INSPECTIONS and testing ground have been the story of the racing week, and Gowran for Thyestes day was no different, the feature race itself putting the emphasis on stamina with only five of the 18-strong field completing, several riders sensibly pulling up in the straight when their chance of placing had gone.

The pace may not have been as strong as it can be in races like this, plenty still in contention after four out, but the ground soon took its toll and suited Now Is The Hour who was deserving of a success in a race like this but still only shaped third best on the day.

He looks like a horse that will do better again over a marathon trip though seems unlikely to get in below the ratings band for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, winning off 141 here (and now 149) with the ceiling for that race being 145.

The runner-up Better Times Ahead, who looked the winner, went left in front at the last but seemed to idle late on and it is hard to believe stamina caught him out as he won the Porterstown on his previous start; furthermore, his trainer said he had a break after his last run so perhaps he was a little short of fitness.

Of the other placed horses, Shecouldbeanything ran a fine race in third on ground slower than she wants, in front sooner than ideal, while the fourth Answer To Kayf built on his excellent record on testing ground and might be worth upgrading on two counts.

He had an interrupted preparation for this race, missing a target at Ascot in December with a bad scope, and was the only one of the five finishers to go around the inside, that part of the track typically unfavoured at Gowran at this time of the year.

The only other finisher was Conyers Hill, who is becoming a Buywise of this generation when his tendency to hit the frame without winning, seemingly regardless of trip, while Jordans was one that shaped better than his pulled up.

His trainer voiced concerns about the going beforehand, but he travelled well for a long way before not getting home and he can do better under less taxing circumstances.

The best horse

All of this is burying the lede, however, as Spanish Harlem shaped like the best horse despite making at least three significant errors on this way around.

It was a bitter irony that each of those mistakes was worse than the one that led to his unseat at the last, but this was still a terrific effort off 150 and he is bordering on lesser graded class if figuring out his jumping. As a collective, the five Willie Mullins-trained horses jumped poorly, Captain Cody falling and the three that were pulled up, High Class Hero, Shanbally Kid and Quai De Bourbon, making mistakes.

Gavin Cromwell had his best day in months with three winners, but let’s see about the return to form, as one winner was fortunate and another was in an uncompetitive race though the third winner, The Lovely Man, is worth following.

He again showed plenty of stamina to win the staying handicap hurdle and it would be no surprise if he were able to win a valuable prize, over hurdles or fences, this season while the sixth in that race, Kasanova’s Dream, also shaped well with a view to going down in trip.

Good handicap debut

He over-raced in first-time blinkers but travelled as well as any to the second last where he made a slight mistake, and this was a good handicap debut.

Home By The Lee won the Galmoy with a gritty staying performance though that race is unlikely to have much bearing in better staying hurdles in spring, but the closing bumper likely saw a winner headed for better things in Our Trigger.

He passed the eye test and scored well on the clock, faster than both the two other races over the trip earlier on the card, even after hurdles are allowed for, and he did this while taking a wide route on ground that was chewed up.

Creuset worth adding to notebook

NAAS last Sunday was another meeting that had to survive an inspection and took place on the deep ground, the likes of Love Sign d’Aunou and Argento Boy looking most at home on it. Away from those higher profile winners, a few horses shaped well.

The opening maiden hurdle for four-year-olds looked a strong race of its type and the form could be worth following. It was won by Kai Lung, but Mon Creuset shaped best, a nasty mistake at the second last when going best ending his chance, while Moulin Labbe in fifth was also better than the form.

He made a similarly bad mistake three out which caused him to get lit up and move into the race too soon then got hampered before the second last and made another mistake at the last.

Caught the eye

Goraibhmaithagat caught the eye in the closing novice handicap chase, a graded handicap back here next month likely on his agenda, but the winner Rusheen took this with a bit in hand, his rider only asking for everything after the last, and might improve for this run, his first in 278 days.

He is starting out from a low base (up to 111 after this) and is a big chasing type that might keep improving.

PRIOR to this week, it is hard to recall a time that Leopardstown was waterlogged for jumps racing, AI telling me the last time a big National Hunt meeting was abandoned for that reason was in February 2011, the then Hennessy Gold Cup card.

Ground issues at the track have tended the other way, watering needed to bring the surface back, but DRF this weekend seems sure to take place on a testing surface which has been the norm for most of the winter though not for Leopardstown in recent years. The going will be impactful for the Grade 1 races but also for the pair of Grade 2 bumpers where a couple of potential runners could be well-suited by it.

Early fancy

It’s Only A Game is my early fancy for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and should go well in the Future Stars on Saturday, but Rojuco Mac could be his biggest danger and should relish the surface based on his last two runs. Both those races have worked out well in maiden hurdles since, Ballyfad, Raise You Up and Timesareachanging showing it in a good light, and while the bumper division has gotten a big shake-up recently with several impressive Willie Mullins-trained winners, none of them are here.

Decent record

In the Grade 2 for mares on Sunday, Royal Hillsborough may be able to go well for a yard with a decent record in the race. She has run well both times she got slow ground and shaped better than the result in her run at Leopardstown over Christmas on ground that was probably faster than ideal.

She raced up with an overly strong pace and was only caught late by a pair that came from behind, while that effort also came against males and she should enjoy reverting to her own sex here.