Morning Supreme can lead them a merry dance
Let’s start with the Grade 3 hurdle for mares and Morning Supreme. She has been chasing, with some success, but now returns to the smaller obstacles for what is a nice prize.
Morning Supreme hasn’t been since February. That day she fell at the second last, when beaten in a race won by For Bill.
She wasn’t at her best then, was lack-lustre and just ran flat. This two and a quarter miles will suit and she is in really good order at home at the moment.
I will be in the van throughout and Morning Supreme is quite capable of leading them all a merry dance.
I rode J’y Vole over fences behind Big Zeb here on Tuesday. She was flat out all of the way and was eventually well beaten. It’s hard enough to make a case for her now.
Golden Sunbird has to be respected and the way the contest is likely to be run might be in her favour.
But she had a hard race only 13 days ago behind Knockfierna at Fairyhouse and that could have left its mark.
I’m on Twinlight in the Grade 1 hurdle for four-year-olds and this ex-French horse was blessed to score on his Irish debut at Fairyhouse.
We went there expecting to win, because he was showing us so much at home. He was a bit keen, however, and his jumping lacked fluency.
We were going nowhere until three horses went at the penultimate flight and then, when he was left in front, began to pull himself up.
What he did at Fairyhouse just won’t be good enough in this class and he has to bring his homework to the track to have any hope.
This is a really quality heat, with Unaccompanied the one to beat. She is easily the best juvenile in this country.
Unaccompanied only found Zarkandar too good in the Triumph at Cheltenham and has won on the flat at the Curragh in the meantime.
I didn’t ride Zarkandar at Cheltenham, but was aboard when we won at Aintree subsequently.
Grandouet was challenging us when brought down at the second last. I thought I had him at the time, but it was still a fine effort.
Kumbeshawar then chased us to claim the runner-up spot, he’s a tough horse and not to be underestimated.
If Twinlight gets his act together then he has the talent to play a big part, if not then I’d want to be with Unaccompanied.
I had a choice of four of Willie Mullins’ in the three miles and a furlong handicap chase and have decided to stick with Shakervilz, which I rode to finish seventh in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
That was his first run in a year and he was just too fresh in himself and too keen for the first mile.
I wasn’t far off the winner, Organisedconfusion, four out, but then Shakervilz got tired, before running on again in the closing stages.
My big worry now is the bounce factor and that he will go backwards, rather than forward. Ideally, he would want three weeks to his next race, but at this time of the season we have to take it as it comes.
Obviously, I hope we can do the business, but am inclined to the view that Beautiful Sound will take a lot of whacking.
He ran a blinder over two miles and five at Cheltenham and then failed to get into the Irish National. As a result of that Beautiful Sound is going to strip a relatively fresh horse.
Willie sets punters one of his famous Punchestown posers by running six in the valuable handicap hurdle.
I could have ridden any of them and have gone with Doctor Deejay.
I rode him at Cork, over three miles, and just thought he didn’t stay.
Call The Police has to carry top weight, was disappointing at Cheltenham and needs soft ground.
Deutschland, a horse I have fancied several times in big hurdles, always runs a cracker, but never delivers.
Dorset Square is off since winning this a year ago and Jayo pulled up over fences at Navan.
Barker hasn’t been seen since winning over fences at Tramore on New Year’s Day and hasn’t run over hurdles for a long time, which is a minus.
Willie’s newcomer, Passage Vendome, is a very nice horse and will certainly be competitive in the Bumper.
PERHAPS I am completely wrong and out of order, but does anyone else think we should have a system to prevent horses with little or no chance running in Grade 1 races? I rode Osirixamix, which fell, against Captain Chris at Punchstown on Thursday. He was a 25-1 shot, but should have been 66-1. An actual 66-1 chance, Kakagh (left) scuttled Quel Esprit’s chances on Tuesday. I just want to ask the question - had either Kakagh or Osirixamix any business running in races where they were out of their class?
