'Many Clouds did it' - Jamie Snowden dreaming of Coral Gold Cup-Grand National double with exciting Colonel Harry

Jamie Snowden admits to being a dreamer and at the moment those dreams involve Colonel Harry not only winning the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury next Saturday but also going on to emulate Many Clouds by adding the Randox Grand National at Aintree in April.

Snowden was speaking to the Racing Post for a major interview in which he discussed his rise from starting out with just a single horse on a friend's farm to establishing himself near the top of the sport, the joy of training in the 'Valley of the Racehorse' in Lambourn and the devastation that came with the death of his stable star Datsalrightgino after winning the Coral Gold Cup last season.

Snowden is now aiming to win the famous Newbury handicap chase for the second successive year with Colonel Harry, something only Fulke Walwyn, Tom Dreaper, David Barons and Nicky Henderson have achieved previously.

Jamie Snowden, Coral Gold Cup hope Colonel Harry and work-rider Stefan Namsansky at the top of Mandown gallops in Lambourn Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"He's got a very similar profile to Datsalrightgino," he said. "He was Grade 1-placed over hurdles and fences and won a Grade 2 as a novice last season. In fact he won his first chase at Chepstow in the same race Datsalrightgino won.

"Colonel Harry showed all his early form over two miles but benefited by going up to two and a half and certainly looks like a horse who is going to want a trip as well. Again, this is the first time he's going up to the kind of distance he faces at Newbury but, if he stays, he's got every chance.

"We're dreamers. You've got to be optimistic in this game and I've been thinking about this race for Colonel Harry since we won it last year. I thought his comeback at Carlisle on ground a little bit on the quicker side for him and on a right-handed track over two and a half miles was a great run and the perfect prep."

Asked what Colonel Harry might grow into after Saturday, Snowden added: "It would be lovely to think he might be a Grand National horse. Many Clouds did it . . . he started in the Colin Parker Memorial that season, like we have, then went to the Hennessy, Cotswold Chase and won the National."

Read more from Jamie Snowden in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday. Click here to sign up.

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