Kingscliff works at Exeter
Robert Alner completed the preparations for totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup second-favourite Kingscliff when sending out four horses for a secret post-racing gallop under the gathering gloom at Exeter this evening.
Rumours circulated all afternoon that Alner planned to work some of his Cheltenham-bound team after the last race.
And 30 minutes after the finale, a quartet of horses headed out on to the track before completing more than a circuit of the track, jumping 12 fences in the process.
Setting off in front were Kingscliff (Robert Walford) and Mort de Rire (Daryl Jacob), with The Listener (Andrew Thornton) and Cracking Dawn about 50 yards behind.
By the time the quartet made it round for the second time, Royal & SunAlliance Chase candidate The Listener had made significant inroads on the first pair - despite making at least one early jumping mistake.
Although conditions were extremely testing after a full seven-day card on heavy ground, the quartet went a decent gallop and left Alner with a contented smile after checking over his team.
“None of them seemed to mind the ground and I am pleased with that – they needed a good spin,” he said.
“The Listener seemed to jump well and that was the important thing with him today.
“When he came down at Lingfield last time I think the ground had a lot to do with it.
“He hadn’t touched a twig up until that point and, if anything, it was just overconfidence that saw him make the mistake.
“He needed some rain and I am pleased we have had some. We don’t really know what the going will be like at Cheltenham – it could still be anything.
“Kingscliff handles anything apart from the extremes and he wouldn’t mind this drop of rain either.
“It’s good for Robert to get this under his belt too.”
