Limerick Lace in line for Betfair Chase at Haydock providing rain arrives

Mapping out plans for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares Chase heroine and her full-brother Inothewayurthinkin, who also struck gold at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, the trainer reports Limerick Lace to be fit and ready for her first run of the season on Saturday.

Cromwell said on Wednesday’s Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “The plan is that Limerick Lace will go for the Betfair Chase.

“We are keeping a close eye on the weather forecast and hoping that the rain comes. I looked yesterday (Tuesday) and the going description was good, so we certainly need the rain.

“We are lucky enough that Haydock is easy enough for us to get to, we’re only 30 minutes from the boat here in Dublin – to the port – and Haydock is quite close to Holyhead so we can push it out and travel closer to the race.

“I suppose you could travel on Friday but at the moment we’re planning to travel on the 3 o’clock ferry tomorrow (Thursday), so we’ll obviously have a better idea by that stage.”

Limerick Lace was sent off the 7/1 joint-favourite for the Grand National on her most recent start but finished 30 lengths adrift of fellow JP McManus-owned runner I Am Maximus back in 10th of the 32 starters.

Reflecting on that Aintree effort and first try at a marathon trip, Cromwell said: “I thought she ran really well. It took her a little while to warm into it, but she did warm into it, then she got badly hampered – she ran into one. I’m not exactly what fence it was but she stayed on well again at the finish.

“She ran well enough that I certainly wouldn’t rule out going back to it. I suppose with these horses with that profile, you’re limited as to where you can go as she has quite a high rating.

“She has the mares’ allowance and I know she has a bit to find with some of them in the Betfair but she’s in great form, we’d like to get her out and get her started.”

Limerick Lace is a general 14/1 chance to start her season with victory in Saturday's top-class feature, with the market topped by Dan Skelton's Grey Dawning at 7/4 ahead of last year's Betfair Chase winner Royale Pagaille (Venetia Williams), who is 4/1 with the majority of firms.

'I don’t expect him to win'

Cromwell is in the enviable position of also training Limerick Lace’s brother Inothewayurthinkin, who bolted up in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup back in March.

He followed that handicap success with Grade 1 victory in novice company over three miles at Aintree and is in line to start his campaign in Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, though expectations are relatively low given the size of the task and the race distance.

Cromwell is a little worried that his charge will struggle to match the fencing experience of rivals such as dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and Martin Brassil's Fastorslow.

He said: “It’s the same (as Limerick Lace), it’s his first run out of novice company. My only concern is with his jumping – it can be a bit sticky and he’s going to have to sharpened up a lot.

“He’s been schooling well at home but there’s no comparison with schooling and in the race.

“The (John) Durkan is the plan and I’m happy with him, he’s in great form and I’m looking forward getting him out too.

“If that goes well then possibly onto Christmas. It’s one day at a time with him, the John Durkan looks a very good race, and I don’t expect him to win, but I’d be happy if he ran well behind those horses.

“He’ll step up in trip as the season progresses. We’re starting off over that trip and if they go quick at Grade 1 level then it could potentially sharpen his jumping. On the other side of it, he could get a fright, so it’s trying to balance that. But it’s two and a half – it’s not two miles – so I’m sure he’ll be fine.

On the prospect of the siblings possibly facing each other in a race this season, Cromwell concluded: “I haven’t given it much thought but they’re two of my best horses and I ideally wouldn’t like to be running them against each other.”

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