'I'm very excited' - Ahoy Senor and Bravemansgame face off again

Sunday: 1.55 Kempton
Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices' Chase (Grade 1) | 3m | 4yo+ | RTV/ITV

Contests that are seen as virtual match races generally fail to excite the punting public, although few received as much media attention and hype as the clash between Cyrname and Altior in the 2019 Christy 1965 Chase. But this year's running of the Kauto Star has an extra edge as Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor renew their rivalry.

The pair met in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in the spring, a race that was expected to go to 13-8 favourite Bravemansgame on his first try over three miles. He loomed up in the home straight but Ahoy Senor spoiled the party with an all-the-way seven-length victory at 66-1 for trainer Lucinda Russell.

Bravemansgame is unbeaten since, with impressive chase victories at Newton Abbot and Haydock, albeit over shorter trips, while Ahoy Senor made amends for a late fall on his reappearance in the Colin Parker Memorial by thrashing three rivals in a Grade 2 at Newbury last month.

Stamina appears to be Ahoy Senor's strength and allowing him to set his own fractions would appear foolish given his past exploits. Although switching to a right-handed track should help his jumping, the Scottish raider is yet to win going this way around. Does that give Bravemansgame the upper hand?

Bravemansgame jumps much more economically than his main market rival but he has not won beyond two miles five and a half furlongs. Both have a question to answer, which is why there is little splitting them in the market.

Races in which two horses dominate the betting aren't always simple to solve. Take the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase, which was run at Punchestown's spring festival, for example. Monkfish (10-11) and Envoi Allen (6-4) dominated the betting in a similar four-runner affair, only to be turned over by 7-1 outsider Colreevy.

Those hoping for a similar upset here may be relying on a Christmas miracle as Tea Clipper and Kiltealy Briggs need to find 10lb and 20lb respectively on official ratings to trouble the top-rated Ahoy Senor.

There is no getting away from the fact that this is a miserable punting affair with little value on offer, but a thrilling finish between two young British staying chasers would make up for that. Should Bravemansgame reverse the Aintree form, they could go to the Festival Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March all square. Winner takes all!
Race analysis by Tom Collins

Nicholls 'thrilled' with Bravemansgame

The biggest test will come when Bravemansgame faces the Irish battalions at Cheltenham in March.

For now, one of Britain’s most exciting novice chasers must fend off the Scottish-trained Ahoy Senor, who boasts an official rating 3lb superior to the likely odds-on favourite.

Pinpoint accuracy at his fences characterised Bravemansgame’s impressive Haydock win, allied to the fact that he never came out of cruise control to beat the more experienced Itchy Feet by two and three-quarter lengths.

That represented a significant step forward from the six-year-old’s fluent Newton Abbot success in October and trainer Paul Nicholls is understandably delighted with his progress.

“He's been good,” Nicholls said. “He won well at Newton Abbot and the horse he beat there [Fusil Raffles] went on to win the Charlie Hall.

“Then he won very nicely again at Haydock. This is the first time he's been in a novice chase. I'm thrilled with his preparation. We've learned he doesn't want to do quite so much work and he's been better for it.

“He looks great. I'm very happy with him. He's going to keep improving as he gets physically stronger. Three miles round Kempton will suit him very well.”

Nicholls’s previous seven winners of the Haydock race include chasing heavyweights Clan Des Obeaux and Politologue, and it would be no surprise if Bravemansgame returned to Kempton in 12 months’ time in search of King George glory too.

He looks that type of horse, but there are rivals from Scotland and Ireland to put away before the 2022 Christmas showpiece becomes an option.

What they say

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Ahoy Senor
I’m very excited to be taking him to Kempton and hopefully he can build on his Newbury win. It’s a different test to Newbury. Kempton, of course, is right-handed and sharper, but he’s such an exciting horse. We beat Bravemansgame over hurdles at Aintree in a Grade 1 last spring. Ahoy Senor was a fresh horse that day, whereas Bravemansgame had been to Cheltenham. It’s another step in the education over fences for both horses, who are both ex point-to-pointers. Hopefully Ahoy Senor can beat him again.

Tom Lacey, trainer of Tea Clipper
Realistically, it’s a match between Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor. My horse has an awful lot to find on ratings. He’s a good horse, though, and there’s plenty of prize-money available. He’s hard to place at the moment. Do you go for a race like this or kick around at somewhere like Leicester? Kempton will be a nice day out, even though he’s in such deep company.
Reporting by Richard Birch

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