Daryl Jacob looks back on Cheltenham's Showcase meeting and ahead to Ascot, Carlisle and Exeter in the coming days in his latest column.
Cheltenham reflections
Torpillo was obviously beaten by a good horse but looking back on it I think he was a bit flat, I didn’t feel it was his true running. He certainly wasn’t the horse that turned up at Chepstow, but it was another learning curve for him and I’m still excited about him going forward.
I was disappointed to get beat on Wholestone, but we’re still very happy with him. I know Warren Greatrex thinks a lot of his horse (Mulcahys Hill) and he probably just outstayed us towards the end. We could drop him back a little bit in trip next time.
Fred’s a beautiful horse. I really like this horse, he jumped really well but the race wasn’t run to suit. We trotted for the first mile and sprinted up the hill, but Fred relaxed well and just got a little bit outpaced coming down the hill. He was gaining on the two horses in front of him after the last, though.
He can win his novice over two miles next time and I don’t think it’ll be long until you see him stepped up to two-and-a-half. He could have a really nice future in front of him.
Adjali has Ascot chance
I’m going to Ascot on Saturday, we’ve horses running at Wetherby and Ayr as well, but I’m going to ride Adjali in the Listed Sodexo Handicap Hurdle over two miles.
I thought he was going to be a very good horse last year when winning at Market Rasen and then he was beaten narrowly by Quel Destin in the Grade One at Chepstow after that, so on that form he could be well treated off 141.
I don’t feel we got the best of him after Christmas last year, but hopefully he’s back firing now and he might well have five or six pounds in hand, which gives him a chance in what will probably be a competitive handicap on Saturday.
Kildisart has Newbury prep at Carlisle
I can’t wait to get back on Kildisart in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle on Sunday.
Last year he just got better and better and I think that might be the case with him this season as well.
He usually needs his first run and that might well be the case on Sunday as well, but his homework has been good, he seems better than last year, and his schooling has been good, too.
This is a run he needs under his belt with a view to running in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury next time.
That’s his main aim this side of Christmas, so we’ll get a blow into him on Sunday and getting a really encouraging run into him ahead of Newbury is the idea. He could be the perfect type for that race.
Janika a Haldon Gold Cup possible
I schooled Janika on Thursday morning and he’s a possible for the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on Tuesday.
We’ve just got to see how the ground is looking before we decide if we run or not, but I think he’s the top rated in the race and we’ve got to get a run into him soon so it could be a good starting point for him.
Perhaps the trip will be on the sharp side, but he’s quite a keen-going sort of horse so I’d rather go shorter than longer with him for his first run.
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