Tag Archive for: O’Toole

Crawford considering multiple options for Gold Cup Bailly

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Stuart Crawford is relishing the prospect of getting Gold Cup Bailly back in action – but is still mulling his options for the talented chaser.

The seven-year-old is unbeaten since switching to fences this season and holds a pair of entries for Cheltenham this weekend in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase, while he is also entered for a Grade Three assignment at Naas on Sunday in the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase.

Crawford is favouring the open handicap worth £100,000 out of his two Cheltenham options, but with conditions at Prestbury Park potentially proving testing on Festival Trials Day, he could be tempted to hang fire an extra seven days and reroute the son of Turgeon to the William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby on February 4.

“The horse is in good form and I’m keen to go somewhere soon,” said Crawford.

“If we don’t go this weekend, another option is Wetherby for the Towton Novices’ Chase next weekend. I’m pretty sure if you don’t see him out this weekend, you will see him out the following week – I think he’s in great form and I’m looking forward to running him again.

“At Cheltenham, the premier handicap looks pretty appetising over the novice one. I wouldn’t be opposed a tilt at that, but nothing is set in stone at the minute and the ground at Cheltenham is a bit of a concern.

“It should be on all right you would imagine, but it could end up being quite tacky ground and I would say whatever goes there this weekend could be getting a hard race.”

Gold Cup Bailly holds an entry in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but Crawford is in no rush to label his charge with a target and is simply keen to see how long he can can keep his winning thread going.

He added: “We are in a lucky position with him where he has plenty of options and no real big plans, we’re just keen to get him out somewhere.

“If we can keep on winning with him in the short term, that is what we’re going to try to do with him and if any horse does that, sooner or later they will be taking you to the bigger race and the bigger day.”

The County Antrim-based handler is also keen to take the slow road to the top with O’Toole, who made an impressive chasing debut at Newcastle earlier this month.

O'Toole returned to action with a win
O’Toole returned to action with a win (Nick Robson/PA)

Although holding a Grade One entry for the Dublin Racing Festival, he is likely to continue swimming in calmer waters at Ayr next week.

“I was very pleased with him at Newcastle because it wasn’t easy,” continued Crawford.

“Starting a first timer up against seasoned handicappers is a big ask and to be honest he didn’t put a foot wrong.

“I would say the ground was really hard work that day and he doesn’t need it as testing as that, but he can handle it.

“We’ll try to find something similar to go again with him and try to bank up a wee bit more experience.

“I think eventually the further the better, but at this stage he doesn’t need three miles and two and a half will be fine.

“There’s a novices’ handicap up at Ayr I could run him in. I like going to Ayr, it’s a nice, big, fair track and good fences. Horses normally get a good education there and it’s definitely somewhere we will have a look at.”

O’Toole proves the class act on chasing bow at Newcastle

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Punters did not have to look too far back in the form book to see O’Toole looked well treated ahead of the Best Odds Guaranteed At Vickers.Bet Everyday Handicap Chase at Newcastle – and he rewarded favourite-backers in style.

Trainer Stuart Crawford is a regular visitor to the northern UK tracks from his base in County Antrim and is supported by major owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Their retained rider Daryl Jacob no doubt looks forward to Crawford sending over his raiding parties and with a strike-rate of around 30 per cent when teaming up with the trainer this year, it is no wonder.

O’Toole (13-8 favourite) was a very promising horse in his bumper season, splitting Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard at the Punchestown Festival, but having won on his hurdling debut he failed to progress in two further outings.

Nevertheless, allotted a handicap mark of 130 he jumped satisfactorily for Jacob, who kept him wide, and he had the race won when King Of May came down at the last. Castle Rushen came through for second, beaten three and three-quarter lengths.

“The way it has turned out I could have run him over two miles as the ground is hard work today,” said Crawford.

“I’m well pleased with that, he jumped well and he’s beaten some solid handicappers.

“We’ve always thought there was a big day in this horse, his bumper form is there for all to see. To be honest, when he was running over hurdles he grew a lot and now he’s levelled off again, hopefully.

“He’ll know he’s had a race, I don’t think any horse will like that ground, but it was good experience for him.”

He went on: “We’ll try to pick a sensible target. I know when he ran in the Punchestown bumper that was good ground so he’ll probably handle better ground when he’s got more experience.

“Something like the (Future Champions Novices’ Chase) at Ayr would be ideal further down the line, but there’ll be plenty for him before then.”

They say weight stops trains and that was certainly true in the case of Tommy’s Oscar who found the concession of 19lb too much to Since Day One in the Download The Vickers.Bet App Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

It speaks volumes for Tommy’s Oscar that he was having to give so much weight away to Donald McCain’s seven-year-old, who has now won six of his 10 starts under rules.

A winner on his chasing debut at Ayr, Since Day One (85-40) was arguably an unlucky loser last time out at Gosforth Park when a mistake at the last cost him.

Bounced out under champion jockey Brian Hughes, he jumped assuredly in first time cheekpieces, with his only semblance of a mistake when he stumbled on landing after jumping the second-last.

Tommy’s Oscar had a tendency to jump marginally right at his fences and could never quite get on terms with the leader, eventually going down by four and a half lengths.

Brian Hughes explains to Donald McCain how Since Day One won
Brian Hughes explains to Donald McCain how Since Day One won (Nick Robson/PA0

“He should have won the last day here, he threw it away with a bad jump at the last,” said McCain.

“That’s why we put the cheekpieces on today. He’s a bit gormless so they’ve really sharpened him up.

“We were a little bit out of the weights so it was chancy enough coming ,but we got away wit it.

“He’s a handy horse, he keeps winning. We lost April (Strang Steel) his owner last year and she was the nicest woman in the world. Colin (son) is here today so it’s lovely the colours have carried on.”