Ratings Update: Leopardstown, Newbury and Cheltenham

Mullins’ week rotten to the core

Our special Christmas edition of the Ratings Update took us up to December 27^th and Min’s demotion having passed the post first in the Grade 1 Paddy’s Reward Club Chase. Willie Mullins would have been hoping desperately for a change of luck over the final two days of Leopardstown’s Christmas fixture, but things were to only get worse.

Firstly, last season’s Stayers’ Hurdle winner Nichols Canyon sadly lost his life after a heavy fall in the Christmas Hurdle. The race still produced an exciting finish, with the odds-on Apple’s Jade (remains on 158) wearing down the game Supasundae (remains on 154) close home after the pair had jostled for the lead throughout in a race that should prove solid form.

The step up to 3m was clearly no hindrance to Apple’s Jade, for all that it wasn’t a particularly stiff test at the trip, and she would be a major player if allowed to take her chance in the Stayers’ Hurdle. Connections have since reiterated that the Mares’ Hurdle, for which she is now odds-on with several bookmakers, is again her intended target, however. Supasundae confirmed himself to be a very smart staying hurdler in defeat, and should continue to give a good account at this level.

The Mullins-trained pair Djakadam (163+ from 169) and Yorkhill (165+ from 168p) also failed to meet expectations in the same day’s Christmas Chase, though the latter shaped better than the bare result after nine months off, going well for a long way and ultimately leaving the impression that he will prove best at short of 3m. Odds-on favourite Sizing John (down 4 lb to 172) was also well held, but can have a line put through his run, having been found to be clinically abnormal post-race – his fall in the ratings has more to do with the fact that the form of the John Durkan is not working out.

The winner Road To Respect (168 from 164+) led home a one-two-three for Gigginstown – the fourth consecutive year that they have won the race – always doing enough to see off Balko des Flos (up 11 lb to 164) and Outlander (remains on 165) close home. Road To Respect still has a bit to find to be considered in the same bracket as Might Bite and a peak Sizing John, but he has time on his side, still only seven after all, and looks well worth his place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Mullins’ miserable end to the meeting was compounded by the no-show of Faugheen (down 8 lb to 168) in the Ryanair Hurdle. The alarm bells started to ring as soon as the fourth, where he was headed by stablemate Cilaos Emery (remains on 154), and Paul Townend quickly pulled him up after three out. Clearly that was a major dent to Faugheen’s Champion Hurdle claims, but the Morgiana shows that he's still capable of top-class form (backed up by a big timefigure), and there is at least plenty of time before the Cheltenham Festival.

Mick Jazz (up 4 lb to 156) edged out Cilaos Emery to earn the spoils, but it was a weak Grade 1 with only that pair giving their running, and he will clearly be vulnerable in the deeper championship 2m races. Gordon Elliott also won the other Grade 1 on the final day, Shattered Love (143 from 138p) improving another chunk to land the 3m Neville Hotels Novice Chase, a race rendered less competitive by the mid-race exit of Monalee, who brought down Rathvinden when falling at the 10th.

Mick Jazz wins the Ryanair Hurdle at @LeopardstownRC - hot favourite Faugheen was pulled-up... pic.twitter.com/z1Ou3pM8Qm

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 29, 2017

Big Benefit claims made at Taunton

The Challow Novices’ Hurdle was the feature race on Saturday’s card at Newbury, a Grade 1 in which the first two finished well clear, the runner-up Mulcahys Hill (138 from 116p) setting too searching a gallop for all bar Poetic Rhythm (remains on 138). The winner’s merit is well established – he had already had six starts over hurdles before Saturday – and the form is a little below the usual standard for the race, hard to see the principals making a significant impact at this level in the spring.

Maria’s Benefit (146 from 136p), on the other hand, could prove capable of doing just that on the evidence of her victory in a listed mares’ novice at Taunton that day. She could hardly have been more impressive, dispatching a fairly useful sort by 30 lengths, and should definitely be playing in the big leagues now, ready for it on talent and technique (fast and fluent jumper).

Meanwhile, Killultagh Vic (remains on h154) gave Willie Mullins a welcome boost when winning a minor event over hurdles at Punchestown on Sunday, despite looking understandably rusty on his first start for two years. Unbeaten in two starts over fences, including a miraculous victory in a Leopardstown Grade 2, he is reportedly set for a return to that sphere now, with connections highlighting the Red Mills Chase at Gowran in February as possibly the next port of call.

Dipper winner still Worth opposing

Finally, as is tradition, the new year got underway with a high-class card at Cheltenham, including the Dipper Novices’ Chase, which looked a fascinating renewal despite just the five going to post. It did not deliver all that it promised, however, Ballyandy (139p from 141p) running as if needing the run and Willoughby Court (150p from 152p) failing to fire, while the winner Yanworth (up 2 lb to 151+) could only scramble home from the unconsidered Sizing Tennessee (up 5 lb to 149).

In Yanworth’s defence, he was only doing enough when that rival challenged late on, but he jumped with limited confidence on the whole (spends a lot of time in the air) and there are obvious grounds for continuing to take him on, the RSA perhaps his best option at the Festival.

"There's only one of those i'd want, and it's not Yanworth." - David Cleary believes Willoughby Court is the one to be on rather than Yanworth if they both run in the JLT in March. What are your thoughts? #TheVerdict

Ante-post prices: ▶️ https://t.co/yooymOcmNg pic.twitter.com/wCB4MAzkmG

— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) January 2, 2018

Wholestone (up 3 lb to 155) produced the best timefigure of the period when holding the fast-finishing 2017 winner Agrapart (remains on 154) to win the Relkeel Hurdle, producing a career best to take his record at Cheltenham to four wins from six starts. He is still at least 7 lb shy of the usual Stayers' Hurdle calibre, though this year's renewal isn't shaping up to be a vintage one, the current crop headed by rapid up-and-comer Sam Spinner (164).

Nigel Twiston-Davies also enjoyed success on the card courtesy of Ballyhill (up 2 lb to 139) in the Grade 3 handicap chase over 2½m. Ballyhill remains with the potential to progress further, a comment that also applies to Acey Milan (up 6lb to 108) and Tikkanbar (138p from 132p), the winners of the listed bumper and listed novices’ hurdle, respectively, on the card.