Rock Lobster looks a tasty dish
Jack Doyle, who would have ridden him, got hurt, and so they rang to see if I’d go and ride him. There is no racing in Ireland today and, while I had to miss Downpatrick yesterday, Willie didn’t have any entries there and, as far as I can see, there is no jumps race worth the same money here so I thought it was worth the go, and it should be another great experience.
I was there many years ago, when I was out injured, and it’s a fine track. It’s about a mile and a half around with an uphill finish. It’s a good track but, having said that, they only race here once a year so it’s like the most upmarket point to point you’ll ever be at.
Rawnaq is likely to go off favourite, as he is the highest rated jumps horse in America, and he beat Nicholls Canyon and Shaneshill in Tennessee in June. He finished third in the race last year, but was a decent sort when trained in Ireland and is a good ride to get, so hopefully he will give a good account of himself.
I flew out to New York at 1pm yesterday afternoon, scheduled to head out to Far Hills, New Jersey, this morning. That is about an hour away from Manhattan, and the race is due off at 3pm local time. However, the off times in US jump racing aren’t quite as strict as at home, so who knows when it will actually be run at.
I’m due to fly back at 9pm tonight from JFK Airport, to arrive in Dublin at about 8:30am tomorrow morning, and, all going well, I should be in Cork in plenty of time for the first race.
The first of my four rides in Cork is on Rock Lobster, in a maiden hurdle, and he may be my best opportunity of a winner.
He has plenty of experience over hurdles and an official rating of 108, and that could be good enough. He is trained by Gordon Elliott, whose stable is absolutely flying. They had a great couple of days at Punchestown and hopefully it can continue.
In the two-mile-three handicap hurdle I’m on The Fitz Lady, which I fell off at Listowel. She pecked and I fell out over her tail. She is what she is, but she has won around Cork, which she has going for her.
She is also very consistent but you’d have to wonder does she have that much in hand - the handicapper seems to have good enough control of her.
I’m on Upazo in the valuable two-mile-one handicap chase. He is coming back off a lay-off of 404 days and, while we think he’s fit and well, you’d have to think he will improve a little bit for the run. He has run well fresh in the past, this is a good pot, he has a good racing weight, so hopefully he’ll run a big race.
Tell Us More, which Willie used to train, is probably the one we all have to beat, but he might be better going left-handed. For the prize-money, it’s a very open race.
New Kid In Town, in the novice chase, is my last ride of the day. He ran a stinker in Ballinrobe and then won easily in Kilbeggan, but again wasn’t very inspiring at Clonmel, where he finished a bad third.
That said, I’ve ridden him in a few bits of work this week and he seems to be in good enough form.
Perhaps bouncing out to make all the running did not suit him at Clonmel, as he was quite idle in front, so I’ll be looking to at least keep company this time, and that might ignite him a bit more, and hopefully he can give a good account of himself.
