Festival Dreams & All-Weather Targets

Today we send out two runners, one on racing’s biggest stage at the Cheltenham Festival and another this evening on the all-weather at Wolverhampton. Both head into their races in good form and we’re hopeful they can give their owners another enjoyable day.

CRACKING RHAPSODY

2.00 – Cheltenham

Jockey: Craig Nichol

It’s always special to have a runner at the Cheltenham Festival, and Cracking Rhapsody earns his place on the biggest stage after some solid efforts this season. He ran particularly well in the Morebattle, where he was asked to give plenty of weight away yet still performed with plenty of credit in a very competitive field.

This is another deep race, as you would expect at this meeting, but he goes there in great order. Since his last run he has had a wind operation and we’re hopeful that could help him finish his races off even stronger. Horses often benefit from it, and today will tell us a bit more about how much it helps him.

We’ve also changed a few small things in his training in recent weeks to try and find that extra edge going into a race of this calibre. He’s had a nice, easy week in preparation and arrives fresh and well.

Whatever happens today, he’s been a fantastic horse for the yard and his owners. Having a runner at Cheltenham is always something special and it’s a privilege for everyone involved to be competing on such a prestigious stage.

RAMON DI LORIA

7.10 – Wolverhampton

Jockey: Greg Fairley

Later in the evening we run Ramon Di Loria, known as “Raymond” at home, who has been a brilliant horse for us throughout the all-weather season.

He’s been incredibly consistent this winter and has worked his way into the top 30 of the All-Weather Bonus standings, which has now become the target as the season comes to a close. With just a handful of runs left, the aim is to pick up as many points as possible and hopefully finish as high up the leaderboard as we can.

He’s had a quiet week to freshen him up after a busy spell and seems in great order heading into today’s race. Wolverhampton should suit him well and, as always, the key will likely be the pace of the race. If they go a good gallop and he has something to aim at, we know he stays strongly and can finish his races off well.

He’s already given us a fantastic season and owes us nothing, but we head there hopeful he can run another big race.

Best of luck to all owners and connections involved today.