‘I’m hearing he’s a very smart horse’ – why Johnny Dineen is backing against the Supreme big guns
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Johnny Dineen was dealt a huge blow with his big festival fancy Narciso Has ruled out of the Triumph Hurdle, with less than two weeks until the big meeting.
He also adds TWO horses to his festival squad, including a first British-trained runner, while David Jennings puts a 25-1 handicap shot into his own squad!
The pair also react to Constitution Hill’s stunning Southwell win on the Flat and debate whether or not he should line up in the Champion Hurdle.
Stars of the week
3. ‘She’s a very smart mare on bad ground and next winter she’ll come into her own over fences.’
How’s Hannah made a perfect start to her career over jumps when backing up her bumper win when scoring in a 2m7f maiden hurdle at Punchestown. Alongside her point-to-point win, all three of her successes have come on ground that soft or worse.
How’s Hannah: impressed Johnny at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann
2. ‘I didn’t think he was a lot of use, but he impressed me greatly’
Low Kick, a £170,000 purchase, ‘lost the plot’ when beaten at Navan in January, but brilliantly bounced back with an easy triumph at Naas. Both Johnny and DJ think he could be very useful for the future.
Low Kick: a bumper winner who could be going placesCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)
1. ‘I’d like to see her at Aintree in a Grade 1. She looks like she has a lot of pace and a flat track would suit’
La Luna Artista could take Jane Williams to the highest level following her win in the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle. She was third behind Triumph Hurdle hope Maestro Conti in January but Johnny wants her to be targeted at the Grand National meeting instead.
La Luna Artista: should she wait for Aintree instead of Cheltenham?Credit: Getty Images
Question from the crowd
If Johnny owned Constitution Hill, what would he do? Would he have one more crack at the Champion Hurdle or try to have a lucrative Flat campaign through the summer?
Johnny says: “As a jumps follower, of course you want to see him running and on Friday night’s evidence, he’d win it. There’s a huge upside to him running and winning the Champion Hurdle, but the worst possible scenario is monstrous. The fallout would be unbelievable if he got hurt as nothing comes near him being our marquee horse. I’d chance him, but I take chances other people wouldn’t.”
The festival squads
Both have added to their festival squads this week, with Johnny having a major strengthening with two more additions.
He has finally added a British runner into it and fancies Wendigo to beat Willie Mullins’ battalion in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at 9-2. However, he’s taking a chance with Mullins’ Leader D’Allier at 14-1 in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Johnny said: “It’s an open race and he’s a very solid horse. He won’t be that much shorter and he will definitely be placed. He’ll give you a good run for your money and will be there late on, and I can’t have the favourite, Final Demand. Any horse that has run the way he has a few times now, you can’t be with him.
“Leader D’Allier can’t win on his Christmas form, but he won with an aura the last day. I just think they thought he was an aeroplane at Christmas. It’s a really deep Supreme, but I could see him going off half the price if Paul Townend rides and he could get first run on a few of them. I’m hearing he;s a very smart horse”
Meanwhile, DJ is taking a chance and has added in Release The Beast, who is a 25-1 shot for the Grand Annual Handicap Chase.
DJ said: “It’s probably ridiculous, but he just looks like he’s been laid out for this. I thought he could’ve won at Christmas but got caught in a pocket. He hasn’t had that many starts over fences, is a real strong traveller and a good jumper. He ticks a lot of boxes and has a cracking chance.”
Johnny’s festival squad
Romeo Coolio
9-2, Arkle Novices’ Chase
Doctor Du Mesnil
14-1, Turners Novices’ Hurdle
Jade De Grugy
25-1, Mares’ Chase
Its On The Line
9-1, Hunters’ Chase
Narciso Has
6-1, Triumph Hurdle
It’s Only A Game
20-1, Champion Bumper
Mighty Park
10-1, Turners Novices’ Hurdle
The Passing Wife
20-1, Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Carrigmoornaspruce
20-1, Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Wendigo
9-1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
Leader D’Allier
14-1, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
DJ’s festival squad
Skylight Hustle
50-1, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Sir Gino
9-2, Champion Hurdle
Desertmore House
10-1, Cross Country Chase
Bob Olinger
14-1, Stayers’ Hurdle
Sortudo
25-1, Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Bambino Fever
6-1, Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Regent’s Stroll
18-1, Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase
No Walkover
33-1, Champion Bumper
Jeriko Du Reponet
8-1, Kim Muir
King Rasko Grey
25-1, Turners Novices’ Hurdle
Release The Beast
25-1, Grand Annual Handicap Chase
(Prices when advised)
Read more:
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Constitution Hill’s crucial schooling session to take place on Wednesday with Champion Hurdle fate ’50-50′
There has been 210mm of rain at Cheltenham this year – what is the current going description and what should we expect at the festival?
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