IT'S BEEN a busy week at home and all our Cheltenham horses looks great and are on course to run. We have a few decisions to make and I want to have a good look at the weights this weekend and then we can finalise what the team will be heading over for the festival.
Saturday – Navan
3.25
Jetz (Paul Townend)
Just the four runners in this and Jetz has a bit to do on ratings with Duca De Thaix. Our horse ran well in the Grade 1 novice chase at the Dublin Racing Festival and I think he is a better horse going left handed. He shouldn’t mind the ground and we are running off levels with Duca De Thaix, who is rated 3lbs superior to our horse, but that might not matter a great deal in a small field. Although he has been running over further, he won his beginners chase here earlier in the season beating Duca De Thaix. I am not too concerned about dropping him back in trip. He seems to be in very good form at home and I am expecting a very big run from him.
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Sunday – Leopardstown
3.10
Polished Steel (Robert Power)
We are dropping him back to two miles, as it looked as if he didn’t get home over two and half last week at Fairyhouse. They should go a good gallop here and the likely good ground will be fine for him. This looks a very competitive race. You can make case for a good few in the race and it’s unusual to get just 11 runners for a valuable Leopardstown handicap. If things go his way, he has a great chance – my one concern is the quick turnaround of just 8 days, but he seems to be fresh and well at home all week, so we’ll give it a go.
4.15
Jett (Robert Power)
He has top weight and he ran a solid enough race the last day at Thurles, but it won’t be easy for him off a mark off 144. The plus side for him is that he handles good ground and the small field will suit him. It’s a lovely pot (50k) to aim one at and there are a few unexposed novices in the field, but he seems to be getting back to something like his best form. Dakota Moirette took a heavy fall at the last when it looked as if he might win his beginners last weekend at Fairyhouse and we have to give him 16lbs and that won’t be easy. He is wearing check pieces for the first time which I hope well bring improvement. It’s an open race and our horse has his chance.
