Make it Mome to crack rivals at Punchestown
We were somewhat underwhelmed by the manner of his win in Clonmel, as we thought he’d win more comfortably than he did. That said, he gave the runner-up 15lb and she, Coquine D’aunou, who re-opposes today, went on to win next time out.
Given the weight we conceded and the three lengths we beat her by, on a strict line through her rating of 121, our horse is about a 140 horse, and you’d nearly think that would be good enough here.
He’s a horse we always liked. He’s in good form, is doing things right at home and, while it’s a step up, even though a Grade 2 it is basically a ‘winners of one’. He has been trained with this race in mind, and I’m really looking forward to riding him.
Dad runs Any Second Now, who sprung a bit of a surprise in Navan. Runner-up C’est Jersey probably let the form down more than franked it when beaten next time. But Dad’s horse is very raw, and would have improved nicely for his first start. Whatever he does today and for the rest of this season, he’ll be a better horse next year.
The first of my four rides this afternoon is on Bachasson, who was beaten even before he fell at the last on his chasing debut, and so has something to prove in the beginners’ chase. But he does seem to be in good form at home, is working quite well, and we’re happy with him. He schools well, and had been doing so before his chase debut. In fairness to Thurles, it takes a bit of jumping for a novice, and I think he should be okay on that front today.
But it’s a competitive race. Edwulf was second to Childrens List, but I’d be hoping Bachasson could run to that sort of level – at least, and so Mall Dini is probably the one we have to beat.
He is dropping back in trip, to two and a half miles. He has looked a stayer most of his career, but is a Pertemps Hurdle winner, has a couple of runs over fences under his belt and a reproduction of his run behind Haymount and Coney Island would probably be good enough to win.
The ground will be plenty soft enough for Kolumbus in the maiden hurdle, but he ran a blinder in Leopardstown at Christmas, when second to Bacardys, and so must have his chance. He travelled and jumped well, but Bacardys outbattled him in the last furlong.
Punchestown should suit him and he’s an improved horse, so you’d have to think he will run a big race. If the ground is too soft for him today so be it, in a month’s time it will be drying out again.
Sandra (Hughes) rang me to take the mount on Side Saddle in the mares’ handicap hurdle, and she thinks her horse is well handicapped. The stable is in good form, they had a couple of winners the Sunday before Christmas and, while it’s a competitive race, there doesn’t seem to be a standout candidate, so she must have a good each-way chance.
Sticking with today’s racing, it’s a funny weekend across the water, also. Last weekend you had the Tolworth Hurdle, next weekend the Clarence House Chase at Ascot, but it’s a handicap weekend this weekend.
You have the Classic Chase in Warwick and the Lanzarote Hurdle in Kempton. I’m hearing plenty of word about Dan Skelton’s Sam Red for the Lanzarote. He was trained in Ireland previously but, apparently, he’s catching plenty of pigeons in Skelton’s, and may be one to keep an eye on today.
I have just two rides tomorrow in Fairyhouse, starting off on Kate Appleby Shoes, in the mares’ maiden. She was third on her return, in a two-mile maiden at Limerick, and should be suited by the step up in trip. It’s a big field, but Barra is the one we all have to beat.
Willie runs Jarry D’Honneur in the Dan Moore Memorial. Barry Geraghty has gone for People’s Park, so Mark Walsh rides him. I thought he improved a helluva lot from his run in Fairyhouse to his run at Leopardstown, where he was fifth in a competitive handicap at Christmas. He should have improved again, will handle the ground, and has an each-way chance in an open-looking race.
Townshend, having just his second run in Ireland, starts off over fences in the beginners’ chase over two miles and a furlong. He started off for us running well in a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse, and then missed the cut in Cheltenham, and went to Kempton, where he ran terribly. He went back to Perth at the end of the season and won a novice hurdle, and now starts off over fences.
He’s not the biggest horse in the world, but he has plenty of work done, and is going well at home. I think this looks an easier race than the one Bachasson contests today, so fingers crossed he can make a winning start over fences.
Anyone bemoaning the lack of national hunt racing this week can look forward to Thurles next Thursday. There’s always good racing there on Kinloch Brae Chase day, and it provides a welcome return to midweek racing.
Interesting time ahead with new non-trier rules
There were plenty of things happening in the racing industry this week, not least the Turf Club making changes to Rule 212, which covers the area of non-triers. Nobody in racing can complain if the Turf Club is tightening up rules like that, and I wish them luck with it. It’s inevitable it will be monitored closely over the coming months, and we can just hope it proves a success, and is a positive move for the sport.
Over in Britain, the big news was that the Jockey Club is in the process of trying to sell Kempton Park. My heart would say ‘no, how can you?’, but when you look at the amount of jump racing in the UK for poor prize-money at Jockey Club racecourses, if selling Kempton means they can fund those properly, then the head says they are doing the right thing.
It’s never going to be a popular decision and, like most people, my first thoughts were that it wasn’t right. However, my head also tells me racing for a pittance is not right either, and if Jockey Club racecourses are going to properly fund national hunt races at their other tracks, then it is a positive.
