Handstands shines on good day for Jones and Sheehan

Exciting novice chaser Handstands could be set for Grade One company next after landing the rescheduled and feature DragonBet Towton Novices’ Chase at Ffos Las on Saturday as the latest round of the David Power Jockeys’ Cup headed to west Wales.

The big-race winner was partnered by Ben Jones, who moved up to clear eighth in the Jockeys’ Cup standings on 74 points, while rider Gavin Sheehan profited most on the afternoon with a winner and a second to cement his sixth place in the table with a new total of 98 points.

Handstands was to the fore from flag-fall alongside Cherie d’Am in the highlight of the rearranged fixture, yet the latter ultimately dropped away tamely as the Ben Pauling-trained winner and Jones took over on the run to the fourth-last.

Lord Of Thunder did very well to get back into it and attempt to go with him after being severely hampered by the fall of Range, but Handstands always looked in control and drew right away after the last.

They were the only two finishers in what proved a gruelling affair.

Trainer “delighted”

Pauling said: “I was delighted and we were learning plenty as we have never run on that tacky, holding, hard-work ground before.

“I’ve heard the reaction and some people suggested he was a bit novicey, but I think he was just learning to get out of the ground to be honest and making too much effort and ballooning a couple as a result.

“Ultimately he has done it very well and Ben was delighted with how he jumped after he ballooned the ditch and it’s another step in the right direction. It looked a competitive enough field on paper and I know there was some misfortune at the third-last but I think they were all coming to the end of their tether and it was probably why they fell.

“I was really quite taken with how well he was going turning for home, he just quickened off the bend and sort of put the race to bed and after the last he somehow quickened again.

“Ben said he finished the race as fresh as a daisy and doesn’t think he has had an overly-hard race which is quite extraordinary considering the ground there today. I’m just delighted and it’s another step on the road for a nice, progressive young novice chaser.”

Connections may bypass Cheltenham

Handstands could now make a relatively quick return to action at Sandown on February 1 for a step up to Grade One company in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.

And with Pauling and the gelding’s owners willing to bypass the Cheltenham Festival and a potential clash with high-ranking stablemate The Jukebox Man, the six-year-old could instead head to Aintree in the spring.

“It’s a quick enough turnaround for the Scilly Isles, but that would very much be on our minds if he comes out of this in good form,” continued Pauling.

“The Radfords have never been overly fussed by going to Cheltenham with him this year, they are not trying to avoid it, but they think the Scilly Isles and possibly Aintree might be the way forward and I can’t say I disagree.

“If we manage to get to the Scilly Isles in good form he will have been busy enough and will be his fourth run of the season and that and on to Aintree could round up a lovely season for him really.”

He went on: “We’ve some lovely horses coming through and are lucky to have the owners to buy us these horses. So I have to say a huge thank you to them really.

“Of course I wouldn’t really want to go and take on The Jukebox Man at Cheltenham, but if the Radfords wanted to go I would. However, it’s a nice position to be in to be able to keep them apart.”

JJ Slevin appointed retained rider to Munir and Souede

A new name could soon be a lot more prominent on the David Power Jockeys’ Cup leaderboard with news that Irish-based rider J J Slevin will succeed the now-retired Daryl Jacob as retained jockey to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Following Jacob’s retirement from the saddle at Leopardstown on Sunday, the powerful owners have moved swiftly to secure a replacement, with Slevin to ride runners in their ‘double green’ silks in both Britain and Ireland.

Slevin has enjoyed a lengthy association with Joseph O’Brien, riding a Grade One double at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting for the handler aboard Solness and Home By The Lee, but he has also had notable success in the Munir and Souede colours, having partnered Irish Grand National winner Intense Raffles last year.

 

New role, “but continuing with the old”

Speaking to Racing TV at Ayr on Thursday – after winning on his first ride since his new official position was announced – Slevin said: “I’m delighted to team up with Simon and Isaac and fill large boots now – they will take plenty of filling so we’ll try our best.”

On his new role, the rider added: “It’s lovely.

“Obviously I’ve been working with [trainer] Stuart [Crawford] for a very long time and Simon and Isaac obviously came on board there and I got to know them through that, so even though it’s a new role it’s just continuing on with the old really and I’m just looking forward to it.”

Hopes for “long, successful association”

In a statement posted on X, Munir said: “We are delighted to announce that J J Slevin will be joining Team Double Green with immediate effect. J J’s prime responsibility will be to be our retained jockey in Ireland and England.

“J J has ridden many of our horses in the past, including our Irish Grand National winner Intense Raffles. With Daryl’s retirement, this is a natural progression, having often deputised in the past for Daryl in his absence. Daryl’s continuing role within Team Double Green will ensure a smooth transition.

“We look forward to a long, successful association with J J and welcome him to Team Double Green.”

Munir and Souede also retain Bryony Frost to ride their runners in France.

Lucky Place stars in New Year’s double for De Boinville

Lucky Place announced himself as a Stayers’ Hurdle contender – and starred in a New Year’s Day double for David Power Jockeys’ Cup contender Nico de Boinville – in the feature Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson’s progressive performer had made a winning return in the Ascot Hurdle and was again taking on Jeremy Scott’s Cheltenham Festival winner Golden Ace, who was sent off the 5-2 favourite.

Lucky Place was one of the runners to keep tabs on the forward-going Gowel Road as Sam Twiston-Davies attempted to bring stamina to the fore aboard his father Nigel’s strong-staying and consistent performer.

Meanwhile, Golden Ace and Gary and Josh Moore’ Salver travelled stylishly in behind as they stealthily moved into contention heading down hill for the final time.

With Salver taking a crashing fall at the last and Golden Ace’s stamina beginning to waver, it was left to Lucky Place to hold off the rallying Gowel Road, who refused to lie down and made the young Seven Barrows pretender answer every call.

Lucky Place returned a winning verdict of three-quarters of a length at odds of 3-1, with Henderson suggesting he could now head straight to the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, for which Coral went 16-1 from 20-1.

Elsewhere on the card, De Boinville struck with his only other mount as Chantry House scored at 8-1 in the Betfair Handicap Chase.

“Just the most likeable young horse”

Henderson said: “He’s just the most likeable young horse you could wish to have. He was meant to go novice chasing and he jumps very well, but I just couldn’t find the opportunities to go chasing and I don’t mind saying that because he should have been chasing.

“Luckily we have some very good novice chasers doing that and he has now slotted back into the Ascot Hurdle and into this, and I think he has batted himself into the squad for the Stayers’ Hurdle. He stays.

“You could go to the Cleeve, but I don’t know, racing over three miles is always going to be a tough battle and does he need one on the way to the Stayers’ or not? Nico and I had a quick chat afterwards and we decided he ought to have a crack at the Stayers’, but do we need to test that before March as we’re pretty confident he stays.

“He was ridden to take the sting out of the race today and we had to ride him like a stayer today, we needed to quicken it up and get on with it and take the sting out of the speedier horses which he did and then he put his head down and battled well.

“It’s a division that is open and I think he has earned his ticket to the Stayers’. We don’t have anything else for the race.

“I don’t think we have to prove he stays to ourselves, we know he stays and he is on a progressive curve.

“We think he’s a three-miler, he’s progressive and I might say he is better to keep growing than throw another race at him. The only point in running in the Cleeve is to prove he stays and why don’t we ask that in March rather than the end of January.”

Daryl Jacob announces imminent retirement

Daryl Jacob guided Impaire Et Passe to a fine win in the Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick – and quickly announced he would retire from the saddle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The 41-year-old jockey was riding for his long-standing retained owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede in the Grade One feature, and enjoyed a four-length victory aboard the Willie Mullins-trained 8-13 favourite.

The success followed a testing time for Jacob, who has had a lengthy injury-enforced absence to overcome, and after adding the title to a CV that includes the Grand National with Neptune Collonges, he said his sole ride on the final day of Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting would be his last.

He told Sportinglife.com: “It’s the right decision at the right time. I’ve worked very hard to get back from injury this season and I knew I had some good opportunities this Christmas, including in the Grade One.

“To ride Impaire Et Passe there to win the Grade One, it will be very difficult to beat that now and finishing at Leopardstown, where I won my first Grade One, feels right.

“I’ve always wanted to retire on my terms, riding good horses, and Impaire Et Passe has been one of our best horses. He’s very special to me.”

He added of his recent injury troubles: “I’m not going to lie, it has been a very frustrating spell for me and has been hard work. I knew I had one or two good rides coming into the Christmas period so wanted to get back for it.

“It’s been a tough road and hard work. It was a real battle at Oaksey House to get fit for this festive period and the shoulder feels good, but I can’t better this, riding a Grade 1 for Simon and Isaac.

“I have to thank my family, Simon, Isaac and Anthony Bromley and all of the medics that have looked after me. A special mention too to Robert and Sally Alner, the boss has made every career decision I ever made including to ride for Simon and Isaac.

“They were very important people that have been with me throughout my career.

“It has been wonderful. I’ve ridden a Grand National winner, now 31 Grade 1 winners, I’ve ridden over 1000 winners.

“I’ve been very lucky. I’ve battled with my weight over the years, I’m not getting any younger, I’ve had to work hard with my weight and it doesn’t get any easier.

“I’m looking forward to new opportunities, being part of the Double Green team going forward – I’ll still be an integral part of the team.”

Simon Munir paid tribute to Jacob, telling sportinglife.com: “Daryl has been like a younger brother and family to us.

“We knew that this season was going to be his last and he asked if he could end this weekend having ridden Impaire Et Passe to a Grade 1 win, which we totally get.

“Every sportsman wants to go out at their pinnacle and winning that race on one of our best horses meant an awful lot to him.

“He’s going to continue to be part of the Double Green team, riding horses in their work, representing us at the races and be very much an integral part of it all still moving forward.

“When you have a retained jockey you develop a close relationship. You speak daily about the horses and how things are going. But at the back of all of our minds is that race riding is a dangerous sport and he’s done it for an awful long time.

“He’s done a great job for us and it’s a great relief for him to end on his own terms having come back from two injuries this season.”

Willie Mullins hails “best-ever” run from Galopin Des Champs

The brilliant Galopin Des Champs took his record to six from six over fences at Leopardstown with a repeat victory in the Savills Chase as the feature race from day three of the Christmas meeting was shown live on ITV Racing.

Beaten by stablemate Fact To File on his seasonal return in the John Durkan at Punchestown, the two-time Gold Cup hero reversed the form here and looked better the further he went, pulling away from Fact To File in second with Gentlemansgame further behind in third and Heart Wood plugging on for fourth.

Galopin Des Champs is now odds-on to secure a third successive Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph in March, with jockey Paul Townend riding his 21st top-level winner of a glittering 2024.

Winning trainer Willie Mullins said: “That was some performance. He put in some fantastic jumps and to win the way he did after giving the other horse a lead the whole way was one of the best performances I have ever seen around here.

“It’s frightening to think he could still be improving and hopefully he hasn’t left his whole season behind him, but what a great day and a great atmosphere with people all around the parade ring.

“He’s done it the hard way and jumped out in front today.”

Of the runner-up, he added: “Fact To File ran a little bit keen. We might change riding instructions for him in future. If he settles he can stay further. He stayed well today, but he’s come up against an exceptional horse.”

The New Lion roars for Dan and Harry Skelton

The New Lion proved himself an exceptional novice hurdling prospect with a facile success in the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury for trainer Dan Skelton and brother and jockey Harry, who extended his lead at the top of the David Power Jockeys’ Cup leaderboard with Grade One success.

Still unbeaten, five-year-old The New Lion was a course winner on his previous start, building on his earlier win over timber at Chepstow.

Sent off at 9-4 for this big prize, Harry Skelton was content to watch on from midfield as outsider

Electric Mason led them, along with the strong-travelling Bill Joyce who was always in his slipstream.

Harry Cobden on Paul Nicholls’ 5-4 favourite Regent’s Stroll was a little further back and both the Ditcheat contender and The New Lion edged closer into contention as the runners moved into the straight.

However, it was the Skelton charge that the eye was drawn to as The New Lion moved up menacingly to tackle Electric Mason and Bill Joyce at the last and the exceptional youngster barely broke sweat as he cantered home under a motionless pilot.

Jamie Snowden’s Wendigo kept on past beaten horses for second under Gavin Sheehan, with Regent’s Stroll unable to enhance his trainer’s fine record in the race coming home in fourth.

 

The New Lion is set to remain over an intermediate trip for a Cheltenham Festival bid in the spring, with Paddy Power making him a 4-1 chance from 12s for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park in March.

“He was very good, we’ve always liked him and hoped he would have a performance like that in him – it was just great to see,” said Skelton after landing the final British Grade One of the year and capping a stellar 2024 for his string.

“He’s done very well since winning his novice hurdle at Newbury during the Coral Gold Cup meeting and has just sharpened up a lot since then. We thought we had him better, he goes round very professionally and I just like the way he does everything really.

“At the same time of his life, My Drogo was very impressive. My Drogo was very fragile and wasn’t the easiest to train, but this horse, he is just a very unassuming horse at home with bundles of ability and you have to say he’s as good a novice hurdler that we’ve had.”

The New Lion is likely to remain over an intermediate trip for a Cheltenham Festival bid in the spring, with Paddy Power making him a 4-1 chance from 12s for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park in March.

Skelton added: “I’d say we will stay at this distance, but I would have no fear in dropping back in trip. I know he sees it out well, but he isn’t a slow horse.

“I probably won’t even enter him over three miles at the Festival and we’ll take a view closer to the time, but if I was only allowed two entries it would be over two miles and two and a half rather than two and a half and three.”

Confirming the Cheltenham Festival will be next, he continued: “We’ll just have him as ready as we can for March now.”