Alphonse Le Grande back at Newmarket after last year’s Cesarewitch drama

Connections of Alphonse Le Grande are hoping Newmarket proves lucky – and less eventful – once again when he defends his Club Godolphin Cesarewitch crown on Saturday.

The six-year-old ran under the name of trainer Tony Martin’s sister Cathy when triumphant 12 months ago, edging out Simon and Ed Crisford’s Manxman in a titanic conclusion to the marathon event.

The drama did not stop there with Alphonse Le Grande disqualified on account of apprentice jockey Jamie Powell breaching the whip rules – only to be then reinstated on appeal.

He is back at the Rowley Mile, this time with the assistance of veteran rider Seamie Heffernan, aiming to become just the second dual winner of the Cesarewitch and first to go back-to-back.

“We’re happy with him and the boys (owners) are looking forward to it and hopefully he will give another good account of himself,” said Martin.

“We said we would take the season how it happened, but shortly after York we kind of said we would have another look at the Cesarewitch.

“He had a couple of good runs earlier in the year but just didn’t get the rub of the green and after York we thought why not go back to Newmarket again which was lucky last year.

“Seamie knows the place as good as anyone and is a great rider and a great man. He has ridden him a few times and also rode him in work, so hopefully it will be a help having him on board. Hopefully he will run a good race.”

Irish trainers have won the last three editions of the race and one of those former winners Charles Byrnes has a strong hand once again thanks to his runaway Cesarewitch Trial winner Reverend Hubert.

The mount of Silvestre De Sousa will carry a 4lb penalty for that eight-length success and Byrnes said: “We were delighted with his trial and he’s in good form so we’ll go there hoping for the best.

“It was a bit of a surprise what he did in the trial, but they went really fast early on and the race possibly fell apart. All he does is stay and he hasn’t got too many gears and he might have been flattered by the race.

“I think he has a chance, but we’re a bit disappointed with the draw (stall 21). He can be a bit slow out of the stalls and it takes him a while to get going so I would be a bit concerned about what position he will be in early on.

“The quicker the ground the better for him and we’re hopeful but also realistic at the same time.”

Willie Mullins won the Cesarewitch is successive years between 2018 and 2020 and saddles three live contenders as he attempts to extend his stellar recent record in the marathon contest.

The master of Closutton will be represented by Doncaster Cup third Hipop De Loire, Champion Hurdle third Winter Fog and Bunting in search of a fourth success, with the latter taking his chance in the hands of William Buick despite some trepidation earlier in the week about quick conditions on the Rowley Mile.

“He’s a good horse and we probably didn’t see the best of him last year over hurdles simply because of the fact he never got his ground,” said Sean Graham, racing manager for owner Tony Bloom, who teamed up with Mullins to win this race with Stratum in 2019 and also won it with Withhold in 2017.

“He ran OK in some good races without setting the world alight, but the ground is a big factor and he wants it soft.

“He ran very well at Leopardstown last time, he had a very wide draw that we were a bit concerned about, but Ben Cohen gave him a very good ride and kept him out of trouble. He may have gone the long way round, but he was in a good rhythm the whole way round and finished very strongly.

“We won it with Withhold and then Stratum with Willie, so to win it again in the space of 10 years would be something very unique.”

Mullins’ great rival from the jumping scene in Ireland, Gordon Elliott, is also double-handed in search of his first victory in the race having gone close with Pied Piper two years ago.

The Cullentra House handler will saddle Goodwood runner-up Mordor and Galway Hurdle winner Ndaawi seeking the perfect precursor to the new jumps campaign.

Elliott said: “Both horses are in good form and are going there on the back of good runs.

“We always like to have a runner in it and run some of those staying horses, it’s a competitive race but we hope they’re in good enough order to run well.”