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Steeplechasers - Championship Class?
AD HOC b, g. Strong Gale - Knockarctic
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Paul F Nicholls
[COMMENTS] :-:--> Ad Hoc is retained in the list for the third successive season. In last year's listing I wrote " Ad Hoc - placed in Point-to-points two seasons ago more than exceeded my expectation of him last season, A winner of his final three starts culminating in a very easy win at Ayr on Scottish Grand National day. The move to Paul Nicholls is significant and this horse definitely will be going places this term". He typified the non gambling aspect of the listing as he has given plenty of pleasure since his days between the flags with Richard Barber ... more over... how can I possibly remove a potential championship horse from this list. It is hard not to be impressed with the manner in which he destroyed his field in the Whitbread Gold Cup, a week after finding the extreme distance of the Scottish National a bit to far for him. The tactic successfully employed on Marlborough also suit him, and as a result his jumping (his Achilles' heel) improved as the season went on. Time is still on his side and he can only continue to improve ... there is another decent prize in this horse this winter if anything holds together
BOISNOIR (FR) b, g. Djarvis (FR) - Antoniola (FR)
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Guy Cherel in France
[COMMENTS] :-:--> Boisnoir could make a welcome return to the track this winter. He was one of the best four-year-old chasers in France in 2000, winning three times, including the Prix Inspace - Ferdinand Dufaure (Grade 1). He suffered a leg injury that has kept him away from the track, however he could continue where he left off, although what connections will do with him, having Kotkijet, and Homme du Jour in their armoury is a matter on conjecture
DOUZE DOUZE (FR) ch, g. Saint Cyrien (FR) - Kitkelly (FR)
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Guillaume Macaire in France
[COMMENTS] :-:--> Douze Douze is another inmate of Guillaume Macaire 's who may appear in this country this term. He ran won three of his four starts over fences, including the Prix Maurice Gillois Grand Steeple-Chase Des 4 Ans (Chase) (Grade 1) in November 2000, beating Sleeping Night (gave 7lbs). Christopher Ile's comments in our Focus on France feature paint an ever better impression;
"Douze Douze went to the front after six fences, soon went clear, and basically disappeared off into the distance, producing a huge jump at the water jump, and easing down to win by a comfortable 15 lengths. Sleeping Night and Tango Royal fought out a good battle for second before the latter weakened in the home straight, and the rest were nowhere".
He's another horse that may have the French gold cup as an aim, however if he fell short of the mark, we may see him tried on these shores
GEOS (FR) br, g. Pistolet Bleu - Kaprika (FR)
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Nicky J Henderson
[COMMENTS] :-:--> Geos had a wonderful season last term over hurdles, taking the Grade 1 Bula and Christmas hurdles along the way. after a slightly disappointing run in the Agfa hurdle, he confirmed his position as one of the better hurdler around with a brave second to stable Landing Light in the Coral Eurobet Championship Hurdle. Geos will be trying his hand over fences this term, and having already over them will be difficult to place .. but I wouldn't be surprised if he had another good season.
HINDIANA (FR) ch, g. Quart De Vin (FR) - La Salamandre (FR)
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Ferdy Murphy
[COMMENTS] :-:--> Hindiana who was previously trained in France by Francois Doumen, has got top class form over fences in France. he won four of his six starts probably being at his most impressive when beating Europa by 13lengths at Huntingdon in March. Aintree's atrocious ground condition did not suit him, and he'd gone for the season after that. His graded race form in France he has earned himself a high rating over fences, but this class act may be able to meet the challenge and I wouldn't be surprised if this lovely ch, g. wins a decent handicap this winter
HOMME DU JOUR (FR) ch, g. Video Rock (FR) - Ability (FR)
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Guy Cherel in France
[COMMENTS] :-:--> Homme Du Jour, France's best juvenile hurdle in 1999, appeared to have suffered the same fate as Katarino. He beat that horse in the Prix Renaud du Vivier (Grade 1) in November 1999, but struggled over hurdles after that. He had three runs over fences last term, winning on his debut in November, before finishing only ¾ length second to Kotkijet in the Prix Georges Courtois (Chase) (Group 2) at Auteuil in December. He failed to concede to his rivals when a respectable fourth behind Kimbi in back at Auteuil in April but that was a decent effort and if he can continue to build on that could win him a decent prize this term.
ILARE gr, g. April Night (FR) - Vousseliere (FR)
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Ed Chevalier Du Fau in France
[COMMENTS] :-:--> I've noted this horse, ever since Christopher Iles mentioned him in one of his Focus on France features... This is what he wrote
"The same card gave a possible reason why the Marquesa de Moratalla sold First Gold - she has a potential star of the future in the front-running grey, Ilare, winning his second Auteuil chase of the season. His previous win came in the same race First Gold used to debut at Auteuil, the year he won the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris... Ilare isn't trained by Francois Doumen, so is less likely to be brought over here to run, and his entries since suggest a rather lower-key approach than was taken with First Gold".
Ilare is unbeaten in his last six starts having won again decisively on Sunday over 2m7f beating amongst others Kimbi, who was just short of championship class over hurdles, and has progressed so much so that that he may now line up against First Gold in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris later, a race that that great horse also won at five.
Ilare subsequently beat all bar Kotkijet in the Grand Steeple-Chase De Paris, an amazing performance really for a horse only in training for six months. We might never see him in truth, however he is such a class act that he deserves a place, and you never know, in 2002 or 2003, we might see him lining for gold in march"
SLEEPING NIGHT (FR) Sleeping Car (FR) - Doll Night (FR)
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Mary Reverley
[COMMENTS] :-:--> Sleeping Night is a fascinating lodger in these shores. He was one of the best four-year-old hurdler/chaser in France, having run He ran ten times in 2000, winning five times - four of these were over fences. He competed against the likes of Ilnamar, Chicuelo, and Douze Douze. - All from the cream of that vintage. On his last racecourse appearance in November 2000, he gave 11lbs to Ilnamar, in the Prix Morgex Chase (Group 3). He is being aimed for the Charlie Hall at Wetherby, and could be in for a fruitful season
TOTO TOSCATO (FR) br, g. Lesotho (U.S.A.) -Tosca De Bellouet (FR)
[THE TRAINER] :-:--> Martin C Pipe
[COMMENTS] :-:--> Interesting season ahead for Toto Toscato, as there isn't much doubt that he has still got more improvement in him at distances above 2 1/2 Miles, if judged on his efforts of two seasons ago. A length defeat by Lord Noelie in the 2000 Sun Alliance Chase reads encouragingly, and he has reportedly strengthened up since his last run. Missing a season through injury was possibly a blessing in disguise, as second season chasers, can struggle on occasions and it'll be interesting to see what sort of season he has
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