He had to miss the race at Haydock last week because of the weather and he's dying for a run
He had to miss the race at Haydock last week because of the weather and he's dying for a run."But I know the forecast isn't good and I hope the weather doesn't spoil things again. If it does, we'll definitely be on our way to Sandown again as happened last season."Should the frost stay away, at exactly the same time as One Man is in action at Kempton, The Grey Monk will be attempting to record an extraordinary across-the-card double for Richards in the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby, while the stable also has a leading player for the following day's Welsh National in Parsons Boy.Richards is considering a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup for Unguided Missile after his gallant second to Go Ballistic under a hefty burden in the Betterware Cup at Ascot on Saturday."He will certainly be entered for the Gold Cup now," Richards said. "He ran his heart out yesterday and put up a lovely performance. Look at the third horse [Major Bell] who was almost a distance behind.
If I put him in handicaps he will be giving away a lot of weight so he may go for a Gold Cup trial."Unguided Missile is quoted at 40-1 for the Gold Cup by Ladbrokes and could form part of a four-strong tilt at the Cheltenham highlight along with One Man (offered at 7-1 by Ladbrokes), Addington Boy (14-1) and The Grey Monk (20-1).KING GEORGE VI CHASE (Kempton, Boxing Day). William Hill: 4-7 One Man (from 8-13), 4-1 Rough Quest (from 100-30), 6-1 Strong Promise (from 12- 1), 10-1 Barton Bank, 14-1 Mr Mulligan (from 12-1), 16-1 Trying Again (from 14-1), 20-1 Nahthen Lad (from 16-1), 33-1 Algan (from 20-1), 33- 1 Couldnt Be Better, 66-1 Oatis Regrets (from 100-1) (Doubtful: 4-1 Sound Man).. Bobby Crutchley, after a strenuous England outdoor training camp at Lilleshall, moved indoors to lead Cannock into the preliminary rounds of the National Indoor Championships with another free-scoring display Harborne, who finished second, progressed with them. Crutchley, the outdoor League leading goalscorer, scored 13 times in Cannock's three pool games at Kidderminster on Saturday and yesterday collected another 16 as his team coasted through the Midlands finals. Yesterday's matches started with last year's finalists, Barford Tigers, being edged out by the odd goal in two fiercely contested and fluctuating games, first going down 5-6 to Stourport -- with Jas Chana scoring four of their goals.
Losing by the same score to Harborne in the second game, Chana was again on target with three goals but was also the villain of the piece when, with his side already reduced by a temporary suspension, he applauded the umpire's decision only to find himself joining his colleague. Harborne took control and although finishing with a pair of players under suspension, two late goals from John Keyes, the last in overtime, won the day.Cannock, in their first two games in the round-robin finals, moved confidently past Harborne 11-3 and then Stourport 15-8. They were made to struggle against Barford Tigers in their final game before emerging 9-7 winners, thanks to six second-half corner conversions by Crutchley and two touch- ins from Andy Humphrey.Harborne, after leading 4-1 at the interval in their final match, allowed Stourport back into the game before another couple of late goals from Keyes steadied the boat Andy Bostock got the final goal in a 9-7 victory.. Birmingham Bullets knew what to expect from Rob Phelps this time, but still failed to stop the 6ft 5in New Yorker stealing the game for the third time this season for Newcastle Eagles, who won their Budweiser League meeting 79-78 at Newcastle Arena. Phelps arrived in the North-east six weeks ago and scored 33 points on his debut the next night as Newcastle beat Birmingham 83-77. Six nights later Phelps spearheaded Newcastle's 99-93 National Cup quarter-final win over the Bullets. On Saturday night he scored Newcastle's last seven points, including a three-pointer on the buzzer to win the game.