Jezki seeking Ryanair revenge
Having come out on top in their previous two clashes, including the Champion Hurdle in Cheltenham last March, Harrington’s stable star had to give best to the Grade 1-winning world record holder in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last month.
It was a seasonal reappearance for both horses with the ultimate target being a return to Cheltenham, via two trips to Leopardstown for the Ryanair Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle.
“I’m delighted with him” said Harrington of her six-time Grade 1 victory yesterday. “It’s 3-2 to Hurricane Fly at the moment and hopefully at Christmas Jezki will make it 3-all. I’m looking forward to it. He seems to be in good form. He came out of the Punchestown race very well.
“You’re always initially disappointed when they’re beaten. You come out of the stand thinking ‘I didn’t do this’, ‘I didn’t do that’ but he came back in one piece and that’s the main thing. He ran a good race.
“He was beaten by a top-class horse. I’d be much more worried if he’d been beaten by the mare (Little King Robin). Then you would have gone back to the drawing board. He’s showed he’s back up in good form, probably not 100% and I was delighted with him.
“When you have horses as good as him, the plan is very easy. We just hope we manage to get him to each race in good form.”
Harrington was also very pleased with Jetson’s second in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle on Sunday on his first run of the season.
“After he won the Grade 1 at Punchestown last year there was only way to go with him. He’s a small horse so he’s not going to carry big weights on handicaps.
“He hasn’t run over two and a half miles in a long while; he finds it a bit short. So I was delighted with him (on Sunday).
“He’ll go three miles at Christmas. I’m not saying he’s going to win another Grade 1 but he’ll be there or thereabouts. He’s earned a lot of money and is a great little servant.”
Harrington hosted the racing media at her Commonstown Stud yard yesterday as Leopardstown announced the entries for their seven Grade 1 contests over the Christmas festival.
As well as the potential clash between Jezki and Hurricane Fly, who have won the last two Champion Hurdles, there is the possibility of the last two Gold Cup heroes, Lord Windermere and Bobs Worth crossing swords in the Lexus Chase.
Exciting youngsters Nichols Canyon, Shaneshill and Free Expression head the entries for the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle, while Vautour, Valseur Lido, The Tullow Tank and Shanahan’s Turn top the list in the Topaz Novice Chase.
With a prize fund in excess of €1m, there is a strong overseas presence apart from the Bobs Worth. Champion stayer More Of That, who is owned by JP McManus and trained by Jonjo O’Neill, is one who could line out against Jetson in the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle.
