08/01/17 Straight From The Trainers Mouth

Nicky Henderson

1.00 Chepstow Bardd 7/4

He would have a very good chance and I would like to think he’d be up to winning this. He was well fancied to win at Sandown last time but ran very green and just didn’t have his act together. This should be a very good opportunity for him.

★★★★★

1.30 Chepstow Constantine Bay 13/8 (heavy going at Chepstow)

I was pleasantly surprised with him at Haydock last time where he stayed on very well so I think he’ll be well suited to the track at Chepstow.  He’s decent and has a very realistic chance but I wouldn’t want the ground to be too soft as he’s a very good moving animal.

★★★★☆

2.00 Chepstow Fly Camp 5/4

He will very much like the ground if it’s soft. He ran during the summer but probably not as much as I’d have liked because it wasn’t soft enough.  He’s in good form and goes there with solid claims.

★★★★★

Willie Mullins

1.20 Naas American Tom 6/4

He jumped very well, although a little to his left, when winning nicely at Punchestown last month. Going left-handed here will suit better and he will handle this ground. We think he has great potential over fences and hopefully he will have learned enough last time to go in again here.

★★★★★

1.50 Naas Augusta Kate 3/1

ugusta Kate (Ruby) won over 3 miles on her hurdling debut at Thurles in November but we don’t think that the drop back in trip here will inconvenience her. This is a big ask on only her second run over hurdles but we think she has the ability to cope.

★★★★☆

1.50 Naas Turcagua 8/1

Turcagua (Paul) has taken a while to come to himself but is now improving with every run and was impressive when winning at Punchestown last time.

★★★☆☆

Gordon Elliott

12.50 Naas Westland Row 33/1

His first couple of runs in bumpers were promising but he has been disappointing since, including on his hurdles debut at Leopardstown last week. We're hoping he will be a bit sharper for that run. He'll definitely need to improve to get involved but he's a young horse and hopefully there is more to come from him.

★★☆☆☆

12.50 Naas Mossback 4/1

He has had a few setbacks so we are looking forward to getting him started over hurdles. The ground should be fine for him as he won his bumper on heavy ground at Limerick but I just think he'll need this race after the few problems we had with him. He'll come on for the run and whatever he does here he should be better for it the next day.

★★★☆☆

1.20 Naas Stone Hard 4/1

I have a slight concern running him back so quickly after he ran in Limerick but he seems in great form. I think he had a lot of problems last year when he was with Willie Mullins but touch wood he has a clean bill of health for us now. On his day, he is a talented horse as he showed down in Limerick where I thought he was very impressive. This is a step up for him against three good horses so we'll know more about him after today.

★★★☆☆

1.50 Naas Blood Crazed Tiger 10/1

To be honest, I'd be surprised if Blood Crazed Tiger could beat Death Duty at his best but he's earned a crack at a race like this and we're looking forward to seeing how he gets on. He has won his last four races and is three from three over hurdles. I would have a concern about him handling the ground here as this would be his first try on real soft ground so we'll learn a lot about him today.

★★★☆☆

1.50 Naas Death Duty 4/7

This looks a good race as you'd expect for a Grade 1 hurdle in Ireland. You have Willie's two horses Augusta Kate and Turcagua and Noel Meade's Bel Ami De Sivola who has won his last three races but in all honesty I think Death Duty sets the standard. He jumped so well at Navan and showed good speed to beat a very good field so I've no problem with him at this trip for now. It is still early days with regards to Cheltenham but at this stage I'd be thinking of running him in the Neptune if it came up soft or in the Albert Bartlett if the ground was good. But let's get today out of the way first and this is a Grade 1 race itself so it will take a lot of winning.

★★★★★

2.20 Naas Killer Crow 11/2

He is very frustrating and he definitely doesn't run on the track the way he works at home. We've tried a few things with him already but we're putting blinkers on for the first time today and Lisa O'Neill is going take 7lbs off his back. He is down to a mark of 127 so if he can put his best foot forward he'd have a great chance but you just don't know with him.

★★★★☆

3.20 Naas Monbeg Rose 10/1

She has been a bit disappointing and failed to inspire us on her latest run at Limerick. I think it will be a struggle for her to win a mares beginners chase at this time of the year and it might be that she finds her level during the summer.

★☆☆☆☆

Harry Whittington

1.30 Chepstow Affaire Dhonneur 3/1

He has been freshened up since Haydock and goes into the weekend in excellent form.  He hasn’t yet showed his form of last season, but he is a talented horse and remains on an attractive handicap mark of 126.  Hopefully this weekend will give him a confidence boost and get him heading back in the right direction.

★★★★☆

David Pipe

1.10 Fontwell Taws 8/1

Taws makes her Pond House/hurdling debut in the 14 runner maiden hurdle at 1.10pm.  She had some good form on the level including when runner-up in the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot in 2015.  She has an absence to overcome and plenty of the opposition have experience.  It will be interesting to see how she fares under Michael Heard.  My Khaleesi looks to be the one to beat.

★★★☆☆

3.00 Chepstow Shaama Grise 5/1

Shaama Grise runs at 3.00pm in an eight runner mares' handicap hurdle - she had some decent form in France and looks to have solid claims although this could be a trappy little contest with several winners in the line-up.

★★★★☆

4.00 Chepstow Poisoned Berry 13/2

Poisoned Berry runs in a very competitive handicap hurdle at 4.00pm - she has won twice this season and consequently has plenty of weight to carry.  Greyed A looks to be the one we have to beat.

★★★☆☆