Luker’s Tipple
Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Tuesday)
“He’s been very good since his last run at Musselburgh when unlucky to come down at the last [in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle]. He was running a nice race at the time and I think the experience of travelling over will stand to him; that was the main reason for going over with him. He’s progressing well and we like him a lot. He’s got a nice mark [of 123], had three quick enough runs and now has had five weeks, so we’re looking forward to him. He’s by Starspangledbanner but there’s definitely stamina on the dam’s side and he’s 16.2 hands - a fine horse who we think a lot of.”
Jazzy Matty
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Wednesday)
“He’s in great form and I couldn’t be happier with him so we’re looking forward to the Grand Annual on Wednesday. He ran nicely at the course back in October and was wrong at the weights that day and he will be a lot better off this time. He loves Cheltenham and has a great record round there. It would be unbelievable if he could hit the frame and it’s great to even go there with a horse with a chance like him, hopefully we just get him there in good order on the day and can get a good run out of him.”
Kool One
Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Tuesday)
“He’s improved with each run and goes there on a nice mark. I know he got 6lb extra with the British handicapper compared to his Irish mark but we probably needed that to get a run. Hopefully the race will be run in a style that should suit him. I see him as a two-and-a-half-miler in time; he’s a real galloper who cruises at that speed. You need a horse who stays two miles well around there, for the gallop they typically go. You’d hope there’s a lot that should play into his favour, though you do need luck in handicaps like this. It’s brilliant to be going there with a nice each-way chance. Going to Cheltenham is what you dream of - you don’t really get out of bed in the morning dreaming of Clonmel or Thurles on a wintery Thursday! I always said if I had one good enough to go there that I wouldn’t shy away from it, and we’ll take our chance with this horse.”
Irish Panther
William Hill County Hurdle or Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Friday)
“We’re very keen to run him at Cheltenham. Our first preference is the County, but we’ll monitor where he might get in. He pleased us on his first start since joining us at Leopardstown over Christmas and it was a great effort from him last time at the Dublin Racing Festival when third again. We learned a lot about him the first day and changed tactics at the DRF. I know the winner [McLaurey] won easily and probably had a lot up his sleeve, but in a fast-run race I think we’d have been bang there - they unusually seemed to crawl around in that handicap this year. If he gets into the County and there’s a real strong gallop on, I fancy him to go close.”
Jetara
Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Tuesday) or Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Thursday)
“She’s got the option of both races; I’m thinking of the Mares’ Hurdle but I want to see what everyone is doing with so many good mares in the mix for that race. She won over three miles last time and you’d imagine she should enjoy coming up the hill. This has always been the plan for her this year.”
Colonel Mustard
Coral Cup (Wednesday)
“He’s a 10-year-old now but, honestly, he’s never felt better. That’s the truth. He knows the track. Stepping up to two miles and five furlongs is a big deal but I know it’s possible for him to stay.
It’s unbelievable some of the horses he’s met this year. You’d never dream in a winners-of-one hurdle at Sligo in October that you’d meet Solness! He’s run some huge races, though. I feel I need to claim off him to help him be competitive and, with that in mind, we’ve booked Tiernan Power Roche.”
Flicker Of Hope
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Friday)
“I’m told he has the profile for the Albert Bartlett in that he’s got loads of hurdling experience for a novice going over there. He’s hardened over the three miles in competitive handicaps so I think he’ll be used to the hustle and bustle that will be involved. He’s progressive and working his way up through the ranks.
“We’re stepping into the unknown but we feel he’s entitled to have his chance, and could pick up a bit of prize money with some luck on his side. Getting into the winner’s enclosure is our hope. Once the ground is plenty safe, I wouldn’t be worried about conditions for him. Beyond this, I’m looking forward to seeing him over a fence in time too.”
Win Some Lose Some
Pertemps Final (Thursday)
“He did it well last time at Leopardstown when stepping up in trip over Christmas. We gave him a break after that and he seems in good order at home. I’d say the drier the ground, the better it will be for him; he’s got form from the summer. It’s great to be heading to the Festival with a runner.”
Roi Mage
Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (Wednesday)
Assistant James Griffin said: “He goes there in good form and was class in his final school on Tuesday. He had a day out in a schooling hurdle the week before that sharpened him up. We go there as confident and hopeful as we were before the last two Grand Nationals. All you want is luck on the day. Ground won’t make a difference to him and the handicap nature of the race helps him. The plan is to ride him to run as well as he can, to give him every chance of coming home, and James Reveley, who knows him well, rides again.”
Solar Drive
Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Tuesday)
“This has been the plan for a while. We were hoping that he’d get in for a start and now fingers crossed he’ll run well for us. He’ll come on a lot from his last start [at Musselburgh when second in the Scottish Triumph] and the drier the ground, the better - I just hope they don’t water too much. It’s obviously very competitive but I don’t think he’ll make a show of us over there!”
Sandor Clegane
Coral Cup (Wednesday)
“He looks a picture and hopefully the drop back in trip will suit him in the Coral Cup. His jumping hasn’t been marvellous this season but hopefully he can jump well enough early on. He seems well in himself.”
An Peann Dearg
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Wednesday) or TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Thursday)
“He’s turned a real corner this season. We were surprised by his win at Christmas and then there was an element of surprise that he backed it up so well at the Dublin Racing Festival - we were delighted. We’ll see where he could get in, the Grand Annual and the Plate are his options and it’s 50-50 on where we might try. The way he can look a little outpaced at times, he could possibly be taken off his feet a touch in the Grand Annual and we’ll bear the ground in mind. Maybe we’d edge towards the Plate.”
Conyers Hill
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Wednesday)
“He’s got ability. He flatters to deceive at times in that he can travel and maybe doesn’t always find much but, if he gets in, the Grand Annual is the plan.”
Feet Of A Dancer and Maxi Mac Gold
Pertemps Final (Thursday)
“Feet Of A Dancer had her last piece of work on Wednesday and we were happy. She seems fit and well. I thought she’d improve this season and even though she hasn’t won yet, I’ve sort of had excuses for her at different times. The ground was a bit quick for her at Limerick in October and she mightn’t have ended up being 100% at Punchestown [next time]. We were happy the last day at Leopardstown over Christmas other than she was a bit fresh. We had been minding her a little before that too. She does run well fresh so we’re hoping for a good run and that she’ll handle the place.
“Maxi Mac Gold will run if he gets in. This is obviously a bit close time-wise to his last start at Naas when he qualified, and it was a hard battle to the line with Will The Wise on testing ground. We’ve been doing very little with him in between these runs and he seems very well.”
Daily Present
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (Thursday)
“We fancied him in this race last year [when fifth] and he ended up latching on early, which is something I’d never seen from him before because he was always a behind-the-bridle type. It didn’t work out at the end for him because the one thing he typically does is stay going. I think he just burned himself up early on that day but still wasn’t beaten that far. We’re hoping he’ll settle better if getting in this time.”
Park Of Kings
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Friday)
“I’m happy with him and the Martin Pipe is his target. He was probably unlucky [when second] at Leopardstown over Christmas after getting hampered at a couple of stages but he was a fast finisher. If things go right for him, he has ability.”
Slurricane
Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Tuesday)
“Slurricane is consistent, honest and likes jumping. He’s got the experience of five runs and is in great form - we wouldn’t swap him for anything. We’re very happy and go there all guns blazing. He’s versatile ground-wise. His owner, Eleanora Kennedy, is coming over from America to see the race; it’ll be her first time at Cheltenham. We also have Butter Fingers entered but I’d imagine he won’t get in.”
Ryehill
St. James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase (Friday)
“I’m looking forward to him. He’s in good shape and came out of his last run at Naas well. He stays well, the trip will suit and he doesn’t have many miles on the clock. He’s been coming up through the point-to-point ranks and looks an improver. I wouldn’t mind a drop of rain for him.”
Angels Dawn and Wonderwall
St. James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase (Friday)
“Angels Dawn seems in great form. It’d suit her better if there was a bit of rain, but I’d say she’ll be fine. I know she’s 10, but on her homework and everything, she seems to be as good as ever. We’re looking forward to it. I was going through the race on ratings the other night and she comes out on top while getting weight off most of them. There are some unexposed horses stepping up like Willitgoahead. Hopefully her experience is in her favour.
“I’m very happy with Wonderwall. He schooled well the other day with Rob James, who will ride him next week. If the ground came up good, I could see him running a big race - he’d love it. He’s a very talented horse whose jumping wasn’t great but he’s got his confidence up and hopefully he can put it together on the day.”
Willitgoahead
St. James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase (Friday)
“I’m looking forward to running him and hope the week stays dry; the forecast is hopefully in our favour. He matured well over the past summer and his homework was good before his first run this season. He’s progressed nicely all the way through and seems fit and well. We’re happy with him and hoping he runs a big one. I think you’d have to be afraid of Angels Dawn, with her course form. You’d be thinking it could be one of the Irish horses to win it. I like Ryehill as well; he’s a bit like our horse, he’s on the way up while others might be going the other direction.”
Answer To Kayf
Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase (Thursday)
“He dropped in class last time when winning at Naas and Johnny Shinnick was claiming 5lb, but we’re up 15lb and Johnny can only claim 3lb in England so we probably have it all to do. We think he’s improved a bit, though, and seems in great form. I couldn’t be happier with him. We’d love if there was more rain for him.
The ground was better at Punchestown last season than was the case at Cheltenham and he ran below par, but he didn’t look great at the end of the season and possibly had enough of it then too. He handled it all well at Cheltenham last year and goes there as good as I can have him. If he’s able to win off his mark [of 145], he’ll have to be a graded horse. We’ll soon find out if he is.”
Hamsiyann
Coral Cup (Wednesday) or Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Friday)
“He had a few little issues after his last run [when down the field at Musselburgh] so this might be coming up a bit quick for him. He seems to be coming good but we’ll see. He’s got course form, which you’d like, but if he doesn’t get in, there’s plenty for him after Cheltenham. His run on the flat at Chester behind Alphonse Le Grande was a good one.”