Doncaster star Kingsbarns set to be kept under wraps ahead of Classic

The Ballydoyle trainer reports both horses, as well as Camelot, his star three-year-old of 2012 who won the Guineas and both the English and Irish Derbies, to be building steadily towards the new campaign.

“They’re going nicely. I don’t know if the two Guineas horses will run before Newmarket, but I would say maybe they won’t,” said O’Brien.

Both Kingsbarns and Cristoforo Colombo are towards the head of the ante-post betting for the 2000 Guineas on May 4 behind Jim Bolger’s Dawn Approach following excellent two-year-old campaigns.

Kingsbarns, who is favourite for the Investec Derby, won the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October and Cristoforo Colombo was a close fourth to Reckless Abandon in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on his final start of the year.

Camelot was last year’s Classic hero and is said to have made a full recovery from a bout of colic suffered just days after disappointing in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October.

Former O’Brien inmate Big Occasion, meanwhile, finally lived up to his name when gaining his first success over fences in the Betfred Midlands Grand National.

Trainer David Pipe was winning the Uttoxeter marathon for the third year running and made up for a blank at Cheltenham as amateur Mikey Ennis brought the 6-1 shot to land the spoils.

Coming out of the back straight, Ennis was motionless on Big Occasion, who pulled clear to win by six lengths in the unforgiving conditions from Rebeccas Choice with One In A Milan third.

“We couldn’t see him seeing out three miles but now he appears to want to go as far as they can go,” said Pipe.

“He’d been running on the Flat for Aidan O’Brien (as a younger horse) and he hadn’t been running that well in the first half of the season.

“We changed the way we were training him. I wasn’t sure he’d get three miles, let alone four.”

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies had two winners at Cheltenham and had a double at the Staffordshire card with Hunters Lodge and Kaylif Aramis, both ridden by his son, Sam.

Hunters Lodge (85-40) careered away in the mud to land the Betfred ‘The Bonus King’ Novices’ Handicap Chase.

The winning jockey said: “He wasn’t doing a tap in front in the first-time blinkers but he kept going.”

Kaylif Aramis (9-4 fav) doubled up for the yard with a six-length romp in the Betfred Mobile Lotto Handicap Hurdle.

“He travelled and jumped well all the way. He’s a half-brother to Kayf Aramis and loved the ground,” said Twiston-Davies jnr.

Galway Jack (15-8 fav) came home unchallenged in the Betfred ‘Double Delight Hat Trick Heaven’ Chase under Andrew Thornton.

Trainer Caroline Bailey said: “He hasn’t run that often and we’ve been waiting for him to come back to himself. He’s a very good jumper and loves to get his toe in.”

Torrential Raine (2-1) proved an aptly-named winner of the Betfred At Treble The Odds On Lucky 15’s’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Tom Cannon’s mount reeled-in long-time pacesetter Lindengrove to score by seven lengths.

Tresor De Bontee (7-2 fav) made his superior stamina count as he defeated Circus Star by three lengths in the Betfred ‘Goals Galore’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Trainer Richard Lee’s wife Carol said: “He’s for sale to remain in the yard. We shall probably school him over a fence now as he’s a chaser waiting to happen.”

Deputy Dan (100-30) was a 15 lengths winner of the Betfred Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race for trainer Oliver Sherwood and jockey Sam Jones.

Mouse Morris is pleased to report his Cheltenham Festival runners have arrived home in good shape after all three filled the runners-up spot in their respective races.

The Fethard maestro is widely considered as one of the best trainers in the land when it comes to preparing his string for the Festival and each of this year’s representatives did him proud without quite hitting the target.

Morris said: “They’re all fine. It just didn’t happen for them on the day, but, hopefully, they’re all winners for further down the line.”

Morris’s first runner of the week was Baily Green, who ran way above the expectations of most when beating all bar hot favourite Simonsig in the Arkle Trophy.

“We were hopeful he’d run well and he just came right on the day on the ground,” said the trainer.

“He could go to Fairyhouse and/or Punchestown, depending on how he is. It would be the Powers Gold Cup back over two-and-a-half miles if he goes to Fairyhouse, but I don’t think that would be a problem.”

Morris talked about Rule The World in glowing terms prior to his run in the Novices’ Hurdle, insisting the six-year-old has the potential to be the best he has trained.

While he beat one of the supposed Irish bankers of the week in Pont Alexandre, he found the impressive The New One four lengths too strong.

Morris said: “If he goes anywhere before the end of the season he’ll go to Punchestown.”

Morris’s third and final runner of the week was First Lieutenant, who after much speculation took his chance in the Ryanair Chase instead of the Gold Cup.

The eight-year-old was unable to reel in the front-running Cue Card and Morris hopes to see his charge step back up in distance for the Punchestown Gold Cup next month.