JER’S Girl really put Gavin Cromwell on the map last year. She showed plenty of promise in juvenile hurdles last season and ran very creditably in graded races behind such horses as Apple’s Jade but she thrust Cromwell into the spotlight after she won a couple of Grade 1s (in the space of four weeks) at the Fairyhouse and Punchestown Festivals respectively.
Things have since picked up noticeably for Cromwell, (trained as a farrier) who said: “Last season was a bit unreal and winning your first Grade 1 at your local track - well it doesn’t get much better than that. We have a nice team of mainly young horses that will hopefully continue to run well.
“This time last year we had Jer’s Girl and she flew the flag for us for most of the winter but it is much harder for her (against the geldings) in open company this season. She has been running well but it has been a big step up for her this year. She beat some very good mares when she won her Grade 1s last year but this season she has had to take on horses which are good enough to be finishing in the money in Champion Hurdles. Whatever about five-year-old hurdlers, I’d imagine that it is that much harder for five-year-old mares.
“But she has won two Grade 1s for us and she has done us proud and in a way I suppose, she got us going. You need those good horses if you want to compete in those good races.. I honestly thought that she’d be competitive in Grade 1s, but I didn’t think that she’d go out and win one and to do so at Fairyhouse was very special. (Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Novice Hurdle Championship Final).
The OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham will be her main target this season.”
Cromwell has won some good races this season most notably the Cork National with Raz De Maree who he hopes will make the cut for the Aintree National after his fine effort chasing home Gold Cup contender Native River in the Welsh National.
He has added on some new boxes and plans to grow his operation as he needs to.
“I bought some horses on spec this year and if there was one thing that I have learnt from the likes of Gordon (Elliott) is that if a potential owner rings you about sending you a horse, it’s an advantage to have horses for sale in the yard. It’s a gamble, but that is what you have to do. Look at those lads who buy yearlings every year and have no one for them.
“They have to go out and source owners for those horses and it isn’t easy but if you don’t have horses for sale in the yard, there is a chance that potential owners will find what he/she is looking for somewhere else. So from my perspective I need horses that I am prepared to buy and then you can offer someone those horses.”
He added: “We have great owners and staff and Ger Fox and Keith Donoghue come in and ride out for me and are a great help. Brien Kane is great value for his 7lb claim (ridden out on Wednesday with his 20th winner) and he is a much improved rider over the last year or so and I would have no hesitation using him on any of the horses. He can only get better and he takes everything in and you can see him growing in confidence which is what you want to see in any young rider.
“We have some nice horses and to have horses that will hopefully run in races like the mares’ hurdle at Cheltenham and either the Irish and/or English Nationals gives everyone in the place a lift. I still do a bit of shoeing and I got a great kick out of the fact that I put the shoes on Don Cossack before he won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
“Gordon has been a friend of mine for a long time and it was great to be at Cheltenham last March. It’s unfortunate that he had to be retired, but I suppose that just emphasises how hard it is to keep the horses sound and get them to run well on a consistent basis and sometimes we tend to take that side of things for granted. Having to phone an owner with bad news remains the hardest part of the job.”
AS DE PIQUE
12yo b g (185F3-1441436)
Woods Of Windsor - Casheral
Pique Syndicate Partnership
He has been a star for us and he’ll go either for the Grand National Trial at Punchestown or there is a veterans’ chase at Limerick. I’d love to get him into the Irish National – I think a race like that would suit him.
Nice ground is important to him. He can handle soft ground but his jumping is so much better on nicer ground and hopefully he’ll get that on Easter Monday but he’ll have to win one (at least) to make the cut.
He won two for us last year and for a horse of his age, he doesn’t have a lot of racing done and hopefully he’ll be able to win another race or two. He is an out and out staying chaser and Leopardstown at Christmas was a bit sharp for him, but in saying that he was only beaten a couple of lengths in the Paddy Power.
AUNTIE CHLOE
4yo b f (087)
Papal Bull - Countess Miletrian
John M. Kennedy
She is a grand filly that came to me late last year. She has become stronger and those juvenile hurdles are hard won at this time of the year but she is a nice filly and we’ll ty her on the flat at some stage. She has had her three runs now so we’ll see what kind of mark she gets. She is owned by John Kennedy, who is from Clonakiltly, and he his wife love the game. She is a homebred as well so I’d love to get a little bracket for her.
CARA’S OSCAR
9yo b g (/1001/P1/91-)
Oscar - Distant Gale
A. T. Battersby & S. Delaney
He is a nice horse who was sent to me after Colm Murphy handed in his licence. He looked great when he arrived and he’ll be aimed at the Lenister National at Naas. He won a good race at Fairyhouse last Easter and he likes a trip and better ground. I am still getting to know him but he hasn’t a lot of racing done and he has a mark which will help him get into nice races. He is cantering away and we’ll lean a bit more about him after Naas.
CLARKS FORGE
4yo b g (0P)
Exit To Nowhere - China Doll
Pique Syndicate
He is a nice horse who will improve with racing. He has only had two runs (pulled-up at Fairyhouse). I’d like to think that he will find his own grade in handicaps.
CRISTY’S CALL
8yo ch g F (50/527080-) NH (/7001206/17-7)
Danroad - Absolute Glee
F. W. Lynch
He is a grand horse that usually pays his way well on better ground and he’ll be back on the go in the spring when the ground dries out. He will mix it on the flat and over hurdles.
ELUSIVE IVY
7yo b m F (6-) NH (241045-1B06F2)
Elusive City - Just Like Ivy
F.W. Lynch
She has developed into a good servant and she bumped into a good mare of Joseph’s (O’Brien) when second in a beginners’ chase at Naas (Slowmotion). I have her in a handicap at Leopardstown on Sunday and she is also in a rated novice chase next week. I’d imagine that she will in run in one or the other. You’d like to think that she can win her beginners’ chase and after that, she will mix it over hurdles and fences.
She improved over hurdles and she hasn’t done a lot of racing over fences so hopefully, there is a bit of improvement to come for her over them.
EMIGRATED
4yo b g F (80/0080-) NH (008)
Fastnet Rock - Ecoutila
B & I Partnership
He has run twice over hurdles and I hope he’ll be competitive in his own grade in handicaps on better ground. He will mix it on the flat and hurdles later on this year.
HIGHLAND FLING
5yo b g F (35/37175- NH (0670)
Country Reel - High Fun
E. Hughes
I bought him at the sales last year but he has been a little disappointing over hurdles. I’d like to think that he is better than that and we’ll see how he fares in handicaps. He might prefer better ground and you’d imagine that he will do a bit of both for the summer; he won on the flat last year.
JER’S GIRL
5yo b m F (25/) NH (11251-125)
Jeremy - African Scene
John P McManus
She is in great form and I’d say she will go straight for the mares’ hurdle at Cheltenham. Two and a half miles around there should suit her and there are some nice races for her in the spring. She isn’t a big mare but she has filled out and grown stronger. She looks great and we’ll keep her ticking over and she was brilliant for us last year. There are more good races to be won with her.
ORMSKIRK
4yo gr g F (2513/604903-) NH (0667)
Hellvelyn - River Song
Richard Lynam
We got him from Richard Hannon’s last year and I like to buy horses that will develop into dual-purpose horses. He will mix it away for the summer and I’d imagine that he will appreciatebetter ground as well. He can improve on his seventh behind Adreamstillalive at Gowran Park.
PLAIN TALKING
5yo b m F (0072300/0-) NH (-3211434)
Primary - Assir
Lagan Valley Syndicate
She did very well for us last year winning three and she is back in and we’ll have her back ready to go for the spring festivals at Fairyhouse and Punchestown. She handles a good ease in the ground - she won her maiden hurdle on heavy ground last April. But she had a busy summer so we gave her a good break and I’d like to think that there is a good race to be won with her.
She has a nice mark on the flat as well so I’m planning that she’ll do a bit of both this year. She is big enough to jump a fence as well. She ran well in some good races last year so I’d say we’ll keep her over hurdles and aim her at some nice races from the spring on.
She won at Galway last year so she will probably be aimed at something there again this year. She is a nice mare and she looks great after her break.
POLITICAL POLICY
6yo b g (0528442499-87)
Bushranger - Alexander Express
F. W. Lynch
He has been a great servant and he is a regular at Dundalk. The handicapper probably has a hold of him at the moment and he has struggled a bit up there this season. I hope he’ll give him a chance as he loves the surface and I’d love him to get his head in front up there again for his owner who has been a very good supporter of mine.
PROSPECTUS
4yo b g F (68/5518-) NH (171)
Sakhee - Some Sunny Day
McAlpine Syndicate
He is a grand horse that has won two of his three starts over hurdles and he did it well when he won what looked a competitive winners’ race on Wednesday at Fairyhouse. He is beginning to look cheap now as he was bought for 20,000gns last October and he loves soft ground. He races as if he might need a bit further but Brien’s claim was very important the other day. He was very cool on him, gave him every chance and never panicked and he had a willing partner.
I am no rush to make a plan for him. I suppose he’ll have an entry in the Fred Winter, but he is more a longterm prospect. He has a nice mark on the flat as well so as long as we have a wet summer, we should have plenty of fun with him. He might run in a graded hurdle at Fairyhouse next month.
RAZ DE MAREE
12yo ch g (/842P/50-U2172)
Shaanmer - Diyala III
James J. Swan
He came to me around this time last year and he has developed into a great servant. He won the Cork National last year and he ran some race behind Native River in the Welsh National.
That run has brought him up to 145 and he would have made the cut for Aintree last year so that is very much the plan for him this year. He’ll go for the Eider Chase before Aintree. The weights will be out before that and all going well after that, he’ll go for the Grand National. He can’t go far enough and whatever the reason, he seems to be as good if not better this season. We will just keep him ticking over and he is now racing off a career high mark, but he was rated in the low 140s a few years ago. He jumps and he stays and after the season he has had, he has earned a crack at Aintree.
SCENIC STAR
7yo b g F (3522/6425-) NH (26d66132080)
Erewhon - African Scene
Joseph Kettle
He is a grand summer horse that should be competitive in his own grade on good ground and he will mix it away on the flat and over hurdles when he comes back in the spring.
SCRIPTURIENT
5yo ch g (600070)
Arakan - Kelso Magic
Monday Gang Syndicate
He has run a few okay races over hurdles and I’d imagine that he will find his own level and be competitive on better ground in the spring/summer. He jumps well and he may get a bit further in time.
SOIR DE CHANTENANY
4yo b g (41-11695)
Zanzibari - Deesse
John P. McManus
He won three claimers in France and we had to run him in graded races but he is declared to run in a handicap hurdle at Gowran Park on Thursday. (He stayed on to be a moderate fifth, never troubling the leaders.)