War Of Attrition the real deal
He was simply brilliant when winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and then returned to Ireland to score in smooth style at Punchestown in April.
It was, however, disconcerting to note that he showed a mild tendency to jump to his left at Punchestown.
No matter how talented a horse is you don’t really want to see that. Justified, for instance, has shifted left, much more pronounced than War Of Attrition of course, relatively recently and you have to wonder if it might prevent this high-class gelding from fulfilling his massive potential.
But War Of Attrition was dead straight on his latest appearance and reminded one of Best Mate, he simply looked the real deal.
Speaking to Conor O’Dwyer and Mouse Morris, separately, at Clonmel on Sunday, they were a bit like a pair of kids left loose in a sweet shop.
O’Dwyer has been around a long time and believed in War Of Attrition way before the Festival in March. Mention the horse to him now and he just lights up.
Mouse knows this fellow is special and admitted that his greatest fear is just to keep him sound.
You’d imagine he’s the first one he looks at every morning, he will have to do that for the next five months or so, and that’s what you call pressure.
War Of Attrition is now about a 7-2 shot for the Gold Cup, but there’s no way that is any way tempting.
So much can go wrong and why wait for so long for a possible pay-day when you can find a quicker fix at Thurles today.
The Gold Cup will take care of itself in time, but if War Of Attrition arrives fit and healthy then I doubt too many of us will be opposing him!
*GREAT display at Punchestown as well by Noel Meade's Mattock Ranger and he certainly looks to have a bright future.
He won a two and a half mile novice chase on his first run over fences and on his initial outing of the campaign.
Mattock Ranger jumped for fun and galloped relentlessly in the closing stages in what was only the seventh race of his life.
The contest was over two and a half miles and the way he powered away from the final fence gave every indication he will stay three miles and further.
Tom Taaffe’s Glenfinn Captain produced a sparkling effort first time over fences at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
If Mattock Ranger is all about staying power, then Glenfinn Captain is about speed. He was a useful novice hurdler, but promises to be far better at this game.
The Fairyhouse race, Glenfinn Captain aside, was notable for something else, though. Let’s just say that you had suspicions a number of horses were having what could be best described as an “educational” pop.
*SHORTLY before the bumper at Clonmel on Sunday, Austin Leahy arrived into the betting ring.
He is by no means a punter and, indeed, it was a rare visit by the man. He glanced at the bookmakers’ boards and noted that a couple of them were offering 33-1 Humber Valley, which he trains.
In hindsight it was an astonishing price about a mare who had been beaten a head in her previous race at Tipperary.
Many layers now seem to believe implicity in the exchanges and, presumably, Humber Valley was an even bigger price with them.
Glancing around, Leahy, in his oh so quiet manner, was moved to mutter the immortal words: “whatever anyone thinks of my horse, 33-1 is an insult.” And then he was gone.
A little over five minutes later, Humber Valley crossed the line nine lengths clear of the second. What a wonderful world.
