Mister Coffey

Mister Coffey ran a big race in the Kim Muir to finish second behind Chambard. He was fairly badly hampered at the second fence, which saw him shuffled back from a good early prominent position, back towards the rear of the field. He got back into his rhythm though for Sam Waley-Cohen, he made his ground steadily and he moved into sixth or seventh place by the time they reached the top of the hill first time. He moved into third place along the inside as they raced down the hill final time, he looked a likely winner as they raced to the home turn, travelling well. However, while he did pick up, he just couldn’t get past Chambard. A mistake at the final fence didn’t help, but he did rally to hold onto the runner-up spot from Didero Vallis.

Mister Coffey hasn’t won yet over fences, but he went close in the good novices’ handicap chase that Jacamar won at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day, and you can easily allow him his defeat at the hands of L’Homme Presse in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown in February, when he had Pic D’Orhy behind him. Nicky Henderson’s horse had never been beyond two and a half miles before in his life, but you can easily argue that he stayed this three-and-a-quarter-mile trip all right, and he might have won had he not been hampered at the second fence, or if he had jumped the final fence a little better. Interesting that his trainer said that he could retain his novice status for next season now, and target the National Hunt Chase. That would be an interesting project. Alternatively, a 4lb hike to a mark of 141 is fine, and he would be of interest in a good staying handicap chase off that mark.
Cheltenham, 17^th March 2022