NOEL MEADE
ROAD TO RICHES
8yo b g (2121133-)
Gamut – Bellora
Gigginstown House Stud
He’ll go to Down Royal in a fortnight’s time (for the JNwine.com Champion Chase). He won it last year, but he had been in and out of training throughout last year, so I just hope that I have him fit enough. Bryan sat on him last week and said that he felt super and strong. The ground has been so quick that it has been hard to get fast work into the horses on the grass and he is just doing half-speeds at the minute. He seems in great shape and all is good with him.
He ran a hell of a race at Cheltenham last year. This year he probably has to improve to win a Gold Cup but, at the same time he might. He is young enough to do so and he looks a contender.
APACHE STRONGHOLD
7yo b g (212212F3-)
Milan – First Battle
Mrs Patricia Hunt
I’d say he’ll go for the second season novice chase at Down Royal (on October 31st). He has run some great races over fences and he seems in good shape. He won a Grade 1 last season and I think, since he won his novice chase, all his runs over fences have been in Grade 1s. It is hard to know if he really gets three miles. He won his Grade 1 last year over two miles and five, but I think he probably does (get that trip). He looks great and I’d like to work them on the grass, but we haven’t been able to do so as the ground is too quick.
WOUNDED WARRIOR
6yo b g (F2213132-)
Shantou – Sparkling Sword
Gigginstown House Stud
He is in the big race at Down Royal (on October 31st) and he will also have an entry in the second season chase on the same day. We’ll see how things go, but more than likely he will start off that weekend. The second season race is over two and a half miles and that is probably a bit short for him. I’ve always loved this horse. He is a very big, leggy horse and, as he fills into his frame, I think he’ll improve and he could be a better horse this year.
STUART CRAWFORD
FINE RIGHTLY
7yo b g (2211-)
Alflora - Bealtaine
Miss Patricia Duffin
He looks great and he is back in after a good break, but he is a bit off a run as he wants real winter ground. I am excited him by and I think there is a lot to come from him. He did well for us last year, but I think he will improve again and we’ll see. He might start off in something like the Troytown without a run beforehand. He is a three-miler and will start off in a good handicap somewhere. I’d be hopeful that he will continue to progress and ultimately I’d love to think that he could be better than a handicapper.
MAN WITH VAN
9yo b g (3U42P6-)
Milan - Delibonne
Jetmac Syndicate
He was second in the Ulster National last year, but he has strengthened up for his break and he is ready to start. He seems to handle most types of ground but I am not sure if he’ll handle it really heavy. The Welsh National is a race that I am looking at for him. He just took a few runs to come right last season, but he looks great and, like everyone else I suppose, I am just waiting for the rain to arrive to get him started.
CARNDUFF
6yo b g (2/4-)
Heron Island – Ellens Park
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede)
I think he has a lot of ability but he has had a problem that has restricted us a fair bit. He has just had no luck at all. We’ll get him going over hurdles now and, if I could get a clear run with him, he still has the potential to be a very good horse.
PAUL NOLAN
DEFY LOGIC
8yo ch g (/1215/)
Flemensfirth – Osiery Girl
J.P. McManus
He has come back into training after a season off and looks great. He was given plenty of time and we are very pleased with him and hopefully it won’t be too long before we see him back racing. I have to speak to Frank (Berry) and J.P. (McManus) about plans, but his pedigree suggests that he will get further than two miles. He wants proper winter ground, so he won’t be running anytime soon. He was a very good horse before his injury and we’ll take it nice and steady with him. It is just great to have a horse like him back with us.
FINE ARTICLE
6yo b g (4231222-)
Definite Article – Finemar Lady
Mrs K. Browne
He looks great after a good break and will be going novice chasing. He won over hurdles for us last year and I’d like to think that he will develop into a better horse over fences. He came up short a few times over hurdles, but we think he has gotten much stronger and he has the scope to go and develop into a good novice chaser. He won’t run until we get soft ground and hopefully he’ll enjoy a good campaign over fences.
FINE THEATRE
5yo b g (015-)
King’s Theatre – Finemar Lady
Mrs K. Browne
He won his maiden hurdle for us last season at Fairyhouse but he got very, very weak after that and went light. He has had a good break and he looks much better in himself and appears to have gotten good and strong. We had the option of sending him over fences but he hasn’t a lot of racing done, so we’ll keep him over hurdles for the time being. I think there is more to come from him once we get a nice drop of rain.
TOM MULLINS
GRAND PARTNER
6yo b g (4861P-5)
Millenary – Bens Partner
Mrs H. Mullins
He looks in good shape and will go novice chasing around Christmas time. He ended up being a good horse over hurdles (rated 130) and, assuming he takes to that game, he could develop into a better chaser. I’d like to think that he might be a Grade 2 horse over fences.
SIR SCORPION
6yo b g (09611-)
Scorpion – Lady Goldilocks
J.P. McManus
He did well for us last year, but he had a little hiccup there a while ago, so he won’t be out until around Christmas time. I’d imagine that he will remain over hurdles and I hope there is more to come from him.
PRINCELY CONN
6yo b g (133200-)
Whitmore’s Conn – High Priestess
J.P. McManus
He will start back sometime next month. He has done well over the summer and looks great. I’d imagine that he will have another season over hurdles and I had the good handicap hurdle at Down Royal in mind for him for him, but that may come too soon for him. He is nice horse and I’d like to think there is a good race to be won with him over hurdles this season.
EDWARD O’GRADY
KITTEN ROCK
5yo b g (411116-)
Laverock – The Cat Eater
J.P. McManus
He has summered very well and I am delighted with him. The plan is that he’ll be going novice chasing but we need the rain to arrive before I can start looking at races for him. I can’t imagine that there are that many 160-rated hurdlers going chasing. He looks an exciting prospect that I hope that he will develop into a very good novice chaser.
LIZ DOYLE
KAUTO GRAND MOGOL
7yo b g (214184-)
Priolo – Kauto Relka
Delamere/McCorkell/Catherwood
He ran a really good race at Cheltenham but he had a wind op before he ran there so he missed some work and, after the second last, he just got tired. But he still ran with plenty of credit and he’ll be back racing sometime in November. He looks great and all is good with him. I think he had a couple of little issues last season, but he seems to be over them now and there might still be a good race in him over hurdles. If it looks as if he has reached his limit over hurdles, we can then go novice chasing.
LAST GOODBYE
4yo b g (81)
Millenary – Welsh Ana
Exors F.W. Doyle
The Land Rover at Punchestown just came a bit too soon for him and then he did what I thought he’d do when he won his bumper at Roscommon. He could go for a winners’ bumper and I’d love to sell him to keep him in the yard as he is a horse that I have always liked a lot. He has won a couple of schooling hurdles already and he jumps super so he has a couple of options. He is better than your average summer bumper winner and he has the potential to make into a very nice horse.
ANDY LYNCH
ZABANA
6yo ch g (03123-)
Halling – Gandia
C. Jones
He did very well for us last season, finishing second in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham and then placing third in a Grade 1 behind Jezki and Hurricane Fly at Punchestown. I have always thought he would be better over fences and that is the plan this season. However, he had a little setback not long after he came back in, so we are a bit behind where we’d like to be with him. Hopefully he’ll start off in a novie chase around Christmas time. Two and a half miles-plus will be fine for him and he seems to handle any ground. I’d like to think that those better staying chases in the spring will be there for him.