Wednesday 1 March 2017 09:31, UK
Sky Sports News HQ presenter Alex Hammond reflects on the weekend action while picking out some weekend selections.
Did Master Blueyes impress you with his victory in the BetBright Genius Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton last weekend, and what now for faller Charli Parcs?
Well it was a dramatic race and you have to feel for Barry Geraghty who took a heavy fall from Charli Parks which has ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival.
As soon as you saw Barry get to his feet it looked serious and that second last flight fall, and a subsequent kick from a following horse, has left him with six broken ribs and a punctured lung. Let's hope he's back in time for Aintree.
Charli Parcs looked beaten at the time to be honest although it could be said he was getting back on terms and could have won dirty - unfortunately, we'll never know.
What we do know is that Master Blueyes has certainly improved since Charli Parcs thrashed him at Kempton over Christmas with his trainer Alan King feeling a win at Ludlow last month gave him a much needed confidence boost which has brought about this improvement.
Master Blueyes has been shortened into 8/1 for the Triumph Hurdle by Sky Bet, with Charli Parcs out to 10s. It goes without saying it's not ideal for the Nicky Henderson-trained Charli Parcs to go into the festival on the back of such a heavy fall, but he looked good at Kempton in December and Henderson is a wizard at getting horses spot on for the meeting.
All in all an unsatisfactory trial and I don't think connections or supporters of Defi Du Seuil will be losing any sleep over either horse with two weeks to go, although it's worth remembering that both Charli Parcs and Defi Du Deuil are owned by JP McManus. The 7/4 favourite looks a solid selection at this stage for the Triumph.
River Wylde was cut to 12/1 by the sponsors for the Sky Bet Supreme after beating Elgin in the Dovecote - do either of the first two have anything to recommend them for the Festival curtain-raiser?
I'm a huge fan of River Wylde and tipped him up to win the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices' Hurdle last Saturday.
Nicky Henderson's day wasn't all bad as this horse enhanced his growing reputation and he could still offer some each-way value in a tough race to unravel.
Whether he has the savvy for the Festival remains to be seen and he does look a horse for the future, but Nicky Henderson's softly-softly approach is paying off and he's got to be considered for the opener at Prestbury Park.
Elgin doesn't excite me nearly as much and whilst he is a good gauge of the talent of his rivals, I can't have him for Cheltenham - especially as connections have hinted that a flat track suits him best.
While River Wylde is one for the future, the horse I love for the Sky Bet Supreme is Neon Wolf. Harry Fry's six -year-old won his only point to point in Ireland before joining Fry and winning a bumper, novice hurdle and then the Sky Bet Supreme Trial at Haydock. He's 7/1 with the sponsors for the Festival curtain raiser.
How impressive was James Best's canny ride on Pilgrims Bay in the BetBright Handicap Chase and did anything in behind catch your eye with a view to either Cheltenham or Aintree in the next couple of months?
Now that result is what makes jump racing so special. I challenge anyone that felt unmoved in the aftermath of the BetBright Handicap Chase after a ride to be proud of. To hold onto the quirky Pilgrims Bay takes some guts, but Best showed he was up to the task for the biggest win of his career to date.
Runner-up Double Shuffle was my fancy for the race once the ground went against Three Musketeers and whilst the latter has been a bit disappointing of late for Dan Skelton, I wouldn't write him off just yet. Given some cut he will hopefully be a different proposition if he can get his jumping together; he clearly has a decent engine.
Fourth-placed Aso is another horse that looks to have the ability to land a decent pot at some stage for his shrewd trainer Venetia Williams. He is in both the Ryanair and the Brown Advisory Plate at the Festival with the first option looking to be an impossible task, but the latter a more realistic target for which he is currently 16/1 with Sky Bet.
Away from Kempton's feature and the 3.40 at Chepstow on Saturday was the only leg of my each-way accumulator to let me down, so the race isn't one I'm keen to re-live.
Despite that, the winner Gayebury looks one to keep on the right side of, as he made a mockery of his opening handicap mark to beat a competitive field. That was only his seventh start and his fourth over hurdles and he's one to watch.
He is in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham and the Albert Bartlett and it will be interesting to see where trainer Evan Williams sends him. Incidentally it was Ballyculla that let me down. I won't forget him in a hurry!
Some seriously competitive racing at Doncaster - who do you fancy to play a major role there?
The feature race at Sunny Donny is the Grimthorpe Chase which could give us some Grand National pointers. Last year's winner The Last Samuri is back for more before a return to Aintree where he was runner up to Rule The World 12 months ago.
Kim Bailey's horses are in top form and the horse comes into calculations on Saturday despite a 12lb hike in the weights which sees him carry top weight at Doncaster.
He's Sky Bet's 9/2 second favourite for the Grimthorpe behind 3/1 favourite Definitely Red.
Brian Ellison's charge was running a bit below par before being hampered and unseating in the Peter Marsh at Haydock in January. He seems short enough for a race as hot as this despite his impressive overall record.
At the other end of the weights is the Nicky Richards-trained Looking Well, currently a 5/1 shot. He stays the trip and ran a big race to be second in the Sky Bet Chase at this track last time. That was his first run for a while and he's sure to have benefitted for it and this unexposed chaser could have more to offer while he's also entered in the Ultima at Cheltenham.
Junction Fourteen doesn't look obviously well handicapped, but he hails from Emma Lavelle's in-form yard and is a horse I've always liked. He steps beyond three miles for the first time in this but should stay and, given that he goes well fresh, could represent some each-way value.
One thing is for sure is that this race is usually influential looking ahead to the big spring staying handicap chases so it's worth a close look.
Newbury also stage some competitive racing - what do you fancy to run well at the Berkshire track?
Bloody Mary would be an interesting contender should she line up in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (she has other options this week).
Nicky Henderson's six-year-old has been off the track since finishing a seven-lengths third behind Limini in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at last year's Cheltenham Festival so she is both lightly raced and potentially well handicapped.
Sumkindofking is another unexposed runner in the field for Tom George. If he runs (and again he has another entry this week) then he will be making his handicap debut off a seemingly very workable mark; he's an appealing 8/1 chance for the Newbury race.
The Greatwood Gold Cup is has attracted a decent entry, too.
Venetia Williams looks to have a strong hand with three runners and Paul Nicholls also has three entered.
It's Nicholls' former apprentice Dan Skelton that has Sky Bet's 4/1 favourite though in Oldgrangewood. He's an improving chaser and still only six. He's done very little wrong since going chasing with three wins and an unlucky brought down at Aintree, so deserves his position in the market.
I'm not sure the ground will be testing enough for Vic De Touzaine, although he's a chaser to keep on the right side of, while I hope his trainer Williams runs Tango De Juilley. He will be having his first start since finishing second to Empire Of Dirt in the Brown Advisory Plate at last year's Festival but has won after a layoff in the past.
He is just 1lb higher in the handicap now and that run at Cheltenham was his first for 11 months. He's obviously been difficult to train, but his stable continues in good form and he's clearly well-treated given what Empire Of Dirt has done since. As such Tango De Juilley gets my vote in another fascinating race.
