Jan 2015
Weights revealed for Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle – Britain’s richest handicap hurdle
The weights are revealed today for Britain’s richest handicap hurdle, the £155,000 Grade Three Betfair Hurdle, which is staged at Newbury on Betfair Super Saturday, Saturday, February 7.
Snake Eyes (9st 8lb) is one of three 12/1 co second favourites in the ante-post market with Betfair Sportsbook but his supporters will have an anxious wait to see if he makes the cut.
Owned by J P McManus, the lightly-raced seven-year-old is 57th in the weights for the Betfair Hurdle. There is a maximum permitted field of 24 for the extended two-mile contest. Snake Eyes won for the first time when taking a Listed handicap hurdle under A P (Tony) McCoy at Sandown on December 6.
Nicky Henderson, trainer of Snake Eyes, has nine entries in total. The pick of the remainder include Grade One Christmas Hurdle fourth Sign Of A Victory (11st 1lb – 14/1), plus Vasco Du Ronceray (10st 9lb – 20/1), an impressive winner at Haydock in November, exciting juvenile Top Notch (10st – 16/1) and Dawalan (10st 8lb – 20/1), last seen out when successful at Aintree in December.
Harry Whittington, based at Sparsholt Firs close to Wantage, previously operated a satellite yard for Nicky Henderson before taking out his own training licence in September, 2012.
Whittington is considering the Betfair Hurdle for the exciting Arzal (10st 5lb – 25/1). The French import finished second in a maiden hurdle on his British debut at Chepstow in November and later in the same month upset 2/9 favourite West Wizard when recording an impressive seven-length victory in a novices’ hurdle at Kempton Park. The five-year-old was last seen out at the same venue on Boxing Day when beaten just over nine lengths in third behind the well-regarded Jollyallan.
Whittington reported: “The Betfair Hurdle is an option for Arzal. It has been a good race for novices in the past.
“We are just trying to settle him better at home as he has been a bit exuberant in his races so far and is still a big baby.
“If we can get him to switch off, we might take our chance in the Betfair Hurdle. We just need to get him to settle better and grow up a bit.
“He showed his exuberance last time at Kempton but it was still a cracking run.
“To give ourselves a chance in a big handicap like the Betfair Hurdle, you do need a horse to settle so you can be where you need to be. It could be that 10st 5lb is a nice weight to carry.”
Champion British Jump trainer Paul Nicholls, successful two years ago with Zarkandar, has two leading contenders in Calipto (10st 9lb – 10/1 favourite), who is unbeaten at Newbury (pictured above) and the useful novice Emerging Talent (10st 2lb – 14/1).
Betfair spokesman Barry Orr commented this morning: “A growing liability on the Paul Nicholls-trained Calipto has resulted in his price contracting from 14/1 to 10/1 clear favourite, while we have pushed Snake Eyes out to 12/1.
“It is already a decent betting contest and another entry attracting ante-post support is the John Quinn-trained Chieftains Choice (10st) – we’ve seen some clever money for him at 25/1, he’s now 16/1.’’
Heading the weights on 11st 12lb is the Willie Mullins-trained Diakali (14/1). A Grade One winner in France in 2013, the six-year-old was last seen out when fourth in the French Champion Hurdle in June. Mullins, Ireland’s champion Jump trainer, is also responsible for Arctic Fire (11st 7lb – 12/1), third in the Grade One Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas. Mullins, who also has nine entries in total, could also run Daneking (10st 4lb – 14/1), successful in a valuable handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse in April and Clondaw Warrior (9st 7lb – 14/1), who took fourth behind the Philip Hobbs-trained Garde Le Victoire (11st 6b – 16/1) in the Grade Three Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November.
Fascino Rustico (9st 10lb – 12/1) is co-second favourite with the sponsor but is another who faces a close call to make the cut as he lies 56th on the list. The seven-year-old, owned by John Hales and trained by Dan Skelton, was an eye-catching winner in novice company at Bangor on January 6.
Other leading contenders include Pine Creek (10st 10lb – 16/1) and Activial (10st 9lb – 14/1), who finished second and third respectively in the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Ascot. Harry Fry, trainer of Activial, could also run Jolly’s Cracked It (10st 6lb – 14/1), who was runner-up in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown on January 3.
There is a scratchings stage for the Betfair Hurdle on January 20.
Newbury’s Betfair Super Saturday also features the £50,000 Grade Two Betfair Denman Chase, a leading trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and the £50,000 Grade Two Betfair Price Rush Chase over two miles and a furlong.
The Betfair Hurdle
Class 1, Grade 3, £155,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.35pm, Newbury, Saturday, February 7, 2015. For four-year-olds and upwards, two miles and half a furlong. Entries closed January 6, entries revealed January 7 (65 entries), weights revealed January 14. Scratchings deadline January 20, five-day confirmation stage February 2, final declaration stage 10.00am, February 5.
| Horse |
Age |
Wgt | Owner | Trainer |
| DIAKALI (FR) |
6 |
11-12 | Wicklow Bloodstock Limited | Willie Mullins IRE |
| ARCTIC FIRE (GER) |
6 |
11-07 | Wicklow Bloodstock Limited | Willie Mullins IRE |
| GARDE LA VICTOIRE (FR) |
6 |
11-06 | Diana Whateley | Philip Hobbs |
| GET ME OUT OF HERE (IRE) |
11 |
11-03 | J P McManus | Jonjo O’Neill |
| BERTIMONT (FR) |
5 |
11-01 | Christopher Giles | Dan Skelton |
| SIGN OF A VICTORY (IRE) |
6 |
11-01 | Matt & Lauren Morgan | Nicky Henderson |
| ROLLING STAR (FR) |
6 |
11-00 | Michael Buckley & The Vestey Family | Nicky Henderson |
| HAWK HIGH (IRE) |
5 |
10-12 | Trevor Hemmings | Tim Easterby |
| SEA LORD (IRE) |
8 |
10-12 | Bloomfields | John Ferguson |
| ANALIFET (FR) |
5 |
10-11 | Gigginstown House Stud | Willie Mullins IRE |
| CINDERS AND ASHES |
8 |
10-11 | Dermot Hanafin & Phil Cunningham | Donald McCain |
| SEEDLING |
6 |
10-10 | Equis & Christopher Spence | Warren Greatrex |
| PINE CREEK |
7 |
10-10 | Bloomfields | John Ferguson |
| HAMMERSLY LAKE (FR) |
7 |
10-10 | Michael Buckley | Nicky Henderson |
| VASCO DU RONCERAY (FR) |
6 |
10-09 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nicky Henderson |
| CALIPTO (FR) |
5 |
10-09 | Chris Giles & Ian Fogg | Paul Nicholls |
| ACTIVIAL (FR) |
5 |
10-09 | Potensis Bloodstock Limited | Harry Fry |
| LUCKY BRIDLE (IRE) |
6 |
10-08 | Andrea & Graham Wylie | Willie Mullins IRE |
| DAWALAN (FR) |
5 |
10-08 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nicky Henderson |
| GOODWOOD MIRAGE (IRE) |
5 |
10-08 | Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford | Jonjo O’Neill |
| ROYAL IRISH HUSSAR (IRE) |
5 |
10-08 | Triermore Stud | Nicky Henderson |
| SLEEPY HAVEN (IRE) |
5 |
10-08 | Alan Baxter Anthony Bloor Dave Cheetham | Jennie Candlish |
| CHELTENIAN (FR) |
9 |
10-07 | Roger Brookhouse | Philip Hobbs |
| BALLYGLASHEEN (IRE) |
5 |
10-07 | R J Gambarini | Evan Williams |
| JOLLY’S CRACKED IT (FR) |
6 |
10-06 | GDM Partnership | Harry Fry |
| STARLUCK (IRE) |
10 |
10-06 | Andrew Wates | David Arbuthnot |
| ROCK THE WORLD (IRE) |
7 |
10-06 | Michael Buckley | Jessica Harrington IRE |
| AMORE ALATO |
6 |
10-06 | Sarah Faulks | Nick Williams |
| WICKLOW BRAVE |
6 |
10-06 | Wicklow Bloodstock Limited | Willie Mullins IRE |
| FOX NORTON (FR) |
5 |
10-06 | B Dunn | Nick Williams |
| MIJHAAR |
7 |
10-06 | Bloomfields | John Ferguson |
| RED MERLIN (IRE) |
10 |
10-05 | Matthew Taylor | Donald McCain |
| ARZAL (FR) |
5 |
10-05 | The Hennessy Six | Harry Whittington |
| BLAIR PERRONE (IRE) |
6 |
10-04 | John Breslin | Tony Martin IRE |
| BORDONI (USA) |
6 |
10-04 | Bloomfields | John Ferguson |
| ASO (FR) |
5 |
10-04 | The Bellamy Partnership | Venetia Williams |
| DANEKING |
6 |
10-04 | Susannah Ricci | Willie Mullins IRE |
| ON TOUR (IRE) |
7 |
10-04 | T Hywel Jones | Evan Williams |
| MINELLA PRESENT (IRE) |
6 |
10-04 | Lady Clarke | Neil Mulholland |
| BALGARRY (FR) |
8 |
10-03 | Brocade Racing | David Pipe |
| EMERGING TALENT (IRE) |
6 |
10-02 | Mr & Mrs Paul Barber | Paul Nicholls |
| LASER HAWK (IRE) |
8 |
10-01 | W J Evans | Evan Williams |
| SWING BOWLER |
8 |
10-01 | K Alexander | David Pipe |
| CHIEFTAIN’S CHOICE (IRE) |
6 |
10-00 | Carl Hinchy | John Quinn |
| FORCED FAMILY FUN |
5 |
10-00 | The Top Silk Syndicate | John Quinn |
| EBONY EXPRESS |
6 |
10-00 | ValueRacingClub.co.uk | Dr Richard Newland |
| TOP NOTCH (FR) |
4 |
10-00 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nicky Henderson |
| BARADARI (IRE) |
5 |
9-13 | A Brooks | Venetia Williams |
| VIOLET DANCER |
5 |
9-12 | D Bessell & Galloping On The South Downs | Gary Moore |
| KASHMIR PEAK (IRE) |
6 |
9-12 | Win Only SP Only Partnership | John Quinn |
| GASSIN GOLF |
6 |
9-12 | Will Roseff | Richard Lee |
| KAREZAK (IRE) |
4 |
9-12 | McNeill Family | Alan King |
| COOL MACAVITY (IRE) |
7 |
9-12 | Triermore Stud | Nicky Henderson |
| BALLYBOLLEY (IRE) |
6 |
9-11 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| WILLEM (FR) |
5 |
9-10 | Ecurie Drost | David Pipe |
| FASCINO RUSTICO |
7 |
9-10 | John Hales | Dan Skelton |
| SNAKE EYES (IRE) |
7 |
9-08 | J P McManus | Nicky Henderson |
| WAR SINGER (USA) |
8 |
9-08 | The War Cabinet | Johnny Farrelly |
| HELLO GEORGE (IRE) |
6 |
9-08 | M St Quinton/ C Hellyer/ M Strong | Philip Hobbs |
| AS DE FERBET (FR) |
5 |
9-08 | Gigginstown House Stud | Willie Mullins IRE |
| FIRST MOHICAN |
7 |
9-07 | Henry Ponsonby | Alan King |
| CLONDAW WARRIOR (IRE) |
8 |
9-07 | Act D Wagg Syndicate | Willie Mullins IRE |
| LIGHTENTERTAINMENT (IRE) |
7 |
9-06 | The Not Over Big Partnership | Chris Gordon |
| BUISENESS SIVOLA (FR) |
4 |
9-01 | Simon Munir/Isaac Souede | Willie Mullins IRE |
| A BOY NAMED SUZI |
7 |
nq | ABS Partnership | Lucy Wadham |
65 entries
11 Irish-trained