Tom Scudamore talks his weekend Aintree and Ffos Las rides
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The lack of rain is beginning to become a pain but it is the way it is. David Pipe’s hands are tied and we have loads of nice horses ready to go but it’s just a case of waiting for the ground.
Aintree sees the return of Un Temps Pour Tout in the 2.40, which is the big ride of the day for me. It’s his prep run for the Hennessy and it looks like David has found a good opportunity.
We’ve got a bit to find with Zarkandar, but he’s a French Champion Hurdle winner on his day and is a top class hurdler on his own right, so I’m looking forward to riding him. He’s one of those adaptable types, he has a bit of everything.
Dropping back to hurdles isn’t going to inconvenience him but the trip might be on the short side. He’s fit and well and it’s an ideal starting point.
I ride Ennistown in the 2.05 at Aintree. He ran in the Cesarewitch and was disappointing. I thought he was going to run a lot better than he did. I don’t think there wasn’t any obvious reason for that run but he’s a lot better than that. He won at Cartmel at his first attempt over three miles and it’s three miles again tomorrow. It’s a decent race but he’s got a good chance.
I ride Rebel Beat in the first at 12.55 for David Dennis. It will be the first time I’ve sat on him. He’s shown potential. So we’ll see how he goes tomorrow.
On Sunday I head to Ffos Las, where I ride a very well named horse called Magical Thomas in the first at 12.50. He was a 72 rated horse on the flat and Neil’s horses always know their jobs but he will probably do well to trouble a couple of these on his first start. It’s a good place to start.
In the 3.05 I ride Herbert Park for David. He was disappointing last season as he was a horse I thought a lot of two seasons ago. Nothing went right for him last term, but the owner showed great patience and just put him away.
He came back last time and won, and it was a good performance, much more like the horse that I thought he was going to be. The handicapper has taken note of that win and it will be tougher on Sunday, but I think he’ll take confidence from that performance and I’ll be disappointed if there isn’t more to come over the season ahead.
I then ride Soupy Soups for Neil in the last. He’s been a little disappointing since winning a bumper around Ffos Las. It’s his first run in a handicap so we’ll see where he is in terms of his mark. He should run well but he was a little disappointing last time.
They are talking about running Thistlecrack in the three mile novice chase at Cheltenham next weekend which would be nice, but it will be ground dependent. We just don’t want it to quick. It’s a meeting that David would normally target with his good horses but we need some rain. There is some forecast over the next few days so let’s hope we get enough.
