Talking Horses: Blackmore building strong Cheltenham book of rides

Rachael Blackmore added another major contender to her book of rides at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday when Bob Olinger, the 6-4 favourite, burst clear to win the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle at Naas, marking himself out as Ireland’s leading contender for the Ballymore Novice Hurdle on 17 March as he did so.

Bob Olinger went into Wednesday’s race with only one win over hurdles to his name, but had previously finished a close second to Ferny Hollow, last year’s Champion Bumper winner, on his debut over timber in November.

Related: Talking Horses: weighing room spat behind Bryony Frost investigation

Blackmore, who was looking for the 11th Grade One success of her career, always looked confident on Henry de Bromhead’s gelding and quickened to lead between the final two flights. Bob Olinger flew the last and crossed the line six-and-a-half lengths clear of Blue Lord, earning a top quote of 5-1 second-favourite for the Ballymore Novice Hurdle behind the 9-2 market leader, Bravemansgame.

“He’s always shown us a lot at home and I think today was the stamp of the kind of horse he is for the future,” Blackmore said. “I wanted to ride a straightforward enough race on him. He’s a simple horse to ride in that sense and I was happy most of the way.”

Bob Olinger joins A Plus Tard, the 10-1 second-favourite for the Gold Cup, and Honeysuckle, the 4-1 joint-favourite for the Mares’ Hurdle, in Blackmore’s book of rides for the Festival, where she can also look forward to riding Aspire Tower and Notebook, both runners-up at Grade One level last time, in the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase or Ryanair Chase respectively.

Another serious challenger for the Festival meeting emerged earlier on the card as Willie Mullins’s Energumene, in the blue and white colours of owner Tony Bloom, recorded an easy success in a two-mile novice chase.

Energumene is now as short as 5-1 and no bigger than 7-1 for the Arkle Trophy on 16 March, in a market headed by Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin, currently the only odds-on favourite for a race at the Festival at a top price of 5-6.

The Festival’s three races for amateur riders, meanwhile, could be contested by professional jockeys this year if the current lockdown restrictions extend into March, after the British Horseracing Authority said on Wednesday that amateurs will not be permitted to take part in races under Rules after Saturday.

A handicap chase at Southwell in September, in which the veteran chaser Cillian’s Well suffered a fatal fall, is reportedly the race at the centre of a BHA investigation which also involves leading rider Bryony Frost, who discussed “ongoing things that need to be sorted out” in a recent interview in the Guardian.

Frost, riding Wisecracker, was a short distance in front of Cillian’s Well and Robert Dunne when the 11-year-old fell four out and suffered a fatal injury. A subsequent exchange of words between Frost and Dunne is now understood to have led to Frost lodging a complaint with the BHA.

Thursday’s best bets

Overnight snow has put paid to the North Yorkshire Grand National card (and the original nap) at Catterick, but Fontwell and Bangor have escaped the worst of the weather. Enry Iggins (1.20) could perhaps be a point or two shorter for the three-mile handicap chase at the latter track.

Robert Walford’s runner is the outsider among a trio of novices at the top of the market but has a win to his name – unlike Kilpin – and has been raised just 3lb after getting off the mark at Doncaster last time. He went in snatches there but will race in cheekpieces for the first time and that just tips the balance in his favour at around 6-1.

Emphatic Qualm (2.50) is a drifter for the handicap hurdle later on the same card but did not do a great deal wrong at Newton Abbot last time. He will probably want further in time but heavy ground holds no fears and 10-1 is a big each-way price.

Catterick Bridge (meeting postponed)

Bangor-On-Dee

12.50 Go As You Please

1.20 Enry Iggins (nb)

1.50 Pennyforapound

2.20 Call Simon

2.50 Emphatic Qualm

3.20 The Glancing Queen

3.50 Baratineur

Fontwell Park

1.00 Beauport

1.30 Bard Of Brittany

2.00 Umbrigado

2.30 Lily The Pink

3.00 Belle De Manech

3.30 Love The Leader

4.00 Jazz King

Chelmsford City

4.20 Crantock Bay

4.55 Trepidation

5.30 Irish Times

6.00 Top Drop

6.30 Pilot Wings

7.00 Old News

7.30 Cool To Be A Cat

8.00 No Nay Bella

Lily The Pink (2.30) did not get home over three miles last time but drops back to two-and-a-half today and could have the edge over market leader Cristal Spirit, who steps up in grade after two wins in Class 5 company. Old News (7.00) and No Nay Bella (7.30) look the pick of the prices at around 6-1 and 3-1, respectively, on the Flat card at Chelmsford.