Our columnist Daryl Jacob outlines his thoughts on Fusil Raffles trying three miles in the Charlie Hall, before going through his other Wetherby rides and delivering some Double Green snippets.
I was delighted with Good Boy Bobby's win at Wetherby on Friday. He was very fit but will have learned from the race. I thought he jumped very well, was measured the whole way and it's nice to get a win into him on his first run of the season.
I think the main aim this year will be to build on it and keep him running consistently well all season. If he can do that there could be some nice days with him.
FUSIL RAFFLES – 3.05 Wetherby
We’re really getting going in the Jumps season now and the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on the same weekend the clocks go back, for me, really signals the beginning of the National Hunt season proper.
The Charlie Hall probably isn’t what it used to be, I remember when it was a real launchpad for Gold Cup horses and you wouldn’t say that about this year’s renewal.
Cyrname is a highly-rated horse and he won this race well last year, but he didn’t beat much and with two pulled-ups on his record at the end of last season he won’t exactly be scaring the opposition away.
I ride FUSIL RAFFLES in the race and we’re really looking forward to him stepping up to three miles. We always thought as a juvenile that he’d want a trip at some point and the only reason he stuck to 2m4f last year was because he did so well as a novice chaser over that distance.
He needs to find improvement if he’s a Grade One horse and the trip is the one thing that could help him find the 8 or 9lb that he needs to find to compete at that sort of level.
Hopefully it will see him to good effect, but either way we need to find out if he stays. Wetherby is a good place to try three miles for the first time and if he does well here it opens up doors, races like the King George suddenly come on the agenda.
Conversely, if he doesn’t stay we know we’ll have to take a different sort of route with him, so it’s a big day for Fusil Raffles on Saturday.
He’s in good form at home and I was very happy with his reappearance run in the intermediate chase down at Newton Abbot where he was second to Bravemansgame.
We were giving Paul Nicholls’ horse 12lb and I missed three-out which put us on the back foot, but we didn’t mind so much as it helped me give him a nice ride for second without getting into a battle on his reappearance.
He travelled great that day and jumped well, while he’s come out of it in good form, too, so his preparation for the Charlie Hall couldn’t have gone much better, really. If I had jumped three out we’d have been right up the tail of Bravemansgame and we would’ve finished a lot closer.
On Saturday the boot is on the other foot as we get weight from some of the market principals which could well be a useful concession. We could’ve probably done with a bit more rain, but good to slow side of good is fine for him.
Physically he did very well over the summer and hopes are high for a big campaign, whichever route we take. I’m looking forward to his first big test this weekend.
Other Saturday Rides
ZAMBELLA – 1.55 WETHERBY
ZAMBELLA had a great year last season over fences and this Listed Mares’ Hurdle over two miles looks a good starting point for her.
The trip might well be on the sharp side, especially on better ground – she needs it soft, really, to be at her best – but with only six in opposition this looks a good race for her to run in first time up.
She ran well in this race a couple of years ago until she unseated Sam Twiston-Davies late on, so we know she likes the track and this should tee her up nicely for different assignments ahead.
It’s a nice race to go for in its own right, but I can see her going back chasing at some stage and we’ll just see how she gets on over hurdles before plotting the rest of her campaign.
INDEFATIGABLE – 2.30 WETHERBY
I’ve picked up a lovely ride here for Paul Webber as I’m on INDEFATIGABLE, a good mare, in the bet365 Hurdle where we take on Paisley Park.
The good thing is she gets 13lb from Emma Lavelle’s horse – I’m doing 10-7, the lowest I can go these days – and she’s fit from the Flat having won at Pontefract earlier this month.
I’ve never sat on her but she’s a very good mare, a Cheltenham Festival winner, and she stays well, so this looks a nice opportunity for her to sink one or two horses with bigger reputations.
OUR SURPRISE – 3.40 WETHERBY
He’s always a bit too gassy, a bit too free, on his first run and he was just that on his seasonal reappearance at Fontwell earlier this month.
Hopefully he comes on for that outing in the bet365 Handicap Hurdle as we think his handicap mark, now down to 120 for his handicap debut, is very workable and he won’t mind the good ground.
Wetherby should suit him and the trip is perfect so he has plenty going for him, hopefully he can put it all together. He’s a horse that should jump a fence at some point but we’ll try and get a few more hurdle wins into him first.
Double Green snippets: Boy set for Sefton test
I schooled CARIBEAN BOY over the Aintree-style fences on Thursday morning and he was electric. First time out is the time to catch him and he’s getting prepared for the Grand Sefton on November 6.
He’ll be cherry ripe for Aintree.
SCEAU ROYAL is going well ahead of the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton, too. He’ll mix it up again in terms up fences and hurdles this season but he felt good at Kempton, he’s a terrier. I love him.
I’ve also been going over to Stuart Crawford’s yard in County Antrim as we’ve a good few horses trained there now including O’TOOLE who split Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard in the Champion Bumper at Punchestown.
I really like him and he’s doing well, while a horse called CARNFUNNOCK is another one to watch out for. He’s a really nice type by Getaway who should be out again soon.
CHAMP DE GANE runs in the Down Royal bumper on Saturday and he’s another lovely horse who should have a big year.
