RACING NEWS:ROBERT THORNTON looks like being on board leading Irish challenger Forpadydeplasterer in Saturday's rearranged William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton unless something untoward happens to Barry Geraghty's mount Riverside Theatre.
“I’ve discussed it with Alan (King) this morning, it’s looking likely that I’ll be able to take the ride and I’m really looking forward to that,” said Thornton.
“The argument says he keeps running into one too good and I think you’d probably settle for second again. He’d run well to finish second.”
Forpadydeplasterer’s Tralee trainer Tom Cooper is now just concerned about the prospect of steady rain all week. “It’s still the plan to travel over, I’ve just got to worry about the ground now, there’s a lot of rain forecast,” he said.
“Soft ground is something we could do without considering he’s trying three miles for the first time. It’s just one thing after another.
“We’ve had no problem with keeping on the move since Christmas; he won’t get beaten for lack of fitness.
“I presume the riding plans are the same unless Barry Geraghty became available for some unforeseen reason. I just need to confirm with Dave Roberts (agent).
“Hopefully the ground won’t get too deep, and it is fresh ground too that hasn’t been raced on since February. The travelling won’t be a worry at least, he’s used to all that now, he’s pretty unflappable.”
Geraghty also has some ground concerns for his mount, but Riverside Theatre does at least have some good course form to fall back on. “He’s good round Kempton. He’ll handles most grounds but if it’s too soft he’ll have to try to cope with it,” he said yesterday.
“It’s a track where I suppose you just want a horse that travels and has a good cruising speed.”
Tom Scudamore has been ruled out with a kidney injury meaning the ride on David Pipe’s Madison du Berlais at Kempton is up for grabs.
“A decision regarding Madison Du Berlais will be made later in the week, when the owners return from holiday,” said Pipe.
Jessies Dream is to head straight for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival following his surprise defeat at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Trainer Gordon Elliott has lost none of his faith in David Johnson’s gelding, drawing a line through his reverse at the hands of Magnanimity in a three-horse affair and is expecting an improved display in March.
“He’s come out of the race fine. It was just one of those days and we’re putting a line through it and we’re looking forward to Cheltenham in March,” said the Co Meath handler.
“He’s better than that. Things didn’t work out for him and it was a messy race, but we’re looking forward to bigger and better things.”
Jessies Dream, who benefited from the last-fence fall of Mikael D’Haguenet, to take the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse last month, is a top-priced 16 to 1 for the RSA.
Meanwhile, Bob Lingo is set to go for the Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase at Naas on Saturday after being a late withdrawal from Leopardstown on Sunday due to the testing conditions.
Trainer Tom Mullins took the nine-year-old out of the Tote Pick Six Killiney Novice Chase and hopes JP McManus’s charge can follow up his success at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day.
“He’ll run at Naas. They had a lot of rain at Leopardstown and it turned the ground to heavy,” said Mullins. “He won very well the last day. They gave him a bit of a start but he won so well afterwards that you’d have to respect the performance.”
Mullins’ brother Willie is responsible for three of the 12 preliminary entries in C’Est Ca, Quadrillon and Quel Esprit.
Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner Dunguib is among 16 preliminary entries for the Limestone Lad Hurdle on the same card. Trainer Philip Fenton is considering giving the Champion Hurdle hopeful his first run of the winter in the Grade Three contest over two miles and three furlongs.
