THE JUKEBOX MAN delivered us the perfect late Christmas present at Kempton.
We were over the moon with him after his win in the Kauto Star Novice Chase.
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Leader In The Park took the opening handicap and to have a double on King George day really meant a hell of a lot.
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The Jukebox Man just keeps impressing us and he has come out of the race bright as a button. He’s a bit stiff and sore in his heels but it’s nothing significant and he’s taken the race very well.
His jumping was so economical and he is really proving his versatility now.
I think he came into this season pigeon-holed as a real stayer that needed soft ground.
And now his two wins at Newbury and Kempton have proved how adaptable he is — the sky really is the limit.
We dropped him in a bit at Kempton stepping back up to three miles and he was always cruising. To be honest, there was never a true moment of worry.
I was over the moon for our jockey Ben Jones, too.
With any new job there is always a bit of scrutiny and added pressure, especially when you are riding the big names on the big day.
It hasn’t all gone perfect and plain sailing so far, but I wanted him as my jockey for a reason and he’ll go from strength to strength.
Crossing the line you could see what winning his first Grade 1 meant to Ben.
Harry Redknapp was over the moon too. He’s a pleasure to train for and he keeps finding these good horses so long may it last!
We’ll go straight to Cheltenham now with Jukebox.
Losing the two and a half mile race is a blow as it would be absolutely perfect for him but we will enter up in both the two mile and three mile races and see what comes our way in terms of ground and opposition.
I was at Kempton yesterday and saw Sir Gino blow the house down so let’s wait and see!
We’ll try and map a route to the Festival with Leader In The Park, too. If he can win another one he should get in the new novice handicap and he’s a horse we like.
He should have an exciting second half of the season now.
We have a strong team headed to Newbury today on Challow Hurdle day. The race put me on the map back in 2015 when the brilliant Barters Hill won.
Nine years later and IT’S HARD TO KNOW (2.55 Newbury) steps into Grade 1 company in the same race.
He’s actually a very well-named horse as we just have no idea how good he might be at the moment.
We’ve always liked him as he is so straightforward and easy to train.
He does his talking on the track rather than at home and there the best type of horses. He’s two from two over hurdles so we have to stick his toe into a race like this now even if it is a red-hot renewal.
I wouldn’t want to rule him out. He doesn’t have the sexy profile of some of them but his form keeps working out and he’s yet to put a foot wrong.
Paul Nicholls’ Regent’s Stroll will take some beating, and we know Dan Skelton thinks the world of The New Lion, but we will see where we lie after this and it will help map out the rest of the season.
HENRY’S FRIEND (2.20 Newbury) ran a blinder in the Coral Gold Cup last time.
He clattered a fence on the back straight and that more or less ended his chance so I was chuffed when he plugged on for fifth.
This is a bit of a drop in class and I would fancy his chances, he should run a big race.
The ground will be perfect and I think this is tailor-made for him.
THE GOOD DOCTOR (1.12 Newbury) is another with a big shout.
He’ll come on plenty for his run at Warwick where he finished like a train. We’ll ride him handy and this track will suit him.
AWAYTHELAD (3.10 Leicester) rounds off the day and softer ground will be in his favour.
He wasn’t at his best at Southwell last time but he’s capable of getting in the mix.
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