Paradis looks a National prospect for the future
But Paradis De Thaix might be the horse to take us there. He will definitely be returning to tackle the National fences in some race next year as he really took to them yesterday. In fact he seemed to love them, jumping brilliantly when finishing fifth in the Topham.
He just flattened out a little bit after the last. The rain had definitely gotten into the ground, so it might have been that it was a little softer than he would like. It might also have been that he wants further. I’m not sure really. But I was very happy with him.
Aintree, like Cheltenham, is one of those tracks that some horses take to, while others don’t. And as I said already, that is particularly the case with the National fences. Always Waining was winning the Topham for the third year in a row. He hasn’t won anything else in that period. It just goes to show that there is truth to the term ‘horses for courses’.
It seems like they’re heading for record crowds at Aintree over the three days which is remarkable. They do a great job there and are rewarded for that. The atmosphere was really good yesterday and it will most surely be better again today.
Liberating and Absolute Crackers confirmed my hopes for them by giving me a double at Cork last Saturday. It’s particularly great to get the first two-year-old out and have it win as well as she did. We will probably run her in the Marble Hill at The Curragh if the ground is good, enough and the aim is the Albany at Royal Ascot.
Absolute Crackers was entitled to win the three-year-old maiden on her two-year-old form but she did it even more easily than Liberating. She is crying out for further and will run in the Listed Salsabil Stakes at Navan at the end of the month.
I had 11 runners at Fairyhouse on Sunday and Jenari delivered when going up in distance to win a Grade 2 novice hurdle. I have been saying all along that he needed two and a half miles and he did it very well indeed because they actually slowed up and he was pushed wide. Punchestown is next on the horizon for him.
It was Tony McCoy’s second winner for us. The first was 15 years ago on a horse called Ferbert Junior at Punchestown.
Maller Tree improved a lot to be fourth in the same race. He has never been out of the first four and will go up to three miles at Punchestown.
True Character and Brave By Nature both ran well in the maiden hurdle. True Character made a very bad mistake at the second last which ended his chances but I might step him up in trip at Punchestown. Brave By Nature was much improved and will head now for a bumper at Punchestown.
Burn And Turn ran a blinder when just touched off by Shadow Eile in the Grade 2 mares’ novice hurdle. She might have gotten up had she not jumped the last too big as she just didn’t land running. Good ground is the key for her and she will run in a similar contest at Punchestown.
Jetson put up a very brave performance off a big weight to be second in the handicap. Kevin took seven pounds off and gave him a great ride but Bullock Harbour needed the run and will come on for his efforts in the same race.
On Monday Oscars Well was over the top so he is finished for the season and when he returns after the summer, he’ll go novice chasing. Steps To Freedom just couldn’t go through with it when he went to win the race as he got a bit stuck in the mud. He will only run in Punchestown if the ground is right but he’ll run on the flat during the summer.
Galzig ran really well when second to Echo Bob in a handicap hurdle at Wexford on St Patrick’s Day. That was her first run for three months and Echo Bob was third in a valuable handicap chase at Aintree on Thursday. Hopefully she’ll improve again for that run and win at Tramore tomorrow.
I have three going in Leopardstown. Sin Miedo is my first two-year-old colt to go on the track for the season. He’s a nice, big colt. He has done nothing wrong but it’s hard to know how good he is. He has worked with Liberating and worked well, so we’re hoping for the best with him.
I hope Remember Alexander runs a big race in the Guineas Trial as I think she’s trained on. She can be a bit highly strung, but I think we’re getting there with her. I’m just hoping the ground is good for Giving Orders. If she comes back to what she was this time last year she’d have a chance but she hasn’t been running as well as she should.
