Gift aims to emulate Istabraq
Jonjo O’Neill’s grey is reported to be “better than ever” as he heads for the €125,000 Grade One Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers’ Hurdle.
Iris’s Gift travels on the back of victories in the bonusprint.com Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Martell Cognac Laurel Pub Company Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.
Istabraq achieved the feat in 1999.
Robert Lester, landlord of the Red Cow pub at Nantwich, Cheshire, bought Iris’s Gift out of a field for £5,000 from the horse’s locally-based breeder, former jockey Reg Crank, and the son of Gunner B has now won 11 of his 15 starts and more than £270,000 in prize money.
“I’ve just been talking to the lad who looks after him as well as Jonjo’s head lad, and Iris’s Gift is actually better than ever since Aintree. He seems to have come on again,” said Lester.
“Jonjo thinks this horse could be the best he has been involved with. He told me that of all the great horses he has been associated with, like Dawn Run and Sea Pigeon, nothing has got to him like this one.”
Native Upmanship has been supplemented at a cost of e€15,000 to take on Moscow Flyer in the Champion Chase.
There are 23 entries in the opening Kildare Hunt Club Chase, including Martell Cognac Grand National faller Takagi, while the 23 in the Grade Three Ellier Developments Novice Chase include five from Britain.
These are headed by Victor Dartnall’s Lord Sam, while the home team includes Powers Gold Cup winner Hi Cloy and Nil Desperandum.
There are huge numbers in both the Murphy International Ltd Handicap Hurdle, with 52 engaged, and the €100,000 Bewleys Hotels & EBF National Hunt Champion Bumper.
