Work whisperer

JANGO BAIE arrives fresh and well for the Gold Cup, where he holds the best chance for several years of landing a third success in chasing’s Blue Riband for Nicky Henderson who has been in red hot form at the Festival over the first three days.

Last year’s Arkle winner had little go his way on his first try at 3m in a steadily run King George. He was positioned out wide and got tapped for toe when they quickened, before hitting the line hard in a blanket finish, with no more than half a length covering the first four home.

Stable confidence is running high that he can turn the form around from Kempton with The Jukebox Man and Gaelic Warrior in a truly run Gold Cup, which will suit him much better as will the longer 3m2f trip and he is unbeaten in two starts at Cheltenham, where he has twice powered up the hill to victory showing stamina in abundance.

It was a calculated risk to miss his prep run in the Denman Chase at Newbury due to the testing ground, especially as the Seven Barrows team felt the Irish raiders finished their prep runs looking tired horses at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Henderson’s previous two Gold Cup winners Long Run and Bob’s Worth were ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen and Barry Geraghty, respectively, but stable jockey Nico de Boinville put himself on the map winning the 2015 renewal on the novice Coneygree for the Bradstocks.

He would dearly love to win it for his boss and has a twinkle in eye for the task at hand as the seven-year-old is doing everything right at home on the back of a good preparation and has the perfect profile for the race as a second-season chaser with young legs taking on the old guard.

The red-hot form of Henderson’s handicappers at the Festival has yielded two winners so far and JOYEUSE is a strong fancy to maintain the winning streak switched back in the County Hurdle.

She made a mockery of her mark in the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury last term (123OR: carried 10st7lb) scooting home by 8 lengths from top weight Lump Sum whose form since includes a Welsh Champion Hurdle victory.

Joyeuse has really come to herself of late in her work and the handicapper has given her a chance dropping her 3lb to 135 even though a hash at the last robbed her of a winning chance in a Grade 2 Hurdle at Ascot last time. She is also fitted with first time cheekpieces - stable three winners from 21 runners with the headgear fitted.

A saver is recommended on the most striking horse in training, SECRET SQUIRREL, who has an engine to match his film star looks with the flaxen mane and tail, the chestnut really does stand out in the paddock from the bays and greys.

Trained by Hughie Morrison, who is no stranger to Festival success, he showed smart form on his comeback 12 months on from a fall in the William Hill Hurdle finishing third under a considerate ride at Wincanton in the Grade 2 Kingwell behind subsequent Champion Hurdle fourth Alexei.

Freddie Gordon, who is challenging for the conditionals’ title, could cap off a fine season in the closing Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle with a first Festival success on his regular ride EAST INDIA EXPRESS.

Heavily backed in last year‘s renewal to complete a hat-trick, he did best of those who raced up with the frenetic pace under Gordon only tiring late when fading into seventh and beaten 13 lengths in the competitive 23-runner field.

Expect to see a more patient ride second time round from the stable conditional, who is one of most experienced riders in the line-up; he will not make the mistake of committing too soon, playing the waiting game.

Henderson also saddles Fantasy World for the Bamford’s, the big race sponsors of the Triumph Hurdle, but he has not shown the same level of form as crack front-runner ONE HORSE TOWN who is 4-6 as a juvenile over hurdles and could hit the frame for Harry Derham at a big price.

The saying goes they never come back but STATTLER, who won the 2022 National Hunt Chase for Willie Mullins, has been enjoying life since coming back into training with Faye Bramley who looked unlucky not to train her first Festival winner on Tuesday with Winston Junior in the Fred Winter.

It’s fair to say he’s not the quickest, but Bramley has already reignited the spark in another former Closutton inmate, Paggane. The 11yo booked his ticket for this with victory on his second Hunter Chase start at Fakenham, and the booking of Patrick Mullins is a significant one. Mullins was in the saddle for his finest hour at the Festival, and Bramley will be hoping lightning can strike twice.