Cheltenham Festival hopes were buoyed by a number of big race winners across Britain and Ireland this weekend. After a Saturday full of promising victors, Sunday delivered in Ireland too.
We round up all of those winners, as well as more of today’s racing news, in Monday’s round-up.
Newbury, Warwick & Navan winners all have Cheltenham potential
Both Grade 2 events at Newbury on Saturday went to their respective favourites in Lulamba and Haiti Couleurs. The former landed the Game Spirit Chase despite his novice status, storming to a seven-length triumph over his experienced rivals. Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old will now have the Arkle in his sights, for which he is also favourite. Haiti Couleurs also delivered in the Denman Chase for Rebecca Curtis and Sean Bowen. A run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup now looms on the horizon for the Irish and Welsh Grand National hero. (Guardian)
A Champion Hurdle tilt is now alive for Paul Nicholls’ Tutti Quanti, a rampant winner of the William Hill Hurdle. He and Harry Cobden dismantled their rivals by 15 lengths off top-weight, with his mark now likely to rise considerably. Should the handicapper see fit, the rise in the weights from a rating of 138 may well see Nicholls and connections supplement the six-year-old for the Tuesday showpiece at the Cheltenham Festival, a race which is widely considered to host an open renewal this season. (Sky Sports)
Meanwhile, at Warwick, Steel Ally stole the show in the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices’ Chase. Sam Thomas’ charge is now unbeaten in three starts over fences following a composed display of jumping. A ten-length winning margin over runner-up Mirabad saw him shorten for the Arkle, in which he could meet Lulamba. (WarwickshireWorld)
To conclude the weekend, Oscars Brother was the star of the show at Navan on Sunday. In his first run in JP McManus’s silks, he claimed the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase with minimal fuss. Trained by Connor King, and sent off as the clear favourite for success, he never saw a rival as he coasted clear for a facile success. The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on day two of the Cheltenham Festival is a likely target for next month. (Irish Field)
Racing Digital turmoil worse than first reported
Racing Digital’s proposed overhaul of British racing was thrown further into chaos on Sunday. The cost of the project, run in conjunction with the BHA and Weatherbys, was initially said to have cost £5.5 million, but is now reported to be in the region of £11.8 million, with any reforms now up in the air after the resignation of Racing Digital’s chief last week. Chris Batterham left after doubts about the project’s future came to light, as the potential outlay may reach £20 million. (Racing Post)
Jonbon on course for Ascot Chase
Lastly, this week’s racing concludes with the Grade 1 Ascot Chase, in which Jonbon may step up in trip. Nicky Henderson’s longstanding stable star claimed his 11th success at the highest level at the track last month. That victory in the Game Spirit Chase was over 2m1f, habitually his trip, but Henderson is excited about exploring middle distances with Jonbon, who may contest the Ryanair Chase instead of the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham. (Press Association via Wiltshire Gazette)