RACING:DUERS MAY be a 25 to 1 outsider for Saturday's Vote AP Gold Cup at Cheltenham but the giant chaser overcomes greater odds every day of his working life. The Paul Magnier-trained horse is a chronic asthmatic who has to have a nebuliser every day and lives outside in a field despite the current appalling weather, writes Brian O'Connor.
“His asthma is dreadful and he has all sorts of allergies, so he lives out in his field. His lungs just fill up if we bring him in. We brought him in on Friday night because it was so cold and he got so upset we had to turn him out again,” Magnier said yesterday.
Duers is one of six Irish-trained entries left in the Cheltenham weekend feature and the possibility of good ground is encouraging Magnier’s hopes.
“He is a decent enough handicapper when right. We don’t have many horses so this is a big trip for us,” he said. “They are calling the ground good to firm in places which is why we’re going. He is not effective on heavy. But he is working very well.”
The other Irish possibles for Saturday include the JP McManus-owned pair Dancing Tornado and Finger Onthe Pulse, as well as Tony Martin’s hopefuls, Psycho and Northern Alliance.
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