Monday 28th September 2009
Nanton in possible Autumn Double bid
If Nanton (9st 3lb) wins the £160,000 totesport.com Cambridgeshire at Newmarket on Saturday 3rd October, trainer Jim Goldie could let the gelding attempt to become the first horse in 124 years to win the elusive Autumn Double.
The historic challenge of adding victory in the £160,000 totesport.com Cesarewitch to success in the totesport.com Cambridgeshire was last conquered in 1885 when Plaisanterie won both contests. Only Roseberry (1876) and Foxhall (1881) have also completed the double.
Goldie’s charge was 66/1 when runner-up to Tazeez in last season’s renewal of the nine-furlong totesport.com Cambridgeshire. The seven-year-old is among 65 horses remaining at the five-day stage for the prestigious heritage handicap, for which there is a safety limit of 35 runners.
The prospect of Nanton stretching his stamina to also contest the two and a quarter-mile totesport.com Cesarewitch at Newmarket on Saturday, 17th October, arose after Stuart Morrison’s grey finished a close fourth in the mile and three-quarter totesport Ebor at York and then triumphed in the Mallard Handicap over an extra half-furlong at Doncaster.
Goldie revealed today: “Nanton is fine, he’s just at the wrong end of the handicap - he was at the right end last year - but he’s in great order at present.
“At the moment, I would say he would not run in the totesport.com Cesarewitch as well but if he won the totesport.com Cambridgeshire we might be tempted to try it. I would think there haven’t been too many horses that have tried the Autumn Double since it was last won.
“He definitely gets a mile and three quarters but we will see how he comes out Saturday's race and then make our plans from there.
“He has the speed to have finished fourth in the Royal Hunt Cup and second in the Zetland Gold Cup this season, so he has run well from a mile to a mile and six furlongs.”
Nanton’s latest effort saw him come home fourth behind Prince Siegfried in the Listed Doonside Cup over 10 furlongs at Ayr on 19th September.
Goldie continued: “According to the handicapper, he ran to his mark last time. It was his first step into Listed class and he ran a good race
“The faster the better for him on Saturday. They don’t water too much this time of year - the temperatures don’t get high enough - so that shouldn’t be a problem.”
Nanton is 20/1 with the sponsor to win the totesport.com Cambridgeshire and 16/1 for the totesport.com Cesarewitch.
