Tuesday 1 March 2016 11:25, UK
Owner Grahame Whateley is considering supplementing impressive Ascot winner Sausalito Sunrise for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.
After turning a handicap into a procession from a mark of 150, the eight-year-old has been given a new rating of 163.
Whateley will now discuss with trainer Philip Hobbs whether it is worth aiming for the Grade One event, rather than going down the handicap route.
"He has taken his time to develop, as all big horses do, but he is very exciting and his last win at Ascot means he has a rating good enough to run in the Gold Cup," Whateley told www.stourbridgenews.co.uk.
"We now need to decide (whether) to supplement him for it. There are a lot of good horses in it so we will need to take some advice from Philip Hobbs. It's a nice decision to be faced with though."
Whateley and Hobbs will make a late call over whether Garde Le Victoire runs in the Arkle of the JLT while Jetstream Jack has a number of options.
Diamond King and Rock The Kasbah are on target for the Coral Cup, though.
"We are hoping to have secured (jockey) Davy Russell for Diamond King and he is right up there with the favourites," said Whateley.
"Rock The Kasbah will also go in the same race and I'd really fancy his chances if the ground came up soft. He is a chaser in the making and is very progressive.
"It is so competitive, it's hard to know what would be our best chance because anything can happen. I would be happy just to have one winner.
"The main thing is that they get there without any problems and they come back safe as well. It will be a great occasion and is something we always look forward to."
