LIBERATE IN WITH A BIG CHANCE

E-mail this Article

Print this Article

Subscribe to RSS Feed

Liberate - genuine chance in Triumph Hurdle.

By Richard Johnson

I ride Monkerhostin in Friday's totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and he was second favourite for the race last year.

He has had a light campaign this term - in contrast to the busy time he had last year - and seems in really good form.

I schooled him last week and he felt really well and he is a horse who does go well fresh.

The fact he hasn't run since the King George is a bonus and he probably has an each-way chance at a big price.

If the ground is good, which is what we want for Monkerhostin, then Kauto Star will take the world of beating.

Last week, when they were forecasting heavy ground, I felt he would struggle to get the trip. He looks too classy to cope with a slog in the mud, he has won two Tingle Creeks after all.

Horses like Florida Pearl and One Man have been found out by the Cheltenham Gold Cup in bad conditions and that is what I thought may happen to Kauto Star.

On good ground I feel he is a long way ahead of the rest of us.

Another who will like decent ground is Liberate, and as you can see I want a heatwave over the next three or four days!

Philip gave a lot of his horses two or three runs before Christmas knowing they don't want the bad ground which we have endured since then.

Liberate is one of them and he has had a fair break.

Philip's horses seem in cracking order at the moment and Liberate looks to have got bigger and stronger since his last run.

I sat on him the other day and he felt really well and he looks to have a genuine chance of winning the JBC Triumph Hurdle.

The meeting could end with a bang with Fair Along in th Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle.

On what Detroit City has done this year, Fair Along looks very well treated with 10-7 to carry.

I know he was beaten over timber earlier this season but that was over two miles five and as I felt he would definitely get the trip, I let him stride on down the hill.

As it happens we probably didn't get home so put that down to jockey error.

Back to two miles, his ideal trip, he has to take an awful lot of beating providing he comes out of the Arkle okay.

Richard Johnson was talking to Dave Ord.