ROSE DOUBLE DREAM
ROSE DOBBIN dreams of a Cheltenham Festival double with her two stable stars.
The Northumberland trainer is pointing Jonniesofa at the fourmile National Hunt Chase and Coole Hall at the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle if he comes through his prep race.
Dobbin won the opening race at Doncaster yesterday with Doktor Glaz before outlining plans for her big guns.
She said: “Jonniesofa will run in the Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby next Saturday but it would have to be soft ground for him to go to Cheltenham.
“We thought we’d pop him in the four-miler just in case he wins the Towton well.”
Coole Hall has won three novice hurdles including a valuable race at Newcastle and his trainer said: “He goes for the race at Haydock Jonniesofa won last season on February 7. Coole Hall is a lovely horse and we are very excited about him. He will make a lovely chaser.”
Plans are fluid for another potential northern star Mount Mews, who suffered a narrow defeat to Wotzizname in the novices’ chase.
Settled
Assistant trainer Ruth Jefferson said: “Mount Mews settled well and jumped okay, and the mistake at the last possibly cost us. He ran to the line.
“There were things to take out of it that were good but I will have to go home and watch it again.”
She said stable star Waiting Patiently is on course to run in the Grade One Ascot Chase next month.
She said: “We took him out of the Champion Chase. He looks like he is settling better and it would probably be daft to come back in trip, so two-and-a-half miles is suiting him at the moment and we might look to 3m next year.
“Cloudy Dream might go to the same race. We are very lucky we have two at that level but just a shame they both want the same trip. Cloudy Dream has had a break and he is really well in himself.”
Owner Terry Spraggett is also dreaming of Cheltenham glory with Nube Negra, who cruised home in the two-mile novices’ hurdle.
Harry Skelton had a steering job on the four-year-old who could be aimed at the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle.
Noel Fehily was banned for six days after winning on Wotzizname in the 1.55 for using the whip above the permitted level and in the incorrect place from the second last.