'We'll just make sure it's safe' - Newbury ground check for Corach Rambler

Lucinda Russell will walk the course at Newbury on Friday to check the ground is safe enough for well-fancied Corach Rambler to take his chance in Saturday’s Coral Gold Cup (3.05).

The eight-year-old won the Ultima Handicap Chase with a thrilling late surge under Derek Fox at the Cheltenham Festival in March and is 7-1 with the race sponsor to land another valuable prize in Saturday’s £250,000 feature.

Russell, who was speaking on the Racing Post’s weekly YouTube show What A Shout, said: “Keith Ottesen [Newbury’s clerk of the course] has very kindly spoken to me about the course and everyone is aware of the problems that we’ve had through the summer with the drying ground. He’s been putting lots of water on trying to get it as best he can.

“It will be the same for everyone. We’re actually going down to check the track on Friday and we’ll just make sure it’s safe for him and if it is we’ll definitely run.”

Corach Rambler warmed up for his main target with a fifth-placed effort over an inadequate trip in the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle last month, the same Listed contest in which his stablemate Ahoy Senor began his Grade 1-winning season last term.

“He’ll have come on a lot for that run at Carlisle, which was over only two and a half miles when he really is a three-miler,” said Russell, “We scoped him the other day and all his veterinary tests say he’s in good form. We’ve aimed for this race and, with luck, he’ll run very well.”

The Ultima finish had looked set to be fought out between Gericault Roque and Oscar Elite before Corach Rambler stayed on stoutly to win going away, having been last at various points in the race.

The winner reopposes the placed pair on 6lb worse terms on Saturday and Russell said: “Corach is a remarkable horse. You can watch him go round the fields at home and he’ll be doing absolutely nothing and that’s what he’s like in a race.

“He’ll be cantering along at the back and it looks like he’s never jumped a fence before. He looks at the ambulances going beside the other runners, then suddenly he locks on and takes off.

“That’s exactly what he did at Cheltenham and Derek’s great because he doesn’t hassle him or rush him out of his own rhythm – he lets him do his own thing and lets him think that he’s in charge. It seems to have worked up until now so hopefully it continues.”

Corach Rambler (purple): will bid to confirm the form with Gericault Roque (green) and Oscar Elite (orange)Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Russell excels with staying chasers having won the Grand National in 2017 with One For Arthur and last year’s Scottish National with Mighty Thunder and the trainer, who is hitting form at the right time with a treble at Kelso on Thursday, is keen to add another high-class handicap to that roll of honour.

“We love having winners but it’s really important to us to have these big winners and this is one of the biggest handicaps of the season,” she said. “Second-season novices do well in the race and Corach will have run on quite quick ground in the spring.”

Ahoy Senor set for Many Clouds Chase

Russell’s stable star Ahoy Senor will return to the scene of his two top-level triumphs in the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase at Aintree next Saturday.

Ahoy Senor had King George favourite Bravemansgame in behind him when taking the Mildmay Novices' Chase in devastating fashion in the spring, but flopped when sent off the 11-10 favourite to beat the same rival in the Charlie Hall Chase last month.

“He was just like a kid,” reflected Russell on Ahoy Senor’s seasonal reappearance, when he finished last of five runners. “He was being an idiot last time at Wetherby. I don’t think it was totally his own fault but they hassled him up front and he didn’t enjoy that, then he started rushing and then he lost his confidence.

“After that race he was very unsettled. It’s the first time he’s really been taken on and it kind of worried him, so we’ve done lots of work with him at home. Our gallops are riding very deep so he really is having to work hard.”

Ahoy Senor: unbeaten at Aintree with both wins coming in Grade 1 companyCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Russell will use the Many Clouds, won by Protektorat last year, as a stepping stone for the Gold Cup, for which he is a general 20-1 chance.

“We’re going to go to Aintree, which will hopefully be a slightly smaller field," she said. “I think that will suit him better in just trying to get his confidence back. I think he’ll be in the right place by next week.

“We all have to have dreams and our dream is definitely the Gold Cup. It would just be nice to get back on track and get back to that dream.”

Coral: 6 Le Milos, 7 Corach Rambler, Threeunderthrufive, 15-2 Remastered, 8 Busselton, Gericault Roque, Oscar Elite, 10 Fiddlerontheroof, Our Power, 12 Lord Accord, 16 Annsam, 25 Lostintranslation, 33 Diablo De Rouhet, Fanion D'Estruval, Potterman, 100 Red Happy

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