Grandeur d’Ame could get March off to a flyer at Newbury
February 29
Judged on his record so far, Grandeur d’Ame can cope with testing ground, so underfoot conditions at Newbury on Saturday may not prevent him from being a major player in the BetVictor-sponsored Greatwood Gold Cup.
Alan, freely admitting that it was “a huge anti-climax” when Grandeur d’Ame unshipped Tom Bellamy at the very first fence at Cheltenham at the end of January, is hoping that he can bounce back at our local course.
“There is nothing wrong with his jumping,” insisted Alan. “If anything he took the fence too well and pitched on landing,” he added. Grandeur d’Ame was a bit sore afterwards, but a few sessions of physio soon out him right, and this race was immediately earmarked as he one for compensation.”
Alan stressed that Grandeur d’Ame has to go left-handed, but he is likely to be too low down the handicap to get a place in the field for the race which we all still know as the Mildmay of Flete at Cheltenham, so this Plan B would be an ideal substitute.
Plenty of Barbury fingers are firmly crossed that the weathermen have got it wrong in predicting that things can only deteriorate between now an Saturday, with Egbert the horse very much in mind for the Limited Handicap Chase, known locally as the Jacky Upton.
However, if the ground does get any worse Alan will be sorely tempted to pull out Egbert, whom Alan thinks could be a force to be reckoned with in races like the Midlands and Scottish Grand Nationals.
He said:”Egbert has won three of his four races over fences, but he is something of an enigma as he works like a very good horse at home, looking anything but slow, yet in his races he makes life difficult for himself and is off the bridle for most of the way.
“We ran him in a visor when he won at Doncaster last time, but I am now switching to blinkers as I’m not sure that the same headgear would be so effective again.”
Our other runner pencilled in for Newbury is Geturguccion in the mares bumper. She was placed in a couple of maiden Irish point-to-points before being bought for £100,000 at Goffs Sale three months ago.
Alan’s plan to get Geturguccion started at Warwick last week were scuppered by the weather, but it will be interesting to see how she shapes here. She can be quite free at home, so don’t expect to see Brendan Powell prominent early on. Whatever her fate, she looks one for novice hurdles next season.
We send Klitschko up to Doncaster on Saturday for the two mile handicap hurdle. He whipped around at the start and lost ground at Warwick, yet still finished second, so, being a pound lower, we’d be hopeful that he’ll be in the money again,
