Festival Fever: The Key Weekend Runners with Cheltenham Festival in mind
By Sporting Life
15:48 · SAT February 06, 2021
Matt Brocklebank and Tony McFadden profile eight of the most significant runners this weekend that are likely to have the Cheltenham Festival on their agenda, including Minella Indo.
Sunday - Ones to watch
Paul Townend on Appreciate It
Appreciate It is already favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham but we could be talking in terms of old-fashioned Irish banker should he come through this weekend s test unscathed.
The son of Jeremy won the Goffs Future Stars Bumper on this card last February, before finding stable companion Ferny Hollow too good in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper the following month.
There has been a familiar âto me, to youâ pattern to the Triumph Hurdle since Tiger Roll won in 2014 as Ireland and England have traded top spot in the Festival juvenile contest ever since.
If that trend is to continue, the winner come 12 March will be trained in England and Saturdayâs Chepstow Finale winner Adagio is now at the front of the queue for the David Pipe team.
Pipeâs father Martin won the race twice, most recently in 1995 with Kissair, and the Pond House team have an improving sort on their hands.
His lone defeat in four starts over timber came at Cheltenham in November when second to Gordon Elliottâs Duffle Coat. The Irish trainer has the ante-post favourite Zanahiyr, a Grade 1 winner at Leopardstown over Christmas, but Pipe and Tom Scudamore will be feeling good about Adagio after the weekend.
Messire finishes strong and delivers in Dipper Chase
Dan Skelton’s 1-2 favourite Protektorat was left in the shade by Alan King’s horse in Wincanton. By Press Association Saturday 9 Jan 2021, 3:17 PM Jan 9th 2021, 3:17 PM 1,161 Views 0 Comments
File photo of Messire des Obeaux.
Image: PA
Image: PA
MESSIRE DES OBEAUX showed his two younger rivals the way home in the Paddy Power Dipper Novices’ Chase at Wincanton.
Winner of the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury on New Year’s Eve of 2016, Alan King’s charge went on to be placed at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree the following spring, before injury kept him off the track for almost three years.