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3.05pm Captain takes command in Sandown feature
Tony Paley: Captain Conan made his first start in Britain a winning one when successful in the 32Red Hurdle, the feature race at Sandown on Saturday. He has been out in at 16-1 for the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Trainer Nicky Henderson's winner is a French import but drifted out from 7-2 to 9-1 in the betting. Colour Squadron led all the way and it appeared he just had to jump the last well to win.
However, he hung badly after the hurdle, allowing Barry Geraghty and his mount a chance to capitalise and a big leap at the last gave him every chance.
With Colour Squadron proving difficult to keep straight, Captain Conan ran on gamely to win by a short head.
Geraghty said: "This is the first time I've sat on him, the boss was very keen and he wasn't wrong."
On Colour Squadron jinking, the jockey said: "He did but maybe the company would have helped this fella too, he was very green and will improve a lot."
Henderson added: "It did seem a funny place to start him off but there was method in it as the owners were over for the weekend and he is a very, very talented horse.
"I imagine it will be hard to persuade them not to run him somewhere in March, but Barry and I think it could be a year too soon. He'll be in there but I'm not committing him to it (Cheltenham) as he's really just a chaser."
Sarah Hobbs, wife of trainer Philip, who handles Colour Squadron, said: "He was very green and hung badly. I suppose he has thrown it away because he has lost a lot of ground."
Today's TV tips, by Will Hayler
The champion trainer, Paul Nicholls, can enhance his exceptional record in �Sandown's 32Red Tolworth Hurdle today by taking the race for the fifth time in eight years with Prospect Wells (2.35).
It's at this stage of the jumps season, with the ground usually at its worst, that the stoutly bred horses start to come into their own against speedier types.
Consequently it is embryonic steeplechasers who fill up the roll of honour for recent winners of this contest. Prospect Wells, a high-class Flat performer who �finished second in the Grand Prix de Paris at the height of his powers, does not fit that mould, but he certainly does not seem to lack in stamina given the way he knuckled down to fight all the way up the hill at Cheltenham in November before just being reeled in by Supreme Novice Hurdle favourite Steps To Freedom.
He was sent off favourite to win the Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot last month but was clearly unsuited by the slow early pace and proved unable to reel in the frontrunners from the back of the field despite doing best of those to come from off the pace.
Of the dangers to the selection it is Captain Conan who takes the eye on his British debut. Nicky Henderson would not be pitching this horse, a good winner at Auteuil in June when last seen, into Grade One company without good cause and he is said to have been working well with some of the stable's biggest names.
Sandown 2.05 A contest sure to be run at a decent clip with at least two confirmed frontrunners in the lineup and that could help bring Hold Fast's stamina into play. He showed flashes of good form for Howard Johnson last season and caught the eye before weakening in the closing stages on his first start for Paul Nicholls in November. Although Rileyev was in front of him that day, the weights are tipped in the selection's favour now.
Wincanton 2.50 Owner Dan Gilbert's hopes for a birthday winner were dashed when Minella Theatre was brought down in the early stages at Cheltenham last weekend, but there is a doubt over whether �dropping down in trip is ideal for this horse in his compensation bid. Coup �Royale is �narrowly preferred despite having blundered away his chances at Newbury last time. A smaller field and softer fences will help and he remains �handicapped to win in this grade.
Sandown 3.10 Alan King has waited for the right opportunity for Hold On Julio, who built upon his improved winning form in point-to-points and hunter chases last season to make a successful debut for the yard over course and distance in �November. Even after a 13lb rise in the weights, he may still have much more to offer having joined a top yard. The Knoxs looks the danger back over fences, but he isn't guaranteed to stay this trip.
Wincanton 3.25 This is a new challenge for Gallox Bridge, unbeaten in two starts over hurdles in novice company for Tim Vaughan. However the assessor may have underestimated those two performances and he has the potential to improve, �particularly now switched to a right-hand track. Michael Byrne's 5lb claim represents a useful additional bonus. �Arctic Wings is back to a winning mark and could reward each-way support.
Sandown 3.45 Dropped 4lb since finishing well beaten in Ascot's Ladbroke Hurdle, that defeat doesn't tell the full story for Ciceron, as he was all but put out of the race with an early blunder and did well to fight his way back into contention. He's worth a chance to prove that latest �running all wrong here.
Will Hayler's best bet
Stormy Weather, 12.50 Newcastle
A couple of runs in top-grade company helped recoup most of Stormy Weather's purchase price, even if he had no prospect of winning. It also helped improve his fitness before he dropped back down in grade at Haydock last time. He was never able to reel in the frontrunning Tenor Nivernais, but may not have appreciated the bottomless conditions. Even a repeat of that run would make him hard to beat here.
Seen and heard
The former jockey Chris Rutter hasn't been on the Christmas card list for a number of his ex-colleagues ever since he began working as a stipendiary steward after he quit the saddle nearly 10 years ago. But in true Bash Street Kids style, the jockeys appear to have got their own back judged by a tweet from the user @WeighRoomGossip, which this week read: "Word is steward Mr Rutter will be leaving his rain coat on nxt time he uses the joks toilets after an unexpected soaking last week."
Speculation that Lingfield will become the first racecourse in Europe to install the Tapeta racing surface used at Meydan in Dubai have increased with reports that the Arena Leisure director Ian Renton has headed out to Tasmania to see the track fitted last year at Spreyton racecourse ? since renamed Tapeta Park. The surface has been developed by the former trainer Michael Dickinson, who is trying to persuade Lingfield to switch from Polytrack when the all-weather track is renewed at the end of the summer.
Horse sense
Owned by local pub landlord David �Morgan, Kaffie (1.00) has been flying the flag for Kim Bailey's stable in recent weeks and is fancied to maintain the winning momentum in the opener at Sandown. A switch to frontrunning tactics has seen this small mare strike winning form and she is reported to be thriving at home ahead of her hat-trick bid. Bailey can look forward to enjoying one on the house at the Golden Heart if she goes in again.
Hold On Julio (3.10) sidestepped a possible run last weekend to wait for this and despite being 3lb out of the handicap he looks a major player in the staying handicap chase. Wayne Hutchinson will need to sweat to make 10st, but he has been taking advantage of Robert Thornton's absence through injury in recent weeks. Hold On Julio is still considered well treated despite going up almost a stone in the weights for winning on his debut for the yard.
Alarazi (3.45) was one of four horses to work nicely on the Al Bahathri gallop at Newmarket for Lucy Wadham in midweek and he should be on the shortlist in the two-mile handicap hurdle. Havingotascoobydo is another of interest on his switch back to timber. He got no further than the third fence at Cheltenham last weekend, but was caught quickly by jockey Alain Cawley, ensuring that he didn't waste energies.
Soliwery (1.35), a half-brother to Solix, makes his debut for Nicky Henderson earlier on the card and could prove ready to go in at the first time of asking. Alan King's Fire Fighter is likely to need the outing. Another French recruit Kingcora, trained by Venetia Williams, was entered for the same contest and said to be well above average, only to be pulled out at the final stage. He is one to note.
Stablemate Rileyev (2.05) has soared up the weights but has become one of Williams' favourite horses with a string of consistent performances in his most recent starts. He should go close again.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jan/07/talking-horses
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