StableTalk – “I’d like to think off 10 stone 1lb he’s got a serious chance”
I’m really pleased with the way the season has gone so far. We have 41 winners on the board and we didn’t reach 41 winners last year until the 1st January, so we’re well ahead of last year. It gets more and more competitive each weekend now but we’re very happy with the horses. We have a nice bunch of novices.
A few horses are needing the run. For example Three Musketeers took me by surprise the other day as I thought he’d improve for the run but I didn’t think he’d need it as much as he did. We’ve worked around that and done things a little differently, but we are very happy with them all and the way thing are going generally.
This weekend is massive. Outside of the Cheltenham festival and Aintree, the Open Meeting is arguably the next biggest of the season, and we’ve got to go and find some winners.
SATURDAY
3.00 Cheltenham – Sir Mangan
Sir Mangan broke the track record at Fontwell when he won for us first time out. We’ve always had this race in mind. The ground won’t be a problem and the trip is ideal. He’s gone up a few lbs but he gets in on 11st and I think he’s got a chance. He’s in great form. He’s had just the one run for us and won it. We haven’t any reason to be negative really.
4.05 Cheltenham – Late Night Lily
She’s a very nice mare, very genuine. Always tries. She should handle the track. Yes, it’s a big step up in grade to this listed race, but she deserves her chance in this and then she’ll go hurdling. She’s had one run at Fontwell and won by eight lengths. So she deserves a crack at this.
12.30 Uttoxeter – Captain Chaos
He was a seventeen length bumper winner before we got him. He’s a very nice horse. He’ll love a bit of soft ground. We’re starting him over the minimum trip but he is a stayer in the making, and will be a chaser in time. We’ve liked what we’ve seen building up for this and we hope he can maintain his unbeaten record.
SUNDAY
1.00 Cheltenham – Mister Miyagi
He won the maiden hurdle at Cheltenham at their last meeting. As long as the ground is no worse than good to soft he’ll have a fair chance. He’s meeting decent horses and giving some of them weight so he’s got a lot on his plate. But he’s worth a step up in class and he’s won around the track so we know he’ll handle that. As long as the ground is not too soft he should have a good chance. And how he runs in this race will tell us what route we need to take with him afterwards.
He had a run over hurdles for us at the last meeting. The ground was a bit lively that day and they went no pace but he still finished fourth. On old form we have to find lengths with a few of his opponents, and obviously Sprinter Sacre is in the race too. It should be a good race.
2.40 Cheltenham – Superb Story
I’m really looking forward to running him. He won quite nicely at Wetherby. This is highly competitive but he’s weighted superbly on 10 stone 1 lb. In all reality if he’s going to win a big one it’s going to be off a low weight so we are very hopeful indeed. I can’t say we expect to win as anything can happen, and he could get traffic problems in the race, or something else that conspires against him, but I’d like to think off 10 stone 1lb he’s got a serious chance. This is his opportunity to win a big pot.
Chap is a very nice horse. I have had long enough with him though as he came in in July. We’ve given him work on our grass three or four times. Whether he’s a top class bumper horse or not, then Sunday will tell us. I feel that he’s going to be a jumper however he’s done nothing wrong and he won a good bumper with authority. He deserves a crack at this and we’ll see how the land lies with him. It’s as simple as that.
1.15 Fontwell – Boss Des Mottes
As long as the ground is not too testing I think he’ll have a fair chance. He was a good fourth in the free handicap on his last start. This type of track suits him very well. It will be competitive but hopefully he’ll have a squeak.
2.55 Fontwell – Dragon De La Tour
He was disappointing on his only bumper start and we don’t really know why. We weren’t necessarily thinking he’d win it but we did think he’d run well, and he never got going really. It was a very odd run. So he’s got that moderate run to put behind him. He’s only a four year old and on his homework he’s definitely got ability so we’ll see how he goes on Sunday.
All the best,
Dan
