1.45 - Dutch Corner & Kadastral
We have Dutch Corner and Kadastral in the Novices' Championship Final, and this is as competitive a race as you'd expect for a hundred grand... but these two are definitely in with a chance. Kadastral probably wants better ground than the soft it was last time- we ran him at Uttoxeter the other day and thought he'd go well, but he got stuck in the ground there. He's definitely a chaser for next year, though. I wouldn't say we've underachieved this year, but we did feel like we'd be slightly further along than we are. But, at the same time, I've kind of always known he'd be a chaser. Having said all this, I feel like there's room in his mark and I think he'll run well.
The same must be said for Dutch Corner, too; I think he's got room in his mark, and he's looked like a horse that would go well in this type of race. We thought everything was suitable for him in this race, until we ran him at Exeter and he hung out to his left, so obviously going right-handed here isn't a question mark as such, but he was more comfortable going left when he won last time. Like I say, though, there's room in his mark, and he does stay well, so the stamina track will be no negative for him.
2.20 - Doyen Quest & Etalon
Doyen Quest and Etalon both run in the Oaksey Chase, and they've both had good years. I've gone on record saying that Etalon has suffered in the handicap because of an unbelievable ride from Harry [Skelton] at Ascot when he won a valuable race. Harry gave him such a good ride that day, and the handicapper rightly had to act, but it was always inevitable that he was going to act to the point where this horse could not win a handicap for some time. It was such a good ride, and it made him look better than he was effectively. We thought we'd try him in this race because the handicapper doesn't necessarily play a part in it, because it's a conditions race, but I feel like he's battling it out for some prize money.
Doyen Quest feels like he wants to come back from three miles, so we're trying this trip for him. He's in good form, and we've not ran him much since the turn of the year, so he's relatively fresh. He's won on good ground before, so we'll go down there and give it our best shot. There's a couple who are rated higher than him in there, but I think he'll put his hat in the ring, and I do think he'll go well. Hopefully they can both pick up prize money in this.
2.55 - Thistle Ask & Mirabad
The same must be said for our two runners in the Celebration Chase. Thistle Ask has just had the most unbelievable year - we've taken him from a rating of 115 to 160, and on his most recent start, he finished second in a Grade 1 to Jonbon, on ground that was probably soft enough for him. This ground, and this track, is tailor-made for this horse. We've kept him fresh since that meeting with Jonbon, although it has to be said that it did take him a month to get over that race. He is over it now, though, and hopefully he can go and run another big race. He's had an unbelievable year though.
