De Bromhead lightens the Load
It was at this meeting in 2007 when Sizing Europe laid down a Champion Hurdle marker in the colours of Alan and Ann Potts and it was their green and yellow silks which stole the feature on day one of the Open meeting.
There was no appreciable pace in the extended two-mile event and Loosen My Load benefited from being up in the vanguard to slip the field off the bend and hold the late, rallying charge of Cheltenham Bumper second and fellow Irish raider Some Present.
Sizing Europe went on to claim the 2008 Irish Champion Hurdle, and Coral gave the 5-2 winner a 25-1 quote to also progress to a higher level in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle next March.
De Bromhead said: “I think this horse could be as good as Sizing Europe and at this stage I would say he is probably better.
“He has stacks of stamina and could be anything – he’s a machine.
“We are thinking about the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for him next March but he will probably have a break now as he’s been on the go for a long time.”
Spot Thedifference provided Enda Bolger with four consecutive Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase wins between 2004 and 2007 and after a rare blip 12 months ago Garde Champetre returned the cross-country master’s name to the score board.
The JP McManus-owned 4-6 favourite was given a typically patient ride by Nina Carberry and overhauled stablemate Heads Onthe Ground over the final obstacle to lead home a Bolger one-two.
Cashmans quote the 10-year-old as their 3-1 favourite to defend his crown and earn a third win in the equivalent race at the Festival.
Bolger said: “Spot won seven times around here and that’s this fellow’s fourth.
“Nina is the key to him. Heads did us proud too and he could come back for the race here at the December meeting with L’Ami. I don’t know if Garde Champetre would run there under top-weight.”
