HE CAN LORD IT
PAGES OF FANTASTIC START WITH HORSE RACING
IT was a case of swings and roundabouts for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
The pair were dealt a blow yesterday when their leading Arkle Chase fancy Sceau Royal was ruled out of next week’s race at the Cheltenham Festival after suffering a setback.
But they have a cracking chance of landing Saturday’s Matchbook Imperial Cup at Sandown with Call Me Lord.
Anthony Bromley, the racing manager for the owners, said: “The plan is to run Call Me Lord.
“There’s the big carrot with that big bonus if everything goes well.”
Race sponsors Matchbook are offering a £100,000 bonus for any horse who can win on Saturday and follow up in any race at next week’s Cheltenham Festival.
Call Me Lord is one of two potential runners for Nicky Henderson, along with the hattrick-seeking Whatswrongwithyou.
John Quinn, the trainer of Master Of Irony, also has his eye on the bonus.
Bonus
“We took him to Ireland a few weeks ago and he just didn’t travel great, so we couldn’t run him,” said Quinn. “Then I had him in at Newcastle and he didn’t run.
“We felt he’d have squeak in the Imperial Cup and this year there’s a massive bonus.
“If he happened to win he’s also in the Martin Pipe (Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle) and the County Hurdle.
“He’ll have his chance on Saturday. He’s very well and I’m very happy with him.”
Whatswrongwithyou heads the betting at 6-1 with Call Me Lord 8-1 and Master Of Irony best-priced at 20-1 with Ladbrokes.
Sunday’s rescheduled meeting at Kelso has attracted a host of stars. ® The Premier Chase is set to feature the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Betfair Chase hero Bristol De Mai and the Grand National hope Seeyouatmidnight.
The quality card also stages the Premier Hurdle.
Kelso clerk of the course Anthea Morshead said: “I can’t stress enough how grateful we are to all our sponsors, who have remained the same from the original fixture.
“We have been in touch with the trainers Sandy Thomson, Nigel Twiston-Davies, Sue Smith and Paul Nicholls and they were all keen to support the meeting if we could reschedule.
“Obviously, Seeyouatmidnight needs to run over fences to qualify for the Grand National, so to give him the opportunity to do so at his local track and give people the opportunity to see him is great.”
Saint Calvados was popular with punters yesterday.
The gelding is 3-1 (from 9-2) with Coral for the Arkle.
Simon Claisse, the clerk of the course at Cheltenham, has changed the going to soft after more than 200 tons of snow was cleared from the track on Sunday.
For the opening race at next week’s four-day meeting, Coral go 4-5 good to soft ground, evens soft, 10-1 heavy and 40-1 good.