Donn McClean pays a visit to one of the strongest yards in Ireland to get the lowdown on all the horses set to represent Gavin Cromwell this season.
The 2023/24 National Hunt season was another landmark season for Gavin Cromwell.
Not only did he have more winners in Ireland last season than he had ever had before in a National Hunt season since he started training racehorses, but the prize money that his horses won for their owners in National Hunt races in Ireland broke through the €1 million mark, which saw him finish fourth in the National Hunt trainers’ championship for the second year running.
He had two more winners at the Cheltenham Festival too, he won the Mares’ Chase with Limerick Lace and he won the Kim Muir with that one's full-brother Inothewayurthinkin, who stepped up into Grade 1 company on his next run and ran out an impressive winner of the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree.
This season has already got off to a flying start, with Visionarian winning the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park, and Flooring Porter making all to win the Kerry National. Sadly, a setback has ruled the dual Stayers’ Hurdle winner out for the season, but Cromwell still has a yard that is stocked full of talent, and lots to look forward to for the season ahead.
Addragoole
He has run five times now, in two bumpers and in three maiden hurdles, and he has finished second five times. That’s obviously a little but frustrating, but he’s not ungenuine, he just keeps bumping onto one. He does shape like a horse who could progress though, and hopefully he will have his day soon.
Al Gasparo
He is another who has been a little frustrating, he has been in and out. He won really well at Killarney in early October, when he made all the running. We haven’t really seen that since. He was well beaten at Cheltenham last time. We’ve given him a few weeks off, just to freshen him up a bit, and we’ll see how we go.
Antrim Coast
He won his maiden hurdle over two and a half miles at Punchestown last October, and he kept on well to win over three miles at Wexford at the end of May. He had a small setback after that, but he’s back cantering now, and we’ll get him out now after Christmas all going well.
Ask Anything
He was only just caught in the Ulster National at Downpatrick in April on his final run last season, but he fell on his return at Galway last month and he made a bad mistake at the first fence in the Troytown Chase at Navan on Sunday. He’s entered in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Qualifier back over hurdles at Punchestown on Saturday, and he might take his chance in that. He’s rated much lower over hurdles than he is over fences, and a return to hurdles might do his confidence some good.
Backtonormal
He won the Connollys Red Mills Auction Hurdle Series final at the Punchestown Festival in May on his first run for us. We started him off over fences in the beginners’ chase at Navan on Sunday, and he didn’t run badly. He jumped well with the exception of a mistake at the second last. Hopefully he will make up into a nice novice chaser this season.
Bioluminescence
She won her maiden hurdle over two and a half miles at Punchestown last January, and she stayed on well to win the Listed Shannon Spray Hurdle on heavy ground at Limerick next time over two miles and six and a half furlongs. She’s going chasing this season, and she’s not far off. She has always looked like a chaser, so we’re looking forward to seeing how she goes. She wants proper soft or heavy ground.
Bottler’secret
We were a bit disappointed with him at Cheltenham last month on his seasonal return. He wasn’t beaten far, but he was just a bit rusty. The good ground probably didn’t help, but I might not have had him as sharp and as ready as I thought I had him. He will probably go for the four-year-olds’ hurdle at Fairyhouse now at the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle meeting, and we’ll go from there.
Brides Hill
We were obviously very happy with her last season, she won all her four races, including the Grade 2 mares’ chase at the Punchestown Festival. She has had a little bit of a setback, but she’s back cantering now and all looks good with her. She wants nice ground, and she’ll be targeted at the spring.
Club Manager
He only finished 11th in the Tara Hurdle at Navan on Sunday, but he ran better than that. He was just a bit keen early on and he tired from the second last flight. He wants soft ground, he just lacks a gear. There is a listed handicap hurdle for three- and four-year-olds at Limerick over Christmas. Two miles might be a bit sharp for him but, if the ground came up heavy, it’s possible that he will go for that.
Fameaftertheglory
He’ll stick to cross-country races for now. The ground was possibly too fast for him at Cheltenham at the weekend, but his three runs over the banks at Punchestown last season were good, and he could go back there for the Risk Of Thunder Chase on Sunday. He could go for the cross-country race at Cheltenham in December too, a race in which he finished third last year.
Fenway Park
He ran well in the Tara Hurdle at Navan on Sunday. He travelled well through his race, but he just probably didn’t get home over the trip. He probably wants to come back to two and a half miles now. There’s an 80-130 novices’ handicap hurdle at Leopardstown at Christmas over that distance, and he could go for that.
Hartur D’arc
It just didn’t happen for him at Cheltenham in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday. Good ground and two and a half miles probably just caught him out a bit. He didn’t have a lot of luck through he race either. It just wasn’t his day. He’s not a slow horse, but he probably wants an ease in the ground over two and a half miles. He’s a Leinster National winner, he stays three miles, and he could go for the Paddy Power Chase at Christmas.
Hascoeur Clermont
He’s on a small break now, just to freshen him up. He’s still high enough in the handicap, but he’ll be back soon for one of those staying handicap chases.
Hello Neighbour
He won his maiden on the flat at Navan on his first run, over a mile and six furlongs, and he dropped down to an extended 10 furlongs at Roscommon last time, and he won again. He’s a lovely horse, he’s a half-brother to A Wave Of The Sea, and his schooling over hurdles has been good. We gave him a little break after Roscommon, and he’ll be aimed at Christmas now, either for the juveniles’ maiden hurdle or the Grade 2 juveniles’ hurdle, and we’ll take it from there.
I Am Lorenzo
He ran well in a good maiden hurdle at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival last season on his racecourse debut, and he finished second in another maiden hurdle at Galway last month. That was just his second run, so he should continue his progress. I’d say we’ll wait until Christmas now with him.
Inothewayurthinkin
He was great for us last season, winning the Kim Muir at Cheltenham and then winning the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase at the Aintree Grand National meeting. He did really well during the summer, and we’re looking forward to him now this season. He’s going to have to step forward again, taking on the best horses in open company. His jumping is going to have to get a bit slicker. He has been schooling really well though. He’s going to run in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown on Sunday. We’ll see how he goes there, but I’d be delighted if he ran well.
La Malmason
She won a mares’ handicap chase at Cheltenham’s December meeting last season, but she didn’t go on from that in the spring. She seems to be in great form at home now though, and there could be a good handicap in her. She will probably go for the 0-140 mares’ handicap chase at Fairyhouse at the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle meeting, a race that we won last year with Brides Hill. Hopefully they get plenty of rain for her.
Law Ella
She ran well in a listed mares’ novice chase at Thurles in February, and she had a lovely first run back in a handicap chase at Listowel in September, in which she stayed on well to finish second. Hopefully she can build on that. She has an entry in the two-mile-five-and-a-half-furlong handicap chase at Punchestown on Saturday, and she could go there. The ground should be ideal for her at the weekend.
Limerick Lace
She was great last season, she won at Clonmel and at Doncaster, and she ran a big race to finish second in the Troytown Chase. And she was great at Cheltenham in March, winning the Mares’ Chase. She’s going to Haydock on Saturday for the Betfair Chase, provided they have enough juice in the ground. She’s also in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown, in case the ground is not soft enough at Haydock. We’ll see how she gets on there before we plan further, but all roads will be leading back to the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham again in March.
Londonofficecallin
He won a handicap on the flat at Thurles on his first run for us, and we thought that he would go well in the Tara Hurdle at Navan on Sunday, but he was disappointing there. He just cut out, for no apparent reason. We couldn't find anything afterwards, it just wasn’t his running. We don’t have an immediate plan for him, but we will probably look for something for him at Christmas.
Malina Girl
We’ll get her started again shortly now. She won a handicap chase at Cheltenham last November over almost three and a half miles, she stays well, so she’ll go for some of those staying chases. The Porterstown Chase at Fairyhouse at the end of the month over three miles and five furlongs is a possibility.
Millforce
He was good in winning his maiden hurdle at Bellewstown during the summer, and he was only just beaten in a novice hurdle at Cork last month. He was a bit flat at Cheltenham last time, but we might have run him back a bit quickly after Cork. I’m not in a hurry back with him. He hasn’t done any fast work since he came back from Cheltenham, but we’ll freshen him up now and make a plan.
My Mate Mozzie
He has run big races in big handicaps recently. He finished third in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot and in the Galway Hurdle, and he wasn’t beaten far in the Ebor at York in August. He was well beaten in the Irish Cesarewitch last time, so he’s at home now on a break, and we’ll be aiming at the spring with him.
Mywayofthinkin
He was good in winning his maiden hurdle at Punchestown in May, but he jumped poorly in the Grade 3 For Auction Hurdle at Navan on Sunday, and there was no real reason for it. He was just very deliberate. It was a bit of a head-scratcher, because I thought that he would run a big race. We’re back to the drawing board a bit with him, but he’s a really nicely-bred horse, a half-brother to Inothewayurthinkin and Ilikedwayurthinkin and Limerick Lace and Spades Are Trumps, and we hope that he can leave that last run behind him.
Now Is The Hour
He won his maiden hurdle over two and a half miles at Tipperary last January, and he stayed on well to win a Grade 2 race over three miles on heavy ground at Haydock next time. He is a point-to-point winner, and he ran well on his chasing debut at Cork in March over two miles. He will be stepping up in trip again now, he’s entered in a three-mile beginners’ chase at Tipperary on Friday. He wants proper soft ground.
Only By Night
Another point-to-point winner, she won her bumper on her first run for us at Limerick in October last year, and she followed up by winning a listed mares’ bumper at Navan. She won her maiden hurdle on her hurdling debut at Naas last December. She didn’t win again after that, but she’s a fine big mare who should improve for a fence. She’ll start off now in a two-mile beginners’ chase at Tipperary on Friday.
Path D’oroux
I was disappointed with him at Carlisle the last day. I probably ran him back too quickly after he had won at Cheltenham but, for whatever reason, it wasn’t his running. We’ll freshen him up now. He had a good season last season, he finished third in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham and in the Red Rum Chase at Aintree. We’ll probably aim at the handicap chase at Leopardstown over Christmas in which he fell at the final fence last year. He’s still a novice too, so he has options.
Peaches And Cream
He was unlucky in the Ulster National at Downpatrick in April, he fell at the final fence when in with a big chance of winning. He ran well in a handicap chase at Kelso last time, and he’ll probably go back there for the Borders National in early December.
Perceval Legallois
He is obviously talented, but we have had a frustrating time with him. He has run well in big handicap chases without winning them, for a variety of different reasons, and he has been going up the handicap as a result. He ran well in the Troytown at Navan on Sunday, he just hit a fence down the back straight and he paid the price for it. He still finished fourth, and he went up another 1lb for that. I’m not sure that he’s a dour three-mile staying chaser. He’ll have an entry for the Paddy Power Chase alright, but we might look at coming back a little in trip too.
Pinot Gris
He was good in winning the Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas last time, but the handicapper didn’t miss him, he gave him 11lb. He went well in the blinkers, which replaced cheekpieces. He came back with a little cut, so we’re looking after that at the moment, and we’ll look to aim him at Leopardstown at Christmas.
Railway Hurricane
It looked like he was coming to win his race at Limerick last month, but he hit the second last fence and he flattened out after that. He’s a bit frustrating, and he’s fairly high in the handicap, despite being dropped by 2lb after he was beaten at Gowran Park last time. He’ll probably go to Leopardstown at Christmas now.
Sixandahalf
She has obviously done really well since she finished second in a bumper at Naas in March on her racecourse debut. She went on to win her bumper and a maiden on the flat, and we took her to Newmarket in August for a one-mile-six-furlong fillies’ handicap, and she won that well. She ran a big race in the Irish Cesarewitch in September to finish third behind The Euphrates, and we were hoping that she would go well in the Cesarewitch back at Newmarket last month, but a stone bruise ruled her out of the race, which was a pity. She’s schooling well now and she’ll go over hurdles, possibly for a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown at Christmas.
Springt De La Mer
He beat Bleu De Vassy when he won his point-to-point, and he won a good bumper at Navan on Troytown Chase weekend last year on his racecourse debut. He fell on his debut over hurdles at Punchestown in January, so we left him off for the rest of the season. He’s in a maiden hurdle and a beginners’ chase at Punchestown over the weekend, he will probably go for the maiden hurdle, but he will be going chasing sooner rather than later.
Stumptown
Second in a Kim Muir and winner of a good handicap chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day last season, he has taken really well to the banks course at Punchestown. He was travelling well in the La Touche Cup there at the Festival in April when he was hampered by a loose horse and unseated, and we brought him back there two days later, when he won the Donohue Marquess Chase, with Fameaftertheglory finishing second. He’s going for the Risk Of Thunder Chase now back over the banks on Sunday. We’ll look at the December meeting at Cheltenham for him too.
Stuntman Steve
Winner of his point-to-point for Colin Bowe in May, he won his maiden hurdle at Clonmel two weeks ago on his first run for us. He battled on well to get home by a head there, and the front two pulled well clear. He’ll probably go to Fairyhouse now on Hatton’s Grace Hurdle weekend for a rated novice hurdle.
Thecompanysergeant
He’s a nice horse to get, we bought him at the Goffs horses-in-training sale there a few weeks ago. He had some really nice form for Denis Hogan, he finished fourth behind Spillane’s Tower in the Grade 1 WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse at Easter and he stayed on well to win his beginners’ chase at the Galway Festival. He has been on a break since we got him, but we’ll get him going now and see where we are with him. He’s still a novice, and we have the novice handicap chase at Cheltenham in March in mind.
The Dancing Tree
He won his bumper for us at Limerick last January, but I was a bit disappointed with him on his first run over hurdles at Punchestown last week. He’ll go for another maiden hurdle now. He’s auction qualified, so that gives us options with him.
The King Of Prs
He was in good form in the early part of last season, he won his beginners’ chase at Wexford and he won a rated novice chase at Limerick over Christmas. He has had a few entries this season so far, but we were just waiting on the ground for him. He’ll probably start off in the 0-150 handicap chase at Fairyhouse on Hatton’s Grace Hurdle weekend.
The Other Mozzie
He stayed on well to win his beginners’ chase at Galway in October, but he was disappointing at Cheltenham there at the weekend. We’re back to the drawing board with him a bit now.
Total Look
He did well on the flat this year, he won his maiden at Roscommon in April, and he went back there last month and finished second to Prairie Angel in a handicap off a mark of 79. Now rated 87 on the flat, he won his maiden hurdle on his hurdling debut at Navan on Sunday. Fairyhouse might be coming a bit soon for him, so I wouldn’t rule out going to Cheltenham with him next month, I’d like to get him around the track, see how he gets on.
Tyre Kicker
I was disappointed with him in the Troytown Chase at Navan on Sunday. He jumped slowly. We didn’t have the cheekpieces on him, he wore cheekpieces on each of his last five runs two seasons ago. We left them off him for his return at Galway last month, and he ran really well, so we didn’t think that we needed them. In hindsight, maybe we should have put them on again. Or the race might have come up quite quickly, his second run back after being off for a year and a half. Maybe the bounce factor came into play. He’s home now though, safe and sound, and there could still be a nice staying handicap chase in him.
Union Station
He has finished placed in all of his four maiden hurdles. He has an entry in a novice handicap hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday, but we won’t be delaying over hurdles for too long. He looks like a real chaser, and we’re looking forward to seeing him over a fence.
Vanillier
He has been a great servant for us, he won the Albert Bartlett Hurdle in 2021 and he finished second in the Grand National in 2023. He had an entry in the cross-country chase at Cheltenham at the weekend, but we didn’t go there because the ground was just too fast for him. He could go back there for the December meeting. He stopped very quickly on his first run back this season at Cheltenham, so we’re hoping that the banks might rejuvenate him. He has schooled a little over banks and he seems to enjoy it. He’s entered in the Risk Of Thunder Chase at Punchestown on Sunday over the banks.
Velvet Elvis
He was good in winning a rated chase at Fairyhouse on heavy ground in February on his first run for us. He was a little late starting back this season, but we are happy with him now. He wants proper soft or heavy ground.
Visionarian
I’d say his ground is nearly gone now for the year, but we were delighted with his win in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran last month, and he ran well for a long way in the Champion Chase at Down Royal last time. We might have one more look for him, see if we can find a race for him before the ground goes.
Will The Wise
He won his only point-to-point and he won his only bumper and he had a lovely first run over hurdles at Punchestown last Friday when he finished second behind a proper two-miler. We won’t see the best of him until he steps up in trip, and maybe until he jumps a fence, but he’s a nice horse to look forward to.
Yeah Man
He ran really well in the Troytown on Sunday. The ground probably just wasn’t slow enough for him, but he stayed going, he kept on well to finish a close-up third. The handicapper put him up a few pounds for it, but that was his first run since the Irish National in April, and I’d like to think that there would still be a good staying handicap in him. He ran some good races at Ascot last season, and he won the Grand National Trial at Haydock. Maybe we’ll look at the Irish National again for him, or the Aintree National, but his whole season won’t be geared around that.
Published at 0930 GMT on 21/11/24
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