Hopes high for another Master-class
It has been well documented that Paul Nicholls’ star put up an extraordinary performance to run away with the two mile Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March and his whole preparation is, of course, being geared towards returning to the Festival.
He made an excellent start to the campaign for Tony McCoy in the Tingle Creek at Sandown and you would have to think this is less competitive. The bookmakers seem to think so anyway, because they have been offering rather prohibitive prices since betting began on the race.
I schooled Master Minded on Wednesday at Paul’s and he jumped really well. He’s always been a good jumper and it is a case of touch-wood in that department.
Nicky Henderson obviously has a high opinion of Petit Robin, but he seemed to have his limitations exposed when stepped into Graded company at Kempton.
David Pipe’s Or Noir de Somoza is the dark horse. This will be his first run in England, but he had some top-class form in France. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on him.
I think everyone just about agrees that Master Minded is the real deal and I’m just hoping for a nice clear round.
I’m particularly looking forward to riding Free World in public for the first time in the Grade 2 Novice chase. He’s run twice over fences, both times for Tony McCoy, and I recommended him to punters on both occasions.
He won really well the first day at Sandown and then returned to that track and was chinned close home by a useful sort of Alan King’s called Araldur.
You would have to say he’s been a bit of a tearaway since launched over fences, but I sat on him as well on Wednesday and could not have been more pleased.
He gave me the feel of a high-class horse in the making. Free World looks a million dollars right now and his coat has improved so much. As well, he seems to have settled down and his two races so far this season have done him a lot of good.
This is a smashing contest and you would have to respect Calgary Bay and Panjo Bere. But the thinking is that Free World could be an Arkle horse and, if failing to win win today, then we are wrong.
Okay, what’s the best of the rest that I have at Ascot? Perhaps, it will be Oracle Des Mottes in the handicap chase.
He ran well enough at Fontwell and that figure of eight track certainly didn’t play to his strengths. He needs to go right-handed, so when we were travelling left at Fontwell that was a disadvantage. Mind you, I never really thought of
Oracle as an Ascot horse!
OUR Bomber Harris has a chance in the novice hurdle, having run very green when we won at Fontwell. He pulled hard that day and is a free-running type.
I’d love to think we can win again, but you’d imagine we are up against it taking on Alan King’s Karabak, who is a good horse.
I’m inclined to think my best chance of a winner at Fairyhouse tomorrow is Scotsirish in the featured Grade 2 chase.
It seems a tricky contest, but my lad is clearly on the upgrade. He won easily at Cork and I was mildly surprised at the way he handled the very testing conditions.
I still believe he will be a better horse on better ground and has Watson Lake and Thyne Again to beat. I wouldn’t swap Scotsirish.
Art Sleuth, who was trained on the flat by Eddie Lynam, has his first run over jumps, and for Willie Mullins, in the maiden hurdle.
He’s working well and seems to handle heavy ground at home. But you just don’t know for sure until they get onto the track.
Taipan’s Way will be worth watching in the beginners chase, probably with the future in mind. He has the stamp of a chaser, but has been disappointing so far. He simply wants a far sounder surface than he is going to meet here and is one to note for the spring.
My sister, Katie, was desperately unlucky not to win on Jim Nash’s Johnee Joblot at Thurles on Thursday. He seemed to be cantering all over the opposition when running out and getting rid of her just before the last.
Jim has given me the call-up now, for another handicap hurdle, and I just hope this contest is as bad as the Thurles one looked.
Farmer Grant is my final ride of the weekend, in a handicap chase, and I cannot put him forward as a possibility to any punter who might be in trouble at that stage.
As you all probably know by now, I schooled Denman at Paul’s on Wednesday. I’d say he jumped more than 30 small fences for me.
I was absolutely delighted with him, he was quite brilliant and it is now all guns blazing for the Aon Chase at Newbury.
I’m off to Hereford on Monday to ride Officier De Reserve over hurdles and will be at Gowran Park on Thursday for the Thyestes. I’m not sure what I will be riding in the Thyestes, but can tell you Paul will not be having a runner
