Tony Martin has ruled out a tilt at the Smurfit Champion Hurdle for moneyspinning She's Our Mare. He reckons Cheltenham does not suit for the seven-year-old, who was conceding weight to first and second, Mantles Prince and Geos, when third in Saturday's big hurdle at Leopardstown.
Ferdy Murphy's hurdler Albrighton never showed with a chance and was unplaced in the £8,000 Prix de l'Esteron (2m 2f) at Cagnes-sur-Mer yesterday. Antarctique (12-10), a horse with a touch of class on the flat, dominated the race by four lengths.
Pat Smullen notched the second success of his current two-month Hong Kong stint aboard Taurus in the finale at Sha Tin on Saturday. Hedrove the Lawrie Fownes-trained runner , who paid over on the Tote, to a neck success in the East Point Handicap over seven furlongs. David Harrison (Perfect Fun) and Jimmy Quinn (Word Of Honour) also got on the scoresheet.
Eddie Ahern was in blinding form at the United Arab Emirates track, Jebel Ali, where he landed a treble for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin on Saturday. The highlight was the success of Keltoi in the Listed Jebel Ali Stakes. Fairton and Jalaab were Ahern's other successes.
Willie Supple, the defending Dubai champion, made his mark on Yajree for trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam. Dane O'Neill (Zaya) and Richard Hills (Hadith) also got among the winners.
Noel Chance warned yesterday that Cheltenham Gold Cup Looks Like Trouble is far from certain to line up in the John Bull Chase at Wincanton on Thursday.
But the £17,500-added contest still promises to shed light on the big-race picture, with Double Thriller, Strong Promise and Tresor De Mai among a high-quality entry of 13.
Chance fears the going at Wincanton will be too soft for his Royal and SunAlliance Chase winner, who was pulled up in the King George VI Chase at Kempton last time out.
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