FEATURE SPOTLIGHT ON TRAINERS
Epatante “She will go the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle route as they are her tracks [Newcastle and Kempton Park]. She had a fantastic season winning three Grade Ones, but there is a problem and that is Constitution Hill! She had a difficult time the season before last, but she really bounced back to what we thought she was capable of, which was fantastic. She is a very good mare, there is no doubt about that. At the end of the day, you come to the Champion Hurdle, but would you move Epatante up to the Mares’ Hurdle over two and a half? We will discuss it with JP [McManus, owner] and see what he wants to do, as it is his call. However, she will start over two miles and go Fighting Fifth, then on to the Christmas Hurdle, all being well.”
Marie’s Rock “The race at Punchestown was a topsy-turvy kind of race, but Marie’s Rock was very good there again, just as she was at Cheltenham. She is a dual Grade One winner and was basically the champion mare last season. The surprise was the season before when she went lame before Cheltenham. She came back in 2020-21 and had a horrible season, as we just couldn’t find her. Last season, she came back and was good the whole way through. You might even find that she will get further than two-and-a-half miles.”
Shishkin “We found the problem after Cheltenham, which is this bone
disease. It is absolutely bizarre. I would like to get to the Tingle Creek, but we might just start a bit too late for that, as we are looking at six months recuperation from when it happened and the first time it showed up, and that was Cheltenham. “It was a great shame what happened at Cheltenham, but he won what was the race of the season at Ascot in the Clarence House Chase. “Unfortunately, the Champion Chase was over before the second fence. If I can get him to the Tingle Creek, we will. Otherwise it will be the Clarence House then Cheltenham for the Champion Chase.”
Jonbon “If it wasn’t for Constitution Hill, he would be the star novice hurdler of last season and near-on favourite for the Champion Hurdle. So, he is not going for the Champion Hurdle and will go novice chasing instead. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got further than two miles over fences. He is a very high-class horse. Fences should bring out even more in him as he is a great jumper.”
26 KALENDAR
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