Midnight Misses National For Totesport Bowl

Neil Mulholland’s fine chaser Midnight Chase will not take his chance in next month’s John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 9 and will instead be targeted at the Grade 1 Totesport Bowl earlier in the meeting, writes Elliot Slater.

The nine-year-old, one of the most improved horses in training this season, ran a cracker to be a staying-on fifth behind Long Run in last week’s stunning Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, having won his three previous outings this term at the Prestbury track. Prominent throughout the first half of the contest, the son of Midnight Legend lost his pitch after 5 out and for a while looked as though he might tail-off, but he rallied bravely from the third last and was keeping on well again up the Cheltenham hill to come home fifth, beaten 19 lengths, in a race that was run in course record time and is already regarded as one of the greatest of the modern era.

Stamina for a race such at the Aintree marathon would appear no problem for the Lady Clarke-owned gelding and the Grand National betting odds reflected this. But after giving the matter plenty of thought connections have decided to wait until next year to go for the Grand National and to concentrate this term on the Grade 1 contest where they could potentially be up against the mighty Long Run once again.

Midnight Chase, who had been on offer at up to 33/1 for the big race, is reported to have recovered quickly from his exertions and the horse racing odds suggest he should go well in the Totesport Bowl.

Mulholland’s reasoning in waiting another 12 months to bid for the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’ is that his charge is only a second season chaser and he believes that another season’s experience will stand Midnight Chase in excellent stead to put up a very big performance next year.

Tags: grand national 2011, midnight chase grand national, midnight chase horseShare

Quito Misses RSA For National Hunt Chase

Quito De La Roque, as short as 14/1 with some firms for the Grade 1 RSA Chase at the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival, will instead tackle the four-mile National Hunt Chase, the opening event on day two of what promises to be a spectacular four days at Prestbury Park next week, writes Elliot Slater.

Trainer Colm Murphy has taken his time in reaching a decision as to which races offers the best chance for his up-and-coming novice, and after giving it much thought has decided to forego the opportunity to take on the cream of the three-mile novice chasers with the seven-year-old winner of his two most recent outings, both in Grade 2 company.

Murphy has few doubts that the Saint Des Saints gelding has the required stamina to see out the extended trip in a race restricted to amateur riders, and granted some cut in the ground looks sure to go into the race with seriously good prospects of at least making the frame. Bookmakers are clearly having difficulties assessing just how the seven-year-old’s form measures up to his rivals, with one firm making him 6/1 joint-favourite in the Cheltenham odds, with others go as big as 12/1 about his chances.

With the first five in the ante-post betting for the race all trained in Ireland it’s looking as though the home team (led potentially by Beshabar and possibly Wayward Prince), will have a serious fight on their hands stopping the Irish from winning the prize for the first time since Ian Duncan’s Another Rum scored in 2005.

Quito De La Roque’s only defeat in four starts this term came when narrowly beaten in the Grade 1 Fort Leney Novices Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas fixture, form that is arguably better than anything else entered for the prestigious staying contest.

Meanwhile, after the Cheltenham Festival is over, racing fans will have the Grand National 2011 to look forward to.

Currently, The Midnight Club is favourite, but with seven horses just behind him as co-favourites it looks set to be a tight contest.

Tags: cheltenham news, quito de la roque horse, RSA chase, rsa chase runnersShare

Zaarito Sidelined and Misses Ryanair Chase

The talented but somewhat clumsy Zaarito has met with a setback and will miss his intended engagement in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 17, writes Elliot Slater.

The Colm Murphy-trained nine-year-old is undoubtedly a talented performer but has had more than his fair share of tumbles in recent seasons as his record of five falls from his last 11 outings over both hurdles and fences bears testament. An old injury to a ligament in his near-fore leg has flared up again meaning that Murphy won’t be able to have the gelding fit enough to run at Cheltenham. Instead, the horse who was generally quoted at Cheltenham betting odds of 33/1 for the two-mile-five-furlong Ryanair Chase, will be given more time to recover and hopefully return later in the term, possibly at Punchestown in April.

A smart bumper horse in his youth, the gelded son of Tiraaz has only once in his career left the shores of Ireland and that was when bidding for the 2008 Cheltenham Festival Bumper, where he eventually finished a good third to Cousin Vinny, having been sent off the 3/1 favourite. Although he has never won any graded contest over obstacles there have been a number of occasions when Zaarito has looked as though he might be about to land a big pot, only for his jumping to let him down at a crucial stage. The most recent example was when coming to take up the running at the third last in the Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse last April, only to take a nasty fall from which he thankfully recovered quickly.

Murphy’s charge has only had the one outing so far this term when running with credit at Fairyhouse in December to finish second to Golden Silver in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase.

Tags: cheltenham, festival, ireland, ladbrokes, ryanair chaseShare

Flat Out misses rest of season with leg injury

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USA: Sidney's Candy misses race after minor setback

Sidney's Candy: trainer felt he was not moving 100 per cent right behind

  PICTURE: EquiSport Photos/Alex Evers  Sidney's Candy misses race after minor setback By Nicholas Godfrey 10:50AM 15 JAN 2011 USA: Last year's Santa Anita Derby winner Sidney's Candy, one of the top older horses in California, will miss his intended engagement on Saturday after a minor setback.

According to the Daily Racing Form, the four-year-old was scratched from the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita after he was found to be walking unsound on Friday.

Trainer John Sadler explained: "He was off a little behind - I don't think it's serious. He wasn't really 100 percent. It's his right hind. I don't think it's anything major."

Sadler said he is hoping that Sidney's Candy will be back from the Strub Stakes over 1m1f on February 5.

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Kauto misses Hennessy to wait for King George

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Hanagan misses rides as Newcastle calls off Tuesday card

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Strong Suit may go for Mill Reef but Zebedee misses race

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