Smart young prospects

There was some top-class action on Saturday with Il Etait Temps and Lulamba providing the highlights at Sandown Park winning the Tingle Creek Chase and Henry VIII Novices' Chase respectively. The former was gaining his sixth Grade 1 victory and his second at the Esher track following his runaway success in the Celebration Chase last spring. Willie Mullins' grey has won 7 of his 9 races over fences and developed into one of the leading two mile chasers in training. His record at Cheltenham (553) will continue to be scrutinised between now and March and something his rivals will be hanging their hats on during the next few months. A nine lengths victor, he readily brushed aside Jonbon who was seeking his third consecutive victory in the race after the Pond fence. Nicky Henderson's charge looks ready for a return to further with the Ascot Chase in February looking a suitable target. 

Budding star Lulamba wasn't hard pressed to beat three rivals by upwards of nine and a half lengths. Last season's Triumph Hurdle runner-up had won in convincing fashion on his chasing bow at Exeter last month and produced a similar display here pulling away from Be Aware after the penultimate fence. The Seven Barrows outfit were gaining their sixth win in the two miles event. The four year old will complete his Arkle Trophy preparation in either the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury or the Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Newbury and Warwick respectively (7th February) - former stablemate Altior won the Henry VIII, Game Spirit and Arkle during the 2016/2017 campaign. Expected to be kept to two miles this term, the former Arnaud Chaille-Chaille trained inmate will have no trouble staying further in future.

Elsewhere there were some eyecatching performances by some smart youngsters including Taurus Bay in the two miles one novice hurdle at Aintree. Featured in Declan Phelan's Irish Pointers article in OJA, the Poet's Word gelding had created a good impression when winning on his Rules bow at Stratford in late October. He confirmed that here beating Newbury scorer Captain Hugo in decisive fashion in a three runner affair. The pair matched strides for much of the contest before Ben Pauling's runner took charge after the second last. A four and a quarter lengths victor, a return to the Merseyside venue on Boxing Day for the Grade 1 Formby Novices' Hurdle is a possibility, although his trainer isn't in a rush to plunge the four year old in the deep end too soon. The Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon (5th February) is an alternative target in the New Year. Owned Harry Redknapp has another exciting prospect on his hands.

Stablemate Starmount also made a striking start to his career under Rules when making all in another two miles novice hurdle at Wetherby. The five year old, who is also featured in the Irish Pointers section, isn't the most straightforward according to his trainer but there is no disputing his ability as he pulled clear early in the homestraight.

French Revolution entry Saint Baco defied an absence of 448 days when winning on his Irish debut at Navan in the same two miles maiden hurdle triple Cheltenham Festival winner Vautour landed twelve years earlier. Placed at Auteuil in September last year when handled by Daniela Mele, the Cokoriko gelding has heavily supported beforehand and only had to be pushed out to beat the promising Lazare de Star by nearly four lengths with eighteen lengths back to the third. Entered in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown over the Festive period, Willie Mullins' gelding is very much a chaser in the making and one for the future.

There were plenty of points of interest over the weekend, including the defeat of Majborough in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork on Sunday. The three times Grade 1 winner resembled a bull in a china shop ploughing through a number of fences before finding Found A Fifty too strong. Beaten a length and a half, the former Triumph Hurdle winner will need to brush up his jumping if he is to add to his Grade 1 tally. However, it is worth remembering the five year old is much happier racing left-handed and, as stated in OJA, a step up in distance won't go amiss either. The J.P.McManus owned gelding looked anything but a future Queen Mother Champion Chase winner at Cork. 

Gary & Josh Moore endured a frustrating season last year with 52 winners but the West Sussex based team have enjoyed a more fruitful campaign this time around. Indeed, they have sent out 6 winners from their last 11 runners - 30 in total during 2025/2026 - including some nice youngsters, namely Hurricane Pat and Macktoad.

Talking of in-form teams, Value Racing Club owned runners have been entering the winners enclosure like its going out of fashion in recent days with victories for Solly's Gold (11/4 @ Wetherby (Saturday), Profit Street (3/1) @ Wolverhampton (Saturday), Walden (11/1 @ Huntingdon (Sunday)) and Counsel (16/1 @ Lingfield (Monday)).