2015 Neptune Novice Hurdle

[kinloch brae]

Davy Condon says that Bryan Cooper thinks Tell us More goes to the Supreme. Aghhhh!

I don't think he can be that competitive in either race but you would think the Neptune would do less damage as on limited evidence he wouldn't appear anywhere streetwise enough for the Supreme. It looks like yet another case of an owner wanting a runner in a particular race rather than picking the best option for the horse.

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

It doesnt look a great race. Albert Bartlett looks a lot more competitive.

NC seems to polarise opinion but looks best of these to me.

[Cashew King]

Gigginstown confirming running plans :

“Outlander will run in the Neptune, probably joined by [stablemate] McKinley,” O’Leary said. “Tell Us More [Mullins] will go for the Supreme [the opening race of the meeting on Tuesday], No More Heroes [Elliott] runs in the Albert Bartlett and we could also run Milsean [Mullins] in the same race.”

[iainmcf]

I got it wrong with regard to Tell Us More running in Neptune.I know that it was Mullins preference to run him here and all you guys that said O'Leary wud hav the final say over Mullins were indeed right.I dont see the point when you have an expert trainer mapping out the most winnable targets for the horses only to be overruled by the owner but at the end of the day its their horses and ultimately their call.confused:

[Old Vic]

trying to get a handle on the field - Outlander looks short on rating ?

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FORM	HORSE	AGE	TRAINER RTF%	JOCKEY	OR
11U1	Nichols Canyon31	5	W P Mullins80	Ruby Walsh	149
111	Seedling89	6	Warren Greatrex25		149
210211	Parlour Games72	7	John Ferguson	A P McCoy	148
11112	Vyta Du Roc72	6	Nicky Henderson100	Barry Geraghty	147
1142	Windsor Park31	6	D K Weld		146
11	Arbre De Vie32	5	W P Mullins80		145
1141	Ordo Ab Chao46	6	Alan King50	Wayne Hutchinson	144
1211	Beast Of Burden33	6	Rebecca Curtis50		143
1211	Definitly Red25	6	Brian Ellison63		143
11123	Shantou Bob60	7	Warren Greatrex25		143
121	Outlander45	7	W P Mullins80	B J Cooper	140

what else runs in this ?

8/10 won LTO but that looks like it may be in proportion to field.
Rating over 148 required ?
Between Parlour Games and NC on that stat alone.

[Yeehaa]

Ferguson said: "Parlour Games has done nothing wrong this season. Cheltenham does not suit everyone, but the fact that he has won there suggests he handles it fine.

"He has a leading chance and hopefully the bookmakers aren't wrong. The most important thing now is that I have him spot on and I am confident I can do that."

[Yeehaa]

BEAST OF BURDEN
6 ch g Flemensfirth - Nuit Des Chartreux
143 rated hurdler. Improving with experience over hurdles and followed up an easy win from Look Like Power at Ffos Las (2m) in January with an 11 length victory from Mendip Express at Bangor (3m) last month.
"He has been very impressive in his novice hurdles this season and a top chaser in the making for next year but he's going to run in the Neptune Investment at the Festival. Hopefully, he should run very well and he seem to go on any ground but the jockey says he will be a better horse on better ground."

[Old Vic]

[Morning Glory]

[Mytentoryours]

I got it wrong with regard to Tell Us More running in Neptune.I know that it was Mullins preference to run him here and all you guys that said O'Leary wud hav the final say over Mullins were indeed right.I dont see the point when you have an expert trainer mapping out the most winnable targets for the horses only to be overruled by the owner but at the end of the day its their horses and ultimately their call.confused:

Your not the first and won't be the last to be confused. I'm sure Tell Us More was their Neptune horse until Outlander won at Leopardstown.

[Old Vic]

Park continues great Irish run

The Dermot Weld-trained Windsor Park continued a clean sweep for Irish trainers in The Festival's Grade One races so far when capturing the opening Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

"He's a very versatile horse. He raced five times last year and won five times. He has done everything right and he's a joy to train. He could be entered for a Gold Cup (at Ascot) and we will review it - today was the day though. We probably first thought of this a year ago" said Weld.

"I've only got six jumpers now and they are all dual-purpose like him.

"I thought that he would be hard to beat. He's a good ground horse and the drying weather suited him well. He had run very well on his last two starts on very testing ground. This was lovely ground for him today and he did everything right. He ran a lovely prep for this at Leopardstown when coming home very well.

"It's a unique atmosphere, a unique occasion and I am very fortunate to win here. He's a very nice young horse, hopefully he has many years to come and will be a lovely dual-purpose horse.

"He's a stayer with speed and I think he'll want two miles on the Flat. We'll see where we go. Punchestown will be a logical progression although there are a couple of Flat conditions races that we could look at. He could chasing in the future, he could be a World Hurdle horse next year or he could stay on the Flat - he's pretty adaptable."

Owner Dr Ronan Lambe added: "Davy gave him an absolutely wonderful ride today. The last couple of times, we have ridden this horse from the back of the field and he didn't jump particularly well so we decided to try different tactics this time. He carried it out to perfection, he was perfect, wonderful.

"One never knows but I think the Ascot Gold Cup is shooting a bit high at this point."

Games gets McCoy closer

A P McCoy is inching his way towards a first Cheltenham Festival winner before retirement, and, after a blank first day, he started day two with a good second in the opening Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

McCoy rode the John Ferguson-trained Parlour Games, who chased the winner Windsor Park over the final hurdle, but could not claw back the leader's advantage, going down by three and three quarter lengthS. The Willie Mullins-trained, Ruby Walsh-ridden, Nicholls Canyon was third, a length and a quarter further behind.

Ferguson said: "I'm delighted with him, because we've been beaten by a top horse, and we've franked the form from the Challow Hurdle [run at Newbury in late December] with Nicky Henderson's horse [Vyta Du Roc, who was fourth].

"I haven't thought about running him back on the Flat - I haven't got a Flat licence and he's been on the go since May. He could run at Aintree next month. We've had three winners at Cheltenham this season, and while it would be nice to have one at The Festival, we've only just started and we'll get there one day."

Vyta Du Roc made a bad blunder at the final flight which jockey Barry Geraghty did well to sit. Henderson said: "We might have been second, but he's still run a fine race - and he did well to stand up. We wouldn't have beaten the winner."

Walk in the Park

Windsor Park oozed class as he ran out the impressive three and three quarter length winner of the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

The 9/2 shot was always travelling powerfully under jockey Davy Russell and was still on the bridle as he took up the running turning for home.

Russell asked him to quicken before the last and a solid jump at the final flight sealed victory as he stormed up the hill to land the Grade One prize for owner Dr Ronan Lambe and trainer Dermot Weld.

"It was great," said Russell, partnering his 14th Festival winner.

"Mr Weld is brilliant to ride for, as is Dr Lambe. Throughout the year I've been dropping him in and learning him his job. He was staying on well because of that and I thought today was the day to let him rock and roll.

"I took criticism earlier in the year for the way I was riding him but for me, it's all about the horse, it's all about here and if he was lacking any experience, it was here that it would count as he would need all the experience he could get. For sure, there are lot of Grade Ones throughout the year but this is where it counts.

"He's got a huge stride and sometimes he gets a bit flustered if there are horses around him so I was happy to let him stride off in front and let him see the hurdles and he's jumped super. Stamina was never an issue and we'd even considered running him in the three miler (the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle on Friday) but I wouldn't have been able to use those tactics in that race.

"He's a versatile horse when it comes to ground so we weren't worried about whether it rained or dried out. It's hard to know what sort of horse he'll end up being. Size-wise, you'd say he'd make a lovely chaser but he's not really bred for that job and Mr Weld will have loads of other ideas - whatever he'll decide will be the right thing.

"Every winner is special here, whether it's a handicapper, a top race or the charity race. It's a phenomenal place and it's here you want it."

Jockeys think ground is similar to yesterday.

Jockeys in the Neptune Investment Novices' Hurdle, the first race of Ladies Day at The Festival, agreed that the ground rode in a similar fashion to the first day of The Festival.

Davy Russell, partner of the winner Windsor Park, said the ground was: "Pretty much the same as yesterday."

Tony McCoy, rider of three and three-quarter length second Parlour Games, said the ground was: "Better than yesterday, good/good to soft."

Ruby Walsh, rider of third-placed Nichols Canyon, remarked the ground was: "The same as yesterday."

Paul Moloney, jockey of Anteros (10th) described the ground as: "It's good to soft out there."

Paul Townend aboard Beast Of Burden (9th) said the ground was: "It is lovely jumping ground out there, probably good to soft."

Wayne Hutchinson, partner of Ordo Ab Chao (7th) said the ground was: "Good/good to soft in my opinion, you can get a bit bogged down in parts but it is perfect for jumping."

Bryan Cooper on Outlander (6th) described the ground as: "Like yesterday, good to soft."

Paul Carberry, jockey of Snow Falcon (5th) described the going as: "It is dead ground, probably on the slow side of good."

Barry Geraghty, rider of Vyta Du Roc (4th) said the ground was: "Good to soft."

Gavin Sheehan aboard Warrantor (8th) described the ground as: "It's a bit dead, similar to yesterday's ground."

1.30pm Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
£120,000 total prize fund. For 4yo+, 2m 5f. Weights: 4yo 10st 12lb; 5yo+ 11st 7lb. Allowances fillies & mares 7lb. Penalty value 1st £68,340.00 2nd £25,644.00 3rd £12,840.00 4th £6,396.00 5th £3,216.00 6th £1,608.00

1) WINDSOR PARK (IRE) (Dr Ronan Lambe) Dermot Weld IRE 6-11-07 Davy Russell 9/2
2) PARLOUR GAMES (Bloomfields) John Ferguson h7-11-07 A P McCoy 13/2
3) NICHOLS CANYON (Andrea & Graham Wylie) Willie Mullins IRE 5-11-07 Ruby Walsh 7/2f
4) VYTA DU ROC (FR) (Simon Munir & Isaac Souede) Nicky Henderson 6-11-07 Barry Geraghty 15/2
5) SNOW FALCON (IRE) (Patricia Hunt) Noel Meade IRE 5-11-07 Paul Carberry
6) OUTLANDER (IRE) (Gigginstown House Stud) Willie Mullins IRE 7-11-07 Bryan Cooper
7) ORDO AB CHAO (IRE) (A Marsh) Alan King 6-11-07 Wayne Hutchinson
8) WARRANTOR (IRE) (Sarah Drysdale) Warren Greatrex t6-11-07 Gavin Sheehan
9) BEAST OF BURDEN (IRE) (Carl Hinchy) Rebecca Curtis 6-11-07 Paul Townend
10) ANTEROS (IRE) (K Bell) Sophie Leech t7-11-07 Paul Moloney

10 ran
Distances: 3¾, 1¼, nk, nk, ½, 1½, 38, nk, 33
Breeder: Commonwealth
Breeding: b g Galileo (IRE) - Blissful (USA) (Mr Prospector (USA))
Tote Win £5.70 Place £1.80 £1.90 £1.70 Exacta £32.50

Winning Trainer: DERMOT CHARLES KENNETH WELD Based: Rosewell House, The Curragh, Co Kildare, Ireland Date of birth: July 29, 1948; Date of first Trainer's Licence: 1972 Previous occupation: Assistant to Charles Weld and Tommy Smith (Australia) - also a qualified veterinary surgeon Riding Career: Champion Amateur 1969, 1971 & 1972, rode first winner at 15 Big Race Wins Include: Numerous big wins on Flat including - Epsom Oaks (1981 Blue Wind), 2000 Guineas (Refuse To Bend 2003) Melbourne Cup (1993 Vintage Crop, 2002 Media Puzzle), Belmont Stakes (1990 Go And Go) Major Jump Race Wins Include: December Festival Hurdle (1993 Fortune And Fame), Galway Hurdle (2001 Ansar), Galway Plate (1990 Kiichi, 1993 General Idea, 2004 & 2005 Ansar), Irish Champion Hurdle (1994 & 1995 Fortune And Fame), Irish Grand National (1988 Perris Valley), Lexus Chase (1992 General Idea), Punchestown Gold Cup (1980 Pillar Brae), Cheltenham Festival wins (3): JCB Triumph Hurdle (1990 Rare Holiday), Weatherbys Champion Bumper (2014 Silver Concorde), Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle (2015 Windsor Park) Wins in Britain this Jump season: 1

Winning Jockey: Davy Russell Born: June 27, 1979 Background: David Niall Russell hails from Youghal in Co. Cork and progressed from pony racing to become one of Ireland's leading point-to-point riders, winning the championship in 2001 and 2002, when sharing the title with J T McNamara. The retirement of another one-time Irish point-to-point star, Adrian Maguire, saw him travel over to Britain in 2002 as stable jockey to Ferdy Murphy and he turned professional on November 12. Russell lost his job after 14 months as number one jockey to Murphy in January, 2004, as he also wanted to continue riding in Ireland at weekends. Irish champion Jump jockey in 2011/12 and 2012/13. Retained jockey to Gigginstown House Stud up until the start 2014. Cheltenham Festival Wins (14): RSA Chase (2010 Weapon's Amnesty, 2013 Lord Windermere),Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (2009 Weapon's Amnesty), A P McCoy Grand Annual Chase (2008 Tiger Cry, 2014 Savello), Coral Cup (2008 Naiad Du Misselot, 2011 Carlito Brigante), Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (2006 Native Jack), Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase (2007 Joe's Edge), Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle (2011 First Lieutenant, 2015 Windsor Park), JLT Novices' Chase (2012 Sir Des Champs), JCB Triumph Hurdle (2014 Tiger Roll), Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup (2014 Lord Windermere) First Cheltenham Festival Ride: Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir, Toni's Tip (6th), March 14, 2000 Wins in Britain (2002/3-2013/14): 22; 28; 2; 2; 2; 4; 3; 2; 3; 1; 5; 3 Wins in Britain This Season: 8