Scudamore says if it’s ever going to happen for Dynaste it will tomorrow

At Cheltenham you need a bit of speed, given the pace they go in the races, but you also need plenty of stamina. At Haydock these days it is much more of a speed track. It’s like Southwell, it’s quite tight, and very different to how it used to be in the old days. It’s sad really the way it’s changed, very much to the course’s detriment. It’s not as good as it used to be. It used to be one of the finest tracks in the country. It’s still good but nowhere near the test it used to be.

Low Key also runs for David. He ran OK last time behind Brother Tedd and Silviniaco Conti. I’m not sure how much he’ll be suited by the soft ground. He’s been running well on the flat but needs to step up on what he’s done so far. David Noonan, his jockey, is leading amateur at the moment. He’s doing well. His claim has been knocked down to 5lbs. He’s improving all the time and has a really good attitude which will stand him in good stead. I’m sure he’ll continue to improve and develop. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here. He’ll probably talk to David as he’s go the option of turning professional at some stage. It’s one thing being a successful amateur but another being a successful professional. He’s got plenty of point to point rides coming up so that will be factored into his plans.

It was a really tough decision to pick between Ballynagour and Dynaste in the Betfair Chase at 3.00pm. Dynaste comes out slightly higher on the official ratings, but there’s only 2lbs in it. There was only a neck in it the last time they ran. I just felt that Dynaste had run well in the race before and would definitely handle the heavy ground. Ballynagour will probably act on this ground, but he’s never really run on it, particularly in England yet. All his better form has been on quicker ground. They have both got it to find with Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti. But if it’s ever going to happen for Dynaste it will be tomorrow.

I was thinking just today about what racing was like growing up with those five and six runner fields around Haydock in years gone by, where you’d have the likes of Twin Oaks, Cool Ground, Dockland’s Express, and Pipey’s good horses, Run For Free, Riverside Boy, Bonanza Boy and co. The old warriors that kept on turning up. And it’s like that now with these horses,  Cue Card, Silviniaco Conti and Dynaste, who are always turning up and taking each other on. Dynaste to be fair keeps being the bridesmaid but he deserves to win one of these, he’s run so well in the past. I’d love to think his day will be tomorrow.

In the 3.35pm I’m on Vieux Lion Rouge. He’s done pretty well. He’s had an incredible strike rate. I’ve won seven races on him from nine rides, so I like him, as I like all horses I win races on. I’m very fond of him. He’s done well in chases in small fields. I wasn’t that impressed by him at Towcester but he did much better around Market Rasen. It’s his first time in a handicap but he’s run well in handicap hurdles so he should be fine. If he runs like he did first time out last season then he’ll take a lot of beating. I always thought he’d make a staying chaser.

Poole Master runs in the race. He hasn’t quite reached the level of form that he showed when winning the Grand Sefton and he’s still paying the price for that from a handicapping point of view. He comes alive when he sees those big fences. Realistically he’ll be one of the outsiders today.

On Sunday I have the one ride at Exeter in the 1.30pm on Bobbitt’s Way. The track and the ground will suit him. It’s a big step up on the last run and he’s just out of the handicap. I won on him around Plumpton and then around Bangor but this is a big step up in class. It seems as if at the ripe old age of ten he’s getting better. Doing 10 stone will be that little bit harder given I haven’t ridden for a month prior to this week. But I’m 10 stone at the moment so it will be a quiet night on Saturday night, unless I win the Betfair Chase in which case I might have a glass of something.

Tom