Grade 1 Ballymore Novices Hurdle
Trainer Record (Last 20 years)
- Willie Mullins - 38 runners with 6 winners and 12 places
- Nigel Twiston-Davies - 11 runners with 2 winners
- Gordon Elliott - 9 runners with 2 winners and 2 place
- Nicky Henderson - 18 runners with 1 winner and 1 place
- Noel Meade - 8 winners with 1 winner and 1 place
Jockey Record (Last 20 years)
- Paul Townend - 11 rides with 2 winners and 4 places
- Sam Twiston-Davies - 5 rides with 1 winner
- Mark Walsh - 4 rides with 1 winner
- Rachael Blackmore - 4 rides with 1 winner and 1 place
- Jack Kennedy - 3 rides with 1 winner
Past 10 winners of the Ballymore Novices Hurdle:
- Faugheen - Willie Mullins & Ruby Walsh (2014)
- Windsor Park - Dermot Weld & Davy Russell (2015)
- Yorkhill - Willie Mullins & Ruby Walsh (2016)
- Willoughby Court - Ben Pauling & David Bass (2017)
- Samcro - Gordon Elliott & Jack Kennedy (2018)
- City Island - Martin Brassil & Mark Walsh (2019)
- Envoi Allen - Gordon Elliott & Davy Russell (2020)
- Bob Olinger - Henry De Bromhead & Rachael Blackmore (2021)
- Sir Gerhard - Willie Mullins & Paul Townend (2022)
- Impaire Et Passe - Willie Mullins & Paul Townend (2023)
Britain vs Ireland
- Ireland - 13 winners, 20 places from 99 runners
- Britain - 7 winners, 19 places from 167 runners
Ante-post Ballymore Novices Hurdle selection:
This race is always such a high-quality contest and is won by some very nice types, who usually go on to become chasers the following season, but there have been a few recently who have stayed hurdling, none more so than Impaire Et Passe who looks to be going the Champion Hurdle route this season.
Willie Mullins currently dominates the top end of the market, and considering he has won the last two renewals of this race, it is no surprise that he has a few good types listed for the race.
However, with the usual Willie Mullins roulette to ensure we won't officially know who goes where until a week or so before, so I have found one elsewhere at a decent price.
Johnnywho for the O'Neill's is one that I am not going to discount as yet, although only coming fourth in the Challow Novices Hurdle last time, that was still a good enough run. It isn't guaranteed he will go for the Ballymore as the Albert Bartlett could very much be on the cards, but I feel he could go for either if required.
A winner of his sole point-to-point and bumper, he made the perfect start over hurdles at Exeter when winning easily, before getting chucked into the deep end on just his second hurdle start, and only his third run under Rules. That effort last time at Newbury was decent enough, and although he came fourth that day, he was only beaten by two lengths, always staying on well heading to the line.
He does look to be a bit of a galloper, therefore the stiff test of Cheltenham should suit him here, and even though he might want a step up in trip in time, the Ballymore looks to be the perfect target at this stage.
The fact that he was thrown into Grade 1 company on just his third run under rules speaks volumes about how the yard thinks about their horse. No matter what race he might line up for come March, I think he will enjoy the stiffer test of Cheltenham and what it has to offer.
Hopefully he can get another run in before then, as he will do all the better with the experience under his belt, a commodity that is vital when going into the top novice races at the Cheltenham Festival.
- Selection - Johnnywho EW (16/1)
Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices Chase
Trainer Record (Last 20 years)
- Willie Mullins - 32 runners, 4 winners and 7 places
- Nicky Henderson - 19 runners, 4 winners and 5 places
- Paul Nicholls - 17 runners, 3 winners and 2 places
- Nigel Twiston-Davies - 8 runners, 1 winner and 1 place
- Jessie Harrington - 4 runners, 1 winner and 1 place
Jockey Record (Last 20 years)
- Paul Townend - 9 rides, 1 winner and 4 places
- Sam Twiston-Davies - 5 rides, 1 winner and 1 place
- Harry Cobden - 4 rides, 1 winner and 1 place
- Nico De Boinville - 4 rides, 1 winner and 1 place
- Charlie Deutsch - 1 ride with 1 winner
Past 10 winners of the Brown Advisory Novices Chase:
- O'Faolains Boy - Rebecca Curtis & Barry Geraghty (2014)
- Don Poli - Willie Mullins & Bryan Cooper (2015)
- Blaklion - Nigel Twiston-Davies & Ryan Hatch (2016)
- Might Bite - Nicky Henderson & Nico De Boinville (2017)
- Presenting Percy - Patrick Kelly & Davy Russell (2018)
- Topofthegame - Paul Nicholls & Harry Cobden (2019)
- Champ - Nicky Henderson & Barry Geraghty (2020)
- Monkfish - Willie Mullins & Paul Townend (2021)
- L'Homme Presse - Venetia Williams & Charlie Deutsch (2022)
- The Real Whacker - Patrick Neville & Sam Twiston-Davies (2023)
Britain vs Ireland
- Britain - 11 winners, 22 places from 134 runners
- Ireland - 9 winners, 17 places from 81 runners
Ante-post selection for the Brown Advisory Novices Chase:
This race looks wide open and can throw up some very nice types, with potential Gold Cup aspirations further down the line. Like most of the novice contests, Willie Mullins seemingly dominates the top end of the market once again, however I very much think Grey Dawning at double-figure odds is very eye-catching at this stage, given what he did at Warwick recently in January in the Grade 2 Novices’ Chase over three miles.
It's not 100% that this will be the plan for him, as he could even step down in trip for the Turners as he has also won over that trip, but it could be that connections feel that three miles is the perfect trip for him at this stage, and that is something that he showed that January weekend.
A Graded hurdle winner as a novice, Grey Dawning has taken to fences like a duck to water, running on four occasions over the larger obstacles, winning twice and very unlucky to not make it three.
He finished third on debut behind Stay Away Fay at Exeter, and although he will have to reverse that form in the Brown Advisory with the Paul Nicholls charge, I think he has improved enough to do so.
He then went on to win comfortably at Haydock with an experienced chaser in behind, before running in a decent contest at Cheltenham, where he made a bad mistake at the second last, meaning he had a whole lot to do to win from where he was. However, he ran on superbly up the Cheltenham Hill to claim the runner-up spot, only beaten by three quarters of a length, and the stiffer test of Cheltenham looks perfect for him.
He then lined up in the Grade 2 Hampton Novices Chase at Warwick over the weekend, dispatching a pretty decent field by 14 lengths with Apple Away (to whom Grey Dawning was giving 10 pounds), making the win even more impressive to the eye and statistically) and Broadway Boy some way behind.
One slight niggling issue his tendency to jump a little sketchily in the key stages of the race, as he did at Cheltenham (which effectively stopped him from winning the race) and he also was very close to the brush of the last two fences at Warwick, although he got over them fine and that didn't stop his momentum at all.
He clearly has a very big engine, and bags of talent in there, especially over fences, and is a real work in progress at this stage, something the team will enjoy working on over the next few seasons.
I think he is a genuine contender for this race, given he will like the trip and track. I really do like this horse, and think he could be tailor-made for the Brown Advisory Novices Chase come March.
- Selection - Grey Dawning EW (7/1)
Grade 1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
Trainer Record (Last 20 years)
- Paul Nicholls - 28 runners, 5 winners and 3 places
- Nicky Henderson - 12 runners, 5 winners and 1 place
- Henry De Bromhead - 17 runners, 3 winners and 5 places
- Willie Mullins - 15 runners, 2 winners and 3 places
- Alan King - 7 runners, 1 winner and 2 places
Jockey Record (Last 20 years)
- Nico De Boinville - 4 rides with 3 winners
- Paul Townend - 8 rides with 2 winners and 2 places
- Jamie Moore - 4 rides with 1 winner
- Aidan Coleman - 3 rides with 1 winner and 1 place
- Harry Skelton - 3 rides with 1 winner and 1 place
Past 10 winners of the Queen Mother Champion Chase:
- Sire De Grugy - Gary Moore & Jamie Moore (2014)
- Dodging Bullets - Paul Nicholls & Sam Twiston-Davies (2015)
- Sprinter Sacre - Nicky Henderson & Nico De Boinville (2016)
- Special Tiara - Henry De Bromhead & Noel Fehily (2017)
- Altior - Nicky Henderson & Nico De Boinville (2018)
- Altior - Nicky Henderson & Nico De Boinville (2019)
- Politologue - Paul Nicholls & Harry Skelton (2020)
- Put The Kettle On - Henry De Bromhead & Aidan Coleman (2021)
- Energumene - Willie Mullins & Paul Townend (2022)
- Energumene - Willie Mullins & Paul Townend (2023)
Britain vs Ireland
- Britain - 12 winners, 22 places from 119 runners
- Ireland - 8 winners, 13 places from 57 runners
Ante-post selection for the Queen Mother Champion Chase:
This race really does revolve around the two star 2-mile chasers in El Fabiolo and Jonbon, who are both (hopefully) set to do battle at Ascot in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase this weekend (20th January).
Therefore I would imagine this might be a smaller field closer to Festival week, with those two dominating the market. That being said, at his current price I think backing Jonbon each-way is a good play at this stage. Yes his price isn't the best each way pick at all, however all being well (he gets around on his feet and there are 8 or more runners) he is almost guaranteed to finish in the top three in some capacity, in which case you would also be due some money back, and for what it's worth... I think Jonbon could beat El Fabiolo this season in the Champion Chase, now both horses are out of their novice chasing season.
El Fabiolo did put Jonbon firmly in his place in the Arkle last season at the Festival, but Nicky Henderson’s horse was definitely not at his best that day, as connections have also stated the fact that they expected him to run a little better.
There could also be a few question marks as to whether Jonbon does actually like Cheltenham, although from what he has shown so far this season, I think he is a much more mature horse, mentally and physically, so all should be ok on the Cheltenham question marks front when March rolls around.
He hasn't shown his usual pre-race excursions of being on his toes like previous seasons, and he does look to be a lot more polished and professional over his fences, so that could really set him in perfect stead as he tries to take the lead vs El Fabiolo, whether it be in the Clarence House or the Festival, with many more battles to come most likely as the seasons go on.
Jonbon's performances in the Shloer Chase and Tingle Creek have looked good this year, and although the winning margin for the Tingle Creek wasn't that far, he still won in very testing conditions that were probably far from being ideal.
I think if he was to get better ground come the Champion Chase, my money would firmly be on Jonbon, who does look to be a better horse physically and mentally this season.
I just can't wait to see them battle it out again, and no matter what might potentially happen this weekend, we all know Nicky Henderson is the master when it comes to his 2-mile horses, whether over hurdles or fences.
- Selection - Jonbon EW (11/4 Generally)
Grade 1 Weatherby's Champion Bumper
Trainer Record (Last 20 years)
- Willie Mullins - 84 runners, 8 winners and 11 places
- Gordon Elliott - 13 runners, 2 winners and 2 places
- Philip Hobbs - 13 runners, 1 winner and 2 places
- Nigel Twiston-Davies - 13 runners with 1 winner
- David Pipe - 13 runners with 1 winner
Jockey Record (Last 20 years)
- Patrick Mullins - 14 rides, 3 winners and 2 places
- JJ Codd - 6 rides, 2 winners and 2 places
- Paul Townend - 10 rides, 1 winner and 2 places
- Sam Twiston-Davies - 9 rides with 1 winner
- Rachael Blackmore - 3 rides with 1 winner
Past 10 winners of the Weatherby's Champion Bumper
- Silver Concorde - Dermot Weld & Robbie McNamara (2014)
- Moon Racer - David Pipe & Tom Scudamore (2015)
- Ballyandy - Nigel Twiston-Davies & Sam Twiston-Davies (2016)
- Fayonagh - Gordon Elliott & JJ Codd (2017)
- Relegate - Willie Mullins & Katie Walsh (2018)
- Envoi Allen - Gordon Elliott & JJ Codd (2019)
- Ferny Hollow - Willie Mullins & Paul Townend (2020)
- Sir Gerhard - Willie Mullins & Rachael Blackmore (2021)
- Facile Vega - Willie Mullins & Patrick Mullins (2022)
- A Dream To Share - John Kiely & John Gleeson (2023)
Britain vs Ireland
- Ireland - 16 winners, 25 places from 199 runners
- Britain - 4 winners, 15 places from 237 runners
Ante-post selection for the Weatherby's Champion Bumper:
A race that has been dominated by Willie Mullins previously, and we all know Willie Mullins does so very well with his bumper horses, but he hasn't really had a stand-out bumper performer as yet this season, which is somewhat of a rarity for him at this stage.
I have noticed one of his at a very nice price currently called Baby Kate who is unbeaten with two wins in just two career runs so far. She will receive the usual mares’ allowance for the race, which is very handy for these younger horses.
Her performance last time out in a Listed bumper at Cheltenham was very eye-catching indeed, and the form has been franked since with the runner-up Jeune Belle subsequently winning nicely on her hurdle debut. She won that contest with relative ease by just under five lengths, really running on very well up the Cheltenham Hill.
Although she isn't flashy in terms of breeding and "prominent" owners etc, she is just like James's Gate last season, as she could arrive at the Festival at a big price and run well, just like all of the yard's bumper horses.
At this stage, she would be my each-way selection, although it isn't confirmed she will head to the Champion Bumper, it could be a case of she might run between now and then, stepping up in class before connections really make a decision on her future.
She has Cheltenham form, and that for a younger type could be very valuable, and considering Willie Mullins doesn't have a standout bumper performer yet, she could easily mould into the one the yard focus on for the race.
However, once we get closer to the race, I will reflect on the runners expected to line up and review from there, when we will know a little bit more about them. Saying that, this is one of my favourite races of the meeting, I love seeing these younger types strut their stuff and show us what they are all about. There are always some very exciting types to come out of this race, who could easily be future champions for seasons to come.
- Selection - Baby Kate EW (16/1)
Cheltenham previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell