DO SATURDAY’S TRIALS SPOT FESTIVAL WINNERS? DAQMAN VERDICT The Dublin Racing Festival is just around the corner (February 1 and 2) and Daqman finds that only one top Irish stable has an interest in Cheltenham Trials Day on Saturday, and only one has had a winner in the decade that was subsequently placed at the festival in March.
More facts about Saturday’s trials are revealed today, as Daqman examines all seven races, asking the questions: so who has been winning, then? And which horses went on to do well at Cheltenham?
TODAY: 2020 VISION: The truth about Cheltenham Trials Day
THURSDAY: BULL’S EYE: The Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park
THE BARE TRUTH ABOUT TRIALS DAY
Saturday punters are on trial. Any found guilty of following Trials Day form face punishment with losses at the Cheltenham Festival.
Only 11 winners in 10 years have gone on to score at the same venue in March, and they are concentrated in three races: Stayers Hurdle 3, Triumph Hurdle 2, Albert Bartlett 2.
Much better it seems to mark your card from the Dublin Racing Festival (February 1 and 2) with the Irish – always so dominant in March – having a strong deputation only from Gordon Elliott on Saturday.
An Irish winner on Trials day has gone on to score at the Cheltenham festival just once! And you should treat the day as a local feast for Alan King, who is leading trainer for the meeting with eight, double Paul Nicholls total and even ahead of Nicky Henderson (7).
More about such stats on Saturday. Meanwhile, race by race, trial by trial, here are the trainers who do well and those winners who went on to make the frame at the big meeting in March.
12.40 Cheltenham, Saturday (2m Triumph Trial) Winning trainers (10 years) with probables in this on Saturday: Nicky Henderson 4, Joseph O’Brien 1, Alan King 1.
Winning horses (10 years) with same-year Cheltenham Festival place record:
🏇 Grumeti (Alan King 2012) 3rd in the Triumph Hurdle
🏇 Peace And Co (Nicky Henderson 2015) Won Triumph Hurdle
🏇 Defi Du Seuil (Nicky Henderson 2017) Won Triumph Hurdle
🏇 Fakir D’Oudairies (Joseph O’Brien 2019) 4th Supreme Novice Hurdle
1.15 Cheltenham, Saturday (2m 4f+ novices’ handicap chase) Winning trainers (10 years) with probables on Saturday: Ben Pauling, Nick Gifford, David Bridgwater 1 each.
Winning horses (10 years) with same-year Cheltenham Festival place record:
🏇 Vino Griego (Gary Moore 2013) 2nd Byrne Group Plate
🏇 Generous Ransom (Nick Gifford 2015) 3rd novices’ handicap chase
🏇 Mister Whitaker (Mick Channon 2018) won Close Brothers novices chase
🏇 Kildisart (Ben Pauling 2019) 4th JLT novices chase
1.50 Cheltenham Trophy, Saturday (2m 4f+ handicap chase) Winning trainers (10 years) with probables on Saturday: Nigel Twiston-Davies, Venetia Williams, Philip Hobbs.
Winning horses (10 years) with same-year Cheltenham Festival place record:
🏇 Wishfull Thinking (Philip Hobbs 2011) 2nd Golden Miller Novices Chase
🏇 The Giant Bolster (David Bridgwater 2012) 2nd Cheltenham Gold Cup
🏇 Siruh Du Lac (Nick Williams 2019) won Stable Plate
2.25 Cheltenham, Saturday (Cotswold Chase) Winning trainers (10 years) with probables for
Saturday: none
Winning horses (10 years) with same-year Cheltenham Festival place record:
🏇 The Giant Bolster (David Bridgwater 2014) 3rd Cheltenham Gold Cup
🏇 Frodon (Paul Nicholls 2019) won Ryanair Chase
3.00 Cheltenham, Saturday (Ballymore Novices Hurdle) Winning trainers (10 years) with probables for Saturday: Nicky Henderson.
Winning horses (10 years) with same-year Cheltenham Festival place record:
🏇 Bobs Worth (Nicky Henderson 2011) won Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
🏇 At Fishers Cross (Rebecca Curtis 2013) won Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
🏇 Yanworth (Alan King 2016) 2nd Neptune Novices Hurdle
🏇 Wholestone (Nigel Twiston-Davies 2017) 3rd Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
🏇 Santini (Nicky Henderson 2018) 2nd Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
3.35 Cheltenham, Saturday (Cleeve Hurdle) Winning trainers (10 years) with probables for Saturday: Emma Lavelle, Colin Tizzard, Harry Fry.
Winning horses (10 years) with same-year Cheltenham Festival place record:
🏇 Grands Crus (David Pipe 2011) 2nd Ladbrokes World Hurdle
🏇 Big Buck’s (Paul Nicholls 2012) won Ladbrokes World Hurdle
🏇 Reve De Sivola (Nick Williams 2013) 4th Ladbrokes World Hurdle
🏇 Saphir Du Rheu (Paul Nicholls 2015) 2nd Ladbrokes World Hurdle
🏇 Thistlecrack (Colin Tizzard 2016) won World Hurdle
🏇 Unowhatimeanharry (Harry Fry 2017) 3rd Stayers Hurdle
🏇 Paisley Park (Emma Lavelle 2019) won Stayers Hurdle
4.10 Cheltenham, Saturday (2m 1f handicap hurdle) Winning trainers (10 years) with probables for Saturday: Chris Gordon, Martin Keighley, Paul Nicholls.
Winning horses (10 years) with same-year Cheltenham Festival place record:
🏇 Lac Fontana (Paul Nicholls 2014) won County Hurdle
🏇 Remiluc (Chris Gordon 2018) 2nd County Hurdle
WESTEND TO LIGHT UP EXETER
Exeter needed to pass a third inspection at 11am before the green light was given for today’s card on heavy ground. The frost has come out of the ground, unlike Leicester where racing was called off earlier.
1.30 Exeter There’s nothing like a class 3 handicap chase and this is nothing like a class 3 handicap chase.
The last time out efforts from the five runners read a combined: FP0PP
Something has to win, as the old adage goes and rather than ticks in the boxes it’s probably a case of looking for the one with the least number of crosses with them all having something to prove. It’s like an equine speed awareness course but in this case they need to made aware they CAN go fast.
Westend Story and Richard Johnson (rides again today) were sent off favourite to win a much more competitive race at Newbury last time out (class 2) but was held before falling three out. Despite that reverse he could bounce back in this company – particularly as he is the one most likely to enjoy the ground. He won his bumper here at Exeter by 18 lengths when the ground was also heavy.
Golden Whiskey was pulled up in heavy ground at Ascot last time out and although it was a better race it was still a disappointing effort.
Nicky Henderson’s Dream Du Grand Val makes his chasing debut but has no form on heavy and his form tailed off last season.
Fox Pro is probably the danger on his chasing debut given that Breaking Waves has pulled up on his last two starts and the first time cheekpieces need to work miracles.
3.30 Exeter By far the toughest race of the day to solve with it being 6.8 the field on BETDAQ at the time of writing.
I think recent Taunton winner Great Tempo will be hard to keep out of the frame despite a 5lb hike in the weights.
The David Pipe trained runner has winning form on heavy and the trainer reported that the apparent improvement in form at Taunton may have been put down to a wind operation and a previous comeback run after a break.
Whatever, in handicap terms he still looks on a good mark and I’ll cover in both the BETDAQ win and place markets
6.15 Newcastle Portledge is taken to see off the more fancied Asdaa and Northernpowerhouse who are both last time out winners but up in the weights.
Portledge goes well fresh and is back after a huge effort when third in a class 3 here in July over this trip.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked as advised)
1.30 Exeter (win 10)
BET 3.9pts win (nap) WESTEND STORY
3.30 Exeter (win 20 and place bet WIN 10)
BET 3.4pts win, 6.25pts place GREAT TEMPO
6.15 Newcastle (win 10)
BET 2.4pts win PORTLEDGE
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