WE have spent the last while hunting and point-to-pointing with COOLE HALL (1.25) under Will Ramsay which he really seems to have enjoyed so we’re hoping that has rejuvenated him. He’s not managed to win one, but he’s run well in all four races - finishing second three times and recording a third. He’s in good form so we though we’d have another go on the track. The handicapper has been nice to him, dropping him to 115 so on his old form he’s likely to have a right chance.
It will all come down to whether the hunting has got the fire back inside him and it’s all okay in his head. We think it probably has so hopefully he can relish a return to the racetrack today.
TROOPER TURNBULL (2.45), second in the video above, ran a bit flat at Newcastle the last time before Christmas so we have given him a break and the plan is to go for the Go North final back at Carlisle in March, so today is his second qualifier. Hopefully the ground won’t be too holding and that will be fine for him, as long as it doesn’t end up becoming a bit sticky. He might come on for the run a bit, which would be right with the final in mind.
We were really pleased with Rath An Iuir’s run in the Eider at the weekend, he was right there turning from home after travelling and jumping well throughout. A bit of softer ground will help him in a race like that because he definitely wants to get his toe in more than he could at the weekend. The Scottish National is a bit earlier this season so it could be a bit softer than normal, so we’ll enter him in that and see. There is a nice race at Kelso the week before too, so we’ll put him in there and see what the weather goes nearer the time. He’ll go where the ground is softest.
Monfass also pleased us, he was a bit keen but it was his best run for a while and there was plenty of encouragement there. We will try to get him out quickly, hoping the run at Newcastle has knocked the freshness out of him.