2.40 - Cheltenham - Guard Duty
I've then got Guard Duty for Emma Lavelle in the BetMGM Cup, and I've said before, if you're coming to this festival with a 20/1 shot, you've got a chance... so we've definitely got a chance here. He's ran a few times in big handicaps, so big fields aren't a problem for him. He's a hold-up horse, and his only negative would be that he's not really the most economical jumper.
But the last day I rode him, he actually jumped really well, and I think a good, strongly-run race is going to be right up his street. Hopefully he'll be doing his best stuff coming up the hill the last time.
Myself and Emma go back a long way, and they put a lot of trust in me when I was a claimer. I had a good season as a conditional, with 40-odd winners, and I'd say 75% of those were for her. She's played a massive part in my career so far, and it's nice to still be picking up rides for her and the team - I won the Ladbrokes Trophy on De Rasher Counter as a five-pound claimer... you know, not many trainers would give a young lad like that a chance, but she gave me that chance, and luckily it worked out.
Emma and Barry have been brilliant for me, so if I could give them back another big one, that would mean the world. They've got Ma Shantou later in the week, and I think he's got a very good chance. He obviously needs to step-up again, but he's a young horse, and probably the only one in there, with Dan [Skelton]'s, that are new to this grade and kind of level. What I like about Ma Shantou is that he gallops brilliantly, he stays the trip well, he's got a bit of speed about him and he obviously loves Cheltenham. I'd quite like to be on him, to be honest! But I think he's got a really good chance, so very best of luck to Emma and the team.
