Feature Race win at Uttoxeter was nice.
I’ve had a handful of winners in the week, enough to keep things ticking along, and I was particularly pleased to see Hidalgo De L’Isle get his act together and win. The race suited him nicely, he won well, and I think he can probably go in again off his new mark.
It was nice to win the big feature race at Uttoxeter last Saturday with Guetapan Collonges for Charlie Longsdon and Mr McManus. He seems like a horse on the up and you’d like to think he’ll be competitive in some of the bigger, valuable staying chases later this season.
Patrick Neville had a treble at Catterick in the week, and I rode two of them. The saying “back the outsider of three” was right for Not Staying Long, who enjoyed the decent ground, while Kavanagh’s Cross also appeared to benefit from the quicker conditions.
Solar Sovereign proved that his second last time out at Wetherby was no fluke and he won well. The second, Technology, looked a nice type, so I’d say he’s won a half decent race.
Kelso, Friday:
Three nice-looking chances, kicking off with Five Dollar Fine (2:05pm), who ran well enough at Newcastle last time.
The better ground and extra distance won’t do him any harm as a winning pointer over three miles. He’s a nice, big horse.
Minella Drama (3:05pm) is up 5lbs for his win in the Auld Reekie and has to shoulder 12st again, but it wasn’t enough to stop him at Musselburgh, so I’ve no real concern about that.
We think a lot of him, he came out of the Auld Reekie well and remains in good form. He’s a hardy sort of lad and we’re hoping for another big run. He’s probably the one I’m looking forward to most over the whole of Friday and Saturday.
Sure, he might like a bit more dig in the ground, but he’s run well before on decent ground, and given we’re still in the middle of February, it won’t be rattling. These tracks were all flooded in the winter, and they’re watering it now to make sure there’s plenty of moisture in the ground. It won’t be anything like spring/summer good ground.
Barrichello (3:35pm) is another good chance on the Friday. He ran well at Cheltenham for Peter [Kavanagh] in what looked a good race, and when you look back at his form – he’s a Listed winner over hurdles – you’ve got to respect his ability.
I think he’s good enough to win off or around his current mark and we’re hoping for a big run.
Haydock, Saturday:
I don’t know a great deal about Snapius (1:30pm), but James Nash sent a winner over to Hereford on Wednesday, which proved he isn’t coming over from Ireland for the English air, he wants some Sterling!
The horse has got a couple of okay runs under his belt, but he looks like he needs to step up a little bit to win off his mark of 109.
Tim Pat (2:40pm) is the youngest horse in the Grand National Trial and we think he’s an improving horse, which is what you need in a competitive handicap like this.
He was disappointing at Ayr just before Christmas, but when he came back from that run he wasn’t right. We got him back for Haydock last time out, where we thought he’d go well, and he did. He carried 12st 2lbs in a very steadily run race and finished second, and we think he’ll be better with a bit more of a stamina test.
He’s now got no weight on his back, he’s stepping back up in trip and he won’t mind the drying ground, so he ticks a lot of boxes. He’s obviously coming up against better, more proven horses, like Bristol De Mai, who really is a legend – what a fabulous horse he’s been.
We’ve got cheekpieces on him for the first time, as we just felt he was a bit babyish the last day. He might have won if he jumped the last a bit slicker, so hopefully they will sharpen him up a bit.
He’s a big horse that we feel will continue to improve this season, and in time, we hope he’ll make up into a horse for the National.
Mr Vango (4:25pm) is a nice ride to pick up for the Bradstocks. They train a select bunch of horses and I don’t think they’d be pitching him in here if they didn’t think he’d have a chance.
He won his point-to-point well, then first time out at this track two starts ago and was then probably just caught out round a sharp track like Hereford last time out.
