The top racing analyst has five horses to follow from the Cheltenham Festival with other spring targets in mind.
DIVERGE was never a threat to either Marine Nationale or Facile Vega in the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but he finished well in third. The ex-French gelding, who had form with Group 2 winners in his native country on the Flat when trained by Freddy Head, had won easily on his previous outing at Punchestown. Typical of his sire Frankel, the five year old races enthusiastically hence he was ridden with restraint on Tuesday.
Making headway on the approach to the second last, Willie Mullins’ charge stayed on strongly on the run-in to finish six lengths third. On the assumption he will be ridden handier next time, he looks the type to excel at Aintree next month. He made virtually all on his penultimate start and such tactics are never a bad thing at the home of the Grand National. He is very much shortlist material for the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle in April.
SUNDIAL won a fourteen furlongs maiden at Navan in October last year when trained by Aidan O’Brien suggesting stamina is very much his strong suit. Purchased soon afterwards by J.P. McManus and sent into training with Padraig Roche, the son of Galileo didn’t trouble the judge on his first four runs over obstacles.
Fitted with cheekpieces for the first time in the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle on Tuesday, he was the subject of support and didn’t let his each-way backers down taking fourth position. A mistake at the last didn’t help his cause but Simon Torrens’s mount kept on and was only three lengths behind the winner Jazzy Matty. Both his style of racing and pedigree implies that the four year old will stay further than two miles and he is handicapped to win a nice pot in the spring or beyond.
SIR GERHARD ran much better than his finishing position of ninth suggests in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on Wednesday. A dual Festival winner, he had only raced once over fences beforehand scoring by a wide margin at Gowran in late January. Tackling three miles for the first time under Rules, the Jeremy gelding was sticky early on but warmed to his task.
Paul Townend’s mount looked a threat jumping the third last before fading. With his stamina appearing to give way, a drop back to two and a half miles is likely to be on the cards. Given his preference for racing left-handed and the fact he is owned by Cheveley Park, a trip to Aintree could be next rather than Fairyhouse over Easter or Punchestown later on. The Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase which opens the Grand National Festival could be his next target.
SCARAMANGA was having his first run over jumps for Willie Mullins in the Coral Cup having performed respectably in both the Cesarewitch at Newmarket and Irish November Handicap at Naas last Autumn. Returning from a break of 129 days, the eight year old was ridden by promising conditional jockey Jack Foley who kept his mount wide.
Racing here off 147, he held every chance at the second last before fading in the homestraight. The testing ground may not have played to his strengths with his best efforts both on the Flat and over jumps being achieved on better ground. Still relatively unexposed over hurdles, he could be one to keep tabs on at the Punchestown Festival, especially in drier conditions.
LUTTRELL LAD was having only his second run for Tom Lacey and the seven year old stayed on well in eighth in the Country Hurdle. Racing on ground which was softer than ideal, he had some smart form in bumpers, finishing fourth in a Grade 2 at Aintree a couple of years ago, and in novice hurdles. Runner-up behind former stablemate Camprond in the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle, he wasn’t disgraced in a few runs on the Flat either.
Transferred to his current yard, his saddle slipped early on in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso earlier this month. Sent off 150/1 on Friday and racing off a mark of 133, the Beat Hollow gelding was in rear early on and Harry Cobden brought him down the inside in the homestraight. Staying on, he was less than seven lengths behind Faivoir. Given his preference for decent ground, he could be tailormade for something like the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr (22nd April). Alternatively, the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock (13th May) is another option.
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