Former West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp believes that The Jukebox Man could be the best racehorse he has ever had the privilege to own.
The 77-year-old was on hand at Newbury on Tuesday morning to watch the son of Ask stretch his legs in a racecourse gallop as part of a quartet of horses sent to the track’s annual Coral Gold Cup Gallops Morning by training Ben Pauling.
And following the exercise Redknapp was enthusiastic about the six year old, who finished second in last season’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, scaling even greater heights over fences this campaign.
Redknapp said: “Ben is really excited about him and is looking forward to this season. He was good for us last season, and he was unlucky not to win at Cheltenham.
“He will now go chasing and we have lots to look forward to. He worked well out there and Ben was pleased so if he was happy then we are all happy.
“He looks fantastic to my amateur eye. He has strengthened up and he looks like a real chaser.
"Hopefully he can have a good season and we go to Cheltenham all guns blazing as that is the dream.
“For sure he could be my best horse and Ben says he is. He will never give me a better thrill than Shakem Up’arry winning at Cheltenham as that was very special for me.
“They were amazing days at Cheltenham last season and I just hope they can both take me back this season as I want to be at Cheltenham in March with some runners again.”
Before dreaming of a return to the Cheltenham Festival in March, Redknapp could be in line for a quick return to Newbury with The Jukebox Man in the Grade Two Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase on Friday week.
Pauling added: “There is every chance he will come back here as that was a very impressive piece of work. Ben (Jones) said he felt fabulous and that will put him spot on.
“I think he looks a million dollars and I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets on over fences as he is a chaser all day long.
“If he doesn’t come here he will go to Aintree on December 7th.”
While The Jukebox Man sparkled during his away day the same could not be said for Shakem Up’arry, who finished several lengths adrift of his three work companions leaving Pauling to re-think his plans for last year’s Plate hero.
Pauling said: “Shakem Up’arry went to Windsor last Monday and he worked brilliantly. He has come here today and not turned up.
“Callum (Pritchard) felt that he didn’t travel early doors so he wasn't hard on him. We know the horse inside out. That was lacklustre so we will be thinking long and hard whether we come for the Coral Gold Cup.
“We will scope him and see how he is and go from there really. There is no agenda with him anymore as he has won us a Festival race and the whole season will be getting him ready to go back there.”
It might not have gone to plan for Pauling as regards to Shakem Up’arry, however he was delighted with how Henry’s Friend shaped up ahead of his return to fences in the Coral Gold Cup on Saturday, November 30.
He added: “That was a lovely piece of work and Nico (de Boinville) said he felt fabulous. He just did it as he liked.
“That was the perfect preparation ahead of coming back here in a fortnight’s time. I think he is the sort of horse that will benefit from this sort of thing.”
Chef to serve up an overseas win?
French-based runners in the Coral Gold Cup have been a rare thing in the past, however trainer Noel George believes his representative General En Chef could be the type of horse to send the valuable Premier Handicap back across the English Channel.
George, speaking via a video link, said: “He was third in the French Gold Cup and to me he is a Grade One horse. He is getting in off a mark of 142 which is very interesting so he should have a nice weight.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes there travelling very well. Whether he has quite the grind of the seasoned handicap chasers over the last couple of fences I’m not sure.
“He got beat in a Grade Two at Compiegne the other day, but we had to ride him a bit closer to the pace than we would have liked to and he got there too soon.
“To me the style of Newbury with the two big straights should suit him as we can switch him off.”
Before the Coral Gold Cup takes centre stage trainer Olly Murphy hopes his stable star Strong Leader can make an impact on his return to action in the Grade Two Coral Long Distance Hurdle on Friday week after passing his racecourse gallop with flying colours.
Murphy said: “I was delighted with him as he is not a flashy work horse and he never has been by any stretch of the imagination.
“He galloped nicely and he always does a nicer bit of work on grass. Hopefully that will put the finishing touches on him for the Long Distance Hurdle.
“He doesn’t want very quick ground, and it was in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby, so we have had to re route here.”
While expecting Strong Leader, who signed off last season tasting Grade One glory in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, the Wilmcote handler expects him to step forward for the run.
Murphy added: “He has been away on grass before today as well as he gallops better on that than a synthetic surface.
“He will be fairly ready, but we will leave a little bit to work on as his first half of the season target is the Long Walk Hurdle.
“He has a penalty in next Friday’s race, but has galloped out there well today and is in good form.”
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