Morris wants for a better break from Bear in Sussex semis

Morris wants for a better break from Bear in Sussex semis

Craig Morris is under no illusion how tough Chelms Bear’s semi-final of the Coral Sussex Cup is at Hove on Saturday.

His charge lines up in a mouth-watering contest featuring multiple Category One winners King Memphis and Proper Heiress, as well as in-form Derby Plate hero Romeo Tomcat.

Chelms Bear flew home for second behind the reopposing Mossrish Kylie in the heats after completely missing his break and his trainer knows he will need to come away much better in the semis.

“The semi-final is a nightmare! I think the sponsors would have been happy with that race as the final,” said Morris.

“His biggest problem is that he hasn’t been coming away. He’s never been a prolific starter but every now and again he would pop out, whereas his sectional last week was 4.70 and Proper Heiress did 4.37. So, he would have been around four lengths behind him at the winning line (first time) and that’s where he is losing his race.

“I am hoping King Memphis and Proper Heiress take each other on, hold each other up and get Chelms Bear a run into the race. However, you then have Romeo Tomcat out wide and he is running at the top of his game.

“Our dog is fast enough but he won’t be able to give those kinds of dogs a big head start and try to pick them up like he has been. We’ll know our fate after about two strides!”

When asked if he thought Chelms Bear would come on for that first run back at Hove, he replied: “ Yeah, hopefully. He had a little issue when he came out of Sheffield (finished third in the 3 Steps To Victory final) and I was going to give him a look round Hove first, but I just wanted to leave him because he was a little bit sore. And with the hot weather, I haven’t been able to do a lot with him. 

“So, you would like to think he would improve for the run, but it’s not so much that - it’s getting out of the boxes. If he could just do a 4.50 sectional, well that would be near enough three lengths he has found straight away.

“He looked like a puppy who had never been in the boxes before last week!”

Having stayed on well over 660m in the 3 Steps To Victory final, Morris said they would try him over six bends again but a crack at the Boylesports Irish Derby is on the agenda first.

“I will probably step him back up in trip at some point but the main plan is to go to the Irish Derby with him. 

"I think after that, we will campaign him over your shorter six-bend trips but the main thing is a crack at Shelbourne Park if everything is going ok. I think the track should suit him down to the ground.

“I wouldn’t be staying over there, I would just travel as he travels like a dream and sleeps all the way anyway. It’s only four hours from me and he’s not really bothered about the travelling, so I will just go there and back on the day.

“I would go over for a trail, just to get him used to the track and the boat as well.”