Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls have already broken well clear of the pack in the race to reclaim the UK trainers’ championship from Willie Mullins, but they could only stand and watch from the minor spots in the winner’s enclosure on Friday as Jonjo O’Neill’s resurgent stable – with his son, AJ, now also on the licence – claimed the Grade Two Winter Novice Hurdle with Bill Joyce.
O’Neill Sr has saddled winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and, most famously, the Grand National, giving Tony McCoy his much-delayed winner of the Aintree showpiece in 2010. But having finished fifth in the championship race as recently as 2020-21, his Jackdaw’s Castle estate – one of the most modern and well-equipped training complexes in the country – has bumped along in the mid-to-high teens for the past three seasons.
The official addition of AJ O’Neill on the licence since May seems to have added renewed vigour to the operation, however, and Friday’s success – a strong-staying performance that hints at a big future for Bill Joyce in staying chases – was a second Grade Two win for the yard in the space of a fortnight.
Perhaps the most positive aspect of Bill Joyce’s performance was the way he regained his momentum and sense of purpose after a clumsy jump at the second-last surrendered much of his lead over Nicholls’s runner, Quebecois. Harry Cobden, the champion jockey, sensed an opening, but O’Neill jnr got an immediate response from his mount and they eventually crossed the line five lengths to the good.
“We were definitely pleased with the way he’s done it, he’s a big, strong horse and a chaser in the making,” AJ O’Neill said afterwards. “Anything he does now [over hurdles] is a bonus. With a bit of free rein, he gets into a nice rhythm and strides out and keeps galloping. He’s definitely a horse that we’re excited about.”
O’Neill was reluctant to commit to any immediate plans for Bill Joyce, but he was introduced into the betting for the Turners Novice Hurdle, over two-and-a-half miles, at Cheltenham in March at around 20-1, and can also be backed at 33-1 (from 66-1) for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle over three miles at the festival meeting.
Handstands, sixth of seven behind the hugely impressive Ballyburn in what is now the Turners at Cheltenham last season, got off the mark over fences at the second attempt in the card’s second Grade Two event, the Esher Novice Chase.
Handstands was a faller three out when favourite for a Grade Two at Wincanton on his first try over the bigger obstacles last month, but made amends with a three-and-a-half length win having made most of the running.
“That was very good and I enjoyed every minute of it,” Ben Jones, the winner’s jockey, said. “I felt sorry for him the last time because he had been so good at home with his jumping. I think just the ground and the speed we went just caught him off guard.”
Handstands is priced up at around 40-1 for the Cheltenham festival’s three-mile Grade One novice chase.
Lingfield: 12.30 Full Confession 1.00 Robins Field 1.30 Northern Air 2.00 Kado De Joie 2.30 Shot Boii 3.00 King William Rufus 3.30 Bushypark.
Musselburgh: 12.45 You Some Girl 1.15 Jet To Vegas 1.45 No No Fizz 2.15 Monochromix 2.45 National Question 3.15 Return Fire.
Newcastle: 3.22 Unique Spirit 3.55 Rainbow Rain 4.30 Dc Cogent 5.00 Ingra Tor (nap) 5.30 Indalo 6.00 Drumstick 6.30 Volenti 7.00 Homer Stokes 7.30 William Dewhirst.
Wolverhampton: 4.15 Lewis Barnes 4.45 Dashing Harry 5.15 Zandita 5.45 Lattaash 6.15 Coolagh Magic 6.45 Kracking (nb) 7.15 Fitz Perfectly 7.45 Khangai 8.15 Alfheim.
Saturday’s TV races
The cards at Sandown and Aintree on Saturday are both subject to precautionary inspections, at 7am and 7.30am respectively, with Storm Darragh threatening to bring high winds and rain across the country, but if the elements are kind, Jonbon’s short price for the Grade One Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown is likely to leave the Becher Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree as the race that punters will be most eager to solve.
The past three races over these unique obstacles, including the Grand National itself in April, have passed without a single faller, but while runners can now survive a mistake, there is still a reward for bold, accurate jumping, as King Turgeon (2.07) proved when making a successful debut over the National course in the Grand Sefton Chase in November.
David Pipe’s six-year-old was a winner over three and a quarter miles at Chepstow in October and the step back up to that trip on Saturday is likely to see further improvement, making him an obvious bet to complete his hat-trick at around 4-1.
Sandown 1.15 Dan Skelton’s West To The Bridge is within sight of his 12th birthday but remains relatively unexposed at staying trips and ran up to his best to finish a close third at Bangor last time.
Aintree 1.32 Last year’s 14-length winner, Richmond Lake, is back on the same mark and has a fine chance of a repeat win at around 7-2.
Sandown 1.50 A typically small field for the first Grade One novice chase of the British season but a fascinating contest all the same. Paul Nicholls clearly holds Rubaud in considerable esteem to pitch him in at the highest level first time up over fences, but L’Eau Du Sud sets a strong standard on his form at Cheltenham’s November meeting and can maintain his unbeaten record over fences.
Sandown 2.25 The front-running Knickerbockerglory was a winner first time up last season off a 2lb lower mark and could be very tough to pass once again.
Sandown 3.00 There are few more talented or reliable chasers in training than Jonbon and while Quilixios, the 2021 Triumph Hurdle winner, is an interesting new rival, even his impressive recent Grade Three win at Naas still leaves him with plenty to find.
Aintree 3.17 Tamar Bridge had been off the track for nearly two years before a very promising return at Uttoxeter in October and races off just a 3lb higher mark here.
Sandown 3.35 The only blip on Montgomery’s record since joining Venetia Williams came when the stable was out of form in the spring, and with the yard now in much ruder health the seven-year-old has a fine chance to give his trainer a second win in this race in three years.
