Ben Jones Sunday & Monday rides blog: 'I think they knew I got it'

It's no rest for the wicked as a few days removed from winning the King George VI Chase, Ben Jones presents his latest Ladbrokes rides blog, previewing his action at Catterick on Sunday and Newbury on Monday.

• Crystal Days - Catterick - 14:03 race odds

• Lheur De Gloire – Newbury - 12.40 race odds

• King’s Threshold – Newbury - 13:50 race odds

• Champagne Twist – Newbury - 14:22 race odds

• Kalkbrenner – Nebwury - 15:00 race odds

• Newton Tornado – Newbury - 15:35 race odds

I am back to work today so haven’t been able to go on a mad one but it was such an exciting race to be a part of. I mean the actual depth of the race…it was a proper good race. Good horses, good trainers…it was a big one and made it all the sweeter.

Turning in I thought I would win, three out I thought I would win, two out I thought I would win, and then coming down to the last I could see I was meeting it a bit deep. If it was any other horse, I probably would have finished third or fourth. He was so quick and agile over it, and he gave himself one little chance. He stuck his head out, proper tried, and galloped all the way to the line. As soon as I crossed the line, I thought I won by a head, but it turned out it was a little bit close for comfort. The other jockeys were waiting for the official result, but I think they knew I got it. Sean Bowen has pipped me along the line plenty of times so to get one over him was even sweeter.

Harry [Redknapp] didn’t say a whole lot after the race. He was obviously overjoyed and it means so much to him, especially with Sandra there and his whole family. Like me, it just hadn’t sunk in for either of us. We couldn’t believe it. I would say Harry celebrated in style anyway.

I would think The Jukebox Man will be put away until March now. I see he’s come into 8/1 for the Gold Cup, so realistically he will have a good chance in it. We will have to let him have a crack at it. He will probably improve from that run yesterday. He’s only ran four times over fences, and you wouldn’t know what he could be. He is fragile so we won’t see a whole lot of him but hopefully when we do see him, it will be the good side of him.

I rode her first time out this year and she actually ran really well. She settled brilliant, jumped a little bit big and slow but I was very happy with the way she ran and went through the race. The form has been franked since then and the actual race from Uttoxeter has worked out really well.

I thought she would go and win the last day. She ran over two-and-a-half miles, and I think that was a little bit out of her limit zone. A drop back to two miles will be a massive plus. She is in good order at home. We are obviously going up to Catterick so Ben [Pauling] obviously thinks she has a good chance if we’re trekking up there. I am very much looking forward to it.

Monday - Lheur De Gloire – 12.40 Newbury

This is a horse that they really respect at home. He is a very good work horse. He probably hasn’t quite delivered on the track yet. He won a nice little bumper race but was a bit green and immature. He had a spin over hurdles the last day and kind of weakened out gradually towards the end. I think the main thing for him will be to get into a good rhythm and see out the trip and do his best bit in the latter stages. I am not going to say he will go and win on Monday, but he is one for the future when the penny does drop. He will be one you want to back in a couple of runs time. 

King’s Threshold – 1.50 Newbury

I had a lot of fun on King’s Threshold. He has been there and done it and knows his job. I rode him first time out at Cheltenham this year. He had a brilliant run around and got hampered. I thought he would go and win the next day, and he ran really well around Newbury. It is nice to be back on him. Emma [Lavelle] says he is in brilliant form and hopefully if he gets in a good rhythm, he shan’t be too far away.

Champagne Twist – 2.22 Newbury 

Champagne Twist won the EBF Final a couple of year ago. He was probably below par last year. Sometimes it can take a few runs to get over a season like that and I think that’s the case for him. He was very quiet last year and we didn’t see the best of him. This year he looks twice the horse. He has filled out and he looks like the horse he should have been last year. We went chasing with him and he ran a brilliant race at Aintree first time out. It didn’t quite go to plan at Sandown; he never really got into a rhythm. If you miss one at Sandown, you end up missing another three along the way. We are trying him back over hurdles. There’s a good few in it, but I would like to think that this race should re-boost his confidence. If he runs to the same form as Aintree where he felt as good as ever, then I think he is well handicapped.   

Kalkbrenner – 3pm Newbury (Challow)

Kalkbrenner is a lovely horse who hasn’t done a lot wrong for us. He probably got there a little bit early the last day and when Kevin Brogan’s horse came to us late, my lad didn’t get a chance to respond and battle it out. We gave him 6lbs so hopefully we can alter that easily and reverse that. The Paul Nicholls horse, Grand Garcon, seems to be a decent animal but he has had a few runs now and if we are going to beat him, it will probably be Monday. I would have liked more rain but you could probably say the same for the rest of them. They look all big staying chasers. My horse will probably come on for the last run. I would say I am most excited to ride him on Monday.

Newton Tornado – 3.35 Newbury

The last time I rode Newton Tornado I had a hell of a slap! He did really well as a novice last year. He finished second numerous times and then won a novice at the end of the year. He jumped really well around Cheltenham and got into a lovely rhythm. I thought I would win at the top of the hill, but out of the blue he fell, and we got it all wrong. He went to Bangor the next day and did it as he should do. He didn’t come off the bridle and if he repeats that, then hopefully he has a good each-way chance.

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.