Trip the only concern I have about Fiveforthree
I know the best three milers are all absent, Big Bucks, Punchestowns and Kasbah Bliss, but just about everything else has turned up and it looks a very competitive contest.
Fiveforthree will come into the race as one of the freshest horses at the Festival, with just two runs under his belt this season.
I won an ordinary race on him at Wexford and he then stepped way up in class in a Grade 1 at Aintree.
Fiveforthree ran a blinder there, only giving best by half a length to a good sort in Solwhit.
The problem is that was only two and a half miles. At the Cheltenham Festival last year, I won the Ballymore Properties on Fiveforthree and he certainly never flinched up the hill.
But again that was over an extended two and a half.
He is a horse with plenty of speed and class and the bottom line is you simply cannot be sure will stay until he goes and does it.
The grey is, however, a half-brother to Celestial Gold, who won a Hennessy at Newbury over three and a quarter and that’s obviously encouraging.
You’d imagine this will be a strongly run race with Whatuthink and Shakervilz in the field. I thought Nicanor ran a cracker at Fairyhouse, while Brave Inca was way below par in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Anyway, the name of the game here will be to ride Fiveforthree in a manner which will give him every chance of getting home. And that’s what I’ll be doing.
I have a great chance of getting away to the perfect start on Jessie’s Dream in the opening winners’ of one hurdle.
Willie Mullins also runs Uimhiraceathair, but has decided to put me on Jessie’s. I rode Uimhiraceathair to win a tough handicap at Fairyhouse, but he would want better ground and I’m more than happy with the riding arrangements.
I’ve never actually been on Jessie’s Dream in a race, but have ridden him plenty of work at home.
He used to be a bit free, but has basically done everyhing right since coming to Willie’s. He won a bumper at Naas and then bolted in first time up over flights at Thurles.
I was suspended when he won at Thurles, but watched him at home. He jumped super and is a relentless galloper.
He’s been off for 63 days, but that’s not a worry. Jessie’s wasn’t pencilled in for Cheltenham and the ground at Fairyhouse would have been a bit quick.
You would hardly describe Freds Benefit has one of my better rides of the week in a handicap chase.
He ran no sort of race over hurdles at Cork and is in-and-out. He’s not a bad horse, at his best, but I couldn’t go telling anyone to back him.
Candy Girl is in another wide-open race, a three mile handicap hurdle. That said, I’d be far sweeter on her prospects.
I know she only managed fourth over fences at Cork, but that tells nothing of the real story on the day.
We were bombing heading to five out and I was reasonably confident about drawing. But then disaster struck when she ploughed into the fence.
She should have fallen and the only reason she was able to get a leg out was because of the fact the mare was travelling so strongly.
Candy Girl had no chance after that and made another mistake up the straight. The trip and ground will be no problem and I am more than happy to be with her.
I could have ridden Deutschland, Barker or Tatenen in the Grade 1 novice chase and have gone with the first-named.
It would be wrong to read too much into that. Willie Mullins was anxious I team up with Deutschland and Paul Nicholls was quite happy once he could get Tony McCoy for Tatenen.
There’s no doubt Forpadydeplaster is the one we all have to beat in any case, on his defeat of Kalahari King in the Arkle at Cheltenham.
It all depends on whether Cheltenham has taken it out of him, however, the way it did both Master Minded and Cooldine on Tuesday.
Deutschland is an honest, solid little horse, guaranteed to give his running. This is definitely a race to watch and savour!
