Mick Fitzgerald will have a better idea later this week which horse he is to ride in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup. The rider has the choice of partnering either Bacchanal or Marlborough for his boss, Nicky Henderson, in chasing's blue riband event a week on Thursday. And both horses will be put through their paces at Henderson's Seven Barrows base in the next 48 hours before Fitzgerald reaches a final decision as to his preferred mount.
It is an unenviable position to be in as Fitzgerald has been loyal to the connections of both horses in the past and has teamed up with each for notable successes. On their only previous meeting at Newbury last month in the Aon Chase, Bacchanal - with Fitzgerald in the plate - held a clear advantage over his rival as they finished first and third respectively, but Marlborough was making his belated seasonal debut that day and has reportedly come on considerably for the outing.
"Bacchanal is going to do a school tomorrow and then work on Wednesday," Henderson reported today. "Yogi (Breisner) is going to come down and watch to see if he can suggest anything but it is getting a bit close now. Marlborough will work tomorrow and I imagine that Mick will know better what he wants to do after he has had a sit on both of them. They are both doing really well, I couldn't be more pleased. Mick has huge loyalties to both horses and both owners and I am sorry he is going to have to make a decision, he has been a big part in the development of both horses. I have applied to Cheltenham for the race to be divided but for some reason they don't seem keen!"
Henderson revealed that an explanation may have come to light for Bacchanal showing a tendency to jump to the right at Newbury. He revealed: "He lost his off-hind shoe during the race, he ripped it clean off, and he was very sore afterwards for a couple of days. He had to be poulticed (bandaged) and he was limping noticeably. If you lose your left shoe you will go right so maybe that had something to do with it, although I'm not sure how much it mattered. We might try working him with something in his mouth to give more leverage but there's only so much you can do as he normally jumps well at home. I will take him down to Mandown Bottom and the old gallops which are left-handed, I think it will do him good to get on the right leg. He is a real galloper and although he has his own way of jumping - just like he did over hurdles - when he puts his head down he can really go, that's why we'll be making sure that the race doesn't turn into a half-mile sprint."
Filed by Shane Murray
