Thurles preview: Exciting El Cairos can enhance Cheltenham claims
El Cairos and Jack Kennedy parted company at the last in Leopardstown last month. Pic: Healy Racing
The exciting, Gordon Elliott-trained novice El Cairos will be the star attraction in Thurles and, sure to be sent off at long odds-on, should enhance his Cheltenham claims.
A winning point-to-pointer, El Cairos campaigned for David Maxwell and Gary Moore in England before being snapped up for £410,000 at the Maxwell Dispersal Sale.
He won a Newbury bumper for Maxwell and Moore before finishing fifth to Bambino Fever in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and ended his season with a solid second to Baron Noir at the Punchestown festival.
El Cairos went off an 8/15 favourite for his Irish/stable/hurdling debut in a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas and, confidently handled by Jack Kennedy, he quickened impressively off the home-turn to assert.
But he slipped dramatically and fell soon after jumping the final flight, leaving Murat and Doctor Du Mesnil (turned over at odds-on in Punchestown on Monday) to fight it out.
El Cairos is prominent in the ‘Supreme Novices’ market and, on the evidence of the electric turn of foot he showed before capsizing at Leopardstown, he looks a really exciting novice.
Elliott could have aimed him at the Grade 1 novice at Leopardstown on Sunday but has opted for this much easier assignment as a means to restoring the six-year-old’s confidence.
Opposition is headed by the Willie Mullins-trained French import Roc Dino, blown away by impressive stable-companion Mighty Park on his Irish debut at Fairyhouse.
Earlier, the Pat Doyle-trained Magic Sadler, prolific in the point-to-point field, should take plenty of beating in the Racing Again February 5 Maiden Hunters Chase.
A seven-time winner between the flags, most recently when completing a hat-trick, at Tattersalls, Quakerstown and Borris House late last year, this eight-year-old bumped into a potentially smart rival in I Walked the Line at Clonmel three weeks ago.
Ridden by Emily Costello, he raced prominently before getting involved in a great duel with his conqueror, the pair picking-up all the way up the Clonmel straight and pulling twenty-five lengths clear of the rest.
Magic Sadler was beaten three lengths that day. And a reproduction of that sort of effort should see him land the spoils here.
And another to note is Sean Aherne’s top-weight King In Love in the finale, the Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle.
Successful off a 10lb. lower mark at Cork back in November, this fellow ran a cracker when a close third to The Nagger Reidy at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and stands out here.
1.25: John The DivaÂ
1.55: Magic Sadler (Nap)Â
2.25: Dawn ComingÂ
2.55: El CairosÂ
3.25: Where Are You NowÂ
3.55: EliodamÂ
4.25: King In Love (n.b.)Â
1.25: Hello JackÂ
1.55: Gale Force Jet
2.25: Charme De FaustÂ
2.55: Roc DinoÂ
3.25: Jay Pee MÂ
3.55: Blow Wind BlowÂ
4.25: Pookie Holler
