As in most sports the weekly racing round-up will start with unfortunate news. At the start of the the week we got disappointing news that Cheltenham Festival hopeful and Harry Redknapp's star Novice Chaser The Jukebox Man is going to miss the rest of the season with an injury.
“The Jukebox Man has this morning sustained an injury during his routine exercise that will sadly rule him out for the season” - Ben Pauling
The 7 year old was 2 out of 2 over fences this season including the Grade 1 Kauto Star at Kempton on Boxing Day. He was a 9-2 shot for the Brown Advisory on the Wednesday of the Festival at the time of his injury.
Secondly, the Willie Mullins trained Anzadam was also ruled out with an injury after his Grade 3 success at Naas. Mullins stated
Unfortunately Anzadam picked up a little injury at Naas and won't be ready for Aintree.
At the time of his injury he was unbeaten and burst on the scene at Fairyhouse after being bought over from France, winning by 6 1/2 lengths under Paul Townend in the famous Donnelly silks.
Sandown Round-up.
On the weekend we had the 2025 renewal of the Silly Isles Novices' Chase sponsored by Virgin Bet. Favourite for the race was Jango Baie at 10-11, a small field made for a simple race for the jockeys, Ben Jones attempted to make all on Handstands who is trained by Ben Pauling. Kalif Du Berlais jumped well through the race until the speed went up and he made mistakes at the 3rd and 2nd last under Harry Cobden.
It was a battle from 3 out between Jango Baie and Handstands, Nico de Boinville was motionless on Jango Baie coming to 2 out and Handstands made a slight mistake losing a lot of speed and going to the last they where level but a fast slick jump from Handstands game him a slight lead.
Jango Baie Battled back alongside Handstands up the Sandown hill giving fans a rip-roaring finish and it went to a photo finish, Handstands was called the winner by a short head under a superb ride by Ben Jones who clinched his second Grade 1 of his season and career. Ben Jones only had praise for the horse.
I've never experienced a horse take off and quicken the way he did.
He's got so much class and we still haven't got to the bottom of him.
The conditions where tough for the horses and riders with heavy ground on both the hurdles and chase course. The eye-catching display of the day came from Red Dirt Road who powered away the win the Grade 3 Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle.
Making all on tacky, dead ground under a wonderfully judged ride by Jonjo O'Neill Jr he cleared away to win by 8 lengths to well backed favourite Henri The Second trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Harry Cobden, who saddled his first winner for over a week at Musselburgh on Sunday.
Finally, Musselburgh held a high quality day of racing including the Scottish Champion Chase. Won by 2/1 favourite The Kalooki Kid who was given a superb ride by Danny McMenamin and trained by Nicky Richards.
We had a shock result in the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle (Listed, Class1) when St Pancras won at 33/1! Ex flat recruit from Martyn Meade won twice on the flat and had a BHA rating of 86, running okay on hurdle debut for Toby Lawes at Ascot in the race won by Lulamba (Current 6/4 favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival) finishing 20 lengths behind back in 5th.
But maybe the most impressive performance on the card was Intense Approach, after winning at Cheltenham in October easily under Harry Cobden the John McConnell trained gelding comfortable followed that up by winning the bet365 Scottish Stayers' Novices' Hurdle.
James Bowen gave Intense Approach a super ride by making all and beating listed winner and grade placing mare Gale Mahler who probably hasn't been at her best of late. Intense Approach is now 33/1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices' hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, at that price he's 100% got some each-way value after this impressive win. Bardenstown Lad, who went on to finish third in the Albert Bartlett so Intense Approach is expected to take the same route – with the race his only entry at the festival.
During writing this piece we got news of another injury of a top chaser who finished second to Galopin Des Champs in last years Cheltenham Gold Cup, Gerri Colombe is confirmed to miss the season.
Since his opening run of the season at Down Royal he has missed several possible engagements, with Elliott stating he was not 100 per cent happy with the nine-year-old, hoping to have him back for the Spring Festivals. This will not be after the Robcour owned Aintree bowl winner will not return until Autumn at the earliest. Gordon Elliot had this to say
“It’s a big blow for ourselves and the Robcour team but we will concentrate on getting him right for next season when hopefully all roads will lead back to the Gold Cup.”
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