Despite riding Our Duke in his last ten starts over jumps, jockey Robbie Power won’t saddle up the Jessica Harrington-trained stallion in the Gold Cup next month.
Given an opportunity to mount another Harrington horse – and defending Gold Cup champion – Sizing John, Power will ride on him instead.
Needing a jockey to ride the prestigious Our Duke, Harrington moved quickly to secure Noel Fehily for Cheltenham.
Given his knowledge of both the man and the horse, Power sees the match as mutually beneficial.
Jessie couldn’t have got a better man than Noel Fehily to replace me on Our Duke – he’s a top-class jockey.
On his last race of last season, Our Duke powered home to win the Irish Grand National, and many will be watching to see if the horse can bring that kind of power to Cheltenham.
Back treatment kept Our Duke out for a while, but a return at Leopardstown saw him place fourth in the Irish Gold Cup, and he won his first race of this season at Gowran Park over the weekend.
Our Duke was very impressive as he got back to winning ways on Saturday where he had to give 7lb to a very good horse in Presenting Percy and he did it very well.
I don’t think he’s back to his best yet, but it was the best he’s felt since Fairyhouse last year and I think he will improve.
