Racing: Weight only bugbear

By MIKE DILLON

Yesterday Bob Autridge could not stop looking at the video of Cuchulainn's 2003 Wellington Steeplechase victory.

He was looking for confidence that the remarkable veteran jumper could add the 2004 running tomorrow to his Friday Flash Great Northern Hurdles victory last month.

He admits it is a good thing that videos of horse racing do not specify the weight horses carry.

Because if anything beats Cuchulainn it will be the weight in his saddle.

Last year Cuchulainn carried 61kg to victory; this time he has to lump 68.

The net increase is only 5kg because last year's minimum weight of 60kg has been raised to 62kg.

But any increase in minimum weights always adversely affects those at the top of the handicap.

"It's a shame it's not 60kg again this year, but I'm not complaining about the relative weight he has over the others.

"He's earned it," said Autridge.

Forget the real story in Cuchulainn, which is how Autridge remarkably turned a former rogue into an outstanding jumper, and concentrate on how the rising 12-year-old can beat his four rivals tomorrow.

He has all the attributes - he has won on the tricky figure-eight course, he has more speed than most steeplechasers and his stamina in the most testing of ground could never be questioned.

Kia King is a rising 'chasing star and, with 4.5kg less to lump, looks a real danger to his older rival.

But Autridge, never one to get confident, looks at it this way - "Cuchulainn has the speed to win a Great Northern Hurdles. Where would you rate Kia King in that race?"

The video has underpinned Autridge's confidence.

"They were all there to get him in the closing stages last year and he ran away from them.

"He put 14 lengths on them from the last fence.

"He's got all the speed he needs to stay handy in this race, which is a speed race, not a slog."

You can't help raising your eyebrows when Autridge declares Cuchulainn a fitter horse than when he won last July.

"Because he was brought into work a lot earlier than usual this year to try for a spot in the big race in Japan, he has more conditioning work behind him.

"He is definitely better than a year ago."

Cuchulainn is probably going to have to carry 5kg more than last year against Kia King.

But Autridge is a great judge of his own horses and although he won't tell you that he is confident, you can't escape that conclusion.

"Weight will stop a train, we all know that," he says, just in case he gets cocky.