'Mum’s really excited about it' - Chuti Manika on target as Johnstons prepare for busy week

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Chuti Manika was beaten a neck on his debut and Charlie Johnston’s juvenile made amends for that narrow defeat at Ayr in the 7f maiden.

The son of Magna Grecia scored by half a length under Joe Fanning from fellow 15-8 joint-favourite Tactical Plan.

"His first run, he got a bit lonely out in front and got caught close home," Johnston told Racing TV. "He was very professional through the race today."

It is a busy week for the Johnston family with the trainer’s mother, Deirdre, eagerly anticipating watching the eventer she part-owns, JL Dublin, represent Great Britain at the Olympics.

"It’s exciting for the family in a sense that mum, dad and my brother are going to France tomorrow for the weekend for the Olympics and I’m staying at home to complete preparations for Goodwood," said Johnston. 

"Mum’s really excited about it, it’s been a long and emotional journey with this horse and to get there is very special."

On his squad for Glorious Goodwood, which begins on Tuesday, Johnston added: "I’m hoping to take a fairly big team down there. I guess it’d be somewhere in the high 20s, it’s a busy week.

"The Gatekeeper and Dutch Decoy were second and third in the Golden Mile last year, they’ll be going there to try and go one or two better."

Tactical Plan’s rider Jason Hart had earlier helped Easy Peeler do the same as Chuti Manika by going one better than her debut second to take the opening 6f maiden for John and Sean Quinn.

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