Cruz Control

“I'm delighted to be able to get Cruz Control back on track - he'd completely lost his way. He ran ok in Punchestown, and Stan [Sheppard, jockey] just said to me afterwards, 'He's proper tired', and it's taken until now to get him really back on song. We mixed it up at home - took him to the beach, jumped the Aintree fences at Lambourn with him, and I'm so delighted for the owners, who are great supporters of mine. We've sweetened him up - did more slow work, gave him some away days, and the sun on his back - Tom Lacey, trainer.”

“Cruz Control missed the ditch in the home straight the second time but otherwise he jumped pretty economically, fast and effectively. It was a good performance. He was unlucky to lose at Doncaster and he got chinned at Newcastle on another occasion but otherwise he's not done a lot wrong this season. He appears to be slow but he's such a big, long-striding horse he's covering ground - he's taking one stride to other horses' two. I've been reluctant to step him up to three miles because although he's seven he's still a frame. We've given him time to mature and I think he'll just get better and better, hopefully - Tom Lacey, trainer.”

“I thought Cruz Control jumped much better compared to how he jumped at Ascot, where he was just running into fences. We did a load of schooling with him at home over some poles and he's tucking his front end up so much better. He's a horse that's still to do some maturing - he's got such a big frame and has been such a hollow horse - and hopefully he can go on from here. If he can jump with accuracy he could go up in trip - Tom Lacey, trainer, speaking on Sky Sports Racing.”

“Cruz Control is a fine horse. Two-and-a-half miles around Cheltenham just didn't suit him and he jumped okay today, but I got a free lead. It's a cliche but we'll see the best of him over a fence - Stan Sheppard, rider.”