The Betway ambassador previews his four rides this weekend, including Il Etait Temps at Ascot on Saturday and three at Thurles on Sunday.
One ride at Ascot on Saturday, and what a ride it is…
I’m really looking forward to riding Il Etait Temps 8/15 at Ascot on Saturday in the Clarence House (15:30). His CV is pretty impressive, if there weren’t the gaps where he was forgotten about a little bit. The lines of form are all tied into the likes of Gaelic Warrior and Jonbon, and going back to his hurdle form you could say he really hasn’t got the credit he deserves.
His season so far began at Clonmel, which was a bit of a penalty kick I suppose, but was a first run to get him back on track. He was expected to win the Tingle Creek at Sandown and we fancied him to win, but the manner in which he won was still a bit of a surprise. He beat the best of what’s around that day and if he can reproduce that I’ll have a good spin around Ascot.
This lad has taken a bit of time to put it all together and become a little bit more manageable. Willie [Mullins] didn’t rush him, and he got plenty of experience in hurdle races, even as a juvenile. He’s been brought along really well and handled impressively. He’s also been a thorn in my side plenty of times, and at least now I’m sitting on his back and not watching him go away. He’s a clever horse and I feel he learns every step of the way.
Three rides at Thurles on Sunday
I kick off Sunday in the Novice Hurdle (13:10) on Espresso Milan / , who was a pleasant surprise for us when he won in Punchestown. He’s a horse that came from Fergal O’Brien’s stable with little bits of form, but we weren’t sure what we had. I thought he ran with a lot of credit on debut for us over a trip that might have been plenty short.
I think the step up in trip will bring about plenty of improvement for him, in a race where if we are honest it won’t be the strongest run all year. I’m looking forward to getting another go on him on ground at Thurles that will be nice, and that will suit him. He’ll handle that fine and the step up in trip will help. Gordon Elliott’s horses look the main dangers, and I suppose on jockey bookings Sept Etoiles might be the rival we have to look at most. I just hope mine shows me the same improvement I thought he had from the scope he showed on that first run this season.
Jade De Grugy 1/5 is very interesting in the Mares Novice Chase (14:15), and you’d say if this was a hurdles race she’d be even shorter than she will be here. She’s a good jumper of a fence though and has maybe just run into decent opposition. She was just outstayed by The Big Westerner on heavy ground at Limerick over Christmas, but we know how good The Big Westerner is – her stable certainly like her. I’d be very disappointed if my horse gets beat here and she’d be the strongest of my three rides on Sunday.
I’ve gone for Appreciate It 4/5 in the Grade 2 Chase (15:20), despite him giving away weight everywhere. His form of his last run in Thurles behind Affordable Fury looks pretty good now, considering we were giving him 10lb and what that one did over Christmas. Appreciate It is 12 now, but he’s so consistent. He’s been a very good horse for us. He won this race last year – when I didn’t ride him – so hopefully I can repeat that. Maybe my heart has ruled my head a little bit, but it’s a strong ride and a lot of conditions are in his favour. In opposition, James Du Berlais is no back marker and Gentlemen De Mee maybe had a hard race at Tramore on New Year’s Day and might be a better spring horse.
Bambino Fever shows Cheltenham credentials
It’s brilliant that Fairyhouse managed to reschedule in midweek and it meant that I got the chance to partner Bambino Fever as she made up for a narrow defeat on her hurdles debut. She was beaten by Oldschool Outlaw that day in Naas, but they had pulled well clear and she made amends on Wednesday. She improved from the run like we thought, made the running herself, quickened up smartly and jumped brilliantly. She came out of it well and showed she’s got what it takes to head into the big races coming up this season ( 2/1 in the Cheltenham betting for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle).
