Ton up Lee issues an upbeat bulletin on Arcalis
The six-year-old grey disappointed at Haydock on unsuitably soft ground last time but had previously been impressive in the ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle.
And according to Lee, a line can be put through the Haydock run.
“He surprised me how well he coped with the ground at Haydock but we only went a very steady gallop early,” he said.
“As soon as we quickened he lost his action and uprooted the second-last flight and when he came away from it he wasn’t moving right so I pulled him up.
“When we got back he was sound but with a horse like that I’m not going to take any chances with him. You can just draw a line through that run.
“The key to him is decent ground, I know he won the ‘Fighting Fifth’ on soft when Tony Dobbin was on him but I think the key to him is a good pace and good ground, which he will get in the Champion.
“He’s fine at the moment and I think the boss (Howard Johnson) just wants to get a racecourse gallop into him.”
Lee also had news of his other Festival hopefuls, No Refuge (Ladbrokes World Hurdle) and Bewleys Berry (Royal & SunAlliance Chase).
“I wasn’t disappointed with No Refuge at Sandown (fifth in the Cleeve Hurdle). Turning in I thought I was going to win. He just got a bit tired on me and maybe he was a bit rusty. The boss had let the press know that he was maybe a gallop short.
“The really pleasing thing about Sandown was the way he jumped. Everyone said he couldn’t jump but he jumped super. He did miss the second-last but he was just starting to run out of juice there.
“He wouldn’t have won even if he’d jumped that one well because he was running on empty.
“He’s a bit like Inglis Drever in that he can hit a flat spot in his races but Drever has a lot more speed. When Drever’s turbo kicks in he just flies. No Refuge would be more of a grinder. I don’t think the trip will be a problem at Cheltenham. The ground at Sandown was tacky so hopefully a bit of decent ground will help him.
“Bewleys Berry is fine as well and good ground won’t do him any harm either. He is a very accurate jumper who stays very well and he is one to look forward to.
“He ran a good race at Cheltenham behind Exotic Dancer and Albuhera but I didn’t go quick enough on him that day. He also ran well at Sandown and he’s doing fine.”
