Bushypark’s Cheltenham Festival prospects dependant on soft ground, says Phil Kirby

PHIL Kirby says ground conditions will dictate if the prolific and progressive Bushypark lines up at the Cheltenham Festival.
This was Cheltenham prospect Bushypark winning at Haydock for trainer Phil Kirby and jockey Tommy Dowson. Photo courtesy of Haydock Park Racecourse.This was Cheltenham prospect Bushypark winning at Haydock for trainer Phil Kirby and jockey Tommy Dowson. Photo courtesy of Haydock Park Racecourse.
This was Cheltenham prospect Bushypark winning at Haydock for trainer Phil Kirby and jockey Tommy Dowson. Photo courtesy of Haydock Park Racecourse.

The horse recorded his fifth consecutive win over hurdles this season when landing the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday.

Up 37lb in the handicap since last November before today’s reassessment, Bushypark – who runs in Kirby’s green and yellow colours – was the beneficiary of another fine frontrunning ride by stable jockey Tommy Dowson.

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He is likely to be entered in the Pertemps Final, a three-mile race at the National Hunt Festival, but conditions will be key.

Bushypark has won five races this season for Catterick trainer Phil Kirby.Bushypark has won five races this season for Catterick trainer Phil Kirby.
Bushypark has won five races this season for Catterick trainer Phil Kirby.

Catterick-based Kirby said he was “massively surprised” by the latest win after a significant step up in class at the Merseyside track.

“I didn’t think he would win anywhere near like that,” the trainer told The Yorkshire Post. “He’s just very genuine and improving all the time.

“He is going the right way, but he is a soft ground horse. The one time he was beaten this season was when I ran him in as a very bad all-weather Bumper. He’s very, very ground dependent.”

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Kirby has been previously represented at the Cheltenham Festival by horses of the calibre of the now retired Lady Buttons.

The Kim Bailey-trained Imperial Aura - pictured winning at last year's Cheltenham Festival under David Bass - remains on course for next month's Ryanair Chase.The Kim Bailey-trained Imperial Aura - pictured winning at last year's Cheltenham Festival under David Bass - remains on course for next month's Ryanair Chase.
The Kim Bailey-trained Imperial Aura - pictured winning at last year's Cheltenham Festival under David Bass - remains on course for next month's Ryanair Chase.

This year he could be represented by just Bushypark – ground permitting – and the mare Rayna’s World who outran her odds to be placed at Cheltenham last year. “Because of the restrictions with owners, I’ll only take horses with a chance,” he added.

As for staying steeplechaser Top Ville Ben, winner of last season’s Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby, he’s back in full training.

However, Kirby is biding his time for a suitable race – the horse was not entered in the Randox Grand National following a setback last autumn – and could even head to France because of a preference for left-handed tracks. “Hopefully we will get a run before he is put away for the summer,” added Kirby.

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Meanwhile, Kim Bailey reports his Ryanair Chase contender Imperial Aura to be in good order as he bids to join an elite list of dual Cheltenham Festival winners.

Danny McMenamin, pictured in winning action at Cheltenham, is the latest Northern-based jump jockey to ride out their conditional rider's claim.Danny McMenamin, pictured in winning action at Cheltenham, is the latest Northern-based jump jockey to ride out their conditional rider's claim.
Danny McMenamin, pictured in winning action at Cheltenham, is the latest Northern-based jump jockey to ride out their conditional rider's claim.

Having claimed last season’s novice handicap chase, the hugely exciting eight-year-old will bid to make his Grade One debut a triumphant one in the two-mile and a half-mile Ryanair.

Imperial Aura won the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle, before a dominant Grade Two success in the Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase at Ascot. The son of Kalanisi’s unbeaten record this season came to an end after unseating David Bass in Kempton’s Silviniaco Conti Chase last month.

Bailey said: “Everything is good with Imperial Aura and he remains on course for the Ryanair. He did his first piece of work since the Kempton race last week and that all went very well. He has been schooling at home and that was pleasing as well.

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“I don’t believe it was anything else at Kempton bar, something just catching his eye going into the fence, and David Bass feels that is all it was as well. We are happy with his jumping.”

Danny McMenamin has described riding out his claim at Market Rasen as a “career highlight” and now hopes to build on his landmark achievement by landing the Conditional Jockeys’ Championship.

The 20-year-old reached the milestone after partnering the 75th winner of his career aboard Archie Brown for York trainer Harry Hogarth. Victory for Archie Brown continued a season to savour for McMenamin, who has already eclipsed his best seasonal total of 28 winners, along with celebrating a first Grade Two victory aboard Nuts Well in the Monet’s Garden Old Roan Chase at Aintree.

McMenamin said: “It was great to ride out my claim. It was one of my aims at the start of the season to achieve it. Not every jockey gets to ride out their claim so it really is a career highlight.”

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As it stands McMenamin, who is based with Nicky Richards in Cumbria, is six winners clear of his nearest rival Bryan Carver in the standings.

He added: “Winning the conditional title wasn’t something I had set out to do at the start of the season but I managed to get off to a good start. I’m not letting it get to my head.”

Middleham trainer Danny Brooke saddled his first jumps winner when Emma Beag, ridden by his brother Henry, prevailed at Carlisle.

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