'He's just rocketed' - Jefferson hopes Sounds Russian can scale Cotswold next
Ruth Jefferson says her rising star Sounds Russian has "rocketed" since he made his racing debut just under two years ago and hopes his improvement has not stopped yet, with a shot at the Gold Cup on the line at Cheltenham on Saturday.
The eight-year-old is rated 50lb higher than when scoring for the first time in a Sedgefield handicap off a mark of 111 in December 2021. He has since landed three more races and been placed twice in two competitive staying handicaps. His latest 4lb rise came after he ran Into Overdrive to half a length in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Boxing Day, a performance that prompted owners Claxby and Co to give him an entry for the Cheltenham Festival's biggest prize.
Saturday's Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (2.25) will determine whether that is a legitimate target as he is set for a thorough test with higher-rated Gold Cup hopefuls Protektorat and Noble Yeats in the line-up.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inBritain
Last updated
Copy- 'There's a bigger picture and this is good news' - new Jockeys' Cup defended after criticism from owners
- Micheal Nolan to appeal against 12-day ban for taking wrong course on cross-country favourite
- Exeter and Plumpton count the cost with 52 runners across 13 races on Monday as dry spell continues to hit
- 'He's a bit of a local celebrity and loves life' - catching up with Paddy Power Gold Cup regular Splash Of Ginge
- 'We're fully invested and prepared to be more accessible' - jockeys pledge to open up as part of new lucrative competition
- 'There's a bigger picture and this is good news' - new Jockeys' Cup defended after criticism from owners
- Micheal Nolan to appeal against 12-day ban for taking wrong course on cross-country favourite
- Exeter and Plumpton count the cost with 52 runners across 13 races on Monday as dry spell continues to hit
- 'He's a bit of a local celebrity and loves life' - catching up with Paddy Power Gold Cup regular Splash Of Ginge
- 'We're fully invested and prepared to be more accessible' - jockeys pledge to open up as part of new lucrative competition