January 27 – Newcastle – Le Beau Madrik – 70
It is always difficult to judge the achievements of horses when encountering bad ground but even so, there is a decent chance the data doesn’t lie when it comes to assessing Dan Skelton’s gelding. He was arguably better than he bare result suggested over the same course previously and this time he left no doubt he is an improving young novice with a display of real authority. The way he quickened away from two useful sorts point towards a horse who is firmly on the upgrade and it will be interesting to see how he is campaigned for the rest of the season. Time may tell he probably will not take up the Grade 1 engagements he holds at the Cheltenham Festival in March but the mere fact he has entries in races like the Supreme and Turner’s tells its own tale.
January 29 – Thurles – Charme De Faust – 66
As we have witnessed in the last few weeks, some of the better juveniles are beginning to make a belated appearance and this filly threw her cap in the Triumph Hurdle ring with this display on her Irish debut. The well fancied Ismahane was plenty keen early on but it meant the gallop was solid from the outset and it seem to really play into the strengths of Willie Mullins’ inmate. The way she strode clear and hit the line hard intimated she is a very strong stayer at the trip and based on her overall time figure, it was a performance of some substance. Although not quite at the top of juvenile tree, a position currently held by Proactif according to our data, this effort doesn’t put her too far off and with normal improvement a strong possibility, she is well worth noting if connections let her take her chance at Cheltenham.
January 31 – Sandown – Crackerjacque – 66
Anthony Honeyball’s inmate was on a retrieval mission after disappointing at Graded level on his previous start but dropping back down in trip worked wonders and he ran out quite an impressive winner. His overall time was very good for a race on its kind and his final circuit time, 7.4 seconds quicker than Henri The Second, also highlights his qualities. A chaser for further down the line, he remains one to keep on side. As for the runner-up, Ionian, this was much better than his slightly underwhelming performance on his UK debut at Kempton and if he can learn to settle better, he will become a useful addition to the Henderson team.
January 31 – Sandown – Sixmilebridge – 72
Unfortunately, this Grade 1 lost much of its interest when Kitzbuhel departed the scene early but that should not detract from the winner’s effort, which was again another solid one on our numbers. Fergal O’Brien’s had posted a 71 on his previous out and was definitely in with a bigger shout than the market suggested, which he went on to prove in no uncertain terms. The way he jumps with the economy of effort and travels in his races suggests he is a very deceptive to read and it would be dangerous to underestimate him for any future Graded races he attends. Of the two other finishers, Kala Conti will be better served going back into her own sex, while Miami Magic will be seen to better advantage on a quicker surface.
January 31 – Musselburgh – JPR One – 72
The best race run over the two days at the Scottish venue and unsurprisingly, it produced the fastest time figure. Joe Tizzard’s inmate, down in grade but up in trip, was ridden with utmost confidence he would stay the extra half a mile and at no point did he ever look like folding. In fact, the further he went the better he looked and this victory opens plenty more options for him in future.
February 1 – Leopardstown – Majborough – 78
One of many fascinating clashes over the course of the two-day DRF and it produced one of the most spectacular performances both on the eye and the clock. For my money, the dye was cast in this two-miler right from the start when Marine Nationale slightly missed the break and when Solness jumped across him at the first, it was pretty much game over for Barry Connell’s inmate. Although he did his best to make the best of a bad job, he was always on the back foot against a rival who was carving out tremendous fractions up front and once again, it was only his sheer tenacity that allowed him to finish second. On better ground at Cheltenham, he will offer up more of a threat.
As for the winner, we have always known he is extremely talented but his jumping has often got in the way. However, there was no sign of any of the errors that have blighted him in the past and in the first time cheekpieces, he was sweet as a nut. The sixty four thousand dollar question now is can he go and replicate the feat at Cheltenham and if you believe he will, 6-4 is the price you will have to pay to find out.
February 1 – Leopardstown – Brighterdaysahead – 77
From one stellar head-to-head to another and similar to the aforementioned chase, the form was turned upside down from the Christmas meeting. On that occasion, Lossiemouth came out on top and most expected her to confirm placings but Gordon Elliott’s inmate had her own ideas. Ridden positively to track El Fabiolo, she looked happier in the conditions from some way out and once hitting the front after two out, she was always holding her old rival at bay. At this moment in time, it is probably fair to say Leopardstown is her track and her chances of landing the Champion Hurdle rest on whether she can translate the same form to a track where she has disappointed on her two previous visits. Conversely, Lossiemouth loves Cheltenham and it would be a shame if she wasn’t allowed to take her chance in the big one in favour of retaining her Mares Hurdle crown.
February 1 – Leopardstown – Bowensonfire – 70
A competitive handicap hurdle but only one horse seriously backed in the shape of I Started A Joke. Everything looked to be going smoothly for his legion of supporters heading down to the last but he came up against a very tough opponent in Gordon Elliott’s gelding and he ultimately just came up a little short. As for the winner, he once again proved his worth in a race of this nature and he continues to defy the assessor. Regarding his chances of winning the County Hurdle, there will probably be better handicapped horses than him on the day but there will be none tougher and that trait should continue to stand him in fine stead. Of the rest, Murcia got an interesting ride out wide rounding the home straight and she ran very much with a view for another day.
February 2 – Leopardstown – Fact To File – 83
An intriguing contest on paper beforehand and it produced an impressive winner in the shape of Fact To File, who bounced back to his very best in no uncertain terms.
The gallop was even from the start, and it proved a test many found too demanding with the likes of Spindleberry and Affordale Fury both pulling up before coming out of the back straight, while last year’s Gold Cup hero, Inothewayurthinkin, was so tired, he couldn’t even get over the last.
On Gavin Cromwell’s inmate, it is hard to know where connections go from here with a horse who looks a shadow of the one who strode majestically up the Cheltenham hill to Gold Cup glory. The only hope to cling onto is based on the son of Walk In The Park, just as he did last season, coming alive in the spring on better ground, but that happening is very much an ‘if’ with a capital I at this moment in time.
As for the winner, Willie Mullins’ inmate laid to rest his poor effort in the King George by turning in arguably the best performance of his career and at the same time, he proved that he does stay three miles extremely well – unlike some of his previous attempts at the trip.
His victory did, however, throw a spanner in the works regarding his ultimate Cheltenham destination as due to reasons only those closely associated with the horse can answer, he was inexplicably not even entered for the Gold Cup at the last forfeit stage.
Prior to his scintillating success at the Dublin venue, all roads seem to be going down the route of him retaining his Ryanair crown but just as connections did last year with Inothewayurthinkin, it would come as no surprise if they were to regroup and supplement him on the Saturday before the blue riband in March.
Chasing him home was stable mate Gaelic Warrior, and he did his Cheltenham credentials no harm with a performance alongside many others at the highest level. Much maligned, it is easy to forget the eight-year-old has dined at the very top table for three seasons and he hardly ever puts in a bad shift.
The only question to answer now is does he have a crack at the Gold Cup, or do connections seek the easier pickings in the Ryanair. A good deal will depend on the mindset of Rich Ricci nearer the time but surely every owner’s burning desire is to have the winner of the Gold Cup?
If the flamboyant owner was prepared to let Royal Pagaille take his chance three years in a row on ground he didn’t like, then it would be a bit of a head scratcher if his famous pink colours weren’t donned in the biggest prize of all by the son of Maxios, who has much more stronger claims for glory.
On to Galopin Des Champs and it is probably fair to say we might have seen the best of the dual Gold Cup winner based on the evidence here and over the last year or so. By no means was this a poor effort from Willie Mullins’ star, far from it, but he has such a good record at the Dublin-based venue bigger things were expected after his encouraging seasonal bow and surely now he will head to Cheltenham only in hope of regaining his crown rather than with any great confidence.