Charlie Hall: Coneygree primed for Cue Card clash

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Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Coneygree can establish his place at the top of the chasing ranks, as he searches for his first win in over two years in Wetherby's Charlie Hall Chase on Saturday.

"We had him ready to go to Listowel in the summer, but got cold feet when the ground was very testing," said Sara Bradstock, wife to Mark.

"Since then he did have a bit of a head cold, which held him up for a little bit, so we have been slightly rushed, but nothing too major.

"He'll obviously be better for the run, but the conditions of the race meant that we always wanted to come here, as long as the ground was suitable.

"Only Cue Card is rated above us, but he's got to give us weight.

"Once we didn't make Ireland we always wanted to come for this."

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Cue Card looked back to his best when striking by fifteen lengths in the Ascot Chase

Cue Card, who has fell in the previous two runnings of the Gold Cup, makes his first start since losing narrowly in the Betway Bowl.

Trainer Colin Tizzard is hopeful he can repeat his 2015 success in this race.

"He's had a racecourse gallop and Joe (Tizzard) schooled him earlier this week,” said the Dorset-based trainer.

“He jumped a couple of hurdles and four fences - just ticking the boxes, really.

"When we took him for his racecourse gallop, at one time he'd have been running away for two miles, but this time he was behind the bridle.

"He still came six lengths away from a 156-rated horse, so he's just as good as he's ever been."

No trainer has won this race more than five times, but Nigel Twiston-Davies has four winners to his name and is double handed in the Grade Two event.

Blaklion was an unlucky fourth in the Grand National, whilst last year's Peter Marsh winner Bristol De Mai makes his first start since finishing fifth at Aintree.

Definitly Red makes his first start since pulling-up in the Grand National for Brian Ellison.

Village Vic, Virgillo and Shantou Village are joined by Vieux De Rouge.

Supreme form boosted as Melon and River Wylde complete Friday double

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Supreme Novice runner-up Melon registered his second hurdles success for Willie Mullins, after enjoying a four-a-half-length success in the Grade Two WKD Hurdle.

Mullins' five-year-old, who lost out to Labaik at Cheltenham, progressed well through the race to forge clear ahead of stablemate Coquin Mans.

He made a mistake at the final flight, but kept on well to secure his first pattern win.

"He was a big, raw horse last year and did exceptionally well to do what he did," said jockey Ruby Walsh.

"He has strengthened up considerably, he's a bigger, stronger horse. He was only a frame of a horse last year.

"He looks a more robust, stronger horse now who is improving with age. It was a good performance to beat race-fit horses in Coquin Mans and Wakea.

"He has to keep improving but it is a good starting point. He quickened up well.

"Paul (Townend on Coquin Mans) kind of stretched me at the top of the hill. I had a couple of lengths to make up on him and he closed it down quick."

The bookmakers shortened him from 16-1 to 14-1 for next year's Champion Hurdle after his victory in Ireland.

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River Wylde won Kempton's Dovecote Novice Hurdle last season

Elsewhere River Wylde completed a double on Uttoxeter's card for Nicky Henderson.

The Supreme third, travelled strongly and jumped fluently placed in midfield before powering through the pack to see off second favourite Hell's Kitchen by three lengths.

Henderson's French import Dame De Compagnie scored in the opening race of the day.

The four-year-old, who was previously a winner on her only start in France, overcame hurdles impressively before Barry Geraghty quickened well to win by just under two lengths.

Geraghty didn't get off the bridle, and she looked a very smart mare in the making for the champion trainer.

Festival third River Wylde out to strengthen chasing credentials at Uttoxeter

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Nicky Henderson reports Supreme Novice third River Wylde to have 'schooled well' as he takes on a strong line-up in Uttoxeter's Kalahari King Beginners' Chase (2:45).

The six-year-old won four times as a novice hurdler last season, including at Grade Two level, and finished just over ten lengths off Labaik in the Supreme Novice.

After a long season he could only finish fifth in Aintree's  Top Novice Hurdle, but expectations are set high as he goes chasing.

The race has a strong record of winners, with Charbel and Garde La Victoire striking in the previous two renewals and Henderson is confident the Festival third can add his place on that list.

"We've another interesting race this time," Henderson told the Racing Post.

"Like last year I was delighted with Top Notch on the day and look what he went on to do, as did Charbel and Le Prezien. There were three good horses.

"Uttoxeter is a nice place to start. River Wylde has schooled well. He was a very good novice hurdler and we'll see what he can do in this."

Harry Fry's unexposed Hell's Kitchen remains one of the most unexposed rivals in the field. The six-year-old has only raced on four occasions and was last seen finishing third on his chasing debut at Ascot a year ago.

War Sound, who won the Swinton Hurdle back in 2015, makes his racecourse return after 629 days. Phillip Hobbs' eight-year-old makes his chasing debut on his first start since finishing midfield in Newbury's Betfair Hurdle.

Kimberlite Candy and Minella For Me also compete.

Willie Mullins feeling sweet as star hurdler Melon returns to action

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Supreme Novice second Melon makes his seasonal return this afternoon, as Willie Mullins' exciting second season hurdler meets five rivals at Down Royal.

The five-year-old came to the Cheltenham Festival having only ran once over hurdler, as Ruby Walsh steered him to a comfortable ten length victory at Leopardstown.

A hot favourite for the curtain raising Grade One, he performed excellently to go down to the quirky outsider Labaik in the closing stages.

At Punchestown he was defeated by a length to stable rival Cilaos Emery, but he is improving and remains full of potential at the start of the season.

The 16-1 fancy for next year's Champion Hurdle, is odds-on to take the Grade Two WKD Hurdle (1:50) this afternoon.

"Melon seems in good form and a second-season novice race like this is a nice starting point for him," said the master of Closutton.

"It will be a fair examination for him as Coquin Mans has a high rating and is as fit as a flea.

"Melon has only had the three runs over hurdles, so he's entitled to improve, but I'm sure he'll improve for the run, too.

"He's running pretty early in the season for one of ours and we'll know a lot more about him after the race."

Mullins' Coquin Mans is the biggest danger to Melon. The five-year-old lost his unbeaten record at Tipperary last time out where former Champion Hurdler hero Jezki beat him by four lengths.

Mick Jazz represents Gordon Elliott, and has already registered Grade One success. The six-year-old hasn't visited the track since narrowly striking at the top level at Punchestown in February.

Wakea, Forge Meadow and Tellthemnuttin also take their chance.

Champion bumper fifth Western Ryder can 'establish Cheltenham chances' on hurdling debut

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Warren Greatrex has hailed Western Ryder as a ‘very exciting’ prospect as he makes his hurdling debut at Stratford this afternoon.

The five-year-old was a listed winner at Ascot in December, before posting a second place finish in a competitive running of Newbury’s Winter Bumper.

He was no match for Fayonagh in the Champion Bumper, but capped off a fine campaign when third in a Grade Two event at Aintree.

The son of Westerner takes on ten rivals in the British Stallion Studs EBF National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle (3:20).

"He was high up there with the best bumper horses last season and will go novice hurdling this season,” Greatrex said in his stable tour.

"He will start over two miles and go somewhere small to start with. He has done very well over the summer. Fingers crossed he turns into a good novice hurdler.

"He won a Listed race at Ascot. I then think he was unlucky as things went against him at Aintree and he had been on the go a long time.

"He was probably too far back at Cheltenham and he came up the wrong part of the track. If he can do that again and get to those meetings, there is nothing to say he won't be very exciting."

Henry Daly’s Honest Vic, Kim Bailey’s Blazon and Jonjo O’Neill’s The Flame all look to be the main dangers.

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Ballyoptic was close to defeating Stayers Hurdle hero Unowhatimeanharry at Ascot last December

Elsewhere on the card, former Cheltenham winner Ballyoptic makes chasing debut for Gloucestershire’s Nigel Twiston-Davies in the Charlotte Cole Memorial Novices' Chase (3:50).

The seven-year-old, who was leading the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last season before falling at the last, finished fifth on his last start in handicap company.

Cheltenham Festival fifth Starchitect also features for David Pipe. The six-year-old makes his first outing since finishing unplaced in the Silver Trophy.

Good Man Pat is expected to make a winning start in the opening Rio Gold Syndicate Maiden Hurdle (1:40).

Alan King’s four-year-old was an impressive winner as a pointer, and should improve on his most recent Exeter third.

Calett Mad 'just like Wholestone' says Daryl Jacob

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Jockey Daryl Jacob believes Saturday winner Calett Mad can follow in the footsteps of Wholestone, a dual-Grade winning staying hurdler.

Calett Mad won Cheltenham's Junior Jumpers Novices' Hurdle in stylish fashion on the weekend, winning by just under five lengths in the Cotswold. Wholestone won the same contest by a length.

He went on to win at Grade Two level twice, before finishing third in the Albert Bartlett at the Festival.

Nigel Twiston-Davies trains the pair, who also both wear the iconic green colours of Simon Munir & Isaac Souede.

“Calett Mad is a bit like Wholestone, who won this race last year and kept progressing," said Jacob after Saturday's win.

"I think this lad will hopefully do the very same, He has a big, galloping stride and seems to take horses out of their comfort zone very early.

“We got to a stage where it was going to be very, very difficult for him over fences, especially at Ayr when he produced a career-best and was just beaten. 

"He is only a young horse, so we decided to go down the Wholestone route.”

Calett Mad was a novice chaser last season, but is currently two from two since switching to hurdling. 

He has been impressive in his two victories, and bookmakers have priced him at 33-1 for Albert Bartlett glory.

Malcom Jefferson highlights Gold Cup ambitions with Old Roan runner-up Cloudy Dream

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Malcom Jefferson will now target another big race success for Cloudy Dream, following his second place finish in Aintree's Old Roan Chase.

The seven-year-old travelled strongly around the Lancashire track, but veteran Smad Place jumped the final fence a tad better and battled on to seal the Grade Two victory.

Cloudy Dream, who finished second in the Arkle at last year's Cheltenham Festival, could remain at the two-and-a-half distance for Cheltenham's Bet Victor Gold Cup at the Open Festival next month.

Oldgrangewood grabbed third spot for Dan Skelton, whilst favourite Shantou Village was pulled-up in the Old Roan, whilst Grade One winners God's Own and Tea For Two were unplaced.

“He ran a blinder. He’s settling down now and settled into the race and jumped well,” said the Yorkshire-based trainer talking after the race.

“He’s in the race at Cheltenham next month and he’ll probably go for that. I’m sure he’ll get three miles now he’s settling more in his races.

"I’m very happy with him. I’d liked to have won, but he’s come to Liverpool and run another good race.”

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Smad Place ran out a 12 length Hennessy winner three years ago

He is currently best priced at 14-1 for the feature handicap of the November meeting.

His long term future could be in the big handicaps, but ambitious Jefferson could attempt a Cheltenham Gold Cup bid with the Grade Two winning chaser. He is currently priced at 50-1.

Smad Place is still priced at 100-1 for the Gold Cup.

Elsewhere on Aintree's Sunday card On The Blind Side ran out an encouraging winner on his British debut.

Nicky Henderson's five-year-old, who was Tippin' Jimmy's NAP of the day, battled on for victory by just under a length.

Posh Trish, The Romford Pele and Bon Chic enjoyed wins, whilst Bag's Groove won a competitive handicap for Harry Fry.