Fingers crossed that I can makea comeback at Cheltenham
I saw a surgeon in Dublin during the week and he was particularly happy with my current condition, so it’s fingers crossed now.
On this coming Wednesday, I will meet with the Turf Club doctor, Adrian McGoldrick, and obviously will have to be passed by him. I don’t envisage that being a problem and am itching to get back in the saddle.
Celestial Halo, who won the Triumph Hurdle back in March, I’d imagine, will be my principal ride in the Bula Hurdle on Saturday, but there should be plenty of others as well.
I am very much looking forward to seeing Master Minded in action in the Tingle Creek at Sandown today. He blew me away, and just about everyone else as well, with that stunning display in the two mile Champion Chase at the Festival.
You’d expect Fiepes Shuffle to take them along at a fair pace and it is just a question of Tony McCoy slotting in second or third.
If you ever see a race where Master Minded is half off the bridle after three or four fences then I’ll guarantee you the horse making the running is going far too fast and certain to die a thousand deaths!
Master Minded has a huge cruising speed and, believe it or not, should be even more effective travelling right-handed, rather than left.
The reason is that he actually jumps a little to his right all the time. He destroyed Voy Por Ustedes at Cheltenham and then Alan King’s horse took his revenge in no uncertain manner at Aintree subsequently.
But that Aintree contest was over two and a half miles and Master Minded simply didn’t stay. If he’s the horse he was last February and March then I cannot see him being beaten.
I know Tidal Bay is a more than useful rival, but this is far and away the biggest test he has ever faced. He was brilliant at Cheltenham, but I’ve ridden in faster Arkles than the one he won. I also have it in the back of my head that Tidal Bay is going to be a better horse over further.
Don’t entirely rule out Twist Magic. He absolutely bolted home in the Tingle Creek a year ago and I was aboard on his reappearance at Exeter.
He may have only finished fourth, but had an impossible task and I was delighted with him. Don’t be surprised if he chases Master Minded home.
Another of Paul Nicholls’ charges to look out for is Free World in the Grade 2 novice chase. You might remember, I gave him favourable mention when he made a winning debut over fences by eight lengths at Sandown.
Paul and his team think he has improved in the meantime. Free World is a front-runner and a good jumper and will be all the better for his first run over fences. He’ll be hard to beat.
A couple for you at Chepstow are Nakai and Inchidaly Rock. Nakai, who was always going to come into his own with a set of fences in front of him, starts off at that game in the novice chase.
When he could only manage second over hurdles last time at Kempton both Paul and I were most disappointed. But a lot of water has flown under the bridge since then.
The horse who was too strong at Kempton was Duc De Regniere. Now he went on to beat Mobaasher impressively at Newbury last Saturday, which shows Nakai’s Kempton effort in an entirely different light.
Inchidaly Rock contests a two and a half mile conditions hurdle. He won three points in Ireland and I was in the plate when the six-year-old made a successful start over hurdles at Exeter. I liked him a lot and would say he’s above average.
The Durkan tomorrow at Punchestown has the makings of a fine contest and will tell us a bit more about War Of Attrition. He was most impressive in his two comeback races and, as a winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is entitled to the utmost respect.
Paul sends Noland across and he will run a big race. Unlike War Of Attrition, possibly, Noland will love the ground and that gives him a real shout.
I rode Noland when he made a decent start to the campaign with an easy win at Down Royal. He jumps like a stag and two and a half miles is his ideal trip.
What I really like about Noland is that when you go for him, he is capable of finding loads off the bridle. I have a sneaking suspicion Willie Mullins’ Snowy Morning is going to leave his poor effort at Clonmel a fair way behind.
Willie’s Pomme Tiepe ran poorly that same day at Clonmel and came out and won nicely over flights at Fairyhouse last weekend. It’s a race to savour, but what I will say is that I wouldn’t mind riding Noland.
Two other possibilities from Willie’s are Persian City and Deutschland. Persian City is developing into a reliable sort and has experience on his side in a maiden hurdle.
I thought Deutschland was bombing when falling five out at Thurles and he has to go close, granted a clear round, in the beginners chase.
