Teaforthree and the 2013 John Smiths Grand National

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Teaforthree

Our regular readers will know of our respect and affection for the work going on at Fforest Stables, Newport, Pembrokeshire and with Rebecca Curtis. One cannot help but be impressed by her sharp upward curve and she is going to the very top of her profession! In the season 2011/12 she trained 39 winners from 180 runners with a 21% strike-rate and already for 2012/13 she has sent out 45 winners from 185 runners at 24%. Given the time she has been training those are excellent figures, but The Racing Horse is aware of the quality of the younger horses in the stable ready to come through and raise that level further. (Below: Teaforthree and At Fishers Cross pictured going down to the beach).

Teaforthree with At Fishers Cross at the beach

What is remarkable is there is not an effort to churn out winners, everything that is happening is one of natural progression! We have spoken to her and her racing partner Gearoid Costelloe about the numbers game, their desire is simply to raise the standard and they confirmed there are no targets or pressure on the stable. Anyone interested in owing a horse could not find a more articulate trainer with a hands-on approach and any visitor to her stables would recognise that in seconds! It is the most wonderful place to train a horse.

Things could be about to explode for Rebecca Curtis! The darling of her stable is Teaforthree (known as Tom) and he has every chance of winning the 2013 John Smiths Grand National at Aintree on Saturday. The nine-year old has the profile to win the race. He is tailor-made for Aintree as he stays, jumps really well and has the requisite touch of class. The horse was her first Festival winner when taking last year’s four-mile National Hunt Chase under J T McNamara, the jockey recently paralysed in a fall and we all know this race has a history of throwing up stories! How poignant would it be for the jockey to see his ride win the Grand National from his hospital bed?

We spoke to trainer Rebecca Curtis yesterday morning and she was in buoyant mood, she said: "We are very pleased where we are at with Teaforthree. He is in great form and fresh for the National. He schooled great yesterday and scoped clean. I would say he is as good as we have ever had him." She continued: "All we need is a bit of luck! He should love the better ground."

Teaforthree was disappointing when only 10th in Haydock’s Grand National Trial but the trainer learnt a valuable lesson, the horse does not like sleepovers. She told us: "He is quite sensitive and did not eat, drink or settle that night at Haydock. It was just as well we found out about it then because we now know to take him up on the day. Aintree is only four hours from here."

Teaforthree on Newport Sands

The Racing Horse had spent some fun time with Teaforthree this winter and saw him again in the lead up to the 2012 Coral Welsh National. We were privileged to spend the day with him just before the race when taking him down to the beach with other Cheltenham Festival winner At Fishers Cross. He was an absolute picture then, so when Rebecca Curtis tells you the horse ‘is as good as we have ever had him’ one has to take her comments seriously. Here is a link from the day when the BBC interviewed The Racing Horse: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-20817699

We look forward to the paddock pictures before the off but is it really possible he could be in better form than he was that day on the beach? Since that news clip, Rebecca Curtis has reminded TRH that the horse is not soft-ground dependent and he will particularly enjoy the good to soft at Aintree on Saturday - and she should know! In fairness to The Racing Horse, jockey AP McCoy had repeated our view on a few occasions but a trainer knows their horses best!

The Racing Horse 1-2-3

Apart from recreational purposes it is not a race to bet in with the intention of securing a profit, but we are heavily involved this year! These days, the race itself asks for the winner to be at the top end of the market, aged between 9-11, carrying more than 11st and one with an official rating of between 136 and 157. It should also have had a run in the last 60 days and all these boxes have been ticked by Teaforthree. The Racing Horse has backed our favourite with savers on Sea Bass and Cappa Bleu.

As Bet365 offer best price guaranteed and 5 places E/W on the day, we recommend using them! To recap, these are the horses we'd back and their current prices:

1

2

3

Teaforthree - 14/1

Trained by Rebecca Curtis


Sea Bass - 8/1

Trained by Ted Walsh


Cappa Bleu - 12/1

Trained by Evan Williams


Friday 5 April 2013 on Channel 4 - a programme not to be missed!

There is a television program (How to Win the Grand National) on Channel 4 on Friday 5 April 2013 at 20.00 where they have featured the yard of Rebecca Curtis in a behind the scenes look the ultimate challenge in horse racing - The Grand National. It talks about the requirement of extraordinary dedication and bravery just to take part in it. This program examines what it takes to win it. There will be testimony of jockeys, and analysis of the anatomy of the horses as Mark Evans gets to grips with the race, his aim is to learn what qualities separate the winner from the also-rans.

He looks at the race in forensic detail: first the adrenaline-pumping start where 40 horses line up ready to charge, followed by the immense power they need to jump the nearly six-foot-high fences, then the precise combination of human balance and equine skill to land safely, and finally the power, will and endurance that decide the final sprint.

With demonstrations including horses leaping over cars, new film techniques taking viewers inside the race, and trainers revealing the secrets behind creating winners, the programme provides an unprecedented insight into the sport, and into the people and horses whose goal is to conquer four and half miles and 30 fences, and to satisfy what is often a lifetime's obsession. DO NOT MISS IT!

Today's Pacafi Bet: 2 Qualifiers and 1 Bet - click here

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