Physique in the opener at Newmarket didn't run to how I and how the market expected him to. Perhaps we got it wrong based on his previous run, or maybe the track didn't suit him.
King Of Cities ran a belter the race afterwards, finishing second to the favourite. The front two pulled miles clear of the third, and I'm inclined to follow my selection throughout the season as he is going to get better with age.
There was a stewards enquiry as the winner did lean into our pick throughout the final furlongs, but I was never hopeful of it being overturned, and it proved to be that way as the positioned stayed the same.
East India Express 11/4 – Cheltenham 2.05
There are plenty of interesting runners for this Class 2 handicap hurdle at Cheltenham, but I was keen to give East India Express a chance after running well for a long way in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival a month ago.
The lightly raced six-year-old from the Nicky Henderson yard arrived at the Festival with back-to-back wins during December, winning some decent Class 3 handicaps. He was clearly rested for the Martin Pipe in mind as they firmly believed he was well handicapped off a mark of 129, and I think he is well handicapped even though he finished 7th/24. The final position doesn't tell the full story, and I think in hindsight, Freddie Gordon would have tried to played his mount later than he did as he went for home a lot sooner than the ones who eventually finished in front of him, which proves that it was better to be off the pace, so given he finished in seventh was a decent run in a very tough handicap, much tougher than today's race.
Freddie Gordon gets to claim his 3lbs, which he wasn't able to last time out, which makes life easier for East India Express, and I believe if he is fine after his month off, he deserves to be the favourite for this contest.
Yes Day 7/2 – Cheltenham 3.15
I was very close to siding with Regarde for this race, but it's very difficult to go against a recent winning selection, and I thought Yes Day was very impressive the last two times, so I had to stick with a horse I've been keen on all season.
I've been high on Yes Day for a very long time and believed that when stepping up to Marathon trips, it would bring out the best in him. This has proven to be succesful as he is now 2/2 in his last two runs, and I think you can upgrade his last run at Exeter as it was a small field and they did not go a good gallop, turning into a sprint, which would not have been ideal for Yes Day, but he was clearly well ahead of the handicapper and won comfortably in the end.
Today's race is definitely his toughest assignment off a career high mark, but he is only 4lbs higher than last time out, and like I just mentioned, that race wasn't run to suit, so even though this is a drop in trip of two furlongs, the field size and track should ensure this is more of a stamina test. The ground should get softer than it currently is, but that shouldn't be an issue for him as he has form on yielding from his PTP days and has run well on worse than good in the past.
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