Entries below: THE GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (A CROSS COUNTRY STEEPLECHASE) Class 2, £40,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 4.00pm, Tuesday, March 13, 2012, three miles and seven furlongs. For five-year-olds & upwards. Penalties: after February 26, 2012, a winner of a steeple chase 5lb. No penalty to increase a horseâs weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed February 21 (41 entries), entries released February 23, weights revealed February 29. Six-day confirmation stage March 7, final declaration stage 10am, March 12. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, February 20, 2012. May not include some overseas form. Form Horse Age Owner Trainer 0-540B4 A NEW STORY (IRE) 14 Storey's Over Syndicate Michael Hourigan IRE 104500 ANOTHER JEWEL (IRE) 10 Frank Magee/Catherine Murphy Denis Murphy IRE 32-3P40 ANY CURRENCY (IRE) 9 Cash Is King Martin Keighley 10-4P34 ARABELLA BOY (IRE) 7 Andrew Berry Enda Bolger IRE 500320 ASKMEROE (IRE) 9 A F Shiels & Niall Reilly Tony Martin IRE P/5000-P BACKSTAGE (FR) 10 MPR & Capranny Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE 2P-2UP6 BALLYFITZ 12 Fred & Wayne Mills Nigel Twiston-Davies P-15P0F BALTHAZAR KING (IRE) 8 The Brushmakers Philip Hobbs P-44442 CAPTAIN AMERICO (IRE) 10 Martin Tedham James Ewart 002550 CHAMIREY (FR) 9 Donald McCain Donald McCain 5P-2304 COOLDINE (IRE) 10 Jackie Mullins Willie Mullins IRE 2-00500 DANCING TORNADO (IRE) 11 J P McManus Michael Hourigan IRE 6-65405 DE DANU (IRE) 9 George Brennan Joseph Fox IRE 155/000- DOCTOR PAT (IRE) 8 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE 346510 DOUBLE DIZZY 11 Martyn Forrester Bob Buckler P/PP0-00 DREAM ALLIANCE 11 The Alliance Partnership John Flint P60-13P FORTIFICATION (USA) 9 Christopher Rudd Keiran Burke 6P-052P FREDO (IRE) 8 Jacky Allen Ian Williams 12-5212 GARDE CHAMPETRE (FR) 13 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE FP0FPR GLENSTAL ABBEY (IRE) 8 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill 60-4P10 GONE TO LUNCH (IRE) 12 G T Lever Jeremy Scott 3215U2 HALLEY (FR) 5 PJL Racing & Tom George Tom George P00/0-3U HEADS ONTHE GROUND (IRE) 15 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE 344664 JACKS ISLAND (IRE) 9 Butlersgrange Racing Syndicate Joe Kenny IRE 04-151P MALJIMAR (IRE) 12 Jane Williams Nick Williams 21/10P-1 MIDNIGHT HAZE 10 Kim Bailey Racing Partnership Kim Bailey 122B0-r NEDZER'S RETURN (IRE) 10 Barstool Prophets Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE 24/1P-14 OUTLAW PETE (IRE) 8 J P McManus John Halley IRE 043255 QUEZAC DE LA ROQUE (FR) 8 G Laroche Francois-Marie Cottin FR 660-P42 SADDLERS STORM (IRE) 10 R T Mcloughlin/J Mcloughlin/W A Moffett Tony Martin IRE 631441 SCOTSIRISH (IRE) 11 Double R Stables Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE 30/-003P SHAKERVILZ (FR) 9 Jackie Mullins Willie Mullins IRE 301-F03 SIZING AUSTRALIA (IRE) 10 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE P1014P SOMATIC (IRE) 8 Mrs M Martin Tony Martin IRE P24U64 SOME TARGET (IRE) 8 Captain Conflict Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE 1P13U0- STRONGPOINT (IRE) 8 M Deren Pat Griffin IRE 00-2P33 TALLY EM UP (IRE) 9 Niamh Deegan/Ashleigh Gault-Murphy Philip Rothwell IRE 140310 UNCLE JUNIOR (IRE) 11 Mrs M McMahon Willie Mullins IRE 20/-P26P WEDGER PARDY (IRE) 11 Lord Leigh Kim Bailey F-0P06P WELLFORTH (IRE) 8 Mrs N B Watts Paul Gilligan IRE 0PP-233 WOLF MOON (IRE) 9 Louise Jones Martin Keighley 41 entries
Weights: THE GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (A CROSS COUNTRY STEEPLE CHASE) Class 2, £40,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 4.00pm, Tuesday, March 13, 2012, three miles and seven furlongs. For five-year-olds & upwards. Penalties: after February 26, 2012, a winner of a steeple chase 5lb. No penalty to increase a horse’s weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed February 21 (41 entries), entries released February 23, weights revealed February 29. Six-day confirmation stage March 7, final declaration stage 10am, March 12. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Sunday, February 26, 2012. May not include some overseas form. Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer 140310 UNCLE JUNIOR (IRE) 11-11-12 Mrs M McMahon Willie Mullins IRE 631441 SCOTSIRISH (IRE) 11-11-09 Double R Stables Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE 12-5212 GARDE CHAMPETRE (FR) 13-11-08 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE 301-F03 SIZING AUSTRALIA (IRE) 10-11-01 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE 3215U2 HALLEY (FR) 5-11-00 PJL Racing & Tom George Tom George 5P-2304 COOLDINE (IRE) 10-11-00 Jackie Mullins Willie Mullins IRE 2-00500 DANCING TORNADO (IRE) 11-10-13 J P McManus Michael Hourigan IRE P-15P0F BALTHAZAR KING (IRE) 8-10-09 The Brushmakers Philip Hobbs 30/-003P SHAKERVILZ (FR) 9-10-09 Jackie Mullins Willie Mullins IRE 540B40 A NEW STORY (IRE) 14-10-09 Storey's Over Syndicate Michael Hourigan IRE P/5000-P BACKSTAGE (FR) 10-10-08 MPR & Capranny Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE 346510 DOUBLE DIZZY 11-10-08 Martyn Forrester Bob Buckler 122B0-r NEDZER'S RETURN (IRE) 10-10-07 Barstool Prophets Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE 21/10P-1 MIDNIGHT HAZE 10-10-07 Kim Bailey Racing Partnership Kim Bailey 60-13P1 FORTIFICATION (USA) 9-10-06 Christopher Rudd Keiran Burke 043255 QUEZAC DE LA ROQUE (FR) 8-10-06 G Laroche Francois-Marie Cottin FR 104500 ANOTHER JEWEL (IRE) 10-10-05 Frank Magee/Catherine Murphy Denis Murphy IRE 344664 JACKS ISLAND (IRE) 9-10-05 Butlersgrange Racing Syndicate Joe Kenny IRE 04-151P MALJIMAR (IRE) 12-10-05 Jane Williams Nick Williams 0-2P33P TALLY EM UP (IRE) 9-10-05 Niamh Deegan/Ashleigh Gault-Murphy Philip Rothwell IRE P/PP0-00 DREAM ALLIANCE 11-10-04 The Alliance Partnership John Flint 6P-052P FREDO (IRE) 8-10-02 Jacky Allen Ian Williams P24U64 SOME TARGET (IRE) 8-10-01 Captain Conflict Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE 32-3P40 ANY CURRENCY (IRE) 9-10-01 Cash Is King Martin Keighley 20/-P26P WEDGER PARDY (IRE) 11-10-01 Lord Leigh Kim Bailey 60-4P10 GONE TO LUNCH (IRE) 12-10-00 G T Lever Jeremy Scott 660-P42 SADDLERS STORM (IRE) 10-9-12 R T & J McLoughlin, Bill Moffett Tony Martin IRE 2P-2UP6 BALLYFITZ 12-9-11 Fred & Wayne Mills Nigel Twiston-Davies 6-65405 DE DANU (IRE) 9-9-11 George Brennan Joseph Fox IRE 002550 CHAMIREY (FR) 9-9-11 Donald McCain Donald McCain 0-4P344 ARABELLA BOY (IRE) 7-9-10 Andrew Berry Enda Bolger IRE 1P13U0- STRONGPOINT (IRE) 8-9-08 M Deren Pat Griffin IRE 444423 CAPTAIN AMERICO (IRE) 10-9-08 Martin Tedham James Ewart P00/0-3U HEADS ONTHE GROUND (IRE) 15-9-07 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE 24/1P-14 OUTLAW PETE (IRE) 8-9-06 J P McManus John Halley IRE 0PP-233 WOLF MOON (IRE) 9-9-05 Louise Jones Martin Keighley P0FPR6 GLENSTAL ABBEY (IRE) 8-9-04 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill 500320 ASKMEROE (IRE) 9-9-02 Adrian Shiels & Niall Reilly Tony Martin IRE P1014P SOMATIC (IRE) 8-9-00 Mrs M Martin Tony Martin IRE 155/000- DOCTOR PAT (IRE) 8-8-13 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE F-0P06P WELLFORTH (IRE) 8-8-08 Mrs N B Watts Paul Gilligan IRE 41 entries
I wouldn't mind 10 mins with the 'capper on this one. A horse wins on his banks debut off levels beating a (soon to be) 13 year old very comfortably and is now asked to only give that same horse 4lb ? And Scotsirish, who was a very cosy winner over the same rival again off levels, is asked to concede just 1lb ? Enda Bolger can be forgiven for thinking the world's against him here - give the pot to Willie Mullins now, not sure which one will win it but his pair will be some way ahead of the rest....
First race I have previewed on my blog - I fancy Double Dizzy to run a massive race whilst I think I would rather be with Uncle Junior than Scotsirish. I think the 20/1 for Double Dizzy is a very fair price, he goes up the hill and has a nice swing in the weights with Uncle Junior on their November run.
Nass - Double Dizzy carried 10st in A New Story's cross country win and finished well behind, his second in November was in a very weak cross country field and on firm ground was run only 4 secs quicker that the festival race last year (good). Interesting stat Paul Jones came up with in his guide, British trained horses are 0-56 from 111 runners in the seven renewals of this race....
Grizzly, He was showing how well he was in the December heat too, I think its a very different horse we are seeing over the Cross Country course this season. He travelled the best in the November race and hit the front two soon, whilst he was brilliantly positioned for the dash in December before the incident occurred. I would rather take that form than form from previous festivals. As for the training stats, that is because its a relatively new race and is closer to Irish hunting than it is to our own, and therefore the Irish trainers mastered it before those in the UK. This horse clearly likes the race and I would be with it on that rather than against it on the 'trends'.
Irish are certainly well ahead of us, I get the feeling if any English horse was going to win it then Maljimar was the one last year and until the English start showing more in the XC races before March I'll carry on following the irish. I just hate what the 'capper has done this time round, he's virtually handed it on a plate to Scotsirish with Uncle Junior his only realistic challenger - Garde Champetre needed a break to be competitive and didn't get one, Maljimar carries 3lb more despite not being good enough last year and Sizing Aussie carries just 6lb more and has been deliberately kept away from banks races to protect his mark, he looks booked for 3rd...
That's the only doubt for me, I was impressed with his run a couple of weeks ago when only a slow leap at the last when he got close kept the margin of victory low. He was going well enough before the sprint in Dec and despite being a 3m 7f marathon they never get to full racing pace until the last 2f because of the nature of the course, 2 milers probably can get this trip. He has class and I definitely think he got a big break with the weights today, clearly I'm the only one with this view as his price is steady and come 13 March 11/4 may be the best value bet of the week....
Grizzly, I actually think you need to stay reasonably well to win this race at the festival, and that is why Garde Champetre is one of the greats of this race. He is a strong stayer and it often takes something like that to win up the hill, I worry that Scotsirish may turn out a bit like Maljimar and look the winner before going backwards after the last. He certainly has the class but I think he might just struggle to keep a couple of these at bay. Oddy, its one of my favourite races to watch, I love seeing the JP colours coming up the hill on wonderful horses. Its a much better race than some at the festival.
Only other one I could make a case for is Arabella Boy - this one is just 7 and was entered for this last year only to run in the NH Chase (where he was fancied), trained by Enda Bolger so has to be respected but I'm not convinced he's run in a XC race to date, perhaps nullified by the fact his trainer has the best banks course on his gallops and Uncle Juniors debut win in Nov gives some hope, if Bolger is serious about running this one then he'll be running from 4lb out of the handicap but I wouldn't bet against there being an attempted coup... I also love these races, a great opportunity to get into the middle of the course and get as close to racehorses as you're ever likely to be
Arabella needs a lot of withdrawals to feature (31 and only 18 run). Oddy, Sizing Australia has to have a good chance, but the handicapper will be furious if he can't stop him repeating the dose. If you know what I mean.
Yeah I saw that Nass, shame because it's his only engagement, I think there will be a few that come out but you;re right this race carries a max field of 18 and he may be unlucky....
Not a view I share but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Have to say that it took me a few years to come to terms with a flat race at the festival, especially one that attracted a bunch of flat jockeys taking out NH licences for one race a year whilst scores of capable NH jockeys drove home, but the race has grown and is now accepted as a legitimate part of the festiavl...
Of the top weights, I like Uncle Junior. Of the bottom weghts, I think Saddler's storm would have a fair chance- but he won't get into the race. For a sporting bet, I'll try "first timer" Dancing Tornado- he got a good finish and finished a couple of lengths in front of Scotsirish when 5th behind Alfa Beat in The Kerry National last September. He meets him on the same terms at Cheltenham, and you can get 33/1 at the moment.
Must admit I'm not a fan of the bumper either Grizzly although that goes for all bumpers really - guess I'm a bit of a purist. But I know they have a great tradition in Ireland and fully respect that. For me the X-Country is a gimmick which the best racing festival in the world does not need but again I respect the views of those who like it.
Fulkes - I love the race for two reasons, it is a great opportunity to get out into the midle of the course and get close to these horses, and it usually represents just about the best opportunity to make money all week ! XC races in UK will only become more popular if more courses/races are created, in Ireland I think they have three XC courses from 20 odd courses...
