Cheltenham’s Paddy Power Cotswold Chase is the likely next stop for Datsalrightgino following his Coral Gold Cup heroics at Newbury.
Racing over a staying trip for the first time, the seven-year-old produced a brilliant performance in the hands of Gavin Sheehan to take advantage of his unexposed handicap rating and provide Lambourn-based handler Jamie Snowden with a famous local victory.
However, the handicapper has now had his say with an 11lb rise, leaving Snowden seeing a trip to Prestbury Park on Festival Trials Day (January 27) as the logical next step on the gelding’s journey.
The trainer said: “He came out of Newbury really well. He was a bit tired on Sunday and after he went out for a bit of a leg stretch, he went back to bed and had a bit of a pyjama day.
“He was quite tired afterwards but is enjoying the adulation from everyone and has been down through the village to the stream and had a bit of a splash around and then a gentle canter back, so he’s in good order.
“He’s up 11lb, which isn’t ideal, but he was fairly unexposed at that trip and the handicapper has probably had his say accordingly.
“He’s up to 159, which makes life a little bit trickier and kind of forces us into Graded company, so I would say we will end up in the Cotswold Chase, which is the obvious race to go for from here. But we will see how he is and make a plan accordingly.”
Snowden has made a bright start to what is shaping up to be a fruitful season and could have more firepower to look forward to in the new year following the arrival at Folly House of Reach For The Moon.
The one-time Derby favourite spent some time honing his craft with Henrietta Knight upon leaving John and Thady Gosden, but has recently arrived at Snowden’s base in preparation for the next stage of his career.
He added: “It’s really early days, but I’m looking forward to learning a bit more about him.”
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