Weird Al for the Hennessy Gold Cup?

Donald McCain remains reluctant to commit the talented but fragile Weird Al to the Hennessy Gold Cup after his win at Wetherby.

The injury-plagued eight-year-old leapt to favouritism in some books for the Newbury showpiece with victory in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase. It was a fine comeback run, his first since being pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup where he burst a blood vessel, and a dream debut for the McCain stable after moving from the Ian Williams yard.


"He's been out in the paddock this morning and is fine, no problems," said the Cholmondeley handler.

"I don't know about the Hennessy. I need to talk to the owners and have a chat about it.

"He's a horse that needs some managing so we have to do what's best for him.

"He's a class horse. It was a good performance yesterday and we want to do the job right."

Looking Ahead To The Paddy Power Gold Cup At Cheltenham

Nick Gifford is looking forward to saddling both Tullamore Dew and Nomecheki in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 12.

Tullamore Dew has good form at Prestbury Park having finished second in the Coral Cup and third in the Centenary Novices' Handicap Chase at the last two Festivals. The nine-year-old ran with plenty of credit when fifth in the Silver Trophy over hurdles at Chepstow on Saturday and Gifford is looking forward to seeing him return to Prestbury Park.

Gifford said: "The plan is for Tullamore Dew to run in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. I couldn't be happier with him after his run at the weekend. He needed every yard of the two and a half miles at Chepstow and, because they go that bit quicker over hurdles, it caught him out a little bit but he was doing all of his best work at the end. That will have put him spot on for Cheltenham."


He added: "He is a good jumper and he loves Cheltenham - he's run two very good races there over the past two years. Ideally, we would like good to soft ground but he is a very versatile horse.

"We think that he is going to end up over three miles at some point in his career and it might be this season. The Paddy Power Gold Cup will tell us a lot about where we go with him for the rest of the campaign."

Nomecheki is a much bigger price in ante-post lists but Gifford feels he will benefit from a step up in trip, having finished a fine second to the high-class Tataniano at Chepstow over the weekend.

"Nomecheki also ran well at Chepstow and he is a horse who is probably not quite good enough over two miles, so we will step him up in trip and I think that he will appreciate a race like the Paddy Power," Gifford added.

"He is a very sound jumper with not too many miles on the clock. He travelled very well on Saturday but was totally outclassed by the winner - they think that Tataniano is a Tingle Creek horse, so it was no disgrace to come home second behind him."


An entry of 51 has been received for the £150,000 contest, with champion trainer Paul Nicholls entering the likes of ante-post favourite Mon Parrain, Poquelin and exciting French recruit Kauto Stone, a half-brother to stablemate Kauto Star. Other notable entries include Ferdy Murphy's Festival winner Divers, high-class chaser Wishfull Thinking and Great Endeavour.


The latter's trainer, David Pipe, said: "I've entered Great Endeavour and we'll see closer to the time whether he runs. He's done very well over the summer and strengthened up. That last run at Liverpool came at the end of a long season and he was disappointing, but I do think that he can bounce back this year."

bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby Preview

Weird Al is set to have his first start for Donald McCain in what is shaping up to be a fascinating bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.

The eight-year-old looked destined for the top when making it four from four over fences for Ian Williams at Carlisle on this weekend a year ago, but the rest of his campaign failed to live up to expectations, as he was found to be suffering from a breathing problem when disappointing in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury and broke a blood vessel on his final start in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.


McCain said: "There is a strong possibility he'll run in the Charlie Hall. I've been very happy with him at home. He's a grand horse and a quality horse, so we'll see how we get on. We'll know a lot more after Saturday."

Will Kennedy is looking forward to riding Time For Rupert, a winner of two of his three starts over fences as a novice before suffering a broken blood vessel when favourite for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham.

Kennedy said: "We found after Cheltenham that he had bled and it obviously came from the lung infection that was very small and kept him out of the Argento Chase (in January). You can't go into Cheltenham less than 110%. To finish fifth was still a very good run really and I knew very early that things weren't right.

"He seems really good. I worked him on the grass last week and he felt well in himself. I schooled him over nine fences on Tuesday morning and he jumped really well. He feels in good form and ready for Saturday.

"Wetherby is probably a good track for him. It's a proper jumps track and he's a proper chaser."

Wylie/Nicholls combination off to winning start.

Prospect Wells got the Graham Wylie/Paul Nicholls combination off to the best possible start when making a winning debut over jumps at Chepstow.

Former smart Flat racer Prospect Wells was among the horses leading owner Wylie transferred to the champion handler when his long-time trainer Howard Johnson was banned for four years earlier this year. The horse almost died following complications after a gelding operation went wrong earlier in his career, but all that is clearly well behind him.


The six-year-old looks to have a bright future after landing division one of the toteplacepot Novices' Hurdle by four and a half lengths from Battlecat. Prospect Wells (11-4) put in a good round of jumping for Daryl Jacob and was soon in control after taking the lead at the second-last.

"That was very pleasing. He's a lovely horse and has tons of ability, but it took a long time to get him ready to run over jumps. He wasn't very good when Howard (Johnson) was first trying him out," said Wylie.

"All credit to Paul Nicholls for getting him to win, but also to Howard Johnson for saving his life because he had great problems with his operations. I think because of all that he needed a year off just to recover from the exhaustion of the operations.


"He's a lovely prospect, Paul was very impressed with him, so we'll see where we go from now. He jumped great and he seemed to enjoy it. He jumped the first flight beautifully and the others as well, even when he got barged into it."

Prospect Wells was given a quote of 20-1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Old Roan Chase Preview

Nicky Richards is preparing for an emotional afternoon at Aintree on Saturday as he takes Monet's Garden back to Merseyside to parade before the Old Roan Chase.

The bold-jumping grey recorded his third victory in the Grade Two contest in 2010 which proved to be his final racecourse appearance, with a hoof infection forcing his retirement - and also threatening his life.

The 13-year-old eventually made a full recovery and will be back in the parade ring this weekend prior to the newly-named Betfred Monet's Garden Old Roan Chase.

"I was half-thinking I'd missed the entries and I should be running him!" said Richards.

"He's all polished up and ready to go and I think he's looking forward to it.

"It will be quite emotional taking him back to Aintree, but hopefully there will be an awful lot of people happy to see him.

"He has a great following in Liverpool and has made a few friends, so it will be nice for them to see him again.

"I'm sure it will be a nice day."

Meanwhile, Owner Clive Smith feels everything is in Master Minded's favour as he makes his eagerly-awaited return to action.


Champion trainer Paul Nicholls had a late change of heart over where the eight-times Grade One-winning chaser would begin his season, as it had been thought he would be heading for Ascot next month for the Amlin 1965 Chase, but as that is the same day as the Betfair Chase at Haydock, Ruby Walsh would have had to choose between riding Master Minded or his beloved Kauto Star.

Master Minded looked back to his imperious best when last in action over two and a half miles at the Grand National meeting, and the first half of his season will be built around a crack at Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Long Run in the King George over three miles at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Smith said: "He's in very good shape and Paul was pleased with how he worked on Thursday morning. We think this is a nice prep race for him and probably actually fits in better time-wise than the race at Ascot on November 19.


"It also means we have Ruby, of course, which is a big plus. We'll see how he gets on. We know he likes the track and the trip, so everything looks to be in his favour. It would be nice to give Long Run some opposition in the King George, but we'll take it one race at a time."

Master Minded faces just two rivals, with Jonjo O'Neill's Albertas Run reopposing having been firmly put in his place in the Melling Chase.

Completing the field is Peter Bowen's Pure Faith, who is the best part of 2st out of the handicap.

Racing Post Trophy Preview

Joseph O'Brien is on the red-hot favourite for the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster when he rides Camelot for his father, Aidan.

The youngster has been making great strides this season and won the Irish 2,000 Guineas earlier in the year on Roderic O'Connor, while Camelot was sent off the 1-3 favourite on his debut at Leopardstown in June and did not disappoint his army of backers when winning by two lengths.


Joseph O'Brien said: "He did it nicely first time out, he was very professional. He's had a nice break since then. He's been brought along gently and he seems in good form."

He added: "I ride him in all his work at home. You'd like to think that he has matured mentally as well as physically since his first run. The ground should be fine. As long as it's not too soft, nobody can have a complaint - it should be beautiful."

Whip Rule Law...jockeys have given a mixed response

Leading jockeys have given a mixed response to the amended new whip regulations announced today by the British Horseracing Authority.

Among the changes - which came into immediate effect - are the removal of the five-hit rule inside the final furlong/after the last obstacle, and riders will now not lose their riding fee if suspended for a whip offence.

They will also only lose their percentage of prize-money if their offence earns a ban of seven days or more, rather than the three days the rules originally stated, but dissatisfaction remains among riders at the strength of penalties for minor breaches of the rules, and former champion Jamie Spencer voiced his displeasure with the Professional Jockeys Association.

Spencer told At The Races: "I think history is repeating itself like on every other issue, we're weak with no strength behind us and everybody waves the flag too easy. I'm disappointed with a lot of the guys that have taken it all lying down.

"French jockeys stick together, the Australians stuck together over the whip and this is why we're probably racing for peanuts everyday of the week. We never put a fight up for anything, we take everything lying down. I'm just disappointed with everybody. Nobody is bothered about the seven strikes, it's just the penalties, they don't add up."


Current title holder Paul Hanagan hopes there is still room for manoeuvre over penalties.

He said: "I was made up they did away with the five hits inside the final furlong and gave us our riding fee back, but I still think the severity of a five-day ban is too much. That's coming from me, and I very rarely get banned, I've had to adapt to the rules over the years but there are some lads not in the position I'm in getting five or 10 days, it could finish some lads.

"They are only trying to make a living. It is hard enough as it is. Some of them wouldn't be making a living, it will be costing them to come racing. I think there could be further problems if they don't get the five days down. A lot of lads are saying we need more than seven (hits) but I can put up with seven - as long as the days come down. It will be even harder for the lads over jumps."


Steve Drowne believes there remains a possibility of strike action.

He said: "No-one's happy about the new rules, but it depends upon the grade of unhappiness. We'll have a meeting and judge the mood. There are always going to be conflicting opinions and if lads don't feel strongly about it, then they shouldn't strike. If they do (feel strongly), then we could."