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Chase Action Heads To Aintree Over Grand National Course

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The Becher Chase and Tingle Creek Chase highlight a huge afternoon of jumps action in the UK but it’s the early season return to Aintree that will be attracting the most attention. First run in 1992, this meeting became the second to be run at the Merseyside venue each year and quickly became an early season trial for the Randox Health Grand National.

The Betfred Becher Chase is open to horses five years and older and is run over the same 21 fences as the Grand National. Two winners have gone on to win the ultimate prize; Amberleigh House and Silver Birch. Earth Summit won the Becher Chase in 1998 following his Grand National win the prior April. The race is named in honour of Martin Becher (1797-1864), a former soldier and jockey after who’s name is also attached to the Becher’s Brook obstacle.

Experience a key

Recent history shows that experience counts in this early-season chase with only one winner in the last decade aged younger than nine, and only two seven-year-olds victorious in the race’s 24-year history. Nine winners had been placed or won over three miles or beyond while all horses on the honour roll had been successful in a race of 13 runners or more.

Notably, only one favourite has ever triumphed with the bulk of winners in the 15/2 out to 25/1 price range. One that ticks more boxes than most is the defending champion Highland Lodge (20/1 with Betfred). He had a level of fitness last year, whereas this time he has had a steady preparation and has been aimed at this race.

Hot hand for Mullins

Sandown hosts its first Grade 1 race of the Jumps season in the shape of the two-mile Tingle Creek Chase – one of the most fiercely contested events in the winter calendar. The race attracts the elite two-mile chasers and has developed in recent years into a prestigious event in its own right, as well as a major stepping stone towards the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

It’s been a bizarre lead-up with bookies smashing Willie Mullins’ Douvan despite the fact that he was always unlikely to run. Stablemate Un De Sceaux (which looks very hard to beat) is now the favourite at a top price of 15-8 on Paddy Power, while Ar Mad, the winner of the Henry VIII Novice Chase over the same course and distance 12 months ago, is a 10-3 chance.

Awardee eyes lucky seventh

Kitasan Black’s spectacular wire-to-wire victory in last week’s Japan Cup at Tokyo is still the talk of the nation as the racing spotlight shifts to Nagoya’s Chukyo Racecourse for the Champions Cup. It is one of only two JRA Grade 1 races held at Chukyo and one of only two JRA Grade 1s run on dirt (over 1800m on this left-handed track). Even-money hope Awardee looks super tough to beat. The winner of the JBC Classic at Kawasaki is looking to make it seven in a row. Winner of 10 of 23, the American-bred Awardee beat dual winner of the Champions Cup, Hokko Tarumae, by 0.75L in that race on November 3. His winning streak has been all on dirt following a move from turf and over distances from 1800 to 2100 metres.

Group 1 WFA Race A Fitting Tribute For The King

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When the Australian Racing Hall of Fame was created in 2001, just five horses were among the inaugural inductees and only one from the past half-century – Kingston Town. The black gelding ruled Australian racetracks in the early 1980s and became the first local thoroughbred to win AUD $1 million in prizemoney. ‘The King’ was far more comfortable on Sydney tracks, where he won 22 of 25 including 21 in a row, but still managed to win the W.S. Cox Plate on an unprecedented three occasions (1980-82). Trained by Tommy Smith and ridden in most of those starts by Malcolm Johnson, Kingston Town’s last Group 1 victory came in the 1982 Western Mail Classic at Ascot in Perth.

In 2007, local officials renamed the race in honour of the superstar. Appropriately, it is run under the conditions at which Kingston Town celebrated most of his marquee victories – weight for age – over a distance of 1800 metres.

Railway form must be respected

The race itself dates back to 1976 and has been run under several different names from the Marlboro 50,000 to the Fruit ‘N’ Veg Stakes. Similarly to the G1 races that have been raced under the TABtouch Masters banner over the past fortnight at Ascot, a smattering of eastern states horses will be taking on a strong local contingent for a share of the AUD $1 million in stakes.

Of the 16 runners, 11 ran in the Railway Stakes here two weeks ago. Three of the past winners of the Kingston Town Classic have come through that opening Group 1 of the Perth carnival. Only one of the past five winners has been backing up after running the previous week.

Despite the short history of this race, its honour roll is littered with multiple winners including Playing God (2010-11), Niconero (2006, 2008), Old Comrade (2000-01), Summer Beau (1996-97) and Family Of Man (1976, 1978).

Perth mare eyes back-to-back

Last year’s Kingston Town Classic winner Perfect Reflection is aiming to join that list and punters expect her to be prominent once again as the $4 favourite with William Hill. She has drawn barrier two in her attempt to turn the tables on Scales Of Justice and Good Project in Australia’s final Group One race of the calendar year.

The mare finished third behind that duo in the Group 1 Railway Stakes where Scales Of Justice led all the way. He faces a tougher task from the outside draw of 16 but has still attracted plenty of money as the clear second pick ($5.50 with William Hill), which he shares with Kiwi gelding Kawi. The Ascot track continues to favour runners on the speed, so expect Scales Of Justice to be prominent again, but Hong Kong-based jockey Douglas Whyte will need to spend plenty of fuel to have the 4yo gelding prominent.

Kiwi contender the one to beat

It was somewhat of a surprise to find Perfect Reflection at the top of the market, as Kawi is the runner with the strongest prospects heading into this race. Having been lumbered with 58.5kg in the Railway, the 6yo gelding now meets most of his rivals up to 5kg better under weight-for-age conditions. He was only beaten by 4.3 lengths last time out after being held up in the straight, so the step up to 1800m looks nicely timed in his third start in Western Australia. And this is a class animal, with five Group 1 wins among his record of 28:13-6-2.

For some value, Darren Weir’s Stratum Star looks overs at $12 on William Hill. He’s had a couple of trials locally to freshen up after the Melbourne spring and looked near his best in his previous outing (second) in the G3 Sandown Stakes on November 12.

Quakes, Snow Shake-up Field for 2016 Japan Cup

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To say the lead-up to the 2016 Japan Cup has been dramatic would be an understatement. The Fukushima prefecture, which faced the brunt of the 2011 tsunami that killed nearly 16,000 people, was again struck by a series of earthquakes – thankfully, without injury or damage. Then on Thursday, a freak snowstorm ahead of forecast weekend rain had punters scurrying for their formguides ahead of Sunday’s 36th running of the Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse. It was the first measurable November snowfall in Tokyo in 54 years.

This is without a doubt one of the most prestigious races on the face of the planet. The Japan Racing Association established the Japan Cup (2400 metres) as an international invitational race in order for local racehorses to have the opportunity to compete against horses of an international calibre. That philosophy has been franked time and time again with winners from the host nation, North America, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy.

However, it’s been a decade since the internationals have emerged successful (Alkaased in 2005), a period during which Gentildonna became the only multiple winner of the race (2012-13). The prize money isn’t too shabby either, with a staggering purse of ¥624 million (about USD $5.5 million) on offer. The race starts in front of the main grandstand at Fuchu which, on a clear day, also affords a stunning view of Mount Fuji. The sweeping course includes an uphill climb in the long stretch run, which has helped produce some thrilling finishes over the past 35 years.
Wet conditions favour internationals

The prospect of heavy rain appears a dream come true for the connections of German invitee Iquitos, one of three foreign entrants in the 17-horse field. Two of Iquitos’ best performances have come on wet tracks. The four-year-old Adlerflug colt won the Grosser Preis von Baden (GI) on soft going on September 4, defeating one of Sunday’s rivals, Nightflower, by 2.75 lengths. Two races earlier he finished second behind 2014 Melbourne Cup (G1) winner Protectionist in the Grosser Hansa Preis (G2) at Hamburg on heavy turf. He’s still a tasty 33-1 with Paddy Power.

Nightflower, a four-year-old filly by Dylan Thomas, faces the prospect of rain and barrier 15. Trainer Peter Schiergen said his filly would prefer firm ground and a starting position better than last year’s No. 18, which produced an 11th-place finish. Also back for another shot at the region’s richest race is the French-trained four-year-old Dubawi colt Erupt. He finished sixth in last year’s Japan Cup and comes to this race fresh after a victory in the Pattison Canadian International (G1) at Woodbine on October 16 for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. However, all of Erupt’s best performances have also been on good to firm turf. In his only outing on soft going, he finished last of nine in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) in July.

Strong local contingent

Those visitors all have to contend with a typically impressive line-up of local contenders featuring Dubai Turf winner Real Steel, Tenno Sho (Spring) winner Kitasan Black, 2015 Arima Kinen victor Gold Actor and three-year-old Dee Majesty, winner of this year’s Satsuki Sho or (Japanese 2000 Guineas). Real Steel has not won in two starts since Dubai but finished second behind Maurice in his most recent start. Maurice, who would have been well regarded in this race, instead is being prepared for Hong Kong. Real Steel, a four-year-old colt by Deep Impact, is reunited with jockey Ryan Moore, who piloted him in the Dubai win. Alarmingly for the locals, most of them have never raced on worse-than-good surfaces and of the bulk which has, they’ve failed. However, it’s not unreasonable to think that sheer talent will ensure at least one of the Japanese horses will cut through the slop to victory. The best placed looks Kitasan Black (4/1 with Paddy Power). He has finished in the money in his past seven, four of them top level, four of them wins and two at the top level. He’s also proven at distances from 1800 to 3000 metres.

Sprinters Take Centre Stage of Day 2 of Perth Carnival

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The racing spotlight remains in Australia’s west this weekend with day 2 of the inaugural TABTouch Masters at Perth’s Ascot racecourse. The day’s feature is the AUD $1 million Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes, which is run under weight-for-age conditions over 1200 metres. On-pace runners dominated last Saturday’s Railway Stakes meeting but it’s hoped that, with the rail out six metres, this will be alleviated to some extent. WA’s premier sprint race was run over 1400m from 1937 until 1994 when it was cut to 1200m. Magnifisio and Buffering aim to join multiple winners La Trive (1970-71), Belinda’s Star (1975-76), Hardrada (2002-03) and Ortensia (2009, 11) and an honour roll that includes Takeover Target (2008), Miss Andretti (2005) and Placid Ark (1987).

East holding cards over west

The Winterbottom field is a fascinating mix of eastern states raiders, the bulk of which are deep into their spring campaigns, and the local contenders who’ve mostly been set for this specific race. The field of 12 is headed by the Joe Pride-trained Terravista which is coming off a last-start second to Redzel at Flemington. Darley Classic winner Malaguerra joins Terravista along with Takedown and the Lindsay Park pair of Keen Array and Sheidel in trying to claim a Group 1 for the visitors after local galloper Scales Of Justice won the Group 1 Railway Stakes last Saturday. The Chris Gangemi-trained Rock Magic is the highest-rated local galloper having won two of his past three starts while leading local hope State Solicitor will have to overcome barrier 11.

Sydney speedster the one to beat

The top two in the market are so difficult to split with Malaguerra ($3.30 with Ladbrokes) slightly shading Terravista ($3.60 with Ladbrokes). Favourites have won eight of the past 12 editions while just four winners in the past 20 years have jumped from a double-digit gate, so it’s reasonable to expect that this year’s Winterbottom winner will be wearing either saddlecloth #1 or #2. But the upside is clearly with Joe Pride’s sometimes frustrating 7yo gelding. Opening at $15 when the all-in market was released, that quote was slashed when Terravista returned in top order in the Listed Mumm Stakes on Crown Oaks Day. Carrying 60.5kg, Terravista was able to get within a head of winner Redzel. His record over six furlongs is an imposing 11:5-0-3.

Mare’s form out of this world

It’s an otherwise relatively thin day of black-type racing around the nation so for the next best of the day, check out the Roadwork Solutions Handicap (race 8) at Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens for the benchmark 78 fillies & mares over 1200 metres. It’s surprising to find #8 Interstellar at a 5-2 quote (with William Hill) with her form faultless since joining the Hawkes stake from New Zealand during the winter. She won first-up in Australia on July 30 and was barely tested in a trial at Rosehill just over a fortnight ago. This lightly raced 4yo mare has three wins from six career starts including two of three first-up and she looks a clear top pick over this fairly middling bunch.

Swan Form Looks Strong For Japan’s Mile Championship

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Japanese horse racing doesn’t register on the radar for most punters but it should – the thoroughbred scene in the Land of the Rising Sun is among the richest on the planet matched by the quality of the racing stock. The country’s leading runners will be highlighted over the next few weeks with the focus on Kyoto on Sunday for the latest running of the International Grade 1 Mile Championship. Kyoto is a fairly traditional US-style track, with a long run to the first corner from the 1600-metre start.

A short downhill chute takes runners to the second turn then into the home straight and within sight of a slice of the JPY 200,700,000 (approximately USD $2 million). First run in 1984, the Mile Championship is run at set weights (57kg) and is considered a stepping stone to the Hong Kong Mile as part of International Day at Sha Tin on December 11. It is the second race in the Japan Autumn International Series of races. Some big names have won the Mile Championship, including successive wins for Taiki Shuttle (1997 and 1998), Durandal (2003 and 2004) and Daiwa Major (2006 and 2007).

The race has been run on firm ground in the past three years, and just three favourites have saluted over the past decade. Race favourites have won 14 times in the three-decade history of the race. A field of 19 horses nominated for the feature race, including two three-year-olds – Lord Quest and Spectre. The last three-year-old to win the race was Agnes Digital in 2000. Unfortunately, the German-trained filly, Spectre, has been declared a non-starter, leaving a field of 18. Incredibly, eight of the 18 runners are sired from Deep Impact, the 2006 Japan Cup winner.

Satono Aladdin ($3.90) looks ideally placed here. The five-year-old by Deep Impact is coming off an impressive win in the Grade 2 Swan Stakes last month, as well as finishing a fourth in this year’s Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen. He was fourth in last year’s Mile Championship and has won seven times from 21 starts. He’s trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, who has a handy knack of getting horses just right. The value runner is Neorealism – this 5-year-old is tackling a Grade 1 (and the Kyoto circuit) for the first time. He caught the attention of the local racing fraternity when beating Maurice in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen (2000m) when leading all the way. He is six wins from 14 starts and is trained by one of the leading trainers Noriyuki Hori.

• Many of the better US 2-year-olds which didn’t in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile gather for this weekend’s $1 million Grade III Delta Downs Jackpot in Vinton, Louisiana. This year’s renewal includes winners from California, Kentucky, Minnesota and New York. The list features Dangerfield, Tip Tap Tapizar and Gunnevera but will all be chasing Line Judge, a Spring At Last colt that has won three successive races including the local prep for this, the $200,000 Jean Laffite. The Joe Sharp trainee has been dominant in all three wins and could be a major player in the battle for the 2017 Triple Crown.

TABtouch Masters Is All About the Wild West

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After a terrific end to Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival at Sandown last Saturday, the spotlight shifts a lazy 3500 kilometres west to Perth in Western Australia for a trio of black-type meetings at Ascot, one of the city’s two courses. The Perth carnival has been repackaged as the TABtouch Masters, the world’s first single-track festival featuring a Group 1 race worth at least $1,000,000 on three successive Saturdays. It all kicks-off this weekend with the AUD $1 million Group 1 James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes, run under traditional handicap conditions over 1600m.

The heat is on

Unlike last week’s card at Sandown, punters need to be wary of the different starting positions on this picturesque circuit, which sits on the banks of the Swan River. Ascot features just three turns, two of which are particularly sharp. There’s only a run of about 300m to the first corner from the 1600m chute start but history shows that hasn’t been an impediment in the Railway with the past four winners coming from either barrier 11 or 12. Track conditions are rarely an issue at this time of the year in Perth – the maximum daily temperature rarely dips below 30°C so firm conditions are the norm.

A proud history

The Railway Stakes dates back almost as long as many of the major races run on the eastern seaboard, with Nimrod winning the first edition back in 1887. It was a mainstay of the New Year’s Day racing program until the Western Australian Turf Club shifted major carnival races to late November. Just four horses have won both the Railway mile and the WFA Kingston Town Classic (1800m) traditionally run two weeks later – Better Loosen Up (1989), Old Comrade (2001), Modem (2004) and Sniper’s Bullet (2009). Northerly won the Railway in 2000 while hometown favourite Luckygray uniquely saluted in 2011 and 2013.

Raiders take on locals

One of the unique features of this carnival is the battle of east and west as a handful of trainers from Sydney and Melbourne chase the late spring riches on offer. There are five engaged in this year’s Railway – Chris Waller duo Mackintosh ($6.50 with William Hill) and Good Project ($14 with William Hill), Darren Weir’s Rageese ($8.00 with William Hill), He Or She from the Hayes/Dabernig camp ($16.00 with William Hill) and highly rated NZ gelding Kawi ($19.00 with William Hill). Local hope Perfect Reflection is the $5.00 favourite for the big Bob Peters team, trainers Grant and Alana Williams and champion WA hoop William Pike (54.5kg) from gate 2.

Back the Mack

It’s possible to make a case for about half of the 16 runners, but we’ve settled on the Group 1 form of Waller’s Mackintosh. Barrier 16 is far from ideal, but he has former Perth boy Damien Oliver aboard and carries just 54kg. The 4yo gelding was third in a blanket finish in the G1 Epsom (1600m) and Randwick before being nabbed late in the G1 Cantala (1600m) at Flemington on Derby Day, finishing 1.4L back in fifth. He’s won six of 11 career starts, including five of nine on good surfaces. A fair proportion of this field are unproven over the mile, but there’s no doubt this bloke will still be strong at the line.

Much to like about Pike

An other highlight of the day is the AUD $500,000 Group 1 Sky Racing WA Guineas (1600m) for the three-year-olds. It’s an equally open affair, Ellicazoom, one of three fillies engaged, rated a $4.80 favourite with Ladbrokes. However, another five runners are rated better than $10 chances. One of those is Get Over It ($8.00 on Ladbrokes), trained on this track by Trevor Andrews and ridden here by Pike after the suspension of Paul Harvey. In contrast to the bulk of these, he looks ready for the step to 1600m and finished fourth in the traditional lead-up, the Fairetha Stakes here two ago after being held up in the straight.