Carberry rides Dude at Doncaster

PAUL Carberry has been booked to ride leading Crabbie’s Grand National fancy Monbeg Dude in the William Hill Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster tomorrow.
Monbeg Dude ridden by Paul Carberry gets up to beat Teaforthree ridden by Tony McCoy in the Coral Welsh National Handicap.Monbeg Dude ridden by Paul Carberry gets up to beat Teaforthree ridden by Tony McCoy in the Coral Welsh National Handicap.
Monbeg Dude ridden by Paul Carberry gets up to beat Teaforthree ridden by Tony McCoy in the Coral Welsh National Handicap.

The Irishman, victorious at Aintree on his father’s Bobbyjo amid raucous scenes in 1999, is back on board the Michael Scudamore-trained runner whom he partnered to victory in the Coral Welsh National last season.

Monbeg Dude’s campaign has revolved round a crack at the Aintree spectacular in April and the Grimthorpe has been chosen as his prep race after he was forced to miss the Grand National Trial at Haydock two weeks ago due to an unsatisfactory scope.

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The nine-year-old is owned by a syndicate that includes former England rugby union captain Mike Tindall, the husband of the Queen’s granddaughter, Zara Phillips.

Otley-born Tindall bought the horse when slightly the worse for wear while Phillips has helped school Monbeg Dude to improve the gelding’s jumping.

Carberry was called up because Scudamore’s brother Tom, who partnered the horse to victory at Cheltenham in December, is likely to be in action at Newbury for his boss David Pipe.

Meanwhile, Carberry’s great rival Ruby Walsh says Hurricane Fly will take all the beating as the Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old seeks a third victory in the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

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Though Hurricane Fly is the winner of a world record 19 races at Grade One level, and has excelled at Leopardstown where he is unbeaten in eight starts, the horse has not yet fired the imagination of racegoers on this side of the Irish Sea.

Significantly, Walsh blames himself.

“He was too free the first year. I sat too far back on him the second year – he wasn’t 100 per cent – and last year I shouldn’t have followed the ones in front. They were going too fast and I followed them. I shouldn’t have,” he said.

“Racing is about pace, about judgment. I knew they were going too fast. I should have backed my own judgment and stayed where I was, but instead I was thinking of all the criticism I got the year before and I kept following them.

“That was the mistake I made and the horse got me out of it. It won’t happen again.

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“If I hadn’t followed the pace last year I’d have arrived turning in hard on the bridle and he’d have blown everybody away. But he still managed to win. I don’t think I’ve done things right on him at Cheltenham. The day I’ll get it right, he’ll show England what he’s shown Ireland.”

Walsh also hinted at a career training Flat horses when he retires from the saddle. “The lifespan of a jockey has definitely increased in the last 10 years,” he said.

“Whereas 34, 35 used to be the norm, it now seems to be 40 so hopefully I’ve a few more years in me, but if I was to go training horses I would train Flat horses.

“Flat racing is a business, it’s where the money is. Jump racing, unfortunately, is the poor relation. Flat racing is global, worldwide.”

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Jonjo O’Neill feels Taquin Du Seuil represents his best chance of success at this year’s Cheltenham Festival when he lines up for the JLT Novices’ Chase on March 13.

The seven-year-old is set to face his old adversary Oscar Whisky in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One with the score currently one each between the pair.

However, O’Neill expects the virtually guaranteed fast pace will suit his charge.

Results of tests on Philip Fenton’s Cheltenham entries, including Betfred Gold Cup hope Last Instalment, are expected next week after British Horseracing Authority officials visited his yard on Wednesday.

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The BHA also interviewed Fenton, who is set to appear at a County Tipperary court on March 20 to answer charges on the possession of steroids brought about by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine following an inspection of his yard on January 18, 2012.

Malcolm Jefferson’s chaser King Of The Wolds attempts to return to winning ways at Doncaster today after defeats at Wetherby, and on Town Moor, during his last two outings.

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