Doncaster's Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle: Horse-by-horse guide to Saturday's race from Tom Chilman
At The Races pundit Tom Chilman reviews the five-runner field for the Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle (1.30pm), including Nicky Henderson's potential star Jeriko Du Reponet; watch every race at Doncaster this Saturday live on Sky Sports Racing
Friday 26 January 2024 10:38, UK
At The Races pundit Tom Chilman looks at the five-runner field for Saturday's rearranged Grade Two Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster, live on Sky Sports Racing....
The SBK Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle (1.30) has been switched to Doncaster this Saturday after Haydock's card was abandoned last weekend due to frost.
The Donald McCain-trained Cinders And Ashes went on to land the Supreme after winning this in 2012, while both Neon Wolf (Baring Bingham) and Jonbon (Supreme) went on to finish second at Cheltenham following their victories in 2017 and 2022, respectively. The latter is trained by Nicky Henderson and owned by JP McManus, with the same well-established partnership set to team up this year with warm favourite Jeriko Du Reponet.
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1. Fiercely Proud
Jockey: Brian Hughes, Trainer: Ben Pauling
Won two bumpers last season, the first at Market Rasen when trained by Don Cantillon before a debut success for his new yard in a Listed contest at Cheltenham. Struggled in graded company the next twice but returned in November to score at the first time of asking over hurdles at Hereford.
The five-year-old next lined up in 2m 0.5f novice at Taunton under a winners' penalty, where he was always doing enough late on to repel the persistent challenge of debutant Ryan's Rocket. Brian Hughes replaces the suspended Kielan Woods in the saddle.
2. Jeriko Du Reponet
J: Mark Walsh, T: Nicky Henderson
An impressive 11-length winner of his sole Irish point-to-point, the five-year-old made his debut for Seven Barrows in a 2m 0.5f maiden hurdle at Newbury in December - a race in which Henderson tends to unveil one of his top novice prospects - and he duly delivered on the pre-race promise with a comfortably victory as 4/11 favourite.
Returned to Newbury later that month for an 'introductory' hurdle over the same trip, James Bowen had little more to do on board than Nico de Boinville four weeks earlier, with the young jockey only providing a few shakes of the reins after jumping the last to register another cosy success from the previously unbeaten Secret Squirrel.
3. Lump Sum
J: Tom Cannon, T: Sam Thomas
Scored on debut in a bumper at Bangor-on-Dee, having travelled well throughout, before failing to concede a 7lb winners' penalty to The Doyen Chief at Hereford in April after a 163-day break. Given the summer off, the son of Authorized returned from another long lay-off to score impressively on hurdling debut in a 2m maiden at Ffos Las.
The six-year-old then followed up three weeks later at Wincanton, this time successfully negotiating a 7lb penalty to see off the game Onethreefivenotout by a length.
4. The Kalooki Kid
J: Danny McMenamin, T: Nicky Richards
Ran well in defeat in bumpers at Ayr and Market Rasen before a disappointing seventh at Perth behind the re-opposing El Elefante. Nicky Richards' grey looked in need of the run when finishing a one-paced third at Musselburgh on his first try over hurdles before taking a notable step forward upped in distance at the same track three weeks later.
The six-year-old ran on well to score on that occasion and it was more of the same on his latest start in a novice at Newcastle, recovering well from a mistake two out to record a comfortable seven-length success. This requires a fair bit more, however, even if keeping jumping errors to a minimum.
5. El Elefante
J: Patrick Wadge, T: Lucinda Russell
A runner-up in her sole Irish point, Lucinda Russell's charge made all to win a mares' bumper at Musselburgh on debut before producing a similar performance to score at Perth the following month.
The six-year-old then returned to Perth in which she blitzed her four rivals to score by 24 lengths, resulting in a tilt in a Class Two novice at Cheltenham. A close fifth behind three well-fancied Irish raiders was still a fair effort, while the heavy ground at Haydock looked to blunt her speed when plugging on for fourth in a Listed mares' event last time out.
The Verdict
This all revolves around Henderson's exciting Supreme hope Jeriko Du Reponet, with the five-year-old having seemingly been found a soft enough Grade Two in which to advertise his Cheltenham credentials.
Mark Walsh is set to become the third partner in as many races for the dual Newbury winner, though it will be interesting to see whether the Irish-based jockey requires more than just a shake of the reins here.
Main market rivals Lump Sum and Fiercely Proud look closely matched on form and ratings, though neither appear a clear standout to follow the favourite home, while The Kalooki Kid may have been slightly flattered in his two wins to date, so there is every chance Russell's confidently-campaigned El Elefante will give the selection most to think about in receipt of her mares' allowance.
Watch all the action live from Doncaster live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday January 27.
