Swan aims Throw at Lincoln
Although eventually beaten eight lengths by the easy winner Deauville Vision at the Curragh, his trainer reckons the eight-year-old put in a particularly good effort on what was his seasonal reappearance.
“I think I am going to let him run now – he likes cut in the ground and he’s got 9st to carry,” said Swan.
“He came out of Sunday’s race very well – he’s eaten up and there isn’t really another race for him for six weeks.
“He ran well, and I think if he was beaten only four or five lengths I would have been a bit sick actually, as he clipped heels in the straight.
“It is only six days between the races and I did have him fairly straight on Sunday, but he did very well to pull himself back in the race.”
A winner three times between seven and eight furlongs during the last Flat campaign, Sunday’s race was Crooked Throw’s first start since November and he is likely to again be partnered by apprentice Billy Lee.
“Billy will ride as he needs someone cool on him,” added Swan.
“He’s always missing the break and is a real hold-up horse. He keeps us on our toes at home.”
Crooked Throw was also a fair hurdler in 2004 and 2005, but is likely to have his concentration kept to the level for the foreseeable future.
Swan added: “I won a maiden hurdle with him but we just didn’t do it this season. He might go back at some stage.”
Richard Fahey is hoping Bolodenka can bounce back to winning ways in the Lincoln .
The Malton handler is also set to saddle Mutawaffer and has high hopes that both will run big races.
But it is Bolodenka, who performed with credit twice at the recent Dubai Carnival, who has the Irishman dreaming of a first Lincoln.
“He keeps working his way up the handicap which is a bit frustrating, but he did win a couple at Galway last year which wasn’t too bad,” said Fahey.
“He’s in good form now. He’s been out in Dubai and he was a little bit disappointing out there, but he actually ran OK twice. He’s going great now, though.
“He was maybe a bit fresh out there for his first run (behind Sir Gerard). I wanted to get a gallop into him, but you had to give a week’s notice so he was just a bit fresh. He’s in good nick now.
“There’s a question mark over the soft ground for me. He was disappointing in the Cambridgeshire and that was on soft, but whether that came at the end of a long season or not I’m not sure.”
Mutawaffer was seventh in the Dante Stakes at York as a three-year-old for Barry Hills behind subsequent Derby winner North Light.
“It’ll be interesting to see how Mutawaffer gets on,” said Fahey. “He won’t mind the ground if it’s on the soft side. I’ve only had him two years so I’m still learning a bit about him, but he’s in good form.
“His final start at York last season wasn’t too bad so we’ll see. Paul Hanagan will ride Bolodenka and Tony Hamilton will ride Mutawaffer.”
Blue Bajan has been ruled out of the race.
The five-year-old finished fifth in the Winter Derby at Lingfield last Saturday, just a length in arrears of winner Gentleman’s Deal.
Trainer Andy Turnell had stated that if all was well with his charge after that outing, but a spokeswoman for the yard said: “Blue Bajan is a definite non-runner as we are not quite happy with his recent blood test.”
