Moore confident Sire De Grugy can defend title

gARY Moore is predicting a foot-perfect performance from Sire De Grugy when his resurgent stable star defends his Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase crown at next week’s Cheltenham Festival.
READY AND ABLE: Sire de Grugy, left, ridden by Jamie Moore alongside Violet Dancer, ridden by his sister Hayley at Cisswood Racing Stables.READY AND ABLE: Sire de Grugy, left, ridden by Jamie Moore alongside Violet Dancer, ridden by his sister Hayley at Cisswood Racing Stables.
READY AND ABLE: Sire de Grugy, left, ridden by Jamie Moore alongside Violet Dancer, ridden by his sister Hayley at Cisswood Racing Stables.

It comes after the trainer revealed that the two-mile chaser’s foot problems have necessitated the fitting of white plastic shoes in place of the traditional racing plates which are made of metal.

Moore, whose son Jamie will be in the saddle, credited Sire De Grugy’s recent win at Chepstow to the change of footwear – a performance which atoned for a disappointing comeback race at Newbury last month when he parted company with his rider at the third last.

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“He had a corn before he went to Newbury and it was touch and go whether I could run him or not,” explained Moore at his Sussex stables yesterday ahead of next Wednesday’s race.

“He was sound two days before the race. When he came back, we had to cut the corn out and because we had to cut so much out of the foot, he has to run in special shoes.

“He can be quite temperamental so we have to dope him to put shoes on – we had to do it yesterday evening so he is clear under Jockey Club (British Horseracing Authority) rules; we use eight days but you could sail close to the wind with six days.

“Normally, when you dope a horse, you have an hour to clip or shoe him but with Sire De Grugy it is only 45 minutes. He is just a character. You can shoe him in front without doping him, but not behind. It is quite unusual to see a racehorse with white shoes.

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“The blacksmith is going to travel to Cheltenham with Sire De Grugy just in case. They are a bit more pronounced than a normal shoe. They must be Guccis as they are quite expensive.”

Sire De Grugy was wearing his new shoes when winning at Chepstow and Moore revealed: “A young blacksmith, Shane Francis, recommended them and he saved the day with us – we have got him interested in racing which is why he is coming with the horse to the races.”

Moore believes Sire De Grugy could have been feeling his feet at Newbury – this was the race which AP McCoy won on Mr Mole before announcing his impending retirement – but reports his stable star to be firing on all cylinders.

He said: “The corn could well have been bothering him at Newbury – I’d hate to think it was – it would have been like having a stone in your shoe.

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“I was delighted with him at Chepstow, it was great to see him jump the third last and come out of Jamie’s hands and off he went. I thought ‘you are back’. I am now confident about next week – they have got him to beat.”

Despite the confidence in his charge, Moore knows that this year’s field represents a much tougher test than last year with 2013 winner Sprinter Sacre and dual Grade One winner Dodging Bullets intended runners.

Moore added: “The race is more competitive than last year. I hope it is soft ground but good horses should go on any ground.”

Success for Sire De Grugy would certainly please legendary racing commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan, who spent his 97th birthday studying the Cheltenham form at home yesterday following a five-month spell in hospital.

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“I do love the relationship between Jamie Moore and Sire De Grugy. They seem to get on so well as individuals and I love the way he just has such confidence in his ability,” he observed.

With one eye on the form book, O’Sullevan refuses to rule out the prospect of the Willie Mullins-trained veteran Hurricane Fly winning a third Stan James Champion Hurdle – or Bobs Worth showing the form which won the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2013.

“I think the Champion Hurdle is one of the most fascinating contests of the meeting – there are so many permutations for the race. It’s very, very hard to predict,” he said.

“One has to wonder how good the favourite (Faugheen) is as he’s not run against the very best yet, so there are question marks. Hurricane Fly is a fantastic horse – his record speaks for itself. He seems to really relish it there and is a proper battler.

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“I think Bobs Worth is something of a forgotten horse in the Gold Cup. He could run well if everything falls right for him.

“He’s got everything going for him as long as the ground is not too heavy.”

The aforementioned McCoy will be enjoying his last Festival in the saddle and O’Sullevan acknowledges it would be a universally popular result if the 19-time champion could sign off with a Cheltenham victory.

“It would be tremendous if he could have a winner or two. I think his decision to retire was fairly spontaneous and it would be a very popular result if he were to have a winner,” added O’Sullevan.

“He’s a man who has really grown in stature over the years.”

York accolade: Page 3.