Weekend Racing: Four Fancies From Two Jumps Racing Headquarters
Cheltenham and Punchestown, the UK’s and Ireland’s respective headquarters of jumps racing, are both staging meetings on Saturday and Sunday. There are several potential superstars in action and some popular old-timers could well make a welcome return to form.
Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins are expected to be amongst the winners at Cheltenham and Punchestown this weekend. ©GettyImages
In 2008 Imperial Commander won the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap. He went on to take the Ryanair Chase later in the season and returned to Cheltenham in 2010 to take jump racing’s Holy Grail, the Gold Cup.
It’s unlikely this year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup field features a horse that can reach those dizzy heights. However, 12-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls may have transformed Lalor and could potentially put the nine-year-old’s career back on track. There may yet be a prize waiting for him at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
Will the Nicholls’ Touch Help Lalor Gain an Overdue Big Win?
This horse has been considered a ‘big race winner waiting to happen’ for a long time. But Lalor’s career went wayward in November 2018, and he has not won a race since. Beforehand he had claimed a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree.
Lalor will be making his debut for Nicholls on Saturday. The trainer, who received an OBE from Prince Charles on Wednesday, reported his new recruit had been “working well” earlier in the week.
Considering this is a horse that has been pulled-up in his last two outings – these were his only races in almost two years – it is cause for optimism! So too is the sustained betting interest reported by the leading horse racing betting sites. Now 6/1, Lalor was originally introduced into the market at double those odds.
Additionally declaring he has “given him a breathing operation,” Nicholls’ might just have found the key to Lalor and reinvigorated him. It would not be the first time a horse has thrived following the switch to new surroundings and made a winning debut for the Somerset trainer.
Politologue Can Make a Winning Cheltenham Return
A second very capable horse, Rogue If, makes his debut for Nicholls following a switch from another yard this weekend. Tried at the highest level as a novice hurdler and chaser, connections have transferred the seven-year-old from Harry Whittington to the Nicholls yard following three disappointing efforts during the past 12 months.
However, Nicholls runs a second horse in Sunday’s Shloer Chase (due off at 2.20 pm) and he seems more confident about his chances. That horse is 12-time scorer, Politologue, the dashing grey that won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2020.
Expressing his surprise at his representative’s 6/1 early price, the trainer told Sky Sports on Tuesday: “He is brilliant first time out so we’re very happy with him. He had a lovely away day with Lalor at Wincanton and did a lovely piece of work.”
Elliott Playing an Ace at Punchestown?
Gordon Elliott had five entries in the National Hunt Flat race that concludes Punchestown’s Saturday card. He runs three of which American Mike looks the best.
The trainer is currently operating at a twenty percent success rate. An additional 21 percent of his runners have finished second this season. Topping that is his success rate in this type of race. Ten winners from 27 runners represent a 37 percent strike rate.
American Mike contributed to that tally when pulverizing six opponents at Down Royal two weeks ago. Giving seven pounds to all his rivals that day, it was a striking performance and it is hard to see him being beaten at the weekend.
Echoes in the Rain the Pick of the Mullins’ Battalion in the Morgiana
On Sunday an early steppingstone to the Champion Hurdle, the Unibet sponsored Morgiana Hurdle, can go to trainer Willie Mullins for a third consecutive year.
The fifteen-time champion trainer won this race with Sharjah in 2018 and Saldier 12 months ago. Both line-up again on Sunday as does Mullins’ Stormy Island. But it is his Echoes In The Rain that we like.
A star novice hurdler last season, this five-year-old mare rounded off her campaign with victories in a pair of Grade two contests and bettered that with glory in the Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle.
This may be her first foray into all-aged company but, currently trading as 12/1 second favorite for the Unibet Champion Hurdle, it is clear she has an enormous engine and is expected to take this assignment in her impressive stride.
This Weekend’s Top Tips:
- Lalor – 2.15 pm Cheltenham Saturday
- Politologue – 2.20 pm Cheltenham Sunday
- American Mike – 3.30 pm Punchestown Saturday
- Echoes In The Rain – 2.05 pm Punchestown Sunday
