Tanya Stevenson's Ante-Post Previews February 7th

After the weekend, I am left with a feeling of deflation. I thrive on competitive action.

It’s perhaps that I am absorbed in the Super Bowl, looking forward to the Phoenix Open Golf, enjoying a good run with the Gunners, cheering the mighty Harrogate Town, and producing a greyhound racing program that the faults with racing are not the focus of my world.

I can conveniently dip in and out at the relevant times. I'm engrained and passionate about racing, but sometimes it leaves me sad, angry, and frustrated. 

Willie Mullins is a phenomenon. There is no doubt, but even he must crave competition come the Cheltenham Festival as he has an abundance of big race favourites with betting sites.

His record tally of winners at the meeting is 10 in 2022 and he could even break through a century of victories overall as he currently stands at 94 winners.

This should be up in lights come March. Ballyburn is a machine, he is a horse that installs anticipation and excitement. 

He ensures the countdown to the festival is on and whichever race he chooses to run in he may well be many people's idea of a banker. 

I thought Galopin Des Champs ran great, there were subtle undertones of disappointment, and it's hard to understand why.

When will there be an acceptance of how good Fastorslow is? No wonder Martin Brassil wants to take him on again and this time in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Since finishing second to Corach Rambler in the Ultima last year, Fastorslow has improved from 150 to 170, and he is still improving.

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Fingers crossed we will see Shishkin in the Denman Chase at Newbury this weekend to further shape our thoughts for the Gold Cup. 

For me, it's very hard to pick out anything ante-post, I’ve proved through this column that long range is not my forte. I like my horses down at the start and am willing to sacrifice any value gained beforehand.

Case in point Jeroboam Machin was there for all to see as far as the Weatherby's Bumper on Wednesday was concerned, and what a blow for connections as now he is out for the season. 

Something for the tracker from the race at Leopardstown that Jeroboam Machin won is a horse called The Yellow Clay, he was bouncing back from 314 days off the course.

He had won both of his bumpers, including a Listed race at Limerick back in March 2023. Sunday's race at Leopardstown saw The Yellow Clay go off 40/1 with horse racing betting sites.

He travelled very well but that counted against him when he was caught in a pocket as they approached the final bend.

With nowhere to go, he had to wait a crucial four or five strides maybe longer before he could be extricated out and brought round the wide outside, and under no urging, he finished strongly in the last furlong to be fourth, he was only beaten seven lengths in the end but he lost that in running.

Watch out for him, it could well be Aintree or even Punchestown where he is next out, but he is worthy of a place in anyone's tracker. 

The only other horse that I took out of Leopardstown was Ethical Diamond, goodness me how good is he?

I noted him initially as there were ripples of interest at big prices from the morning to the lead-up to the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle on Saturday.

The sort of interest that focuses the mind and makes mandatory watching. That I did and I wasn’t disappointed.

Held up at the rear for the majority of the contest, he was last with four to jump, with at least 20 lengths to make up, he made 10 of that up effortlessly approaching the second last, but the race was already well over ahead of him.

He came down a line near the stand side which would not have helped him. His hurdling could be tidied up, he probably needs them to go quicker and he needs to go over further.

He does hold an entry in the Triumph, the trouble is it's one of 12 for Willie Mullins.

It is well worth waiting to see where he actually goes as he has so much ability and acceleration, he is another who would suit the long straight at Aintree. Plenty of time to get in a rhythm there and find a clear run. 

Again on Saturday, I watched helplessly as I saw Park Annonciade inconvenienced as he was trying to make a challenge at Musselburgh in the Bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle.

It didn’t help that poor Ben Bromley who was due to ride, was injured earlier in the afternoon. Despite what it says Park Annonciade was ridden by Philip Byrnes. 

It meant that he had to carry two pounds more than expected and the jockey wasn’t familiar with the horse's traits.

The horse had a run at Musselburgh the time before and there was always the risk that the course would prove too sharp.

Philip Byrne brought Park Annonciade through to challenge as they turned for home just when the leaders were coming back to the pack and it was just impossible to find a way through.

Priority was to jump the last two safely which he did, then try to make the best of a frustrating situation. He hadn’t been missed in the market either he was a fair price in the morning at 10/1 and had been backed into 6/1 with betting apps.

Note to self, he needs a test that Musselburgh can’t offer, but it was worth a try. He is another for the tracker, I sense Ayr rather than Aintree as he has been busy all season. His rating is still worth exploiting and his connections might sense that too.