Keith Donoghue
Keith Donoghue’s William Hill blog: Cheltenham November Meeting preview
William Hill ambassador Keith Donoghue reflects on some key moments so far this season and previews his rides at the Cheltenham November meeting.
Czechia, USA and back to Naas
It has been a busy few weeks for me with trips to the Czech Republic and America, but it is great to be heading back to Cheltenham again.
Winning the Velka Pardubicka on Stumptown was brilliant. It was a great achievement for myself and Gavin Cromwell, and it was great for the horse. He did it the hard way, but he got the job done.
The victory is definitely right up there with my best ones. From the outside world it has probably got more recognition than a winner at Cheltenham. So many people have been texting me and ringing me to say well done.
After winning that I headed out to ride in America for the first time, with Ballysax Hank in the American Grand National at Far Hills.
It was a good experience, and it would have been a lovely double to complete, but it just wasn’t meant to be. It was a bit disappointing to get beat, but the horse still ran a great race.
Then it was back to Ireland and a highlight of the past couple of weeks was Only By Night making a winning return in the Grade Three Barberstown Castle Chase at Naas.
We were pleased to get her season off to such a good start and see her progress from last season outside of novice chase company.
She was well in on the ratings with Champ Kiely with her mares’ allowance and we thought she would go very close. It was great to get a winner like that for Gavin, and for Robcour, and hopefully it will lead on to bigger things. I imagine her main target will be the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival come March.
That brings us nicely on Cheltenham for the November Meeting and I will be riding there all three days.
Cheltenham, Friday
Welonlyhavedone is my first ride on Friday for Gavin Cromwell, in the Grade Two novices’ hurdle (3.30pm). He fell the last day at Galway when he looked like he was going to win, or be second at worst.
It was a good race and he definitely had stepped up from his win the time before at Galway over two miles.
The trip will be fine and although there is a lot of rain set to hit the track, the ground will be no problem to him.
It looks like a very competitive race on paper, but I’m looking forward to him as we think he has a very good chance.
My other ride is on Quint Major in the novices’ handicap hurdle (4.00pm) for Mark Molloy. He is a good trainer and I don’t think he would be sending one here just for the sake of it.
He ran a good race to finish fourth at Limerick on his last start and hopefully he can run well here and run into a place at a good price.
Cheltenham, Saturday
On Saturday I start with Secret Force in the Grade Two juvenile hurdle for Gavin (12.35pm). It looks a warm race with Precious Man in there for Dan Skelton, while Parchment, from the David Pipe yard, has been well talked up.
Our lad won at Punchestown last time out and he couldn’t do any more than that. He did it very well on that occasion. We are looking forward to him as we do think he is a nice horse.
I suppose we will know more as to where we stand after the weekend. We’ve had some good juveniles come through in recent seasons and he would be on a similar curve to them.
He has a good pedigree and he is from a good sire. He seemed to really like jumping at Punchestown so he is definitely shaping up to be smart, but this will be a proper test for him.
In the big Gold Cup Handicap I’m back on board Thecompanysergeant. I think coming back to two-and-a-half miles will really suit him as he probably didn’t see out the three miles in the Kerry National at Listowel the last day.
He ran a good race at the Cheltenham Festival last season in the Plate over a similar trip. It looks like a very competitive race, but we do think he has a good each-way chance.
We’ve got a good swing in the weights with Jagwar, who beat him at the Festival, so hopefully that will help as well.
Cheltenham, Sunday
My only ride on Sunday is Bud Fox in the Listed bumper (4.00pm), but hopefully he is worth the wait! He has built up a good reputation having won a point-to-point and a Punchestown bumper.
We are looking forward to him for the season ahead. I did sit on him at Navan to give him a bit of a spin last week and I was very happy with him.
I’m not sure of the form of the English horses, and how strong the bumper is, but our lad is going well and we would be very disappointed if he doesn’t run a big race.
It has been well documented by Gavin that he will be staying in bumpers this season. He is definitely one of our leading lights.
