Ash Symonds thinks “it’s going to be an interesting year” in jump racing, as the first meeting at Cheltenham since the 2nd of May gets underway today.
The Racing TV journalist predicted it would be a “transitional year” for the sport, as big names like Galopin Des Champs and Constitution Hill look to be slowing down. Speaking on the latter horse, a lot of talk will be surrounding the Nicky Henderson-trained horse, as he will be looking to get back to his best after well-known falls at Cheltenham and Aintree; meanwhile, a disappointing fifth-place finish out of a race with six horses has left the horse and his jockey, Nico De Boinville, with a lot of pressure to perform going into the next season.
Symonds stated that “Only Constitution Hill knows what’s going to happen. He nearly fell on trials day at the Unibet hurdle, and they all thought it would wake him up a little. But it’s mostly early jumping; like, you look at Cheltenham and Aintree last season, and he just took off too early. And then Punchestown, I don’t know what happened, just a massive underperformance. He’s got a lot to prove this season, definitely a lot to prove”.
Meanwhile, the trainers’ championship looks to be a close race once again between Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins. Mullins has won it the last two years, and Skelton will be looking for his first trainers’ championship title, with Symonds believing that the Warwickshire-based trainer has the edge over his Irish rival.
“It will be tricky for him (Mullins); everyone knows him for his winners at Cheltenham, where in February time he will be languishing in 60th or 70th in the title. But he had five or six grade one winners at Cheltenham last year, and then the Grand National was impressive, where he placed 1-2-3-5-7, which will do you numbers in the championship.”
But Symonds thinks that Skelton’s yard is “better” with Dan and Harry “keen to win it this time round”, and early entries have already put him at the top of the trainers’ championship in what are extremely early days.
Looking onto the Cheltenham races on Friday and Saturday, Symonds said that one horse will shine nearly on. The Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davis horse Un Sens A La Vie is a horse looking to impress, as he will be racing at 3pm on Friday as a 7/4 favourite.
Another horse looking to impress will be The Kemble Brewery, who is locally trained by Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls. Symonds predicted a comeback story for the horse, who will be looking for a big year after a disappointing season. Symonds said,
“He looks like a horse who just hasn’t had the rub of the green over the last two seasons, but he’s a really good horse on his day, and he looks well handicapped, so he will be interesting over fences”.
There’s recently been controversy surrounding the planning for the Cheltenham Festival this season; organisers are considering changing the date from Tuesday-Friday to Wednesday-Saturday. Symonds was passionate about the “traditionalist angle” of the festival, and change could destroy that tradition, but he does see positives in a change. “I like the Tuesday-Friday, but there is a positive angle for a Wednesday to Saturday. If it means more money for the Jockey Club and cheaper ticket prices, then it could get more people in. But I would like to see it stay (Tuesday-Friday), but it’s a conversation we can have.”
