In his exclusive column, the National Hunt jockey and Betway ambassador discusses the signs of progress made by his Hennessy Gold Cup ride
Last week
I was really pleased with Fingal Bay in the Hennessy Gold Cup. Obviously you always want to win, but it just showed how good that race was at Kempton.
Take nothing away from Smad Place, he was really impressive and put himself firmly in the Gold Cup picture.
Wayne Hutchison told me that they had decided to ride him more positively and he got into a great rhythm. There was certainly no fluke about it.
The Gold Cup is looking stronger and stronger each week which is great for the sport.
It is going to be run at a fierce pace with the likes of Coneygree and Smad Place in the line-up.
If they all get there, it’s going to be a very strong renewal and, from a betting perspective, that’s brilliant.
Fingal Bay travelled and jumped really well, it was another step forward from last season.
The handicapper shouldn’t move his mark and there’s a valuable handicap at Ascot next month that could be an option.
Off his mark I honestly feel that he’s a winner waiting to happen.
When horses have burst blood vessels it can often take them a couple of runs to get back and be prepared to go through that pain barrier again.
The thing I was most happy about was that he came out of the race really well. He did hit the last but he stayed on well to hold onto fourth from Saphir Du Rheu.
It’s all part of rebuilding his confidence and this was another step in the right direction.
Mountain King ran okay in the two-mile handicap chase, but he struggled a little bit jumping out of the ground.
It was sticky rather than wet which found out plenty of horses over the three-day meeting.
This lad will improve for better ground and he will be one for the decent handicaps between two and two-and-a-half miles.
I haven’t lost the faith with Wait For Me who I’m sure will also be better on decent ground.
He had schooled really well at home, but there wasn’t much pace and he had a really good look at the hurdles. He just didn’t jump fluently enough.
The winner looks very smart and he’s another to keep a close eye on this season.
Hopefully there are bigger and better targets ahead for Wait For Me as he gains more experience. We know he’s got bags of ability.
I thought Thistlecrack was impressive in the Long Distance Hurdle.
Cole Harden wants better ground, but you can’t keep them at home all winter and he will be better suited by Cheltenham in March.
Colin Tizzard’s yard is firing on all cylinders at the moment and, although Thistlecrack will be a chaser next season, he can do well in the staying hurdling division this term.
I was also very impressed with Gordon Elliott’s No More Heroes at Fairyhouse yesterday.
Gordon and Willie Mullins are the two big forces in Ireland and Gordon’s getting stronger by the minute.
No More Heroes travelled and jumped really well. He looks like a top class stayer.
This week
The highlight is obviously the Tingle Creek at Sandown on Saturday which is always a great race.
Un De Sceaux was very impressive in the Arkle and if he’s on his A-game then he’s going to be difficult to beat.
Sandown should suit and his recent racecourse gallop should have taken some of the fizz out of him.
I don’t know too much about who I’ll be riding later in the week.
Golden Doyen is entered at Exeter on Friday, while Tapaculo could go to Sandown on the same day. He looks an exciting novice hurdler.
READ: Richard Johnson: I’m confident that Fingal Bay will run a big race
