News From Donald McCain's Yard

Donald McCain's superbly consistent performer Overturn is likely to be in action over the festive period after the trainer gave him an entry in the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The seven-year-old has had a busy few months, winning at Perth in August as well as in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot and the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November.

He was last seen finishing a fine second to Grandouet in the International at Cheltenham and while McCain had initially suggested his charge would now have a winter break, he has had a change of heart.


"I've already said twice this season I was going to put him away until Cheltenham in March - and twice now I'm back-tracking," the trainer said in his Betfair column.

"After all, he hasn't done too badly in beating Binocular by four and a half lengths in the Fighting Fifth and he was giving Grandouet 4lb when beaten four lengths in the International last time.

"He will be entered for the Christmas Hurdle for a couple of reasons. Firstly, he has come out of Cheltenham extremely well, and after seeing him on the gallops on Tuesday morning, he is again sending me all the right signals.

"Secondly, I don't think the ground will be as bad as I initially feared. But a word of warning - if it is soft or worse at Kempton, he will not be taking part."


Also Arkle favourite Peddlers Cross is set to put his unbeaten record over fences on the line in the williamhill.com Novices' Chase at Kempton on December 27.

Last season's Champion Hurdle runner-up has made a brilliant start to his career over the larger obstacles, putting in two excellent rounds of jumping at Bangor and winning without being troubled.

Donald McCain's pride and joy missed an intended engagement at Haydock on Saturday due to the testing conditions and he will now head to Kempton for a Grade Two prize better known as the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase.

McCain said in his Betfair column: "He worked well this morning, and his intended target is the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton, all being well.

"He is likely to take on Sprinter Sacre, among others, so it could be an exciting race."

Lough Derg Long Walk Hurdle Preview

David Pipe is excited at the prospect of Dynaste taking on brilliant stayer Big Buck's in the Lough Derg Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

While admitting Paul Nicholls' superstar will be very hard to beat, the Nicholashayne trainer expects his five-year-old to make a race of it.

Dynaste has plenty to do on official ratings but he looked on the upgrade when storming to victory in a fixed brush handicap hurdle at Haydock last month.


"Looking ahead to the weekend, we confirmed Dynaste at the five-day stage for the Lough Derg Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday and a potential clash with reigning staying hurdler Big Buck's," he told www.davidpipe.com.

"It is a huge ask to beat Big Buck's, but we will be giving it our best shot - Dynaste is an improving young stayer who more than deserves his place in the line-up.

"You cannot be scared of one horse, although realistically we have it to do on official figures."


Sparky May finished a creditable fourth behind Big Buck's in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and is set to renew rivalry this weekend.

Trainer Keiran Burke said: "Hopefully she's going to run. She's come on a lot since Newbury. I think I thought she was fitter than she was that day, although I think we're running for second.

"I want to send her over fences. I think she'll run in the Listed race at Ascot that she won before (in January), and then we'll reassess."

Testing Conditions For Montbazon

Smart bumper performer Montbazon kicks off his career over hurdles at Newbury.

Alan King's four-year-old won a valuable National Hunt Flat race at Doncaster in March, after which he finished second in a Grade Two at Aintree. He was most recently third at Cheltenham on his seasonal debut.

King is slightly concerned about the ground at Newbury, but is keen to get his new career under way in the First Great Western Maiden Hurdle.

"I'm looking forward to getting him started and he's going nicely," said the Barbury Castle handler.

"It's going to be the most testing conditions he has ever encountered - I think it will be pretty gruelling out there - but I've got to get him going."

Carlisle Call Off Early

The three chase races scheduled for Carlisle's meeting on Sunday have been abandoned as that part of the course is waterlogged in places.

There is no chance of it drying out in time as a further 35 millimetres of rain is forecast ahead of the fixture.

As a result, the British Horseracing Authority have authorised a division of two of the hurdle races to form a six-race card, starting at 12.50pm.

Clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said: "It's looking like a mixed forecast so we are trying to be proactive. It was highly unlikely the chase course was going to improve.

"I had a look at it on Monday and there was more rain last night and it seemed the sensible option to try to save the meeting."

The going on the hurdles course is described as heavy.

William Hill King George VI Chase Preview

Daryl Jacob is to ride Master Minded confidently when the dual Queen Mother Champion Chase winner steps up to three miles for the first time in the William Hill King George VI Chase.

He partnered the eight-year-old to victory over Somersby in the Amlin Chase at Ascot last month and is delighted to be keeping the ride at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Jacob is relishing his role as number two to trainer Paul Nicholls, with stable jockey Ruby Walsh aboard owner Clive Smith's other runner, four-time King George hero Kauto Star.

"Ascot was a stepping-stone towards the King George. I saw him in the yard last week and both he and Kauto Star look great, so I'm looking forward to be being part of the big day," said Jacob.

"I'd be hopeful of beating Somersby again. As for the trip, it just depends on what the ground is going to be like. If it's very dead it's going to make it harder work for him, but I'll just do the usual and ride him very confidently as if he does get three miles.

"If he doesn't then he doesn't, but I will be riding him very confidently. If he does get the trip we'll see where we go from there.

"Kauto's performance the last day (at Haydock) was brilliant for everyone involved and if he turns up in that sort of form again he's obviously going to be very hard to beat.

"Long Run needed the run there a little bit and he's going to strip fitter, so they are definitely the two principals we've got to try to beat," the jockey told At The Races.

Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Ascot Preview

Ante-post favourite Prospect Wells heads a field of 21 confirmed for the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

The Graham Wylie-owned novice, trained by Paul Nicholls, has taken to hurdling well, winning two of his three starts, while the Ditcheat handler is also responsible for the top weight Brampour and Tonic Mellysse.

Edward O'Grady's Sailors Warn and the Willie Mullins-trained Tawaagg are the two Irish representatives left.


Brian Ellison could run Marsh Warbler or Abergavenny while Imperial Cup winner Alarazi is also a possible.

Nicky Henderson, who has such a good record in the race, has left in Gibb River and Rajdhani Express while Donald McCain could run Desert Cry.


Alan King reports Raya Star to be in fine shape ahead of the valuable handicap. "We've left him in and the intention is for him to run, all being well between now and the weekend," said the Barbury Castle trainer.

"He's in good form and he ran well at Newbury last time - that was probably his best run."

Tom George was forced to withdraw Olofi after the Greatwood Hurdle runner-up scoped dirty.

The Slad handler said: "He's not going for the Ladbroke. He didn't scope clean which is frustrating, but he's got some rock-solid form and we'll get him right. We haven't decided where we are going to run him yet. All we know at the moment is we can't run him at the weekend. We'll see how we go."

Another to miss the race is Philip Hobbs' Featherbed Lane, who holds an alternative engagement at Haydock.

Fairytale Victory For The Tatling

The Tatling brought the curtain down on his racing career with a fairytale victory at Wolverhampton.

Making his 176th and final racecourse appearance as a 14-year-old, Milton Bradley's pride and joy was searching for an unlikely victory in the Dine In Horizons Restaurant Handicap.

The 2004 King's Stand winner was slowly away, but Richard Kingscote was happy to play the waiting game in the rear, and though Grand Stitch looked to have stolen a march on his rivals rounding the turn for home, The Tatling rattled home out wide to get up on the line for a short-head win, the 18th of his career.

Bradley said: "I know it was only a small race, but what a wonderful story. The horse is still a star in our eyes."

"He's one of those you drop on by mistake and spend the rest of your life looking for another one half as good. So many people in the country must know about him - it's unbelievable.

"He wasn't the easiest to train and it took us a while to get to know him. We learnt how he liked to come through horses and use that turn of foot in the last furlong - that's how he won the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

"When we went there we thought if we finish in the first half we'll be lucky and then for him to go and win it and win it quite easily was something marvellous. He's been a marvellous servant for everyone involved with him.

"A lot of the people who try to tell you what to do really don't understand your horse. If the horse didn't like racing and wanted to be retired two years ago, we'd have done it. We tried to retire him and he didn't want to know. He was so miserable.

"We're going to have to be very cautious now how we treat him as he won't want to be left without going out and seeing life. Nobody is more excited about the win than I am."