Scudamore Says: “Vaniteux has an awful lot of quality”
Top jockey talks us through his weekend schedule
It’s been a good week. Although Lalor got beat I was still very pleased with him at Exeter on Tuesday.
He is a very nice horse. It’s frustrating to get beaten but as debuts go he jumped really well and leaves us with plenty to build on for the season ahead.
He’s certainly a horse with a massive future.
Then I won on a novice chaser for Neil Mulholland called Kalondra up at Sedgefield that would be one of the top rated chasers to be seen out so far.
In fact I think I’ve ridden two of the highest rated novice chasers seen this season so far in West Approach who is 157 and Kalondra who is 147.
They both impressed me and look certain to take high rank over fences. They both look every bit as good over fences as they were over hurdles.
Tom’s weekend rides
Saturday
2.35 Cheltenham – Golden Jeffrey
I ride Golden Jeffrey in this and it’s certainly a bit easier with Defi Du Seuil not running. It’s still a competitive little race and you could give all four horses some kind of chance.
We will probably be the outsider of four but he’s taken to hurdles really well and should put up a good show. We won’t be far away.
Sean Tracey owns the horse, and he’s been a fantastic supporter of mine over the years. He’s owned plenty of horses with David Pipe, the likes of Broadway Buffalo and I’msingintheblues.
Vaniteux is my mount in the 3.10. Sean Tracey also owns this in partnership with a few other people including Bryan Drew. This is a cracking horse.
I sat on him during the week and he feels like a classy animal as you’d expect.
It’s a big ask in this race off top weight but he has an awful lot of quality and class and we’ll know more about him after this first start for David.
He’s a Saturday horse through and through so this race will help tell us what route to take with him through the season; whether to go graded races or run in the top handicaps.
Whatever happens he’s going to give us all a lot of fun.
I saw him the other morning. I was schooling a few and he was giving me a lead and he was showing all the old enthusiasm. He’s a wonderful old warrior for the yard.
It’s always a pleasure to get back on him. You can never rule him out.
He’s not the most consistent these days, but if it’s a good day for him then he could run well. He runs well at Cheltenham.
He won a Greatwood Hurdle there and got good form at Cheltenham Festivals, so you never know.
5.30 Cheltenham – The Road Home
Dad really likes this horse. He’s been raving about him so let’s see if he’s right.
I’d like to say he often is right but whatever happens eventually they do live up to his hopes and expectations.
I remember a horse he was absolutely going mad about called Frantic Tan when it ran in its first bumper.
It got lapped and it was really embarrassing. He blamed everything under the sun. He was pulling his hair out, saying it must have been got at.
He couldn’t believe it. Then it ran next time out at 50/1 and won the big bumper at Newbury, and absolutely hosed up. So eventually he ends up right.
Sunday
This is a nice spare to pick up. I haven’t ridden for Tim Vaughan for a while, but with his main jockeys at Aintree this is a good ride to pick up.
He’s won his two bumpers and actually beat Lalor in one of them, and he is a lovely horse that I was second on during the week. Sam Brown’s bumper form looks strong and another really nice spare to pick up.
This is a competitive little race, and Our Sox probably has to bounce back to form to figure. He’s the right end of the handicap anyway.
He looks like a very nice horse. He had the one point to point where he unfortunately capsized.
They paid a few quid for him at the Cheltenham Sales and he looks a horse to follow for the season. He’s an exciting ride to pick up for Colin.
Tom
