More to come from promising Beir Bua
I am very happy with those three at the moment and that is certainly a weekend to look forward to but there is too much happening between now and then to be getting preoccupied about it. Bible Belt is hopefully going to run in Ascot next Saturday in the fillies’ race on Champions Day and that will definitely be exciting.
Dragon Pulse could well be supplemented for the Racing Post Trophy in Doncaster but that will depend on the ground. He wouldn’t want it fast, which is what it is in Newmarket. That’s why he’s not going for the Dewhurst Stakes today.
It will be interesting to see how Power goes given how little there was between him and Dragon Pulse in the National Stakes. He obviously goes there with a very good chance but I must concede that I wouldn’t know a whole lot about the English horses so I’ll have a better idea of where we stand afterwards.
Of the few horses that ran in the past week, we had three seconds and most of them ran well. We had four runners in Tipperary on Sunday, with The Bull Hayes and Gimli’s Rock finishing behind The Real Article. I thought The Bull Hayes ran out of his skin and he will be taking a mini-break now before coming back before Christmas.
It might sound strange, but I was delighted to find out this week that Gimli’s Rock would need a wind operation. The fact is, I was scratching my head trying to work out why he hadn’t run well the last two times. Now we know and we can look forward with optimism again. It’s a straightforward procedure and he won’t miss too much work.
Bullock Harbour didn’t like the ground so I wouldn’t read anything into that run, and I was thrilled with Maller Tree finishing second in a very strong bumper. He stayed on really well and reversed the form with Saint Gervais. He’s also going on a mini-break before coming back for a run over hurdles in Christmas or the New Year.
That was it until Navan on Wednesday, when Chaperoned ran a cracker to be second behind Hidden Universe in a two-mile maiden. She will probably run in the graded hurdle at Punchestown next week. I was very pleased as well with Violet Lashes’s second behind Aidan’s Kissed in the 2-y-o fillies maiden. She was seven and a half lengths clear of the third so it was a good run. In the same race, Posh Frock was too long in the stalls and went asleep so she’ll have another run before the season is out. Violet Lashes is finished for the year though.
I was pleased with Heroic Endeavour in the 2-y-o colts maiden for his first run. He will improve for that and we’ll see him out again in the next couple of weeks. Queen Myrine stopped like she was shot in the 3-y-o maiden and we are still in the dark as to why that happened.
On Thursday, the ground would have been too soft for Native Palm at Tramore but he ran a grand race to be second in the novice chase. He is heading off home for the winter now and hopefully he’ll be a nice handicap chaser next year when he gets the good ground.
Meitheamh should run a good race at Fairyhouse today, coming off two thirds in the last month. She is a bit difficult to ride but has been consistent of late which is a good sign. This could be a reasonable opportunity for her.
Kate is going to ride Thirteen Up in the two and a half mile maiden hurdle. It is her first ride over hurdles and it is something she wants to do more regularly now. So I will be looking on even more nervously than usual.
Magical Memoir will only run in Limerick tomorrow if the ground is in any way suitable. Good to yielding would do but she won’t go in soft. I’m hoping What An Article will jump around in the beginners’ chase.
Beir Bua probably represents our best opportunity of a winner over the weekend in the handicap hurdle. He has a seven pounds penalty for his win in Listowel but I am very happy with him. I believe that there is more to come from him and hope that we will see it tomorrow.
Absolute Crackers is having a pop at listed company in the Curragh. It might be a bit of an ask, but she’s probably entitled to run after a great run when second in Fairyhouse last time. She’s really tough, will stay the mile well and as it was soft in Fairyhouse, will handle the ground. The reason Sister Rocks is running in the same race is that she is not EBF qualified and I just need to get a run into her at this stage of the season. She’s actually a nice filly but I don’t know if she will handle the ground.
