Newbury just made for Pasco
He may not have run for 79 days, but I can tell you is as fit as a fiddle and a decent performance is expected. This is a horse who adores Newbury and the flat, left-handed track just seems to turn him on.
Top weight, Our Vic, loves to blaze along, but my lad likes to race on the pace as well and that’s certainly what I’ll be letting him do.
Pasco was a well beaten third behind Cornas at Exeter last time, but the conditions of that contest were hardly in his favour and he will be far happier back in handicap company.
Paul Nicholls also runs Big Fella Thanks and he should give Barry Geraghty a good spin. But Big Fella Thanks’ day is the Aintree Grand National, whereas today is Pasco’s National.
Marc Aurele should go well in a handicap hurdle and the more the surface dries out the better his prospects. This might just come a bit soon for him, but whatever he does today is one for the notebook in the coming weeks.
I’m not confident about Aiteen Thirtythree in a novice hurdle. He had a huge reputation, but has been very disappointing.
He simply hasn’t lived up to expectations and didn’t exactly have me bubbling over with enthusiasm when beaten at Newbury.
He still has time to develop into a half-decent sort, but is not to be trusted, until actually going out and doing it on the track.
I’m far more enthusiastic regarding Rock On Ruby in the Bumper. He ran a cracker first time out at Newbury and then won at Taunton.
People will knock Taunton, but I thought that rode a good race. We beat Philip Hobbs’ Karasenir and he takes us on again.
Karasenir now has a 7lbs claimer in the plate and Rock On Ruby has to carry a penalty. But, I like my horse and he won’t be far away.
I kick away at Naas tomorrow on Montan for Tony Martin in a competitive handicap hurdle. He was due to head to Hereford last Monday, but now tries this instead. He won a maiden at Down Royal and it now looks as if the handicapper has given him a chance.
I had a choice between Equus Maximus and Ballytrim, in the three mile handicap chase, and went with the former, on the basis he will handle the likely soft ground better.
Equus Maximus has run just twice this season and hasn’t struck his best form yet. He was particularly disappointing in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park, on his latest appearance.
But he did beat Tranquil Sea at the Punchestown Festival and the hope, obviously, is he will come back to something approaching that.
Angus House, a slow horse, gets what’s needed in a maiden hurdle, three miles and a set of obstacles. You would have to say he is not a leading light in Willie Mullins’.
That’s the downside. What’s positive is Angus House schooled really well at the Curragh the other day and I’m expecting him to go well, in what is a weak enough race.
Topofdemornintou doesn’t seem very obvious in a handicap chase, but I’m more than happy to ride him. When Davy Fitzgerald rings you have to take notice, because he has put me on plenty of winners.
When I finish at Naas, I will then head to the airport and take a flight back to England, to Bristol. Monday is a big schooling day at Paul Nicholls’. I will school all the major Cheltenham players, the likes of Kauto Star, Master Minded, Big Bucks and Poquelin, so that promises to be mighty interesting.
And a word about a couple of rides I have firmed up for Cheltenham. I will be on Blackstairmountain, against Dunguib, in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Quel Esprit in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle.
