Xenophon set to dazzle on jumps debut
On Sunday, at Navan, he is set to make his debut over fences in the Kevin McManus Bookmakers’ EBF Novice ’Chase.
What makes Xenophon so interesting is that this will only be the seventh race of his life, despite the fact he will be an eight-year-old in about three weeks time.
Of course, he has already taken high order in the ante-post market for Cheltenham’s SunAlliance Novices ’Chase, without jumping a fence in public.
He has been given real kid-glove treatment by his canny handler, racing once as a five-year-old and just five times afterwards.
Xenophon ran only three times in all last season. But he more than paid his way, landing two of the biggest handicap hurdles in the game and making quite dramatic improvement.
He began his campaign off a mark of 107 at Punchestown on November 2, finishing a length and a half second to Cloone River.
The handicapper duly pushed him up 3lbs and he reappeared in the middle of January, when aimed at the 28-runner Pierse Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Partnered by Mick Fitzgerald for the first time, Xenophon produced a tremendous turn of foot in the closing stages to score going away by two lengths.
We didn’t see him again for a full two months, not until the Cheltenham Festival and the Coral Cup.
Stepping up five furlongs in trip, and on faster ground, Xenophon was a massive gamble, going off the 4-1 favourite in another hugely competitive 27-runner affair.
He did the business in brilliant style, powering clear up the hill to beat Samon by three and a half lengths.
Xenophon ended his time over hurdles on a mark of 142, a massive 35lbs, or two and a half stone, above his initial rating.
He has done plenty schooling in preparation for Navan and, indeed, Mick Fitzgerald teamed up with him after racing at Punchestown last Sunday.
A possible star of the future at this game? Sunday will tell us plenty, particularly as it is a winners of two.
