Ahead of the new National Hunt season, we sent our resident jumps anorak Henry Beesley to chew the fat with our Racing Ambassador Cornelius Lysaght
Racing fans, it’s that time of year again. Say goodbye to unfair draw biases, 5f sprints, and unraced maidens ruining your well-laid punting plans… Enter heavy ground, three-runner novice chases and final flight fallers.
Henry Beesley: Cornelius, it’s been a long summer but we’re back over obstacles at last. What are you most looking forward as we head into the new season?
Cornelius Lysaght: Rachael Blackmore continues to be the storyline. There’s endless interest in her, she’s got a brilliant association with Henry de Bromhead and the two have just had phenomenal success between them. In a time where horse racing needs as much exposure as it can get, she is just the most fantastic ambassador for the sport.
HB: She’s obviously formed a formidable partnership with the unbeaten Honeysuckle over the years. How excited are you by the prospect of her locking horns with Constitution Hill next March?
CL: This has every National Hunt fan excited. Honeysuckle is just the perfect horse, she’s been around the block, she’s been phenomenally successful and she is the absolute Queen Bee.
But then you’ve got this contender who just has so much potential. Nicky Henderson has had so many young horses that have gone on and continued to improve when you think of Altior, Sprinter Sacre, Remittance Man… Constition Hill could be another one!
HB: I think, most importantly, for the first time in a while we’ve got a proper 2m Hurdle division. Is Honeysuckle truly that good or has she just been beating some fairly average horses? Playing devil’s advocate of course, I suspect it’s a bit of both…
CL: Henry! You’d need to be a brave man to make that proclamation on Irish Champion Hurdle day at Leopardstown. Perhaps on the odd occasion, she’s been a touch fortunate, but on balance, she’s been magnificent, absolutely magnificent. She just knows how to win.
There’s others coming into it as well, like Vauban and where the hell is Knight Salute in the betting? Surely he’s another big player so it could be an amazing way to kick off the week next March.
‘There’s no fixture that is more enjoyable than the Dublin Racing Festival. The racing is terrific and the atmosphere is just brilliant’
HB: If you were to give us your horse(s) to follow for the season, who would you be telling us to keep an eye on?
CL: Although he’s already achieved an awful lot, I’m sure there’s more to come from Ahoy Senor. He’s another horse with a great name, a brilliant story and one that the public can really latch on to.
Fortescue Wood for Nick Alexander could be a dark horse to follow. He actually beat Ahoy Senor in a bumper before meeting with a setback but I’m told he’s fit and firing this time around. He could be one for your tracker…
Lastly, I was at a P2P where a horse called Park This One was really striking. He’s since been picked up by Jamie Snowden and could be an exciting horse for Novice Hurdles.
HB: And how about a meeting you’re most looking forward to (outside of Cheltenham)?
CL: There is no fixture that is more enjoyable than the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown. The quality of the racing is terrific and the atmosphere is just brilliant. There’s racing on the Saturday afternoon, head off for the Six Nations in the evening and then come back for racing on Sunday.
In the UK, Betfair Hurdle day at Newbury is exceptional. Anticipation is building with only a month to go before Cheltenham where many horses are having their final prep run. The Denman Chase & the Game Spirit make for a top-class day of racing.
HB: We’re a full six months out from the Festival but if I asked you for a winner for next March, who would you nominate?
CL: L’Homme Presse is quickly becoming a favourite of mine and at 12/1, he’s overpriced for the Gold Cup. He was brilliant when eating up the soft ground at Cheltenham in March and you can forgive him his Aintree run at the end of a long season, on unsuitable ground.
Keep him on side though, for a trainer who is criminally underestimated and you can also expect Venetia Williams to have another great season!
HB: Definitely in agreement there — he could be the one to serve it up to the Irish challenge of A Plus Tard & Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup.
CL: Can I give you another one?
HB: Of course!
CL: Alan King’s Edwardstone is being overlooked at 12/1 in the Champion Chase…
HB: No no, wasn’t he just a good winner of a very average Arkle? It’s a seriously strong division…
CL: So what? That’s not his fault! I think you’d be foolish to underestimate him, and his odds of 12/1 don’t do him justice.
HB: Fair enough… for what it’s worth — aside from Allaho winning the Ryanair again — I’ll give you Flooring Porter in the Stayers’. He’s no price but just looks rock solid in his bid to win a 3rd consecutive crown.
CL: Backing a 6/1 shot a full six months out — that sounds like you! Anyway, it’s going to be another brilliant season and I can’t wait for it.
Looking forward to seeing many of you on course over the next few months.
For all your bets on National Hunt racing this season, visit our dedicated horse racing betting page.
