De Bromhead optimistic about unbeaten Mister Pessimistic

“I couldn’t not buy him when I heard what he was called."

Fri, 12 Dec, 2025 - 06:16

Tommy Lyons

Henry de Bromhead has a long-stated rule that he seeks, with moderate exception, to keep his horses away from deep ground, and thus Leopardstown, which he likens to Thurles in its ability to produce good going, fits in nicely when he plans the season for his equine stars.

Former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Slade Steel and Liverpool Hurdle winner Hiddenvalley Lake are likely to turn up at the Christmas meeting, as may Mares’ Novice Hurdle winner Air Of Entitlement, but former Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios will have to wait for his return, while the likes of The Big Westerner has an option to head to Limerick.

Amongst the less-exposed members of the team, there are options aplenty, and one which came in for special mention was the thus-far unbeaten Mister Pessimistic.

“Sean Doyle trained him as a point to pointer, and he must have had me in mind to buy him,” joked de Bromhead. “I couldn’t not buy him when I heard what he was called.

“He’s a nice young horse who has done very little wrong. He won his bumper in Listowel and then won his maiden hurdle in Cork, and everything behind him has won since.

“We backed off him then. It’s quite hard after you’ve won your maiden in Ireland as you’re straight into these graded novices. It was either go to the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse or go here at Christmas. I think he might have a preference for nicer ground, and the two places you usually get that is Thurles and Leopardstown.

“It’s a good race, but he’s a good horse. We were going to stay in bumpers this year but he jumps so well, we decided to go hurdling.”

July Flower had plenty of experience in France before joining de Bromhead but her fledgling chasing career has begun in great fashion, with wins in Limerick and Cheltenham, and she could be another star in the making.

“She’ll run in the two-mile Grade One novice that was gone last year but is back now,” said de Bromhead. “She won well in Limerick, and we then went to Cheltenham for the Arkle trial, and she was good there. She’s a mare we like a lot, and has done little wrong over fences.”

Looking at some of the other talent which fits into the ‘unexposed’ category, he revealed: “Koktail Divin will run in the two-five beginners’ chase. I thought he ran well in Punchestown, but I’d say three miles and the heavy ground probably caught him out.

“I was probably leaning towards the two-and-a-half-mile novice handicap with Walks In June, but he’s also in the two-mile. I’ll see what way the ground is. He wasn’t right after Navan, he had a dirty scope.

“Another nice horse is Ace Brannigan, who beat (subsequent listed handicap hurdle winner) Letos at Tipperary. He’ll go for one of those as well.

“Mossy Fen Park will go for the Paddy Power. We probably dropped back in trip a little too much in Cork on good ground, a fast track and two and a half miles. He’s a real three-miler, and he beat a good horse (subsequent Grade Two winner Oscars Brother) in Listowel. He’s a good horse off a nice mark.”

Gomez Adams, who had quite a reputation before making a winning debut, is an exciting recruit to the team.

“He’ll go for the winners’ bumper. He looks a nice horse who won a bumper for Andy Slattery at the Galway Festival - that form looks strong, and he seemed smart then. He works nicely and he’ll be aimed at Leopardstown on the final day. Some of the better spring bumpers could be on our minds after that, all being well.

“Fort Dino won’t go to Leopardstown but looks a lovely horse. He won at Auteuil, looks a nice horse, but I don’t think he’ll be ready for there.

“We have a couple of nice horses in maidens: Tim Toe and Midnight Jet could go for the four-year-olds maidens; Forty Coats might go for the five-year-olds maiden. Tim Toe won his bumper in Thurles but just didn’t jump great in heavy ground the other day in Gowran. Hopefully we’ll get better ground for him at Leopardstown. He’s a nice horse.”