Racing News |
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| Monday 18th November 2013 | |
December Gold Cup Next Target for Johns Spirit
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Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding had proved extremely popular with racing betting punters who sent him off at just 7/1 in the 20-runner contest on the back of a fine seasonal reappearance four weeks earlier when he accounted for Rob Conti off a mark of 129.
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His subsequent rise in the handicap did not put punters off though, and the gelded son of Gold Well had been the subject of plenty of support in the ante-post market in the days leading up to the race.
Ridden by Richie McLernon, the six-year-old was held up as usual at the rear of the field and as the pace began to pick up entering the final mile, he gradually started picking off his rivals.
Sweeping through to lead off the home turn on the run to the second last, Johns Spirit then had to look to his laurels as Colour Squadron came home well but, in the end, he failed by three-quarters-of-a-length to catch the winner.
Winning trainer, O’Neill, explained that Johns Spirit has improved significantly this season and that last term, (although he ran a number of good races), he was still a weak horse. McLernon suggested that much of the credit for his big win should go to the O’Neill team who have done a great job teaching the once headstrong gelding to settle much better in his races.
The latest racing live betting suggests that the next target for Johns Spirit is the December Gold Cup back at Cheltenham next month, subject to the handicapper not overreacting to this second course success for the progressive chaser.
