Neil Morrice has a look at a few UK horses who could impress in the coming weeks including PIC ROC, IROKO and more!
LIVE CONTI – set to have a first run under Rules this week and being aimed at the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
LIVE CONTI is a name to conjure with when making his first outing in England for a syndicate headed by Sir Alex Ferguson. The gelding was the tidy winner of his only start in France at Auteuil last autumn and has subsequently moved from Noel George to Dan Skelton. He’s a big double figure price for the juvenile championship at Cheltenham, and those Festival odds will crash if he impresses on his first run here, which is expected to happen imminently.
PIC ROC – Newbury, February 8th
PIC ROC proved strong in the market for this strongly contested novices’ handicap chase in which he jumped with accurate precision. He engaged in a battle over the final two fences with LORD OF THUNDER, and might well have accounted for that rival had he not run down the final fence and lost valuable momentum on landing. He’s very well regarded by Ben Pauling, and can turn the tables on the winner should they meet in a similar contest at Cheltenham next month.
IROKO – Cheltenham, January 25th
A massive eye-catcher in this Grade 3 handicap chase, IROKO is a name to conjure with at the Festival, though pinpointing which race he will run in is very much a guessing game. The gelding travelled smoothly through the two and a half mile contest, although a mistake at the third last caused his rider to lose an iron. He was then confronted by a wall of horses, running on up the hill under hands and heels riding to claim a minor podium finish. The Stewards interviewed the jockey and noted his explanation that he was instructed to try to get Iroko’s confidence back following a fall on his previous outing. This was certainly achieved, and in the colours of JP McManus he will be a betting proposition in whichever race he turns out next month.
SALT ROCK – Doncaster, January 24th
SALT ROCK looks a horse who is a step ahead of the handicapper and the type who could run up a sequence of victories. In two chase starts he’s jumped like a seasoned handicapper, and in this race had his rivals stone cold well before the finish. So easily was the gelding travelling that he ended up in front too soon, and in the end had to be pushed out – although that might prove to be no bad thing. Kim Bailey should be able to point Salt Rock at a bigger pot, and the way he’s progressing suggests he can take it.
