Rachael and Notebook jumping the last fence at Naas© Photo Healy Racing
Rachael has six rides to look forward to at Leopardstown on Sunday. Below she’s shares her thoughts on the prospects for each mount.
My first ride on Sunday is Trebizond for Henry and Robcour. This lad is nice, he’s been schooling well and seems to have a lovely attitude. He’s taken to jumping well so we’re looking forward to getting him out and seeing where he’s at but he’s ticking a lot of boxes at home.
Then we have January Jets in the Beginners Chase. Obviously we’re against Klassical Dream in this, but my lad has experience under his belt now. He was behind Envoi Allen and Janidil in his last two outings and ran well on both occasions. He’s rated 137 now over fences so he sets a reasonable standard. We’re hoping to put his experience to good use and that he’ll run well here.
Then we have Notebook who I’m really looking forward to riding. I couldn’t have been happier with him the last day in Naas, I think he’ll have come on fitness wise from that and he likes it around Leopardstown.
On to the Novice Hurdle and I ride Irascible in this. He won his maiden in Clonmel the last day where he finished in front of Decimation. This is obviously a big step up for him tackling a Grade 1 but we’re hopeful that he can put up a good show and he shouldn’t be too far away. Obviously it looks competitive with Appreciate It and Ballyadam and I think Fire Attack could run a big race as well. We’re happy with him at home but we’ll see what he can do being upped in grade.
Then we’re on to the handicap hurdle, I partner Due Reward in this. We’re back on a bit of nicer ground here and I’m hoping that’ll bring a bit of improvement. He’s going to want to improve on his last few runs to be in the shake-up but hopefully being back on a nicer surface will do that for him.
My last one for the day is in the Paddy Power Chase where I ride Minella Times. He won in Listowel last time out and he seems well at home, obviously you need a lot of luck in a race like this but I’m delighted to be riding him and hopefully we won’t be too far away.
Read more from Rachael on her Betvictor blog
