Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Thursday.
Three points of interest
History repeating for Mullins
Having been postponed as a mark of respect for the passing of Michael O’Sullivan, Punchestown’s informative Quevega Mares’ Hurdle card takes centre stage on Thursday.
Willie Mullins has used the Grade 3 contest as a seasonal return for a host of quality mares in the past, including the likes of Annie Power, who took the 2016 renewal en-route to a supplemented Champion Hurdle success less than a month later, while Limini (2017) went on to be third in the Mares’ Hurdle, Laurina (2019) was fourth in the Champion Hurdle, and Elfile (2020) was third in the Mares’ Hurdle on her next start.
The last-named was owned by Kenny Alexander, and it’s another mare who wears his familiar pale blue and starred silks - Jade De Grugy - who dominates this year’s renewal, due off at 3.25.
Being from the family of the smart hurdler/top-class chaser Sire de Grugy, it’s no surprise that Jade De Grugy improved when stepped back up in trip when winning the Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novices' Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse when last seen in May.
Having been outpaced over two miles when chasing home Golden Ace, Brighterdaysahead and Birdie Or Bust in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on her previous start, it’s no surprise that she has been a market mover over the past fortnight for next month’s contest over two and a half miles.
"You always want to win Grade 1 rather than a Grade 2,” said Mullins after Fairyhouse, which may sound a warning ahead of Thursday’s undoubted warm-up for Cheltenham’s Grade 1, but she is open to further improvement making her belated return and could be straight enough to successfully concede weight to stablemate Lot Of Joy and Timeform top-rated Gaoth Chuil.
Cheltenham pointers in the beginners’ chase
It’s fairly rare that mid-week racing has a big impression on the Cheltenham Festival ante-post markets, but, along with the Mares’ Hurdle, the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase could see some minor ripples on Thursday.
High Class Hero is priced between 20/1 and 40/1 at present, a long way behind stablemates Ballyburn and Dancing City, and bigger still than fellow Closutton residents Lecky Watson, Quai De Bourbon and Champ Kiely.
Though Mullins relied solely on the clearly-class-above Fact Or File in last year’s Brown Advisory, he has had multiple runners in the race over the years, running five the year before, two in 2022, and three in 2020.
Though, perhaps it’s worth noting that his winners Cooldine (2009) and Monkfish (2021) were the only runners from the yard, while Don Poli only had one stablemate joining him in the line-up when landing the 2015 renewal.
Anyway, Thursday’s beginners’ chase (1.55) was an uncompetitive event last year, with the Henry De Bromhead-trained Senor Chief scraping home at 2/9, but Timeform top-rated High Class Hero, a promising runner-up when second at the course on his return to action in December, is set to be joined by stablemate Loughglynn (only rated 2 lb lower, also has a ‘small p’) who has shaped well in two starts over fences.
With NH Chase entry Chigorin and Ultima/Kim Muir entry Mint Boy also in the mix, this year’s renewal looks likely to have a lot more substance to it, and looks set to be a very informative race with just three weeks to go before Cheltenham.
Former winners to the fore once more?
Away from Punchestown, which also features a Grand National Trial (2.25) and a listed novice hurdle (2.55) in which Supreme Novices' outsider William Munny is a clear favourite, it's competitive fayre at Huntingdon and Lingfield on the domestic front.
There are many things that can skip a generation – inheritance, genealogical features, musical taste – but followers of the Timeform ‘Horses For Courses’ flag will be hopeful that a similar pattern emerges at Lingfield on Thursday.
Twilight Glory has been holding his form well this season, a win (over C&D) and two third-placed finishes much more like it than his final two starts last term.
He won this race (2.35) in 2023 and, though higher in the weights now, looks a much-improved performer and rates a major player once again.
On the subject of winning races for the second time, San Pedro has already achieved that feat this season, his all-the-way win at Plumpton last time his second win in that particular handicap.
With no penalty for that conditional riders’ race win, and in the cheekpieces once again which show him to best effect, San Pedro is fancied to put up another bold performance in the 4.05, a contest he won (for his previous yard) in 2023.
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