Nuts on Conquer
GO CONQUER is appropriately named, given the way he sets out to control his races from the front and he did just that in the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot last weekend.
He was very good. He saves energy by always jumping well and was foot perfect.
He looks to have improved over the summer as this was a very competitive race, and he won it pretty easily. He’s in the BetVictor and also in another race at Ascot next month.
That was the highlight of a pretty quiet last seven days, and this weekend looks like being the lull before the storm of the November meeting at Cheltenham next week when I hope to have some decent rides.
Competitive
I’d be delighted to pick up a winner at Wincanton and Sandown this weekend, although I’m not overly confident from which direction that might come from.
The big race at Wincanton is the Badger Ales Trophy Handicap Chase, in which I ride MONT ROYALE (3.35) for the Phil Tufnell Racing Club.
He ran well on his first run back when fourth at Ludlow on ground that might have been fast enough for him.
It’s a big step up to this competitive 18-runner Listed race, but he’s a consistent sort who has been placed in almost half his races.
DJANGO DJANGO (12.40) ran well on his debut in a decent bumper at Fontwell. He’s schooled well with me and I’d be hopeful of a pretty good run in the EBF Stallions “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (Qualifier). I can’t tell you anything about my two other rides, so I’ll focus on Sandown tomorrow when my best ride of the weekend looks to be KHAGE (4.00) in the Bet £10 Get £20 At 188Bet Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
He was pretty green on his debut in a Chepstow bumper last month, which looked a decent race.
He pulled and then hung in the closing stages, so I’d expect him to be a lot more straight for this.
I rode DESERT CROSS (1.50) on his only start over jumps in a maiden hurdle at Fontwell a year ago. He struck me as a horse with a good attitude and he’s since won a couple of times on the Flat.
He will be fit enough if good enough given he ran at Yarmouth at the end of last month. He could run a good race in the Download The App At 188Bet Maiden Hurdle.
IT’S A GIMME (3.30) has an each-way chance in the 188bet.co.uk Veterans’ Handicap Chase. He ran third in a similar veterans race to this at Chepstow a month ago and a repeat of that would put him there.
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