2015 Aintree Foxhunters

[Old Vic]

39 in Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase

There are 39 entries for the Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase.

The two latest winners of the contest both hold entries again - 2013 scorer Tartan Snow (Annabel Brook) and Warne (Brian Hamilton) who took the spoils last year.

On The Fringe (Enda Bolger) looks likely to go off favourite following his hugely-impressive 17-length victory over Following Dream (Alastair Ralph) in the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham on March 13. Bolger saddled the 1999 victor Elegant Lord.

[Old Vic]

The Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase
Class 2, Ł40,000 Total Prize Fund. Aintree, Thursday, April 9, 2015, two miles, five furlongs, 110 yards. For six-year-olds and upwards who, after October 2012, and before March 24, 2015, have finished first, second or third in a Hunters' steeple chase on two occasions OR have finished first, second or third in a Hunters' steeple chase on one occasion and have won either another steeple chase (Hunters' steeple chases included) or, during the current Point-to-Point season, an Open Point-to-Point steeple chase. Mares allowed 7lb. Entries closed March 24, entries revealed March 25 (39 entries), six-day confirmations April 3, final declarations 10am, Wednesday, April 8.

Horse	Age	Owner	Trainer
ALLERFORD JACK	11	Nicholas Piper & Claire Piper	Kayley Woollacott
BALLYJAMES (IRE)	10	Major Terry Warburton	Heidi Brookshaw
BEST SERVED COLD	9	R J Hewitt	Joe O'Shea
BIG FELLA THANKS	13	Crossed Fingers Partnership	Tom George
BOBS LAW (IRE)	11	The Big Dreamers Partnership	Mickey Bowen
BOUND FOR GLORY (IRE)	9	T Meehan & D J Burke	David Fitch-Peyton
BOXER GEORG (IRE)	13	Mrs C O'Farrell	Seamus O'Farrell IRE
BRUNSWICK GOLD (IRE)	10	S C Robinson & the Late Dr C Hargreaves	Rose Grissell
CHOSEN MILAN (IRE)	8	D H Morgan	Robert Luke
COTTAGE OAK (IRE)	12	R J Hewitt	Joe O'Shea
CURRENT EVENT (FR)	8	Pearl Bloodstock Ltd	Rose Loxton
DEAD OR ALIVE (IRE)	12	G F Wheeler	Rose Grissell
DOUGLAS JULIAN	13	Millhaugh Racing	Katie Scott
EARTH DREAM (IRE)	12	The Bloomfields Partnership	John Ferguson
FOLLOWING DREAMS (IRE)	8	Mrs D J Ralph & Mrs S M Rimell	Alastair Ralph
GOOD EGG (IRE)	12	Mrs A Frost	Lorna Fowler IRE
ILLUSION OF TIME (IRE)	7	Mrs H L Watson	Keith Watson IRE
LAST TIME D'ALBAIN (FR)	11	Fontstown Syndicate	Liam Cusack IRE
MAJOR MALARKEY (IRE)	12	Baker Dodd & Cooke	Nigel Twiston-Davies
MTADA SUPREME (IRE)	10	Mrs B Beattie	Peter Maher IRE
NEVEROWNUP (IRE)	10	Dr Richard Newland	Dr Richard Newland
NO LOOSE CHANGE (IRE)	10	Donlon, Doyle, Macdonald & Nicholls	Paul Nicholls
NOWURHURLIN (IRE)	8	Sarah Stilgoe	Sarah Stilgoe
OCKEY DE NEULLIAC (FR)	13	Neil Mechie & Justin Landy	Neil Mechie
ON THE FRINGE (IRE)	10	J P McManus	Enda Bolger IRE
OUT NOW (IRE)	11	David Maxwell	Philip Hobbs
PACHA DU POLDER (FR)	8	The Stewart Family	Paul Nicholls
PENMORE MILL (IRE)	10	K Hutsby	Fred Hutsby
QUINZ (FR)	11	Andrew Cohen	Alan Hill
ROUGE ET BLANC (FR)	10	Oliver Sherwood & Tim Syder	Oliver Sherwood
SERGEANT DICK (IRE)	10	Connect Eight	Andy Turnell
SHOREACRES (IRE)	12	David Nash	Gillian Jones
SIRO DEMUR (FR)	9	Philip Rowley	Philip Rowley
SOLEIL D'AVRIL (FR)	9	Sarah Easterby	Sarah Easterby
SWALLOWS DELIGHT (IRE)	10	Belinda Sparey	Julie Mansell
TARTAN SNOW	15	Annabel Brook	Annabel Brook
TWIRLING MAGNET (IRE)	9	Gay Smith	Jonjo O'Neill
VINCITORE (FR)	9	DWD Partnership	Claire Hart
WARNE (IRE)	11	Robert Waley-Cohen C Fenwick M Hankin Cnoell	Brian Hamilton IRE

39 entries
7 entries


39 entries
7 entries

[Old Vic]

Warne set for Crabbie's Fox Hunters' repeat

Thursday, April 2, 2015 - Warne is on course to defend his crown in the Ł40,000 Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase over the Grand National course on the first day of the Crabbie's Grand National Festival, Grand Opening Day, Thursday, April 9.

The Brian Hamilton-trained 11-year-old was the impressive 13-length winner of the extended two mile and five furlong contest last year and provided rider Sam Waley-Cohen with his fourth victory over the famous fences.

Waley-Cohen went on to achieve a fifth success over the Grand National fences on Oscar Time in the Betfred Becher Chase in December last year.

Warne was third to On The Fringe (Enda Bolger IRE), who was victorious at the Cheltenham Festival last month, in the Punchestown equivalent in May and warmed up for Aintree when capturing a point-to-point at Kirkistown on March 14.


The last horse to record back-to-back wins in the Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase was Katarino in 2006, who, like Warne, carried the colours of Robert Waley-Cohen and was ridden by his son Sam.

Hamilton, who trains at Downpatrick in Northern Ireland, said: "Warne is all set for Aintree and will travel over on Tuesday morning.


"He is going there reasonably straight and, although I would have liked to have got a harder race into him, he has come on nicely in the last week or so.

"Everything went very smoothly for him right the way through last season, whereas this season it has not been ideal because he was sick early on and it took a while to get him organised.

"He also had a little back problem but we are back on an even course and he is in as good form as I can get him in. He is not far off where he was last year but he would need to be at that level or probably better to beat On The Fringe.

"Even without On The Fringe, it is shaping up to be harder race than last year with Liam Cusack's horse (Last Time D'Albain) in there as well. He has been trained for it and his preparation has gone very well.

"We obviously have good course form and the top rider on board. Sam's record speaks for itself, so we are hopeful."

Other notables engaged include Aintree regular Big Fella Thanks (Tom George), the talented Twirling Magnet (Jonjo O'Neill) and Chosen Milan (Robert Luke), who showed up well for a long way when fifth in the Foxhunter at Cheltenham.

Confirmations will be made for the Crabbie's Fox Hunter's Chase tomorrow, Friday, April 3, along with the six-day entries for the other six races, including four Grade Ones, on Grand Opening Day of the Crabbie's Grand National Festival.

[Old Vic]

Last Time D'Albain is set to tackle the Grand National fences for the third time when he lines up at Aintree next week.

Trainer Liam Cusack has entered the 11-year-old in both the Crabbie's Fox Hunters' and the Topham Chase, with the former the more likely target.

Cusack's charge was third in the Topham in 2013 but only got to the sixth fence in the Grand National 12 months ago before he unseated his rider.

The French-bred has enjoyed a revival in form this season, having switched to point-to-points and hunter chasing, and was an impressive winner when last seen at Fairyhouse in February.

"He's on course for Aintree and he's in good form," said Cusack.

"I'm not 100 per cent sure what race he'll go for but it's more than likely the Fox Hunters'. I just want to study the weights a bit for the Topham.

"He's in good form, he has jumped around there before and it's all systems go.

"I was very happy with the way he ran at Fairyhouse. I loved the way he jumped and travelled. He was always well within himself and showed plenty of spark. If I can get him to Aintree in that form he'll run well.

"He was running in some very competitive handicap chases last season and he just got a bit of confidence from a few runs in point-to-points, which showed at Fairyhouse.

"A little bit drier ground would be a help to him. The last day in Fairyhouse it was horrible, gluey ground. I didn't think it would suit him, but he got through it well."

[Sefton]

FORM	HORSE	AGE	WGT	TRAINER RTF%	JOCKEY	OR	TS	RPR
3/8P-3	Allerford Jack51	11	12-0	Mrs Kayley Woollacott		113	45	83
3P1PP	Ballyjames12P	10	12-0	Miss H Brookshaw	Miss Hannah Watson	100	—	—
57-621	Big Fella Thanks43	13	12-0	Tom George		138	104	140
42311	Bobs Law21	11	12-0	Mickey Bowen	Mr C Gethings	122	98	128
24-511	Bound For Glory31	9	12-0	David M G Fitch-Peyton	Miss H Lewis	120	100	124
667U74	Boxer Georg19P	13	12-0	Seamus OŽFarrell		—	26	110
1P-435	Brunswick Gold44	10	12-0	Miss Rose Grissell	Mr Stuart Robinson	124	73	100
12515	Chosen Milan27	8	11-7	R E Luke	Mr E David	123	97	139
111110	Current Event27	8	12-0	Mrs Rose Loxton	Miss B Frost	135	67	131
24PF11	Douglas Julian40	13	12-0	Katie Scott	Mr T Hamilton	119	75	113
44-233	Earth Dream21	12	12-0	John Ferguson	Mr James Ferguson	115	85	116
0-8693	Good Egg47	12	12-0	Mrs Lorna Fowler	Mr D Skehan	—	46	101
0213U3	Illusion Of Time18	7	12-0	R K Watson		—	70	111
U-9211	Last Time DŽAlbain47	11	12-0	Liam P Cusack	Mr K E Power	—	84	139
2-551U	Major Malarkey19	12	12-0	Nigel Twiston-Davies	Mr S Clements	127	3	130
112U23	Neverownup34	10	12-0	Dr Richard Newland		126	103	130
1-21P3	No Loose Change11	10	12-0	Paul Nicholls		133	99	130
O21232	Nowurhurlin25	8	12-0	Mrs S J Stilgoe		118	93	122
11111	Ockey De Neulliac26P	13	12-0	N Mechie	Miss C Walton	125	114	133
11221	On The Fringe27	10	12-0	E Bolger	Ms N Carberry	—	114	148
0P-113	Out Now42	11	12-0	Philip Hobbs		130	76	130
606-21	Pacha Du Polder21	8	12-0	Paul Nicholls	Mr W Biddick	143	101	130
281321	Quinz32P	11	12-0	Alan Hill	Mr Joe Hill	123	96	127
46-325	Rouge Et Blanc33	10	12-0	Oliver Sherwood		124	80	123
P1332	Sergeant Dick32	10	12-0	Andy Turnell	Mr Danny Burton	117	71	121
2-2216	Shoreacres27	12	12-0	Mrs Gillian Jones	Miss H Lewis	121	101	125
1P1-42	Siro Demur34	9	12-0	Philip Rowley	Mr Alex Edwards	120	115	134
5P-6U1	Soleil DŽAvril36	9	12-0	Mrs Sarah Easterby	Mr W Easterby	—	79	114
61PP5	Swallows Delight34	10	12-0	Mrs Julie Mansell	Mr D Mansell	103	87	113
5857	Tartan Snow32	15	12-0	Mrs Annabel Brook	Ms Annabel Roberts	122	48	100
FP311	Twirling Magnet20	9	12-0	Jonjo OŽNeill		140	114	138
13-9F3	Vincitore20	9	12-0	Miss C V Hart	Miss C V Hart	120	94	123
311-31	Warne26P	11	12-0	B R Hamilton	Mr S Waley-Cohen	—	97	123

[Yeehaa]

Stats

http://www.attheraces.com/national/article.aspx?hlid=552561&raceid=866996&day=1

First staged in 1923, only the Grand National has a longer history at this meeting and until the end of the Second World War, it was also run over 4œ miles. The Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival is the most important race of the season for hunter chasers closely followed by this Crabbie’s-sponsored event but there is a marked difference in the type of horse required for each race so it is not altogether unsurprising that few winners at Cheltenham have attempted to double up in this prestigious race but this is reportedly the plan for the runaway winner at the Festival last month, On The Fringe trained by Enda Bolger. Only the same trainer’s Elegant Lord in 1999 and last year’s winner, Warne, have inscribed their names on the Roll of Honour in the last 31 years for the Irish which is a very poor return for a nation steeped in history in the point-to-point and hunter chase field.

Four of the last 13 winners ran in the Foxhunter at Cheltenham including two of the last four, Baby Run and Cloudy Lane, both of which had previous experience of the Grand National fences. On The Fringe will be attempting to emulate Double Silk, who in 1993 became the last horse to complete the double. Only three winners at Cheltenham have attempted to double up in the subsequent 21 years with two unseating their riders and the other finishing sixth. The previous horse to complete the Cheltenham-Aintree double was Grittar in 1981 who went on to win the Grand National the following season. Prior to him it was Spartan Missile in 1979 who went on to finish second to Aldaniti in the Grand National two years later. Since those days, Eliogarty, Cavalero, Elegant Lord and Baby Run have won both races but not in the same season.

All but two of the last 31 winners have been aged at least nine and the 1-2-3-4-5 last year were aged 11+.

The other race to take an extra look at is the Walrus Hunters’ Chase at Haydock which is often the strongest hunter chase run in Britain before the Cheltenham Festival and won this season by Pearlysteps who beat Temple Grandin and Cottage Oak. Christy Beamish and Baby Run both won that prize before failing to complete in the Foxhunter at Cheltenham and then bounced back to win here.

As many as 22 of the last 24 winners of the Cheltenham Foxhunter have been aged ten or younger. However, what age we should be looking to for this hunter chase could not contrast any more differently as all but two of the last 31 winners have been aged at least nine so a very different type of horse is required. In fact, the 1-2-3-4-5 were aged 11+ last year. It could be argued that it should be the other way round as the Crabbie’s Fox Hunters’ is more of a test of speed over an extended 2m5f whereas the Cheltenham Foxhunter is run over an extended 3m2f. However, as we have seen with the Topham Trophy and Grand National, experience counts for an awful lot over these big fences so older and therefore more-experienced horses are just better equipped to deal with it hence their very strong record. General experience counts for sure over these fences and only three horses younger than eight have finished in the first three in the last 15 renewals.

Also in total contrast to the Cheltenham Festival equivalent is the early origins of most recent winners as ten of the last 13 winners were former handicappers under Rules rather than being brought up through the point-to-point ranks unlike the Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase where 23 of the last 26 winners started their career down the traditional point-to-point/hunter chase route. They certainly don’t hang about in this big-field amateur riders’ contest and, time and again, it pays to be in the front rank from early on as it does with the Topham and Grand Sefton over this trip on this course. Warne never saw another horse making all last year. Therefore also in his favour is that seven of the last ten winners had experienced the Grand National fences before.

Over the last 22 years only Forest Gunner and Silver Adonishad failed to win earlier in the season and all but four winners won or placed on their previous start. The last three of those were unplaced in the Foxhunter at Cheltenham so I wouldn’t be too quick to overlook horses that finished out of the frame in that contest but I certainly couldn’t entertain a hunter chaser that had failed to run up to expectations on its previous start outside of that Festival race.

Mossey Joe started the shortest price favourite since Spartan Missile won in 1979 last season when he finished third. Prior to Tartan Snow’s 100/1 victory two years ago, this had been an excellent race for punters with 18 of the previous 20 winners sent off in the first four in the betting.

[Morning Glory]

Have backed Warne but this is as good a Foxhunters as I can remember,