The unbeaten seven-year-old is arguably the most exciting National Hunt horse in training, having twice won at the Cheltenham Festival. He is three from three over fences since switching to the larger obstacles this season.
His high-profile transfer to De Bromhead’s Waterford stable came this week, as Cheveley Park Stud moved their horses from Gordon Elliott after an image of the County Meath trainer sitting on a dead horse emerged on social media at the weekend.
Also now with De Bromhead from Elliott in the Cheveley silks is smart four-year-old hurdler Quilixios, who enhanced his reputation with a Grade One victory at the Dublin Racing Festival, and fellow top-level scorer Ballyadam, who was last seen finishing second to Appreciate It at Leopardstown. Jack Kennedy is the regular partner of all three, and that is set to remain the case.
De Bromhead said: “It’s obviously not the circumstances of how you’d like to get horses, but these are the horses everyone’s trying to get and I feel fortunate that Cheveley Park have decided to send them to us. The three that are entered for Cheltenham include Envoi Allen and he seems great.
“They came down and they looked great when they arrived here, so it’s just a case of trying to tick them over and not let the change of regime upset them too much. If we can do as good a job as Gordon has done with them, we’ll be delighted.
“They arrived on Tuesday evening, and we’re just letting them settle in. They’re cantering away. You wouldn’t be working them, but they’re hacking away and they’re great.”
Quilixios has the JCB Triumph Hurdle and the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle as options, with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle set to be preferred for Ballyadam over the Ballymore, while Envoi Allen is hot favourite for the Marsh Novices’ Chase.
De Bromhead said: “He’s a gorgeous horse and we feel very fortunate that Cheveley Park have sent him to us.
“Quilixios is in both the Fred Winter (Boodles) and the Triumph. I haven’t really firmed up on that as yet, so we’ll discuss that with Cheveley Park at the time and see what we’d like to do. He’s in both, so we’ll see nearer the time. Quilixios seems good. We’re only hacking away, but he seems to have taken it in his stride.
“I would imagine we’re leaning towards the Supreme with Ballyadam, but we’ll keep our options open.
“Jack has ridden him all year and he will ride the three of them if he is available.”
He added: “It is a big change for them and you try to keep it as simple as possible, but it is a big change.
“But they seem good and they’ve settled in really well, so we’ll just tick them over and try to get them there in good shape.”
Fast Results
Scores
