Stawell horse trainer talks about Duke of Bedford's chances
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00:00We're here with Andrew Bobbin who won yesterday's Briley Steeplechase with Duke of Bedford.
00:08How is he leading into the Grand Annual tomorrow? Andrew?
00:13I didn't stay the night in Warrnambool after the brilliant win yesterday.
00:18As tempted as I was, I wanted to get him home and make sure that he recovered well.
00:22And the good news, he has. So we shall head to the Grand Annual tomorrow.
00:27He's a horse that goes in fit. He'll probably start favourite and importantly he's got 64 kilos.
00:32So it was too good an opportunity not to run in the race tomorrow.
00:36He may not get that extra 2,000 metres but we'll never ever know unless we give him the opportunity.
00:41He's a horse that puts himself right into the race with his bold front running tactics.
00:47And Aaron Lynch on tomorrow, he's a good flat jockey and a good jumps jockey.
00:51So he's a good set of hands to have tomorrow and he'll just be happy, I'll be happy with Aaron if he could just roll along in front without doing too much.
01:00It's always a big ask to go up that hill twice on a horse and lead all the way.
01:05But the proven path going through the Briley into the Annual is one that has been successful very often in the past.
01:15So I think we're crazy not to roll the dice and have a run tomorrow.
01:18So the 5,500 metres, that's the real query to you?
01:22100% the query. He's never been further than we went yesterday.
01:26Though he only counted across the line. He won very easily.
01:29I think that he can not overdo it in regards to wanting to get running at those faster paces that they do at those shorter trips.
01:39I think that he will settle and relax. That'll be Aaron's job.
01:43That is obviously the biggest concern but the important thing, the horse is sounding well this morning.
01:46So the horse is majority locally owned in southwest Victoria.
01:52There was a huge turnout here yesterday.
01:53So I think all those owners deserve their chance to be at one of the best spectacles in Australian racing.
01:59So to me, the Grand Annual, that's the Melbourne Cup of jumps racing.
02:03And we're going to be going into the race tomorrow with a very live chance.
02:08Best of luck for the Grand Annual, Andrew.
02:11Thank you very much.