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Alex Hammond: Going Morgan
- Updated: November 23, 2016
Sky Sports News’ Alex Hammond reflects on last week’s action and looks ahead to the Hennessy and more in her latest blog.
There were shades of Kauto Star about Cue Card bringing the Haydock house down with his third Betfair Chase win on Saturday. Who could challenge him at Kempton on Boxing Day, and is this the year he goes on to land Cheltenham Gold Cup glory?
He was magnificent at Haydock that’s for sure and there appears to be no sign of him slowing down as he rises 11 years old. We were told to expect better than we saw in the Charlie Hall and there was no comparison to his Wetherby effort at a rain-soaked Haydock on Saturday.
He wasn’t completely perfect at his obstacles, but not far off and you can’t crab him for that. Coneygree ran a very respectable race after his injured enforced layoff and should come on a bundle for it. It could be that he heads to Ireland over Christmas for the Lexus though which in my mind leaves the way clear for Cue Card to win the King George once again.
So that could be two legs of the £1m bonus in the bag once again for Colin Tizzard’s evergreen star. However, come Cheltenham and it’s a different story. He wasn’t stopping at the end of Haydock’s three miles, but three and a quarter up Cheltenham’s unforgiving hill is a different matter.
There’s no doubting he was still travelling well when he fell three out last March, but that still hadn’t put his stamina to the test and whilst he will likely go there will a very good chance, I wouldn’t want to think my life depended on him getting home in front.
There is time a plenty to make a final decision on what will win the Gold Cup and of course there is also the small matter of his youthful stablemate, Thistlecrack, who we can see further his chasing education at Newbury this weekend.
Yanworth and Sire De Grugy starred at Ascot over the weekend – what was your highlight and where next for this duo?
There’s no doubt between the pair of them that Sire de Grugy was the horse that warmed the cockles of my heart at Ascot.
Gary Moore’s 10 year-old was giving weight to all his rivals and he brushed them aside like the good horse he is. Jockey Jamie Moore said in an interview afterwards that he has proven himself at every level. He can win the graded races and also give lumps of weight away to beat them all in handicaps.
It looks likely that a step back up to grade one company could be next for him in the Tingle Creek and whilst I’m a big fan of the up and coming Fox Norton, back at Sandown, which suits Sire de Grugy so well, he will be a leading contender to win the race for a third time.
As for Yanworth, he was less visually impressive, but trainer Alan King expects him to improve significantly for the outing. In Lil …
