Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Son can rise to challenge
PLENTY of chances in tomorrow’s big races in Navan. And I’m hoping for good things for Son Of Rest in the listed Waterford Testimonial Stakes.
Son Of Rest is probably my highest-profile ride of the weekend, a colt that has always been highly-rated and ran behind Churchill in the National Stakes last year.
He has won twice this season, including a Curragh handicap under a big weight. And I was delighted with his last run, a third behind Caravaggio and Alphabet in the Flying Five at the Curragh.
He came home well that day and will be more street-wise this time. I felt that was his first real run in a proper sprint – he was badly hampered at the start in his previous race at Tipperary and was always on the back-foot.
He’s drawn beside Alphabet, which is sure to jump and go again. She should give me a good toe into the race. I think the trip and stiff finish will suit my horse. I’ll be taking my time and I’m expecting him to go close.
I won the Cesarewitch on Laws Of Spin (Ryan Moore rides him in the English Cesarewitch next week) for Willie Mullins last year.
And it would be great to go back-to-back for the Mullins team on the lightly-raced
tomorrow.
I won on this fellow first time in Down Royal, when Andy Oliver had him. He surprised me a bit and I liked him a lot that day.
He ran well in his second start at Gowran Park (second to Elegant Pose) and ran again a week later in Roscommon, when everything happened a bit quick for him and he finished third to Slaney Street.
Willie Mullins bought him for Highclere since then. And I think the step-up to two miles should suit him. Inexperience is a concern. But he should run a big race.
I’ve picked-up a deadly spare on
in the listed Legacy Stakes and, although he’s the stable second-string on ratings, I wouldn’t swap him for anything else in the race, including Jessie Harrington’s other runner
He was a snug winner of a listed race at Fairyhouse last time, when he saw out the trip well. And he has a big shout tomorrow.
Henry de Bromhead’s is another good spare I’ve picked-up, in the listed Martin Molony Stakes in Limerick today.
He’s up against it on ratings, against the likes of
which looks the horse to beat, but might be in the shake-up.
Of my other rides over the weekend,
which has improved from her debut run in Fairyhouse, has a chance in today’s opener in Limerick.
And I have a squeak on tomorrow’s sprint handicap and
(I’m the only one that has won on him) in today’s final in Limerick, a race we won last year. in