Saluting worth noting next time
Chaperoned got Leopardstown off to a good start when running so well to finish fourth in the Juvenile Hurdle. I probably gave Robert the wrong instructions and she should have been ridden closer to the pace. I’m not saying she’d have won but the way she flew home she might have been second or third at worst.
She has come out of the race well so we’re going to run her in the Grade 2 mares’ four-year-old hurdle in Fairyhouse on Wednesday. She probably lacks a gear and might still be a bit weak but she finishes her races very well and would have to have a very good chance.
I was a little bit worried about Bostons Angel dropping back two furlongs in the Dr PJ Moriarty Chase but it was the obvious progression for him having already won a Grade 1. He jumped super and is so tough. He actually got headed by Magnanimity about a half a length coming to the last but battled back brilliantly. When he got his head back up again he idled a bit and we thought the line was never going to come. He’s never going to win a lot, always just doing enough. That gives connections heart attacks but he finishes with his nose in front and that tells you all about his heart and this toughness.
He’ll run in the RSA Chase now at Cheltenham. I would say he’s a good price at 16/1 and that he’d be going there with a good each way chance. They might go a bit quick for him at the start but he will see out every inch of it and be going strong at the end up the hill.
An hour later, Oscars Well had a much easier time in winning the Deloitte Novice Hurdle. He was absolutely brilliant. I couldn’t believe how well he was going turning in. Before the second last, Robert actually took a pull. Then when he took him out wide coming into the straight, he was almost looking disdainfully at the rest of them scrubbing along.
Once again, the drop back two furlongs was a little concern but he has a high cruising speed. He stays so well though and has won over two and a half miles so the 2m 5fs for the Neptune Investments Hurdle at Cheltenham should really suit.
Those two wouldn’t have had a saddle on them now for the last week as the preparations for Cheltenham build up. In fact none of the horses that ran last weekend would have, apart from Chaperoned as she runs during the week. She will work as normal.
But the rest won’t be ridden until Monday and then they’ll do some cantering. Oscars Well will have one piece of proper work before Cheltenham while Bostons Angel will have two. It’s all about trying to keep them in form.
Saluting ran well in a messy bumper where they didn’t go a good gallop. Hopefully he’ll come on well for that experience. He’s an exciting one and should win his bumper next time before going hurdling. Saludos delighted us in winning the Flyingbolt at Navan. Considering it was only three weeks after he had burst and scoped dirty, it says a lot for having good medication and the proper veterinary care.
I had said after he fell at the last in the Grade 1 at Leopardstown at Christmas that he would have taken beating because he isn’t afraid of a fight and he proved that on Sunday when he was there to be shot at but battled on all the way to the line. There’s not really a whole lot out there for him now for the rest of the year. It will depend a bit on the ground but we’ve no decision made yet.
We took The Bull Hayes out of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Chaperoned out of the Triumph Hurdle but two more that might go in handicaps are Roberto Goldback and Chasing Cars, both of which take their chances in the Red Mills Chase today at Gowran.
This is Roberto’s chance. He’s been very consistent this year, with two seconds and a third. We’re meeting Follow The Plan on level terms this time instead of conceding weight and while you’d have to respect Scotsirish as well, we’d have to be very hopeful.
Chasing Cars is a very talented horse as he showed when winning at Punchestown last April but he’s also very delicate and has had his share of problems, which is why he hasn’t won since. The main thing is to get a run into him but if all goes well both of them will go to Cheltenham.
The Red Mills Hurdle has cut up terribly with just three runners so Gimli’s Rock can just gallop around and collect some prize money! It will be run fairly predictably with Luska Lad making the pace, Gimli’s second and Dunguib in third. Gimli’s has beaten a below-par Luska Lad before and you don’t know if Dunguib will be at his best so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Finally, we’re continuing to embrace the modern world and jessicaharringtonracing.com is now on Facebook where people can like or dislike me or whatever they do on it.
There’ll be updates and information from the yard as well as photos including one of Anna and Natasha learning to use our new industrial sewing machine so we can repair our own horse rugs.
