Sean Bowen Friday Cheltenham rides blog: 'He can take another step forward'

Coral ambassador and leading jockey Sean Bowen gives this thoughts on his three rides at Cheltenham on Friday.

It was great to get a treble on the board at Aintree last weekend, I knew I had some nice rides but it’s always a lot to expect such a good day. Hopefully we can continue the run this weekend. I start on Resplendent Grey, who’s one of four in this competitive Listed chase. I liked his winning start to his chasing career at Uttoxeter last month, he had the hood on that day, but I think he’s a better horse without it, so it’s been taken off here.

He's stepping up in trip here, which I think he’ll enjoy, and the small field, though his rivals look classy, should help him, as we shouldn’t go too quickly. He does have a bit to find on ratings, but he took a step forward for jumping a fence last time, and hopefully he can take another step forward here.

The presence of Conflated off top weight here keeps most of the field out of the handicap, including my fellow. We’ve schooled him over similar cross country fences at home and he’s gone nicely, although you never know how they will take to it for real until you do it at the track. We just want to see him enjoy himself and have a good spin round, and then hopefully he can be competitive when he’s back in the handicap proper.

This filly ran really well here last month, that was over 2 ½ miles and she’s back to two miles here, a trip she has won a Bumper over. She’s got cheekpieces on here, which hopefully will sharpen her jumping up, as she jumped a bit slow early on last time, and that took me out of the race, before she really flew home up the hill. If she can travel better early on, she’s not without an each way chance at least here. 

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