Bumper book of rides at Kempton
Valdez goes in the opener and has just had the one run at Warwick which he won. He is a horse that has always pleased in his homework and we are looking forward to getting him started again on the track.
Monturgeon has been a model of consistency in his novice races this season and kept finding one too good. Kempton could suit him on a slowish surface as he is a good mover and handles the polytrack well at home. He could well run into a place.
Sweet Irony ran well on his reappearance at Taunton and was just caught on the line. He will have benfitted from that run and is a good work horse at home so should be okay around this track. We are expecting a good run.
Call Me A Star was an impressive winner at Wetherby and we like her a lot. She carries a penalty and hopefully she will be good enough to defy that.
You would have to say we have been slightly disappointed with Tuscan Gold in his last run and hopefully that was just the ground. He showed a fair level of form on the Flat and two miles round Kempton should suit him so he has a solid each-way chance.
Sir Harry Ormesher got tired at Cheltenham on New Year's Day as he took me into the race travelling well down the hill but then faded out of it after turning into the straight. He will benefit from that but should not beat Oscar Whisky on paper - he will have a good gallop round and get some more fitness under his belt but hopefully will put up a good show.
Walkon set to bounce back
Lovcen was an impressive winner at Towcester and goes in the first division of the novice hurdle at Exeter on Sunday. He fell early doors at Doncaster last time but has pleased on the schooling ground since and shown no ill-effects. He is on a mark of 130 so has a fair level of form so has every chance.
I don't know much about Forresters Folly in the second division. She has had a couple of bumper runs and one in a novice hurdle so it is a case of a fact-finding mission with her and she will probably find her level in handicaps. She is there to do her best and we wil see how we get on.
Montbazon steps up in company on Sunday. It was job done last time at Plumpton but obviously he showed some very useful form before that behind Colour Squadron at Newbury. I schooled him over six flights of hurdles on Thursday and was very pleased with him - he seems in good nick so we are looking for a solid run. This race will tell us where we go with him for Cheltenham.
Walkon runs in the novice chase and going back to Exeter over 2m4f should be much more to his liking than at Newbury last time where Cue Card got him on the stretch all the way up the straight. He made his mistakes because he was going a gear too quick so hopefully he will be able to do everything within himself on Sunday. He has schooled nicely at home and hopefully he will be good enough to defy a penalty.
I won on Pouvoir last year at Bangor and he gave me a great spin that day. He has been off the track for a while and is a horse who is a bit fragile so I am sure whatever he does on Sunday, he will improve for the run.
I ride Fairey Delta for Tor Sturgis in the bumper and she ran well on her debut at Folkestone. She was very green and found everything a little bit tight and a little bit sharp so Exeter will suit her better as she will have a little more time. She is sure to have learned from the experience and I think she can put up a bold show.
