Charles Laird has always viewed Friday night’s Betting World 1900 at Greyville as his Horse Chestnut gelding Bold Inspiration’s best chance of getting into the July and planned a long time ago to have him “spot on” for this race.

He has removed the blinkers as jockey Anton Marcus had found him difficult to restrain last time when finishing a two-length fifth in the Listed Sledgehammer over 1750m at Scottsville, although he said that part of the reason for that was that he was so sound and well at the moment that he had “just wanted to go.”

He added that his preparation had gone very well and he believed that he possessed the necessary turn of foot for the tight Greyville track, although he was hoping that a good gallop would be set.

Bold Inspiration’s disappointing Sansui Summer Cup run can be ignored as he was asked to do it from the front, which according to Laird is an impossible task for a KZN horse over that 2000m trip having traveled from near the coast to high altitude.

Bold Inspiration has the advantage of pole position on Friday night and Marcus is up.

Laird said that his first-timer by Kahal in the first race, Harvest Queen, was a strong filly who had ability. However, having flipped over in the stalls before her intended debut after waiting for an age, one of the aims of Friday night’s outing would be to just get her through the starting stall phase of the race.

His charge Queen Of Thrones ran a bit disappointingly over 1600m on the turf last time, but Laird confirmed she was better on the polytrack, so she should have a chance in the eighth over 1400m especially considering she had worked well this week.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Charles Laird