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Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
Race Conditions
The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (4:40pm) is a relatively new addition to the Cheltenham Festival run over 2 miles and about 4½ furlongs. The total prize fund in 2011 was £50,000.
Cheltenham’s Director of Racing, Simon Claisse, said: "We have long held the view that a race for the potential champion jockeys of the future would be a great addition to the Festival and a handicap for Conditional Jockeys was one of the races that was under close consideration when we first extended the meeting to four days.
"This will also be an opportunity for some of the large number of horses which are eliminated from the Coral Cup each year to have a run at the Festival."
Recent Winners
| Year | Horse | Age | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Sir Des Champs | 5 | W P Mullins | 9/2F |
| 2010 | Pause And Clause | 6 | Miss E C Lavelle | 14/1 |
| 2009 | Andytown | 6 | N J Henderson | 25/1 |
Key Trends
Since 1993 just under 50% (27-55) of Handicap Hurdle winners also won last time out, from just less than 20% overall representation.2011 Martin Pipe Hurdle Preview
David Pipe would love to win this race for obvious reasons, but with Arrayan disappointing in the Imperial Cup on Saturday, his best chance may be Shoegazer who won like an improving horse at Ffos Las last time out.
In its short history to date, two trainers who have a much better record than David Pipe are Nicky Henderson and Philip Hobbs.
For Henderson, First Point has run well in big handicaps in the past and has won around here, as has Lord Ragnar, who looks set to revert to hurdles after a spell chasing. However, the likeable mare, Whoops A Daisy may be of more interest as she keeps improving and should be suited by this trip provided we don’t get too much rain. Higgy’s Boy also looks set to improve for the step up in distance.
Qaspal looks like Phil Hobbs’ number one contender. He hasn’t been out this season yet, but won three races in quick succession this time last year in the style of an improving sort. Karasenir is also interesting as he has been crying out for a greater test of stamina.
Another trainer who would love to win this race is Gordon Elliott, as he worked for Martin Pipe for a number of years, and he looks to have a real chance of doing so with Sir Des Champs. He has only run twice over hurdles so far (winning both starts) and could be anything. He’ll be suited by the step up in trip, but is yet to race on anything other than soft ground.
Tony Martin is always a trainer worth following in Festival handicaps and both Montan and Gift of Dgab have chances here.
Gift of Dgab is preferred as he is more lightly raced and should improve for this extra half mile.
King Of The Night is also lightly raced and relatively unexposed. He was well beaten by Cue Card here in November, but won in good style, at Doncaster, on his last start when stepping up in trip. Good ground should suit him
Others to consider are Astracad, and decent flat performers Palomar, Secret Dancer, Hollins and Spring Jim.
Astracad has been running is some good novice hurdles all season and has winning form both here and on good ground. The worry is that he appears to be high enough in the handicap.
Palomar has always been a talented individual, but his current trainer has got him firing on all cylinders both over hurdles and on the flat. He was taken off his feet slightly in the totesport Trophy last time and will be suited by stepping back up in distance.
Hollins and Spring Jim clashed twice last season in the big novice hurdles at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals. Hollins was 11th in the Supreme Novice Hurdle and Spring Jim eighth, but there was only a couple of lengths between them.
Hollins was then fifth at Aintree with Spring Jim again a couple of lengths ahead of him in fourth. Both look well handicapped over hurdles, but Hollins might improve more over this distance as he was a stayer on the level.
Secret Dancer has been very highly tried in all his races to date, but has run respectably against some decent sorts including when seventh in the County Hurdle here last season as a novice. He hinted at a return to his best here in January when a staying on fifth in a decent handicap, the form of which has worked out really well.
CONCLUSION
Sir Des Champs could be anything and may make a mockery of the handicap, but with all his form so far being on soft ground a chance is take with SECRET DANCER who looks a big race winner waiting to happen. Hopefully, this will be his day.
Hollins could easily run into a place if he can translate his best flat form to hurdles now that he is tackling 2½ miles for the first time.
Karasenir should also run well for a trainer who has a fine record in this sort of race at the Festival, whilst King Of The Night looks on the upgrade and could be ahead of the handicapper.
+++UPDATE+++ Our original selection for this race has been diverted to the County Hurdle (where we still like his chances), so our selection is now HOLLINS each-way.
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2010 Martin Pipe Hurdle Review
With the weather worsening all the time, conditions were officially soft on the hurdles course by the time the Martin Pipe Hurdle was run.
Surprisingly, David Pipe had only one runner in the race named after his father and, with Ashkazar only able to finish seventh, training honours went to Nicky Henderson, who saddled three of the first five.
However, it was Emma Lavelle's PAUSE AND CLAUSE, third in last season's Coral Cup, who took first prize with an ultimately convincing win on ground he clearly loves. He also seemed suited by dropping back in trip slightly, and a career over fences surely awaits next season as he is a lovely, big chasing type.
Amazingly, Pause For Clause was the ninth winner of the meeting to have won or been placed at a previous Festival.
Radium, in second, did best of the Henderson horses. He looked the likely winner at the last, but was outstayed on the run in and the rain that fell in the hours leading up to the race probably cost him dear. He's lightly raced and should improve further.
Clover Island stayed on well at the death to claim third. He has been running well in competitive handicaps all season and, given the way he finished here, may be worth a try over further.
Peveril, in fourth, is probably the one to take from the race as he looks set to make a smashing chaser next season. He ran well here under a big weight on ground that was probably soft enough for him. He'll stay three miles in time.
Lord Generous, who was having his first start for Henderson, did well to claim fifth over what is probably an inadequate trip for him, whilst On Borrowed Wings was possibly the hard luck story of the race as he was badly hampered at the fifth and did well to finish as close as he did in eighth.
Meath All Star is another one to keep an eye on as he was given far too much to do on ground that probably doesn't bring out the best in him.
Pause and Clause clears the last in the 2010 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
2009 Martin Pipe Hurdle Review
The first running of the race for conditional jockeys named in honour of Martin Pipe fell to another legendary trainer, Nicky Henderson, as ANDYTOWN bounded clear up the hill for a comfortable success.
He had previously been an easy winner of a similar contest at the November Open meeting, and so clearly relishes this track. A hike in the weights looks sure to follow, so he may struggle to win as easily again in the near future.
The winner was chased home by a 100-1 shot Midnight Chase. He clearly enjoys a decent surface and looks scopey enough to make an impression over fences in time.
Big Earned Fran was favourite for the contest following a fine win in the EBF Final at Sandown on Saturday. His exertions in that race must have taken some sort of toll and so this was another fine effort. He got tired in the closing stages having looked the likely winner turning for home. He finished best of the seven runners David Pipe threw at the contest in an effort to win his father’s race.
Font won the Jewson Final here in the autumn, but has struggled since. Freshened up for this contest, he stayed the trip well on a course that clearly suits him. He also shows all his best form on decent ground.
Previous course form seemed to be the order of the day here as Presenting Copper, who won at the January meeting, was fifth and Oscatello, winner of the 2007 Coral Cup, was eighth.
Sandwiched in between was Leamington Lad, who ran well for a long way considering he had been turned out 72 hours earlier in the Supreme Novices’.
Andytown en route to winning the inaugural Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle
Martin Pipe
It was announced in January 2009 that this race would be named in honour of Martin Pipe, the most successful National Hunt trainer of all time. Pipe trained 34 winners at the Festival, including the Champion Hurdle twice, with Granville Again (1993) and Make A Stand (1997), though victory in the Gold Cup eluded him (Rushing Wild came second in 1993).
Cheltenham's Managing Director, Edward Gillespie, said: "Martin Pipe is, quite simply, a legend. From humble beginnings he re-wrote both the record books and the racehorse training manual.
"His thirst for knowledge and appetite for innovation produced spectacular results over his 32-year training career. His exploits at Cheltenham, particularly at The Festival and November's Open Meeting were stunning and I'm delighted that his name will sit alongside other great trainers at The Festival."
Pipe added: "This is a huge honour. Cheltenham has always been my favourite course and most of the best moments of my career were there. To be celebrated at The Festival alongside the likes of Vincent O'Brien, Fulke Walwyn, Fred Winter and David Nicholson is an amazing accolade, not only for me, but for all of my family and the magnificent team of people who made Pond House tick for 32 years."
