The major jumps trainers are starting to send out their better horses now. Earlier this week we saw the de Bromhead trained Inthepocket win easily at Wexford, and this one should prove to be one of the best novice chasers this season. On the same card, we saw de Bromhead also send out the interesting Heart Wood to beat the talented Corbetts Cross: okay, Heart Wood was in-receipt of 15lb but this performance suggests he could be well handicapped.
There are a couple of meetings in England today at Wetherby and Uttoxeter, but there’s nothing much of note, except the reappearance of the Dan Skelton trained Midnight River in the Class 2 handicap chase at Wetherby. This is a race worth noting as it’s been won by some decent types in the past, and this extended 2m3f trip is an odd-one.
The meeting in Ireland at Down Royal should be on your radar. the opening maiden hurdle at 12:25pm has been won by trainer Gordon Elliott in 8 of the last 9 years, and by decent horses too, so I’m expecting his entry The Yellow Clay to be top-drawer this season amongst novice hurdlers. The Grade 3 Mares Novice Hurdle at 1:30pm should also be noted, especially the performance of the well-related Mystical Goddess.
It’s the later races on the card that catch my eye; the Grade 3 hurdle at 2:05pm looks a cracker and should be very informative. Brighterdaysahead (Elliott) did nothing wrong last season, but her form doesn’t look as good as Daddy Long Legs (Mullins) who has won 3 of his last 5 races. He missed the break and was left at the start of the Galway Hurdle (for which he started the fav), and looked in need of the run on 4th July when coming off a 10-week break. Then at 3:15pm we have a beginners chase over 2m4f which sees the chase debut of top-class novice hurdler Firefox (Elliott). His eventual target (if fulfilling his potential) will probably be the 3-mile “Broadway” novice chase at Cheltenham in March.
More tomorrow.