point winner, joined Alan King during the summer of 2011 and made his debut for the yard in a novices’ hurdle at Exeter over two miles and six furlongs on November 1, when he finished fourth. He improved significantly for that run when winning by 17 lengths at Towcester on November 26, but failed to get further than the second hurdle when stepped up in trip in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster in January. Lovcen won on his first attempt in handicap company by six lengths at Wincanton on February 18. He is entered in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (11st 9lb).
Race Record: Starts: 4; 1st: 2; 2nd: 0; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £9,431
MEDERMIT (FR)
8 gr g Medaaly – Miss D´Hermite (FR) (Solicitor (FR))
Form: 23/121125/33174/1R12142-1322
Owner: The Dunkley & Reilly Partnership
Breeder: Philippe Gasdoue
Alan King said: “He has enjoyed a grand season. He won the Haldon Gold Cup and has been placed on every run since. He ran a smashing race the other day at Ascot when just beaten by Riverside Theatre. I don’t know whether he will run in the Ryanair or the Gold Cup. Every day I wake up, I have a different idea about where he should run. I am certain he will stay three miles but whether he will get three and a quarter in a Gold Cup is going to be a big question, especially as there looks to be a huge amount of pace in the race this year. He is in good order and worked very well yesterday. We will see which way the owners want to go. I am fairly relaxed about it. I wish they would make the decision but they want me to.”
Medermit made three appearances in his native France, winning a maiden hurdle at Nantes in May, 2008, on his final start, prior to joining the King stable for the 2008/09 season. He made his debut for his new connections in a novice hurdle at Exeter in November, 2008, coming home a 13-length second to the Paul Nicholls-trained Mahonia, to whom he was conceding 10lb. He built on that effort when comfortably taking a novice hurdle at Folkestone two weeks later and continued to improve on his next appearance, capturing the Grade Two Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle at Ascot the following month. Sent off a 12/1 chance for the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival in 2009, Medermit produced a career-best performance to go down by a neck to Go Native, despite being hampered by Cousin Vinny at the final flight. Medermit ended the campaign with a slightly disappointing effort in the Grade Two Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr, when he came home fifth behind Noble Alan. Connections were considering giving Medermit a chasing campaign for the 2009/2010 season and intended one final run over the smaller obstacles in the Grade Three Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham’s Open meeting in November. Burdened with top-weight, Medermit bounced back to form with a fine third, going down by three lengths to the winner Khyber Kim, who was receiving 3lb. Both horses re-opposed on level weights at Cheltenham the following month and Medermit was once again beaten by Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse as he came home third. Medermit headed to The Festival in 2010 as a live contender for the Stan James Champion Hurdle following a four-length success in the Grade Two Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock and he ran a creditable race to finish seventh behind Binocular. He ended his campaign at Punchestown, coming home fourth behind Hurricane Fly in the Grade One Rabobank Champion Hurdle. Medermit was sent chasing last season and he made an impressive start over fence when comfortably winning a three-runner novices’ chase at Aintree in October. He blotted his copybook on his next appearance in another novices’ chase at Huntingdon the following month when refusing at the sixth fence but returned to winning ways at Plumpton in December, 2010, as he posted an easy success. Medermit stepped up to two miles and five furlongs for the first time of his career in the Grade Two Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day 2011 and he produced another proficient display of jumping when going down by three quarters of a length to Hell’s Bay. He continued his rise through the ranks as he lined up for the Grade One Challengers Novices’ Chase over an extended two and a half miles at Sandown in February, 2011 as he repelled the late challenge of Captain Chris to prevail by half a length. But the Philip Hobbs-trained chaser turned the tables at The Festival as he powered to an impressive victory in the Grade One Racing Post Arkle Chase, with Medermit only able to finish fourth. Medermit also had to play second fiddle to another of Hobbs’ chasers at Aintree, this time finding Wishfull Thinking 10 lengths too strong in the Grade Two Manifesto Chase over two and a half miles. He kicked off the current season with a game victory in the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on November 1 and stayed on to take third behind Master Minded and Somersby in the Grade Two Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot 19 days later. Medermit returned to handicap company for the Grade Three Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup (run over the same course and distance as the Ryanair Chase) atCheltenham on December 10 and ran an excellent race in defeat as he went down by three quarters of a length to Quantitativeeasing despite being hampered three fences from home. He stepped back up to Grade One company for the Betfair Ascot Chase on February 18 and he once again ran superbly in defeat when chasing home Riverside Theatre. Both horses could meet again in the Grade One Ryanair Chase although Medermit also has the option of stepping up to beyond three miles for the first time in his career in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Race Record: Starts: 24; 1st: 8; 2nd: 7; 3rd: 4; Win & Place Prize Money: £271,044
MIDNIGHT APPEAL
7 b g Midnight Legend – Lac Marmot (FR) (Marju (IRE))
Form: 3/74777/81111-2321
Owner: David Sewell
Breeder: William Wilkinson
Alan King said: “This horse only came into our Cheltenham team last week. He was an impressive winner at Sandown and he is going the Kim Muir route. He wasn’t even sighted in a hurdle race let alone won one but he has been successful five times out of eight over fences and placed on every other occasion. We popped a pair of blinkers on him at Sandown and it seemed to transform him. He jumped and travelled very smoothly and was pretty impressive at the end. I think he is up to 136 or 137 so he has made quite amazing progress in the last year as he won his first race off a rating in the high 90s. He won’t mind good ground and will be ridden by Robbie Henderson.”
Midnight Appeal failed to get off the mark in seven starts in bumpers and over hurdles, but he has been transformed since going chasing. The seven-year-old won on his chasing debut at Huntingdon in handicap (February 11, 2011), and subsequently took three more races at Wincanton, Newton Abbot and Bangor. He started this season off in good form when finishing second to Roudoudou Ville in a Sandown handicap chase on November 5, before coming third behind Qianshan Leader at Kempton 16 days later. He returned to Kempton over Christmas and finished second to Fruity O’Rooney before getting another victory on the board at Sandown over three miles on February 17. He is entered in Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (11st 4lb).
Race Record: Starts: 15; Wins: 5; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 2; Win & Place Prize Money: £27,210
MONTBAZON (FR)
5 b/br g Alberto Giacometti (IRE) – Duchesse Pierji (FR) (Cadoudal (FR))
Form: 212-3211
Owner: David Sewell
Breeder: Pierre Julienne
Alan King said: “He is heading for the Supreme Novice on the Tuesday. He was a high-class bumper horse last year. He has won his last two races. He had a confidence-booster at Plumpton and then he won well at Newbury. He had just come to take it up there when Colour Squadron fell. I think he is learning all the time and the more experience he gets the better. He worked very well yesterday and he is certainly a horse who wouldn’t mind the good ground which is forecast. There is very little rain forecast forCheltenham.”
Montbazon was purchased at Doncaster in May, 2010, for £28,000 and made his debut for the yard at Kempton on February 11, 2011, when he finished second behind subsequent Weatherbys Champion Bumper winner Cheltenian. He improved for that outing when running away with the DBS Spring Sales Bumper on March 5, before finishing second to Steps To Freedom in a Grade Two contest at Aintree. He returned this season with a solid effort in a Listed bumper at The Open in November, before finding subsequent Grade One placed Colour Squadron too good on his hurdling debut at Newbury. Montbazon then won very impressively at Plumpton in January before beating a top-quality field at Newbury that included Vulcanite and Colour Squadron on February 17. He is entered in the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Race Record: Starts: 7; Wins: 3; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 1; Win & Place Prize Money: £48,607
RAYA STAR (IRE)
6 b g Milan - Garden City (IRE) (Shernazar)
Form: 1/2F1F4-21313 Owner: Simon Munir Breeder: Patrick Fennessy
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Posted on March 1, 2012, in Big races, Cheltenham Festival 2012, General and tagged Previews, trainers. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a Comment.
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