Racing review: Hotpots and Howlers from another week in the sport of kings

IT’S been an eventful old week in the world of horse racing.

Take a look at our latest instalment of Hotpots and Howlers, where we pick out the good, the bad and the downright ugly from the last seven days.

Hotpots

It was great to see exciting novice chaser Al Dancer make a winning introduction over fences at Cheltenham on Friday.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained youngster ended last year with a poor performance in the Supreme at the Festival.

But reports of his schooling at home had been positive and, after one early error, his jumping was excellent under Sun Racing ambassador Sam Twiston-Davies.

The future looks very bright for the grey, as it does for the eventual third Getaway Trump, and he will return to Cheltenham next month as his Arkle campaign steps up a gear.

ANTEPOST TIPS Don’t miss our top tips for next weekend’s Breeders’ Cup

The classy Saint Calvados was another talented chaser to grace the Cheltenham turf at the Showcase meeting.

Harry Whittington’s stable star was burdened with a huge weight on his reappearance in a competitive 2m handicap on bottomless ground.

But he glided through the race under Gavin Sheehan and fought on doggedly to see off Vaniteux in the closing stages, conceding 29lb to the runner-up.

He appeared to relish a change of tactics (he was ridden much more quietly that usual) and if he can build on this there is no reason why he can’t deliver at the top table this year.

Howlers

Although the race was eventually rained off, the final field for the Futurity Stakes was nothing short of farcical.

Five Aidan O’Brien-trained runners were set to face off against Andrew Balding’s Kameko in the final Group 1 of the season.

I don’t blame the trainers for not turning up, the issue is with the early-closing system in place in this country, as Ralph Beckett eluded to earlier this week.

I applaud the move to reschedule (and reopen) the race for Newcastle on Friday, but something has to change otherwise this issue could rear it’s head again

There was a shocking piece of news midweek surrounding leading Gold Cup candidate Kemboy.

Horse Racing Ireland took the decision to ban all horses owned by Supreme Racing Club from competing.

The syndicate, which has grown significantly in stature in recent years in partnership with trainer Willie Mullins, have been restricted amid allegations of financial misdemeanour relating to fraud, theft and general impropriety.

The likelihood is that Kemboy and Supreme’s other horses will have a change of owner in order to continue racing, but this remains a staggering story which will no doubt rumble on over the winter.