I’m hoping Nassalam can cause a 33-1 Gold Cup shock on the way to Grand National glory
IT’S a very big day for the team but I’m not feeling the heat.
Today I will saddle my first Cheltenham Gold Cup runner with Nassalam lining up in the £625,000 Festival feature.
It marks the first leg of an ambitious spring double for us — with Nassalam heading straight to the Grand National after this afternoon.
It’s just wonderful for all of us down here at Cisswood Stables here in Horsham to have a runner in such an iconic race — even more so as it is the 100th running of it.
Can we win? We wouldn’t be running if we didn’t think he had a chance. I don’t run horses for the sake of it, no matter how big the race is.
Besides, there is also some rather tidy prize-money for being placed — so it is definitely worth a crack.
And we all saw earlier this week in the Champion Chase with hot favourite El Fabiolo that ANYTHING can happen.
As for Nassalam, we will learn plenty about how concrete his Aintree claims are, but it is another day in the office for me — I’m taking this all in my stride.
Don’t get me wrong — it’s obviously a big deal to have a runner at Cheltenham, let alone the Gold Cup, but there’s no pressure involved.
I’ve been doing this for such a long time and pressure never comes into it. I’d feel the same amount of pressure sending one to Plumpton or Sedgefield.
This time last year, Nassalam was struggling in handicaps at Cheltenham and Aintree off marks in the low 140s.
He was beaten out of sight in the Ultima here at the Festival and then up in Liverpool too.
What a difference a year makes.
After shaping well on return over the National fences at Aintree in the Sefton, Nassalam has flourished.
He decimated his rivals in the Welsh Grand National Trial in early December and then produced a jaw-dropping performance to win the real thing by 34 lengths several weeks later.
Even I was taken aback by that and, at my age, that says something!
Only four of the 19 runners managed to make the finish in attritional conditions, with that heavy ground being key to the win.
I’d love the rain to have carried on this week after the deluge on Tuesday but it will still be testing out there and maybe we will get some rain this morning.
He’s obviously improved a huge amount in himself this season, but the heavy ground has played a big role in that.
Would I have ever thought he would be a Gold Cup or even a Grand National horse? Absolutely no chance.
He’s already had some brilliant days this season and owes us nothing, but I’m hoping that’s not the end of the story.
On ratings, Nassalam has a chunk to find with the likes of Fastorslow and Bravemansgame — 9lb to be exact.
I won’t get back into whether I agree with Nassalam’s handicap mark of 161 though. I’ve given BHA handicapper Martin Greenwood enough coverage in my columns in The Favourite this season!
I’m not an idiot, I know the size of the task he has today and, to put it mildly, Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs is going to be tough to beat.
But I do think my lad has a real chance of getting into the argument and beyond that? Well, stranger things have certainly happened.
One thing is for sure, he stays, stays and stays again. There are a few in the race who have doubts on that score.
Caoilin Quinn has struck up a brilliant partnership with Nassalam this season and he gave him two brilliant rides at Chepstow.
As we know, racing is a cruel mistress and, just as Caoilin was mounting a challenge for the conditional jockeys’ title, he broke his collarbone.
I’m gutted for him but someone’s misfortune is always someone else’s gain — in this case Niall Houlihan.
Niall has already ridden a Grade 1 winner for me so I know how good he is.
There was never a thought about passing the ride to someone outside the stable and Niall deserves this chance to shine.
Regardless of where Nassalam finishes, it will be a corker and owners John and Yvonne Stone will have a day to remember.
John has been a big supporter of mine since 2014, when he bought a pair of horses called Uptendownone and Baron Alco.
The Baron went on to win the BetVictor Gold Cup in 2018 and they’ve always put their money where their mouth is. They’ve bought smartly and reaped the rewards.
It’s rare an owner will buy a horse and it pays for itself, but that has usually been the case for John.
He’s been a pretty lucky owner and hopefully that will extend to today’s Gold Cup and beyond.
We’re ready to roll, bring it on!
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