Warren Greatrex Stable Tour

Audacity
4 ch g Pivotal – Carlanda
He was sent to me to try and win a bumper and then sell on. He was a bit green on his first two starts but showed ability and on the back of those I took him to the Cheltenham sales. We had no takers so I sold him to existing owners and we gave him his first run in the new colours at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day in the Listed bumper. Obviously I knew he was a nice horse but I was pleasantly surprised he won, as I would have been happy had he finished in the first five – Gavin [Sheehan] insists he had more in the locker if he had needed it. He’s a progressive horse and heads to Newbury on February 8 where he will get a good weight allowance for being only four. He will be a dual-purpose horse and could go on the Flat. I like his attitude to his work.

Bob Mahler
8 b g Mahler – Cooladurragh
He did well last year, winning back-to-back handicap chases at Newbury and Cheltenham, rising 12lb as a result. This season we started back at Cheltenham in October on atrocious ground but he has since run two good races at Haydock and Doncaster, finishing third and second. The plan is to take the Missed Approach route and go to Musselburgh for the Edinburgh National on February 2 with a view to the Kim Muir at Cheltenham. He’s a dour stayer and will be better on slightly better ground, hence his impending trip to Scotland.

Calvario
5 gr g Falco – Ashkiyra
I like the way he’s progressing. He made his debut at Ascot where he was a little green and finished midfield, but you could see at home how much it had brought him on. We gave him his second run last week at Newbury in one of the hottest bumpers of the season so far and he ran a much better race. In fact, he led from the start until the final quarter-mile before finishing fourth of 13 to the impressive Your Darling. My horse is the type to continue improving with experience and should not be far away next time.

Earl Of Harrow
4 b g Sixties Icon – The Screamer
He’s a very interesting newcomer to the yard, having spent two seasons on the Flat with Mick Channon – last season he won three of his last four races, all over middle distances. He was due to run at Kempton at the start of this month but he didn’t scope well so we decided to give him another fortnight. He loves jumping and as long as the ground is not soft he’ll be okay. I could see him stepping up each time he runs. He’s not the sort for one season as he has the size and scope for a bright future.

Elleon
5 b g Martaline – Allette
He ran okay in his only bumper last season but picked up an injury and was out for 189 days before making a winning return at Uttoxeter on heavy ground in November. His owner was then keen to go to Hereford with him just before Christmas but the ground was even worse that day and he couldn’t pick his feet out of it. He’ll be better on spring ground.

Emitom
6 b g Gold Well – Avenging Angel
He was obviously very good last year with his only defeat being a three-length second to Champ at Aintree, which was certainly no disgrace. We were going well in our build-up to his seasonal return when he sustained an injury that set him back a bit. In hindsight it was asking the impossible to expect him to win the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on his return because we only had eight weeks to get him ready. He’s entered in the Cleeve Hurdle on Saturday but I’m not convinced it’s the right place to go. If I decide against that there’s the Rendlesham at Haydock (February 15) and if we didn’t take in either of those we would completely scrap plans for the Cheltenham Festival and look at the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell over 2m4f. After that it would be Aintree again.

Encore Champs
6 b g Robin Des Champs – Dani California
He had wind surgery over the summer and seems happier for it. I like him a lot but he has been beset by niggly issues, especially sore feet, so training has not been easy. He was second first time out at Fakenham to a nice horse of Dan Skelton’s, Nube Negra, and last time out, stepped up to 2m5f at Fakenham, he won as he liked. We could go to Cheltenham this weekend for a novice handicap chase or if not find something similar the week after.

Full Spes
4 bl g Al Nami – Full Passion
He’s a gorgeous horse who made his debut at Hereford in December where he finished fourth. The ground was very bad that day and he was too weak to handle it. He has come out of the experience well and we’re hoping to go to Huntingdon on Friday or wait until next week for Taunton in another similar bumper. He’ll be much better next year and we like him. We made too much use of him at the wrong time on his debut and I would be very surprised if he didn’t step up markedly on that effort next time.

Jammin Masters
9 b g Sinndar – Zara Million
He’s a horse I have always liked and he was unlucky not to add to his two career wins last season, finishing second on four straight occasions. He had his first run back at Lingfield earlier this month after a near 300-day absence and needed the run. He had been off with a knee issue, which we operated on last summer, and I was very mindful of how hard to push him after that. He’ll step up a huge amount next time as they have dropped him 3lb to 132 and he has come out of it very well. He stays 3m and handles soft ground and most importantly the knee is good after that run. Now we can move forward with some confidence.

Keeper Hill
9 b g Westerner – You Take Care
He has been a great horse for the yard with eight wins from 23 starts, along with four seconds. I’ve always thought he was probably not quite top class but he’s high in the weights, leaving him between a rock and a hard place. He won well at Haydock first time out in November and ran the race of his life earlier this month when runner-up to Frodon in the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton. He split a 168 and 161 horse (Top Notch) on that occasion and the handicapper has decided to leave him on his mark of 153, which I’m certainly not complaining about. We could possibly send him to Musselburgh next for the Pertemps qualifier over hurdles where the ground might not be too soft. We might give the Cheltenham Festival a miss and head to Aintree for a crack at the Bowl over 3m. He’s owned by the sponsors of the Ultima Chase at the festival and I’m sure there will be discussions about him running in that, but he prefers smaller fields and I don’t think he would enjoy himself.

La Bague Au Roi
9 b m Doctor Dino – Alliance Royale
She has been a superstar for her owners and the yard with 14 wins from 23 starts, including Grade 1 races either side of the Irish Sea. I think last season took more out of her than we appreciated at the time. She has improved with each of her three runs this campaign and I was very happy with her recent run when third to Lady Buttons. She has come out of it better than ever and I feel for the first time this term she has got her mojo back. She could head to Leopardstown for the Irish Gold Cup. She won the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase there 12 months ago and they say that if you handle the track there then it’s always worth keeping on going back. If the ground were against her there then it would be the Denman Chase early next month at Newbury. She stays well and as she has got older I am convinced 3m is her trip. I expect to see the old La Bague Au Roi back when you see her again.

Mahlervous
7 b g Mahler – Brook Style
She’s owned by the Marvellous Partnership and I know they’re keen for him to go to the Scottish National meeting at Ayr in April where there is a valuable novice handicap chase. He’s entered this weekend at Ayr and next week at Leicester and I’m keen to take in one because to qualify for the big pot he has to have had two runs in novice chases. His first effort over fences was at Musselburgh earlier this month when a half-length second of three over 2m6f. He needs to brush up his jumping but I like him a lot. Keep this horse on your side as he’s progressing well.

Martha Brae
5 b m Shirocco – Harringay
She won on her second outing this term in a Fontwell novice hurdle over 2m3f and we upped her in class last week at Newbury where she ran a cracker to be beaten a neck by the progressive Bond’s Lover. That was a fine effort and we’ll see what the handicapper does before making plans, but she’s a gutsy mare who is progressing.

Missed Approach
10 b g Golan – Polly’s Dream
He’s a very good staying chaser but hasn’t been out for almost 14 months. He’s quite hard to get fit but he’s back and the Grand National is the aim. I hope to go for a veterans’ chase at Exeter on February 9. He’s on a mark of 145, which I would hope will be enough to get in at Aintree. He has done us proud in the past, notably winning the Kim Muir, and I believe he has all of his old enthusiasm back at home. Fingers crossed we can keep him sound as his owner is a big supporter of ours and is very keen to see him in the National. He’s ten now and you could argue he’s in his prime. It’s possible we may have another run after Exeter, but let’s get through that first.

Mulcahys Hill
8 b g Brian Boru – Belsalsa
A talented horse who won first time out this season in a Cheltenham novice chase, getting the better of Wholestone over 3m. That was a career best and we decided to let him take on the National fences in the Becher Chase, but he had a slightly interrupted prep and just didn’t run his race. I’m not sure if we would go back and give him another try over them. His next start was at Newcastle on Monday where he was beaten when trying to give weight to a good horse of Harriet Graham’s. He has his own thoughts about the game but is talented.

Portrush Ted
8 b g Shantou – Village Queen
The most interesting horse in the yard. He started off like a superstar winning his bumper and then taking the Grade 2 Aintree bumper two seasons ago. After that he won his first race over hurdles at Perth by 17 lengths, but he sustained a bad injury to his tendon which kept him off the track for 519 days. We gave him all the time he needed and he returned at Ayr earlier this month where he won on his first attempt in handicaps. He was raised 7lb to a mark of 138, which I was more than happy with. The plan is to go for the Pertemps qualifier at Exeter on February 9, which would be the preference over Haydock six days later. That would give us enough time to get him ready for Cheltenham. If the ground comes up on the soft side on the Thursday of the festival he would go. My one concern is that, although he may be on a nice handicap mark, whether he will be streetwise enough in a huge field of handicappers. He’s still unexposed.

Star Of Lanka
6 b g Zoffany – Indian Bounty
He’s a consistent horse who has run three brilliant races this season without success. We have now started riding him a bit differently, which is helping. He’ll have entries at the festival including the Coral Cup and we may get him qualified for the Pertemps Final. There’s a Sandown race over 2m6f and worth £100,000, which is interesting, so that looks the first target. I think he’ll improve a lot for a step up in trip. He’s going places and will make an even better chaser next season.

Young Lieutenant
6 b g Robin Des Champs – Be My Gesture
He doesn’t have too many miles on the clock, but he showed enough to win an Exeter bumper and has followed up with two seconds from three starts over hurdles. His most recent effort saw him finish second to Black Gerry at Lingfield but I would be hopeful we would turn him over if they met again. His preparation for the race had been a bit stop-start as he hasn’t got the best of feet. When you have horses with foot problems it’s never advisable to hang about and we’ll have him out again sooner rather than later and I would expect a much-improved performance.

Trainer’s pick Portrush Ted
Dark horse Jammin Masters