We need some stars to begin emerging over fences
That’s the day when the three Grade 1’s take place at Fairyhouse, the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, the Drinmore Novice Chase and the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.
We will certainly be placing much emphasis on the Drinmore, because we really do need some stars to begin emerging over fences.
Glance at the betting for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and it is immediately apparent that only War Of Attrition offers any hope as far as Ireland is concerned.
How times have changed, and so dramatically to boot, considering that two years ago War Of Attrition led home a 1-2-3 for us in the Gold Cup.
But there’s always light at the end of a dark tunnel and right now it centres very much on what we hope may well be an exceptional bunch of novice chasers.
That is based on the fact Irish horses filled the first four places in the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Fiveforthree led home Venalmar, Trafford Lad and Forpadydeplasterer. Fiveforthree has yet to be seen this campaign, while we know Venalmar is out for the season.
But Trafford Lad and Forpadydeplaster both went in at the first time of asking over fences, although neither could be regarded as overly impressive.
It would be quite wrong, though, to be making any rash judgements about the pair and, come the end of this month, we are likely to see horses who are leaner and meaner.
Both are said to be on schedule for the Drinmore, as is Tranquil Sea, another star novice hurdler, who made a fine debut over fences at Cork on Sunday.
We really need one of this trio, or even something else, to literally take our breath away at Fairyhouse.
The game at home is crying out for a couple of superstars over fences, in the mould of a War Of Attrition or a Kicking King at their best.
That’s why the Drinmore is going to be so important. One word of warning, however. The word is that Paul Nicholls has already mapped out the race for one of his flying machines.
************
CORK had one of its best days for a long time last Sunday and the hope is this was not a one-off, rather more of a measure of what’s to come.
There were plenty who were highly sceptical of the need for a new stand, but if it helps to generate bigger attendances and create the type of atmosphere we had on Sunday then it can only be for the good of the game at the track.
This was a smashing all National Hunt card and the message was crystal clear, give the public what it wants and they may well turn up in droves.
Lethal Weapon stamped himself the best juvenile hurdler in the country right now, Alpha Ridge was awesome in the three mile novice hurdle and Tranquil Sea was as smooth as silk first time up over fences.
The National produced real controversy and there seemed to be a lot of resentment down in he betting ring after the stewards had announced their decison to demote original winner, Operation Houdini.
The fact Operation Hodini was the well-backed 4-1 favourite and lost the contest in favour of 14-1 shot Alicakdoo obviously didn’t help.
But there was only a short head in it at the line and the stewards gave the benefit of the doubt to the horse who was sinned against and, quite frankly, that should always be the case.
And if you backed Operation Houdini on course then you had to be kicking yourself it wasn’t in the offices in the morning, given all the delights of the double-result.
************
DID you, like me, pop out of the cot shortly before 4am on Tuesday morning to watch the Melbourne Cup?
It was absolutely worth it, if only to see with one’s own eyes the efforts of the three Ballydoyle horses.
Ballydoyle has got it tactically right so often this season, but the carry-on in Melbourne was mind-boggling.
The way the three of them raced like scared rabbits down the back, well clear of the rest of the field, was almost laughable.
They hadn’t a hope in hell of getting home and, hardly surprisingly, all literally withered away in the closing stages.
We all know it’s far better to die on your feet than live on your knees. But there has to be a happy medium and, you’d imagine, it’ll be a long drive back to the old sod!
