
East India Dock camp eager to exploit Flat mark
James Owen's four-year-old was sent off favourite for top juvenile honours at the Cheltenham Festival when finishing third in a thrilling finish behind Poniros and Lulamba and now reverts to the level with connections seeking to take advantage of what they feel is an unexposed Flat rating.
Owen – who also saddles Charging Thunder – said: 'He was progressive on the Flat, albeit on galloping tracks, and this is the first time he will run on a tight track. I do think he is a better hurdler than he was on the Flat – he quickly came alive over hurdles – but he could be pretty well handicapped and it looks like he will stay the trip.
Trainer James Owen has a strong hand in the Chester Cup (Mike Egerton/PA)
'There's probably not many who have gone from third in a Triumph Hurdle to the Chester Cup but we're hoping he's well handicapped. He's got a good level of fitness from hurdling and hopefully he will run really well.'
Davies was in the saddle aboard Zoffee when victorious 12 months ago, igniting jubilant scenes for trainer Hugo Palmer and his landlord Michael Owen at a meeting he holds dear.
Apprentice Joe Leavy takes over on the defending champion this year and Palmer is hopeful he can thrive early in the campaign once again.
'He's all set to defend his title and I'm very, very happy with him,' said Palmer.
The Zoffee team after victory last year (Mike Egerton/PA)
'We took him to Southwell and he worked very well a few weeks ago. It's nice when they go that far for the first time since last year to have had them on a racecourse, I always think, and we know he goes well fresh.
'The last couple of years his best run of the season has been his first run, so fingers crossed it's the same case again.'
No horse heads into the race in better shape than George Scott's Caballo De Mar, who arrives at the Roodee on a five-race winning streak.
He easily accounted for a useful cast including Cesarewitch runner-up Manxman (second) and Michael Bell's reopposing Duke Of Oxford (third) at Southwell recently and is backed to continue his fine form.
'We are delighted to get in and it was touch and go, but we ended up getting in comfortably, which was a bit of a surprise,' explained Scott.
It's back to back wins in the feature for @CallumSheppy and @GScottracing!
Caballo De Mar takes them all the way and quickens up stylishly to score by a distance at @Southwell_Races! pic.twitter.com/TKpHcbdhPV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 27, 2025
'He obviously went up 8lb on Tuesday so is effectively 5lb well in, so he has to take his chance. His recent form is on the all-weather, but that is mainly due to how the races have been falling for him, rather than trying to keep him off grass.
'He has gone well tightish left-handed at Southwell, so hopefully the track won't be a problem. The music is going to stop at some point but he looks progressive and everyone can see that.
'It's not very often you get a horse like this into the Chester Cup off this rating, so we feel very lucky. The horse is training well and it's nice to take our chance with a progressive horse.'
Joseph O'Brien is double-handed with Curragh scorer Leinster and Dawn Rising, while Andrew Balding will also saddle two – Queen's Prize runner-up Who's Glen and Spirit Mixer.
Trainer Andrew Balding is in top form (David Davies/PA)
Balding said: 'Who's Glen ran a very good race in the Queen's Prize and he's a course winner, although in very different conditions to those we are likely to see here. I can't see why he wouldn't be effective on fast ground, but it's a question mark the first time he tries it.'
Meanwhile, Tom Dascombe is confident Hot Fuss can make his mark providing conditions do not prove too quick for his Cheltenham Festival fourth.
He said: 'He's drawn three and that is perfect. If the ground is good we will run him, but if it's really quick we might not, but if he runs I think he will run really well. He wouldn't want too much firm in the description of the going though.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Bukayo Saka says toughest injury setback gave him more balanced outlook on life
The Arsenal winger has admitted he initially feared he might never be the same player again after he suffered a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace last December which kept him out of action until April. However, the enforced time away from football's 'conveyor belt' has helped him see the bigger picture, as he prepares to round off the season by playing his first England match since Thomas Tuchel took charge against Senegal on Tuesday night. 'I got to spend more time with my family and got to do more of the little things around the house that I wouldn't have even paid attention to when I was playing,' Saka said. 'On that note it was nice and I've come back with a bit more of a balanced head about football and life, and I'm trying to balance them better. It definitely helped me mentally.' Saka also had a new arrival to keep him occupied. 'I got the dog while I was still playing but I got injured and he came while I was injured,' he said. 'It was a bit tough at first because he's a puppy and I couldn't really get after him. It was a good experience. It was funny. His name is Tucker.' Saka said he also spent time reading, including one especially influential book called 'The Power of Now', written by Eckhart Tolle and given to Saka by Arsenal assistant coach Carlos Cuesta. '(The book is) about not thinking about the past, not thinking about the future. Just being in the moment and always asking yourself 'what's necessary right now?',' he said. 'Sometimes I can think, 'oh, am I going to come back in the best shape?'. Or, in the past, 'what could I have done to prevent injury?'. 'But all that is not necessary. It's only going to bring bad energy and negativity to your body.' The timing of Saka's injury meant he had to undergo surgery at 5am on Christmas Eve in order to be able to return home in time for Christmas Day. 'It was horrible. It was the day before (Christmas Eve) we had to decide. Normally you get more time to make a decision,' he recalled. England's Bukayo Saka during a press conference (Mike Egerton/PA) 'But where it was going to be Christmas, the surgeons want to be with their families, so I decided on the spot that we were doing the surgery. Then it was deciding what time and was I going to be there on Christmas Day. Obviously, that was the last thing I wanted. 'So I had to do it at 5am or 6am on Christmas Eve. Credit to the surgeon – he got up early to do it. I was out of the hospital at about 3 or 4pm and home. Christmas Day, I went to my cousin's house but I was in a big brace and had crutches.' Asked what his Christmas Day was like, Saka said: 'I had to get my presents brought to me. It doesn't sound like the worst thing! 'When everyone got up to go to the dining room, it took me about 10 minutes to get there. Little things like that. It was very painful to get up and make my way there.'


Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Nathan Collins hopes Thomas Frank remains at Brentford after international break
The PA news agency understands Spurs are closing in on the Dane to replace the sacked Ange Postecoglou, after former manager Mauricio Pochettino ruled himself out of the running. Bees defender Collins admitted it had been difficult to avoid the rumours as he and his international team-mates prepared for Tuesday night's friendly in Luxembourg. We are delighted to confirm the signing of Caoimhín Kelleher from Liverpool on a five-year contract, with club option of an additional year ✍️ — Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) June 3, 2025 The 24-year-old said: 'Every time I turn on the TV, I see it. I can't get away from it, unfortunately. 'But I have my own problems with the game tomorrow, staying fit and looking after myself. I haven't taken too much of an interest.' Since the squad first assembled in Dublin ahead of Friday night's friendly draw with Senegal, Collins has been joined at the Gtech Community Stadium by Ireland colleague Caoimhin Kelleher after the keeper completed an £18million move from Liverpool. The pair have joked about the possibility of the man who signed him leaving within days, but even if that does happen, the defender is confident the club will have a plan. He said: 'Yes, we have been joking about it. But he is all right. Brentford is a good club that whatever happens, they will have a plan. There are good people in the back room plan, so there will be a plan. 'If he stays, even better. We can only see what happens.' Whatever happens, 26-year-old Kelleher will be lining up in a Brentford shirt next season and his new club-mate cannot wait to play in front of him. Collins said: 'I am looking forward to it. I get on really well with him here. 'He shows his qualities as a keeper as well, but it will be even better when we can train together every day and build our relationship a bit more, on and off the field, to help Brentford and Ireland as well. The Republic of Ireland went down 5-0 to England a Wembley in November (Bradley Collyer/PA) 'I am buzzing for him. It's a great move for him and he deserves to be a number one at a club.' In the meantime, the pair will hope to help extend Ireland's unbeaten run to four games since they were beaten 5-0 by England in the Nations League at Wembley in November when they run out at the Stade de Luxembourg. That was a painful evening for Collins and his team-mates, but one he believes served a purpose. He said: 'The hurt in the dressing room after, it was not a nice place. For me, it created a new hunger. It did definitely reset me to want to do better and improve for the next camp. 'It might work in a good way for us.'


The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Bukayo Saka says toughest injury setback gave him more balanced outlook on life
However, the enforced time away from football's 'conveyor belt' has helped him see the bigger picture, as he prepares to round off the season by playing his first England match since Thomas Tuchel took charge against Senegal on Tuesday night. 'I got to spend more time with my family and got to do more of the little things around the house that I wouldn't have even paid attention to when I was playing,' Saka said. 'On that note it was nice and I've come back with a bit more of a balanced head about football and life, and I'm trying to balance them better. It definitely helped me mentally.' Saka also had a new arrival to keep him occupied. 'I got the dog while I was still playing but I got injured and he came while I was injured,' he said. 'It was a bit tough at first because he's a puppy and I couldn't really get after him. It was a good experience. It was funny. His name is Tucker.' Saka said he also spent time reading, including one especially influential book called 'The Power of Now', written by Eckhart Tolle and given to Saka by Arsenal assistant coach Carlos Cuesta. '(The book is) about not thinking about the past, not thinking about the future. Just being in the moment and always asking yourself 'what's necessary right now?',' he said. 'Sometimes I can think, 'oh, am I going to come back in the best shape?'. Or, in the past, 'what could I have done to prevent injury?'. 'But all that is not necessary. It's only going to bring bad energy and negativity to your body.' The timing of Saka's injury meant he had to undergo surgery at 5am on Christmas Eve in order to be able to return home in time for Christmas Day. 'It was horrible. It was the day before (Christmas Eve) we had to decide. Normally you get more time to make a decision,' he recalled. England's Bukayo Saka during a press conference (Mike Egerton/PA) 'But where it was going to be Christmas, the surgeons want to be with their families, so I decided on the spot that we were doing the surgery. Then it was deciding what time and was I going to be there on Christmas Day. Obviously, that was the last thing I wanted. 'So I had to do it at 5am or 6am on Christmas Eve. Credit to the surgeon – he got up early to do it. I was out of the hospital at about 3 or 4pm and home. Christmas Day, I went to my cousin's house but I was in a big brace and had crutches.' Asked what his Christmas Day was like, Saka said: 'I had to get my presents brought to me. It doesn't sound like the worst thing! 'When everyone got up to go to the dining room, it took me about 10 minutes to get there. Little things like that. It was very painful to get up and make my way there.'