JESSICA HARRINGTON: Angel in flying form
Tomorrow represents a very good opportunity to get back on the glory trail in the Glenfarclas PP Hogan Memorial Chase at Punchestown. A lot of the old reliables are there, but he has taken to the cross-country scene very well, finishing second to Arabella Boy at this track before running a cracker when runner-up to Outlaw Pete at Cheltenham.
He retains all of his ability and is enthusiastic about his racing again. He is in good form after his day’s hunting last Saturday and I think he can win. Indeed, so happy am I with Bostons Angel that I entered him for the Aintree Grand National during the week. He jumps and stays really well so it is a very realistic target.
At least he should be able to handle the ground tomorrow. I didn’t even bother entering anything for Thurles or Fairyhouse because I didn’t expect them to go ahead and so Bostons is my only runner of the entire week, apart from my three on the all-weather last night.
It’s so difficult for the racetracks now and when you see Thurles falling by the wayside, you know things are bad. We live in hope though and three good dry days with a stiff wind would go a long way to sorting out the ground.
We had a bit of an up-and-down time of it last weekend. They raced on the outside track at Leopardstown, which meant we were on the same turf as was used at Christmas and it was really bottomless.
Oscars Well jumped brilliantly all the way until the final fence in the Arkle, responding well to Robert’s positivity. In fact it might have been his jumping that led to Arvika Ligeonniere hitting the deck. He did make that bad mistake at the last though and it knocked the stuffing out of him.
Had he not made that error, I wouldn’t rule out the fact that he could have won because he battled really well at Christmas. But in the ground, he got very, very tired, having done well not to fall. I haven’t decided yet if he will go to Cheltenham or we’ll wait for Fairyhouse.
The two four-year-olds, One Fine Day and Passagere, got very tired and faded quickly but Smithfield ran as I thought he would in finishing third. We knew there were a couple of highly thought of horses in the race so it was a very pleasing effort. He settled and jumped much better than before and we’ll have a lot of fun with him.
Burn And Turn just couldn’t jump out of the ground in the big handicap hurdle but she didn’t have a very hard race. Fairyhouse is the ultimate destination for her. She could run in a mares’ hurdle, a mares’ chase or a handicap hurdle. I don’t care really, I just want some good ground for her!
Citizenship ran his best race for ages. He showed all his old enthusiasm, travelling well. He actually led at the last but made a mistake.
I’m not saying he’d have won had he jumped it well but he’d have been a lot closer. He will go for either the County Hurdle or Coral Cup at Cheltenham.
Why But Why and Chino Valdes couldn’t stand the ground but Why But Why jumped brilliantly again. He will be very competitive during the summer on better ground as he really is a spectacular jumper.
Annie Oakley is the one horse I have that likes soft ground. Unfortunately there was no gallop in the mares’ hurdle and she needed someone to join her when Robert had to take it on.
She got caught for a bit of toe then but stayed on really well. I would say that was her best run yet. She’ll return to Fairyhouse and the more rain the better for her!
