(Transcribed highlights from the Towcester/GG.COM Cheltenham Festival Preview Evening – Paul Jones)
Paddy Brennan : Sam is under pressure on Long Run and he will blamed if it goes wrong. I don’t think Diamond Harry gets up the hill. I won on Weird Al at Wetherby and he is a good horse and has a chance.
Mark Winstanley : I couldn’t understand why Waley-Cohen took the outside route at Warwick on Long Run when the horse was jumping to his right. I thought he went to public school! I can’t have him at the price as he just hurdles too many fences. Burton Port could be the one. Sneaky old Henderson wanted to run him at Aintree as he has two already in the race but Hemmings said no. My contact at the yard says he just does not stop improving and McCoy has been booked so I see him starting nearer 10/1 at the off. I just don’t think the Weird Al formlines are strong enough.
Andrew Mount : Diamond Harry has yet to run a bad race but his jumping at Newbury was a worry. Also not sure he is quite good enough. I like Weapon’s Amnesty so I hope the mucus problem at the yard has not extended to him. He has done it before at the meeting. Long Run strikes me more as an Aintree horse.
Gary Wiltshire : Waley-Cohen gets some stick but he still seems to get them home.
Gavin Gibson : Long Run is just a five-year-old so only receives 1lb and his rider can’t claim either so the way I see it is that he effectively has overweight. I’m all over Punchestowns. It’s a weapon. Weird Al has been beating rotting corpses this season and Diamond Harry needs it soft.