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Jewson Novices Handicap Chase
Race Conditions
The Jewson Novices Handicap Chase (1:30pm) is a Class A listed chase run over two miles and five furlongs. It is open to novices aged five years old and upwards. The total prize fund is £80,000.
It fills a void, distance-wise, between the Arkle Trophy and RSA Chase and partially replaced the Cathcart Chase, which was run over the same distance, but restricted to novices and second-season chasers. That race was discontinued and replaced by two separate races; the Jewson Novices Handicap Chase and the Festival Trophy (Ryanair Chase).
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Recent Winners
| Year | Horse | Age | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Chapoturgeon | 5 | P F Nicholls | 8/1 |
| 2008 | Finger Onthe Pulse | 7 | T J Taaffe | 9/1 |
| 2007 | L´Antartique | 7 | F Murphy | 20/1 |
| 2006 | Reveillez | 7 | J Fanshawe | 9/2F |
| 2005 | King Harald | 7 | M Bradstock | 9/1 |
Key Trends
Four out of five winners of this race were aged 7, whilst 8 year-olds are 0-29.
All five winners won or finished second last time out and such horses have been responsible for the 1-2-3 three times and a 1-2 on another.
The last four winners were rated between 133-135.
2010 Jewson Novices Chase Preview
There are no better trainers when it comes to producing Festival winners over fences than Paul Nicholls, Ferdy Murphy and Jonjo O’Neill, and the betting would suggest that their representatives here could battle out the finish.
Nicholls has been talking up the chances of Rivaliste for some time now and so it is no surprise that his ante post odds have contracted accordingly. His form in this country isn’t anything special, but he has clearly been showing plenty at home.
Murphy’s The Hollinwell has been in many people’s notebooks for some time as he is a lovely big chasing type and looks a potential star of the future. However, he still has plenty of maturing to do so the question is whether this race might come a year too soon for him.
Sunnyhill Boy will represent the powerful combination of O’Neill and JP McManus. He developed into a very decent handicapper hurdler last season and showed that he was getting his act together over fences with a classy performance at Ludlow last time out. He looks to be peaking at the right time.
Nostringsattached could represent the same connections. He has been off the track for a while, but is a horse who appreciates better ground and so the wet winter wouldn’t have been to his liking.
An ex Nicholls inmate, Gansey, is another to consider. He has easily won three of his last four starts – his only defeat coming when he unseated his rider when still travelling well in a race won by The Hollinwell at Warwick. He’ll be at home on the likely ground.
The same is true of Working Title, who is just one of a number of entries for Nicky Henderson, but the pick of them might prove to be Dave’s Dream. He was a decent handicap hurdler last season (he was favourite for the County Hurdle at last year’s Festival) and although he has been a bit disappointing over fences so far, should be suited by the trip and ground here.
Of those towards the head of the market, Hey Big Spender and Copper Bleu are the other home trained contenders to mention.
The key to Hey Big Spender’s chance is his love of the track. He also jumps and stays well. Copper Bleu was one of the best novice hurdlers about last season and whilst he seems to have translated that form to fences, there is a slight doubt about him staying this trip.
As you’d expect, the Irish have a number of horses entered that warrant serious respect.
Jered has always looked a big race winner in waiting. He flew up the hill in the Champion Hurdle last season and good ground seems to be the key to him. He doesn’t win as often as he should, but that may be because the ground in Ireland tends to be too soft for him.
Nicanor famously beat Denman at the 2006 Festival, but has been plagued by injury problems since. He has always looked a chaser in the making, and while he seems to have lost some of the ability he once showed, he has also been unsuited by the wet ground in Ireland throughout the winter.
China Rock has also run well at the Festival in the past and also prefers better ground, so shouldn’t be written off either, whilst Dessie Hughes, who excels with his runners here, believes Lenabane has a decent chance.
Faltering Fullback and Lucky Wish are interesting of the Irish contenders at bigger prices, whilst King’s Forest, who should have conditions to suit, and Othermix, who had top class form in France and finally seems to be acclimatising to his new home, are lively outsiders from the home contingent.
CONCLUSION: A cracking contest in prospect and a race that looks certain to produce some future big race winners.
The selection is JERED, who has always looked like a classy performer and could finally realise his potential here granted his preferred good ground.
Copper Bleu would be a big threat if he stays with his stable hitting form at the right time, whilst Othermix looks a very interesting outsider.
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2009 Jewson Novices Chase Review
Again, the ground had dried out fractionally from the day before, but it was still officially good to soft.
For such a competitive looking handicap on paper, and despite the huge field, there were very few in this from quite some way out. In fact, turning for home the race appeared to be down a match between CHAPOTURGEON and Crescent Island, and so it proved with the former comfortably on top at the death and the latter weakening and losing second place close home.
The winner clearly runs well fresh and is likely to be aimed at the big handicaps run round here next season, starting with the Paddy Power Gold Cup. The handicapper will obviously have his say before then though and winning in such style may not have done him any favours in the long run.
Having fluffed the second last to give his pursuers hope, Chapoturgeon pinged the last to give the impression there was plenty left in the tank.
Isn’t That Lucky was the one to stay on into second. He was given a patient ride out the back and was possibly given too much to d,o although in fairness his rider probably wouldn’t have expected the winner to shoot clear as emphatically as he did. He is lightly raced and is clearly suited by these fast run handicaps. He has time on his side.
Crescent Island put up a bold showing for a long way and was unlucky to lose the runners up spot on the run in. He relished the underfoot conditions and seemed to improve for the first time blinkers.
The rest came home at regular intervals, with Northern Alliance next in a never nearer fourth. He was another who improved on the better ground.
Former top class hurdler, Straw Bear, posted his best effort over fences to date, finishing fifth. He didn’t seem to quite get home over this trip, having looked a danger running down the hill.
Tranquil Sea (sixth) was let down by his jumping, but was another to stay on well when the race was over. He is highly regarded, and was a very useful novice hurdler, and so may have more to offer.
Astarador (eighth) is clearly better going the other way around, whilst Slash And Burn (ninth) finished tamely after travelling well for a long way.
Timmy Murphy aboard Chapoturgeon (number 13) en route to winning the Jewson Novices Chase
2008 Jewson Novices Chase Review
Due to the rescheduling of races caused by the abandonment of day two of the Festival, this race was run over half a furlong less than it would have been on the New Course, placing a little less emphasis on stamina.
A hugely competitive looking handicap on paper proved to be exactly that with the first seven home separated by just over 6 lengths.
Victory for FINGER ON THE PULSE brought back memories of Kicking King’s Gold Cup success in the same colours a few years ago and whilst Tom Taaffe’s seven year old might not reach quite those heights over fences, this was a useful effort and there are more good races to be won with him as he should stay further in due course. Although he looked to be idling slightly in front, he did well to hang on having taken up the running some way out.
Barbers Shop looks every inch the chaser and has had a good season. He can also improve with time and could be worth following next year.
The same is true of the third, Possol, who had decent form in France and is probably only now starting to settle properly into his new surroundings. His cause wasn’t helped by being hampered by a faller early on.
Fleet Street (fourth) has been lightly raced since finishing third in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle four years ago. He was tackling this sort of trip for only the second time and on this evidence he is well worth another try over it. Although he is still only nine, connections have probably been left wondering what might have been had his career not been plighted by setbacks. He ran on really gamely here, having come under pressure a long way out.
Ambobo was staying on strongly when clouting the last, which put paid to his chances, whilst Big Bucks is the other one to take out of the race having run a cracker under top weight. He’ll stay further in due course and could be a lively Gold Cup outsider next season.
2007 Jewson Novices Chase Review
Trainer Ferdy Murphy’s superb recent record with big price, staying chasers at the Festival was further enhanced by victory for L’ANTARTIQUE in the opener on day three.
The field was well strung out in the end as a result of the furious early pace and the performance of the winner was even more impressive for the fact that he had to endure a troubled passage for much of the way, most notably when being hampered by the departure of Pole Star at the eleventh, where he lost all momentum. He had been consistent rather than spectacular in his starts over fences before today, but benefited from the improvement in the ground. He was also given an excellent waiting ride by his top class jockey, Graham Lee. A further step up in trip may bring about more improvement in the future.
Bob Hall ran a cracker in second on only his fourth start over fences. He had some excellent form over hurdles in Ireland last season before being switched to Jonjo O’Neill’s yard for this campaign. Being so lightly raced he is open to any amount of improvement, and may be another one for whom a step up in trip would suit.
Wee Robbie has always been highly regarded by connections and he put up a career best effort here to finish third. He is still a novice over fences and if he retains that status next season he should be able to run up a sequence.
Rasharrow was fourth. He was both a top class bumper horse and novice hurdler in the past, and this was his third good race at the Festival. The fast pace of these championship races seems to suit him, as does some decent ground. However, given his consistency over the years the handicapper is unlikely to make life easy for him in the future.
The two best backed horses in the race were both big disappointments. New Little Bric was many people’s handicap banker of the meeting and his supporters did at least get a run for their money as he was there or thereabouts for much of the race. However, he came under pressure turning for home and there was little response. He faded to finish seventh and is likely to be put away for the season.
By contrast, King Revo never gave his backers any hope. He wasn’t helped by some sloppy jumping.
The same is true of Knight Legend whose career over fences to date has been blighted by serious jumping errors. He has ability, though, and could pop up at a big price in a decent race if he improves his fencing.
Limited Edition was still travelling well when crashing out at the third last. It was too far out to say what would have happened had he stood up but he is definitely one to keep an eye on.
2006 Jewson Novices Chase Review
The Cheltenham Festival wouldn’t be the same without JP McManus landing one of his monster gambles and REVEILLEZ was backed down from 6-1 to 9-2, including one bet of £100,000 at 6-1, before taking the second running of this event for his Irish owner.
Trainer James Fanshawe is much better known for his exploits on the Flat but punters would be well advised to sit up and take notice when he switches one to the National Hunt arena – he has already won the Champion Hurdle twice.
Jockey Tony McCoy also had extra reason to celebrate as this was his first Festival success as retained rider for McManus.
There were concerns about Reveillez’s jumping coming into the race, but extensive schooling, the brilliance of his pilot and the better ground all seemed to improve his fencing, and last season’s Sun Alliance Hurdle fourth seemed to win this race with plenty in hand.
The Paddy Power Gold Cup in November could be a long term target.
The winner and runner up, Copsdale Lad, pulled nicely clear of the third, suggesting that the front two could both be worth following.
Copsdale Lad was unfortunate to remain a novice after his exploits last season when he could easily have won this race but for being brought down when still travelling strongly. He put his added experience to good use here, but must have decent ground and a left handed track to be at his best.
Tumbling Dice also ran well at last year’s Festival, finishing third in the Coral Cup. He may need further in time and is very highly regarded by his shrewd connections.
Direct Flight ran a blinder at big odds in fourth, whilst Le Volfini would surely have made the frame had he not fallen three out. At least this effort shows he acts on quick, as well as soft, ground.
Preacher Boy was another casualty. He didn’t particularly shine here but could still be interesting if stepped up significantly in trip next season, provided his jumping improves.
Celtic Son was another Martin Pipe trained flop and is surely better than he showed here.