Turf Talk: Mahler Mission could buck trend for Irish horses in the 'Hennessy'

It proved a shrewd move by Harry Cobden to ride at Ascot last Saturday, rather than partner stable star Bravemansgame at Haydock.

He bagged four winners from four rides down South, whilst Bravemansgame got turned over up North.

Two of Cobden’s winners were tipped up here last week, together with Grey Dawning for the Skeltons, making it a good week for followers of the ‘Goodies’.

The action moves on to Newbury at the weekend, with great televised racing on Friday and Saturday.

The Coral Long Distance Hurdle is the feature race on Friday with Maries Rock likely to start a warm favourite. She is lightly raced for an eight-year-old, comes from a stable in form and gets a valuable mare’s weight allowance.

New trainer Sarah Humphrey is operating at a 30 percent strike rate and she saddles Nickle Back in the John Francome Novice Chase on Friday.

This seven-year-old has been a revelation since switching to the larger obstacles, winning both his races by a combined distance of 43 lengths. Those victories were at the smaller tracks of Warwick and Stratford, but he deserves a crack at better opposition at a Grade One course.

The feature race on Saturday is the Coral Gold Cup, which those of a certain age still refer to as the Hennessey Cognac Gold Cup.

For all their dominance of English racing, Irish-trained horses have a poor record in this race with only two winners in the last 50 years. It therefore goes against all logic to tip an Irish runner, but I really fancy Mahler Mission to go well.

He would have hosed up in the National Hunt Chase at the Festival but for falling two fences out and made a promising re-appearance at Carlisle. Stumptown is another from the Emerald Isle who could also go well in this race.

Master Chewy is a good jumper who could lead all the way in the two-mile chase that follows the ‘Hennessey’.

Garlick’s Goodies: Friday 1:50 - Nickle Back; 3:00 - Maries Rock; Saturday 2:50 - Mahler Mission; 3:25 – Master Chewy.