Gavin Cromwell’s William Hill blog: Stumptown set for Pardubice challenge

William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell offers an update on some of his stable stars across the Flat and Jumps.

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Stumptown set for Pardubice challenge

We’ve been really happy with Stumptown since he came back and his first target is the Pardubice (Pardubice, Sunday 12th October). We’re really looking forward to taking him out to the Czech Republic.

I’ve actually had the pleasure of attending the race before, a long time ago. It takes cross-country racing to a whole new level and it is a massive track. Given the way Stumptown has taken to the discipline, I think he’ll enjoy the challenge.

Keith Donoghue rode in the race last year and made it most of the way round before unseating four out. He knows what it takes round that track and thinks that Stumptown will handle it.

John Durkan an obvious starting point for Inothewayurthinkin

There is no plan set in stone for Inothewayurthinkin as of yet. He started last season in the John Durkan and I suppose that seems the obvious race to have in mind for him this year. We’ll make more definitive plans as we get closer to the start of the Jumps season.

We’re happy to have him back in. It’s very early days and he’s just doing light work at the moment, but he looks fantastic and we’re really excited to have him back.

Going into the new season with the reigning Gold Cup champion is a new feeling and of course that brings added pressure, but it’s wonderful pressure to have. It’s a privilege to have a horse like him in the yard and we’re looking forward to the season ahead.

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Flat plans for Brownstown, Snellen and Sixandahalf

Brownstown took her chance at the Curragh on Saturday in the Group 2 two-year-old fillies race over seven furlongs (4.02pm). She was fourth of five in a Group 3 at Leopardstown and we were happy enough with that run. She missed a bit of work before that, so it was good to get her back out again and we felt she built on that performance with a good run to finish fourth of six on Saturday.

She has entries in the Moyglare and the Goffs Million later in the year and I’d say the Goffs Million is definitely the race on our mind. There’s a filles’ seven-furlong Listed race at the Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown, so that’s also an option.

Snellen has a couple of Group 3 options later this month as she’s entered in the Snow Fairy (Curragh, Saturday 30th August) and the Fairy Bridge (Tipperary, Sunday 31st August). We’re keeping all options open and it’ll depend how the races cut up and what the ground is like. I suppose the Snow Fairy is the main race on our mind, but we’re keeping our options open for the moment.

She also has two Group 2 entries in September: the Solonaway (Leopardstown, Saturday 13th September) and the Blandford (Curragh, Sunday 14th September). Obviously they would be a big step up for her, but she’s a Group 3 winner and it seems the obvious thing to do to give her the chance to see how she gets on at that level.

We have given Sixandahalf entries in the Irish Cesarewitch and the Cesarewitch at Newmarket. She disappointed the last day and has had a good break since that run. She’s on her way back now and we’re very happy with her. She’s working well and, as long as there’s no setbacks, we’ll make at least one of those races.

We don’t have any definite plans to choose one over the other. She has an entry in both and we’ll just have to see how she’s doing closer to the time. We won’t have time to get a run into her before then, but she may have a racecourse gallop somewhere.

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