Watch set for gold-en double
The lightly-raced four-year-old is favourite for the valuable six-furlong handicap after landing a valuable prize on Irish Champions Weekend at the Curragh on Sunday.
It was a second successful sortie in Ireland this month for Bamford after the Richard Ford-trained Seamster carried his colours to victory on the beach at Laytown.
The slight worry for connections of the David O’Meara-trained gelding is the short space between the two races.
“I dare dream, I am an optimistic guy and you have to dream,” said Bamford.
“It was always going to be a big ask to do both races, but he was third in the big handicap at Ascot and we were desperate to win the Irish one. I’m more hopeful than optimistic as it is quite quick, but he hasn’t given us a reason not to run.
“I walked the course from the three-furlong marker at the Curragh and it is a fair old climb from there, and he’s run some hellish races at seven furlongs, so the distance should be fine.
“He’s drawn on the far side (in stall five), plenty of people picked high numbers but there’s plenty of pace (where he is) and he’s against horses like Jack Dexter, Alben Star and Hamza, so there’s plenty of pace on over there and I think they’ll be spread across the track.
“One thing Mr O’Meara is insistent on is that he will be a much better horse next year, so that is something to look forward to.”
Watchable’s jockey Danny Tudhope also feels the horse can take two quick races in his stride.
“They say he has come out of his race well,” he said.
“He’s a good sort of horse who hopefully next year could develop into a Group horse.
“I think he takes his races quite quick, you are never 100 per cent sure when a race comes up fairly quickly but everyone is happy with the horse and he wouldn’t be taking his chance otherwise.
“I think he’ll run a good race.”
