Turf Talk: Sam Spinner thriving under Colliver's '˜magic touch'

Sam Spinner, ridden by Joe Colliver, clears the last hrdle to win the Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle Race at Haydock in November. PIC: Clint Hughes/PA Wire

One of the great northern hopes at the forthcoming Festival, he is a general 5-1 chance for the Grade One.

Sam Spinner was narrowly beaten from a mark of just 136 on his seasonal debut at Chepstow, but two starts later was a good winner of the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot having walked off with a big prize at Haydock in between.

“I don’t think the key to him is making the running. The key to him is going a decent, even pace and getting into a really nice rhythm,” said O’Keeffe.

“Joe Colliver has found the magic for that, he seems to do that quite comfortably. He and the horse just gel together and have got an understanding and that works.

“We don’t feel he’s got to make the running, just do his own thing, which is quite nice rather than having a hold-up horse depending on others.”

O’Keeffe believes his charge is versatile in terms of ground, although more testing conditions could be in his favour.

He added: “I’d like to see the ground quite soft, not so much because he needs it like that, just because it might be more to our advantage than his main rivals.

“I think he’s very versatile ground-wise, I’d be quite happy with good to soft or even heavy – but it won’t be that.

“He’s grown up quite quick. When he went to Chepstow first time out, he got quite sweaty and I think that was because it was his first run.

“We took him to Newcastle last week to stop him getting fresh and I think now he’ll be fine, he was as cool as a cucumber at Ascot.”

n Tomorrow’s meeting at Doncaster has been abandoned following a noon inspection on Thursday.

SOBOT’S SELECTIONS

LINGFIELD: 1.45 Humbert (next best), 2.20 Attain, 2.55 Cartographer, 3.30 LANSKY (NAP), 4.00 Blastofmagic, 4.35 Porrima, 5.10 Silver Quay.

NEWCASTLE: 1.45 Bournville, 2.20 Mixboy (treble), 2.55 Ballycrystal, 3.25 Silver Concorde, 4.00 Fraser Canyon, 4.35 Beeno, 5.10 The Steward.

CHELMSFORD: 5.45 Kodiac Express, 6.15 Jellmood, 6.45 Snowy Winter, 7.15 Major Valentine, 7.45 Rock On Baileys, 8.15 The Lacemaker, 8.45 Ravenhoe.