‘Exciting’ French Ship sailing onwards and upwards

All options remain open for French Ship following his easy victory at Newbury on Saturday.

Philip Hobbs and Johnson White’s talented five-year-old had been raised 8lb for a win at Cheltenham in November, but he still looked ahead of the handicapper.

He has been hit with another 10lb rise as a result and connections now need to decide whether to plough on with big weights in handicaps or take the plunge into graded company.

“He’s been put up 10lb, which is quite a hike, but equally it was a very strong performance,” said White.

“We couldn’t have been happier with the run and also how he’s come out of the race, which is the most important thing.

“We’ve no particular plans at the moment, we want to just see how he is and then we’ll go from there.

“A mark of 146 means we’re either towards the head of the weights in good handicaps or he makes the leap into graded company, he’s in that territory now.

“He keeps seeming to improve, hopefully he’ll improve enough to lump round off 146. Harry (Cobden) was very complimentary, understandably. He says he’s got the gears to travel over shorter, but he also said he’d stay further.

“He’s a lovely horse, who we are very excited by.”

It could be a big weekend for the Minehead yard, with two of their exciting youngsters due to be in action at different ends of the country.

Sober Glory, a 12-length winner on hurdling debut, is booked in for the Listed Betfair Exchange Claremont Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown, while Captain Hugo beat two smart types in Sinnatra and Storming George when he last ran and goes north to Aintree.

White said: “Sober Glory goes to Sandown on Saturday. I thought they’d have a bit more rain yesterday, actually, but he’ll go there. Captain Hugo will go to Aintree on Saturday as well, so we’ve lots to look forwards to.”