WE HAVE confirmed our team for Cheltenham and we will start to transport some of them over on Saturday.
We’ll get them over and settled and they will have a light canter and a walk each morning and we’ll have an in depth look at our runners early next week.
I’d say the ground will be what we’d call good ground. The only rain that is forecast is on Tuesday into Tuesday night, so I can’t see us having real soft ground. The rain that they have had this week shouldn’t make a huge amount of difference to the ground.
As matters stand, our team will be –
Tuesday – Alletrix (Mares Hurdle), Magic Of Light (Ultima), Whisperinthebreeze (National Hunt Chase)
Wednesday – Got Trumped (Fred Winter)
Thursday – Supasundae (Stayers), Emily Moon (Mares Novice Hurdle), Not Many Left and Walk to Freedom (Pertemps)
Friday – Discordantly (Martin Pipe)
CHELTENHAM STABLE TOUR 2019
Trainer @Jessica_Racing on Supasundae!
View the full tour https://t.co/o1YhATN4bT #RoadToCheltenham pic.twitter.com/iltTJJA4Ns
— Unibet Racing (@UnibetRacing) March 6, 2019
Gowran – Saturday
2.30
Thegoaheadman (Paddy Kennedy)
He has been crying out for a bit of soft ground and thankfully that is what they are calling it at Gowran. It will be his first run in a handicap and he has run some nice races in good maiden hurdles this season. I think he has a reasonable mark and two and a half miles and soft ground is what he wants. It’s a big field and he lacks handicap experience, but he has found his own level now and hopefully he’ll be competitive.
Naas – Sunday
2.10
Hotel Du Nord (Conor Orr)
We like this horse and he was fourth in what was a good maiden hurdle at Punchestown earlier in the season, but he was a little disappointing since at Leopardstown. He is another that wants a bit of soft ground and ideally, he’d want a bit further, but we have to let him take his chance, as there should be a good cut in the ground. We have yet to see the best of him and the more rain that falls for him, the better. It looks a typically competitive maiden hurdle, and a case can be made for a good few in the race, but I’ve been happy with our horse and if they go a good gallop, he is capable of running a good race.
3.45
Jetz (Robert Power)
He was brilliant when he won a Graded chase last weekend at Navan and he hadn’t much of a race that day, and he has come out of it on great form, so we’ll let him take his chance. It is a quick turnaround and he has been fresh and well all week, but this looks a much stronger race. We have to give 6lbs to Kaiser Black who was second in a Grade 1 novice chase at Leopadstown’s Dublin Racing Festival and both Robin Des Foret and Camelia De Cotte have solid claims. Our horse has done very well this season and on paper, this looks a big ask for him, but he is a much better horse going left handed, so we’ll give it a go and see how he gets on.
4.20
Sandymount Duke (Robert Power)
He has top weight and ideally he wants further and much better ground, but we need to get him out, as he is being aimed at the Aintree National. He is a much better chaser and he hasn’t run over hurdles since the 2016 Punchestown festival, when he was third to Bellshill in a Grade 1 novice hurdle. He looks great and this looks a suitable race to start him back in. He is a real favourite in the yard and his enthusiastic owner Ronnie Wood, can’t wait for Aintree. He will improve for this and we might find another hurdle race for him before Aintree – we’ll just see how Sunday goes first.
5.20
Coromandel Lady Finny Maguire)
We like this filly and she was impressive when she won her bumper at Thurles and she is an improving type. Both Elk Bridge and Gypsy Island have won their bumpers too and the latter looked a bit special, when she won well at Ballinrobe last year. It looks a good race and there are a few well-bred newcomers in the line-up, but I’ve been very happy with our filly this week and I think she is well up to winning a winners bumper. We’ll learn a good bit more about her on Sunday and she is in very good form. She has to carry a winners penalty on Sunday, and despite that, I think she’ll give a very good account of herself.
