Carried earning his keep for Watsons Marshall Watson has been reflecting on Carried’s bid to land races on the Flat and over fences on consecutive days in different countries. The 10-year-old gelding ran third in a mile and a half handicap at Newcastle in mid-January, before heading north to finish runner-up in a two and a half mile handicap chase at Musselburgh in Scotland the next day. A similar plan of attack is under consideration by the Watson team who are based in Co Armagh. Watson, son of trainer Keith Watson, said: “We were making up a lorryload to go across to Newcastle. There was a couple of horses that were ready to run and a few that needed to run, and we couldn’t get them into Dundalk. “I came up with this mad idea, would be the best way to put it, to go Newcastle for the mile and half (race) on the Thursday and then just in case Carried misbehaves, which he has done before at Dundalk, I would have a backup plan. “I had another horse to go up to Musselburgh the next day, so I entered Carried up and declared him just in case. When he pulled out sound and fresh as a daisy the next day, he was definitely going to Musselburgh. “I had intentions to run him both days, as anytime you run him in Ireland he comes home and is as fresh as the morning you went racing. “We decided he would take it alright, we have done this before with the likes of Finea in the past but not on the Flat and over fences. “It could happen again (with Carried) sooner rather than later. He’s a real fun horse for the bunch of boys that own him and, if it is a low-grade bunfight, he will be there — chases, hurdles or Flat. He’s brilliant for a syndicate. “Overall you need a good team around you — people that are well able to drive and know what they are doing around horses. “The place money from both races has paid for the trip over and it has cut the cost down for other horses to go over. “We don’t like to do it too often, we want to compete in Ireland but better luck next time.” Carried is entered in a handicap chase at Thurles on Thursday.
