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Oughton can clean up again

Derek Currie

FOR a horse whose racing career was in jeopardy a couple of seasons back due to ill health, Clean Them Up appears to have fully recovered judging by his performances this season and there is no reason why he cannot complete a hat-trick of wins this afternoon for trainer David Oughton and jockey Mick Kinane.

Now in his fourth season, Clean Them Up raced as a griffin in his first, winning his debut over 1,200 metres and then running third in a Class Four event over the same trip and soft track conditions.

He then missed a season due to illness before finding the winner's circle mid-way through last season, winning on a yielding track over 1,400 metres and unwanted by connections and the public at 44-1.

He faced the starter another four times following this win, but without ever really going close.

But for a horse that looked like going nowhere, the change has been remarkable this season winning twice and never out of the frame in all four starts.

And for a horse who's best form was on soft tracks, both his wins have been on the top of the ground and full marks to the stable for getting him right.

He is raised 9lbs for his effortless last-start win over the same course and distance and is drawn in the inside barrier.

King Chariot, to be ridden by Basil Marcus due to the absence of Gerald Mosse, was a course and distance winner last start and finished just under two lengths behind Clean Them Up three starts previous over 1,200 metres.

King Chariot has a 7lbs pull in the weights for that defeat but it should make little difference over the short trip today.

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