Just weight for Fruity to show his class
Fruity O'Rooney ridden by Jamie Moore jumps the last to go on to win The Willaim Hill - Home Of Betting Handicap Steeple Chase at Kempton last month
Gary Moore survey-ed Fruity O’Rooney’s chances in the Sky Bet Chase and declared: He’s got the perfect weight.
The West Sussex trainer is ready to unleash his stable star in the £75,000 Listed clash at Doncaster next Saturday.
The nine-year-old chaser was handed an 11st burden for the three-mile showdown when the weights were revealed earlier this week.
And Moore, who trains from his yard in Lower Beeding, reckons that mark will be just right for his diminutive stayer.
Fruity O’Rooney was handed an official rating of 140 after that three-and-a-quarter-length triumph over Midnight Appeal – a rise of 6lb on his previous mark.
But his connections are bullish about his hopes of tasting victory again, insisting he will go on whatever ground they encounter at the Yorkshire track.
‘Fruity O’Rooney is very much likely to run in the Sky Bet Chase,’ said Moore.
‘He’s been in good order since Kempton but he’s gone up 6lb and any time they go up in the weights that’s got to be a concern.
‘He’s not the biggest horse in the race but he carried a lot of weight at Kempton (11st 7lb) and managed to win.
‘He should be around 10lb off the top horse this time, which will be perfect. All ground comes alike to him. You normally get good ground at Doncaster anyway and that will only change if we get a lot of rain.’
Jamie Moore is once again expected to partner Fruity O’Rooney, having been in the plate for six of the gelding’s past seven outings.
The pair have recorded three victories – two at Fontwell – and two second places in that time, with Andrew Glassonbury also steering the son of Kahyasi to a runner-up prize at Chepstow.
Fruity O’Rooney showed little in bumpers back in 2008 – finishing 54 lengths adrift of Gold Cup hope Diamond Harry in his second race at Newbury.
He soon got off the mark over hurdles, though, winning at a whopping 40/1 at Folkestone before finishing second to Crashtown Hall at Fontwell five weeks later.
A handicap hurdle success at Lingfield followed off a mark of 125 before he was switched to fences with instant results in October 2010.
Back at Fontwell, he defeated Double Dash before finishing second to Quantitativeeasing at the same course a year ago.
Since then, he has steadily risen up the handicap to his current rating of 140 where he has earned a quote of 20/1 for the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.
Alan King’s unbeaten chaser Hold On Julio heads the ante-post market at 5/1.
He put two disappointing runs in novice hurdles for Vicky Simpson back in 2008 firmly behind him when completing a hat-trick over fences with a nine-length defeat of former Gold Cup third Neptune Collonges at Sandown this month.
Five-day confirmations will be made on Monday, with final declarations on Thursday. The race goes to post at 3.25pm.
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