FACTFILE
Trainer: Jim Dreaper
Address: Greenogue, Kilsallaghan, Co Meath.
Telephone: 01 8350187 or 087 6875755
Numbers: 40
Jockeys: Johnny Burke rides for the Potts. Andrew Lynch and Keith Donoghue do a lot of the schooling and between the three of them, we are well catered for. Jamie Codd rides when available in point-to-points and Stevie Clements comes in a day a week and he rides plenty for us as well.
JIM Dreaper heads to Aintree today with the talented Goonyella who should, with any degree of luck, acquit himself well over the national fences in the Becher Chase.
Assuming he does, the seven-year-old looks a readymade Aintree National contender and with stamina very much his forte, added to the fact that he seems to handle a variety of surfaces, he ticks plenty of boxes.
I caught up with Jim’s son Tom this week who went through their horses for the season and the phrase ‘national type’ was referred to more than once. “We have 40 riding out, but most of them are three and four year olds and a lot of them will start off in point-to-points next spring. We are full and there isn’t a spare stable in the place and we’re very happy with what we have,” he stated.
“We tend to give the horses plenty of time and that has long been the policy here. It has worked well for us in the past, but the fact is that we have owners who really understand the game and they let us get on with the job.
“Our horses have a world of schooling done before they ever run, but if they are sharp enough, they will start off in a bumper. Most of ours are slow maturing horses that are bought as potential chasers, so that is why we prefer to get them going in point-to-points as they get a good education and have a good experience and that is vital for a young horse,” he added.
CAMILLAS WISH
6yo b m (572802P)
Presenting - Take Ine
Mrs L. Skelly
She is owned by a great person who loves racing. She has won her point and she ran well when second on her penultimate start at Sedgefield in October. She should have a day in her own grade.
CAVITE BETA
9yo ch g (2254/2121-)
Old Vic - Kinnegads Pride
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He missed the guts of last season, but he is back in work and he is one that we will aim at one of the better handicaps next spring. It will be the new year before we get him going, but he has been very consistent and is one that I hope will reward our patience.
GOONYELLA
8yo b g (2U7312-3)
Presenting - Miss Fresher
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He had a smashing season last year and in a way he ended up being a victim of his own success and is now rated 150. Over three miles he mightn’t be a real 150 horse, and we saw last year at Ayr that the further he goes the better he is.
He’ll run at Aintree on Saturday in the Becher Chase and he’ll be entered in all the Nationals this season. We’ll see how he takes to the National fences on Saturday, but at the minute we are leaning towards aiming him at Liverpool.
Ayr was his best run and I was there that day and each time round at the last fence, he was technically off the bridle. But yet he was going stronger than anything else at the finish. We have had this race in mind for him since the spring and he had a nice hurdle run a few weeks ago and the form of that race is working out alright.
He ran as well as we expected him to at Cork and that race has left him spot on. He isn’t in the Welsh National or the Paddy Power, but we might look at the Thyestes after Christmas. Willie tends to run a good horse in that and we might get into that with a reasonable weight.
We’ll be working back from Aintree, but he will have entries at Fairyhouse and Ayr as well. It has been the kind of ‘done thing’ that after Christmas, those National horses have a run or two over hurdles, but we’ve decided to keep him over fences for the season. His mark is what it is and we don’t need to protect it.
KAYF SUPREME
6yo b g (27/2211F-53)
Kayf Tara - Sonnet Supreme
Alan Potts
He won two points last season and we think he is a fair horse. But he was very raw and gangly and even though he was winning, he was working hard within himself and those races were taking plenty out of him.
He ran at Downpatrick in a hunters chase, but he was very disappointing. We got him going over fences at Fairyhouse on Saturday and although he was a well beaten third, Johnny liked him a lot. He is another big horse and chasing is his game. He lacks experience as he never ran over hurdles.
We will tip away with him and he will find his own level. He is another that we would like to think might develop into a good staying chaser. He wouldn’t like it too fast or heavy, but anywhere in between will be fine for him.
MR COSMOPOLITAN
8yo b g (1031F8-30)
Basanta - Miss Topoftheworld
Hugh W. Newell
He is a horse that promised a lot when he first began, but it has been a bit stop start with him. On his day, he has looked a good horse but after he was placed over hurdles at Sligo this summer, we had his wind done and we think that he is better than he has shown to date.
He won a beginners chase last year at Clonmel, but when he’d take one step forward, he’d take one step back. He handles winter ground and goes on most types bar good. Anywhere from two to two and half miles is fine for him. I’d like to think that he could have a good season.
NATIVE QUE
8yo b g (63/186-702)
Revoque - Tullynaskeagh Lady
Barney & Friends Syndicate
He is owned by the soundest group of lads that you’ll meet and he is a grand horse in his own grade. He was second there for us last month at Sedgefield and he stayed on well for a horse having his first run in a handicap. He wants three miles plus and I’d say the lads will have a day with him.
SAN PIETRO
7yo b g (34P8/6-41)
Poliglote - Sainte Berinne
Mrs P.J. Conway
He won a point-to-point for us last Sunday and Jamie Codd, who rode him, liked him. He will be a nice fun horse for someone and he might go to the sales, but there are a few lads showing a bit of interest in him. He had some form on the track and he should be able to pay his way under rules. There is a good bit more to come from him.
SHAKE IT UP
6yo b g (562-2P48)
Presenting - Miss Fresher
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He is a full-brother to Goonyella. He has been placed on the track and we think chasing will be his game. His form is better than he has shown to date and he is working away well. We might start him back pointing next month and then go back to the track.
SIZING CHILE
7yo b g (223/)
Flemensfirth – Smooching
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He has had a bit of leg trouble, but he was placed in three bumpers a couple of years ago. He is back tipping away and all his prep work is done and he’ll more than likely start back in points in the new year. His form is there in the book and his work has been good. If he can’t compete in those older horse maidens, he won’t be going to the track, but we do like him and he has had plenty of time as well, so he could be a nice horse for the track next year.
SIZING COAL
7yo b g (2/1273-P)
Presenting - Hollygrove Cezanne
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He was third in the Irish National last year and, like a lot of horses at that time of year, he went on and ran at Punchestown, but he ran no sort of race. He is better than that and he is from a good chasing family. He won his point and was placed over hurdles before he won his novice chase first time out at Navan. We always thought he was a National type, but Fairyhouse took an awful lot out of him so he had a good bit of time off over the summer. He started back a bit later than the rest of them, so he’ll run sometime around Christmas time and all the good staying chases are in the mix for him next year, working towards a National. The Thyestes is an option for him.
SIZING SOLUTION
7yo b g (21-5U288)
King’s Theatre - Toulon Rouge
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He has some good runs to his name and we tried him on soft ground at Galway, but he couldn’t handle it. We shouldn’t have run him that day and he then ran a reasonable race after that at Cork. Once he gets good ground, there could be a nice handicap to be won with him over two miles.
SIZING TITANIUM
7yo b g (F/104221-2)
Flemensfirth - White On Red
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He is the guts of 17.3hh. We have never put a stick to him and we have a lot of big horses in the yard, but he is the biggest horse here by some way. He is a very tall horse and the old cliché applies to him in that whatever he did over hurdles was a bonus. He won a point and it took a while for the penny to drop.
He won a maiden hurdle last season but his second to Kitten Rock over fences at Navan was his best run to date. We like him an awful lot and he’ll go for another beginners this side of Christmas. Anywhere from two to two and a half will be fine for him and he is one of the quicker horses that we have. We think he’ll handle any type of ground bar firm. We think he is well above average and it was a very encouraging run at Navan.
SIZINGUPTHEAMAZON
5yo b g (1-)
Flemensfirth - Fugal Maid
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He won a bumper for us last season at Clonmel. He is a fine, big Flemensfirth horse that had the world of schooling done, but he was still too green to start off in a point-to-point, so we let him take his chance in a bumper and it worked out well. He has grown a lot and he thrives on soft ground, but we’ll get him out soon and try and aim him at something around Christmas time. He is a real soft ground horse and isn’t one that you’d be keeping for the good ground at Punchestown in the spring. If he could win a hurdle race or two this season, we’d be happy and he won’t be over raced this season. We view him as a chaser and I’d imagine that he will be jumping fences this time next year. He shows us a nice bit of pace so two/two and a half miles should be fine for him.
VENITIEN DE MAI
6yo b g (122321-F)
Network – Meylba
Ann & Alan Potts Partnership
He runs at Clonmel on Thursday and we thought the world of him as he won his first four points. But, like a lot of French horses, he was forward and sharp and was in the right races on the day. He was a bit disappointing over hurdles, but in fairness to him, he bumped into some nice horses along the way and he eventually won his maiden hurdle. I’d like to think that he’ll be a better horse over fences. He tripped up at the last at Thurles the last day and he was going to finish in the money. He came out of that fine and his schooling since has been very good. We see him in the mould of Sizing Coal and he could develop into an Easter Monday horse. I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t improve a good bit over fences, but he needs to go out and do it.
UNRACED
3yo b g
Getaway – Line Jade
Elaine and Declan O’ Farrell
He shows us a nice bit and while we wouldn’t be mad about four-year-old bumpers, he has come to hand quickly. He is a sharp type, but he is a big horse so as long as he keeps going the way he is, he could start off somewhere early next year.
3yo b f
Presenting – Dino’s Monkey
Dreaper Racing
Her half-brother Lisheen Prince won a point last season and has since joined Philip Hobbs. She is a nice filly and will start off in a point-to-point. She is a big girl, but is forward enough and her work at home is good. I’d say she’ll go for a point around January/February time.
4yo b g
Putra Pekan – Delheim
Martin Hoste
He goes very well and his brother won a point for us before he was sold to go to England. I’d be disappointed if he didn’t make into something and he’ll start off in a point around January time.
3yo b f
Presenting - Diva Antonia
Ms A. Mathews and Mr Mícheál Cunningham
She is out of a sister to Goonyella and she looks more like him than Shake It Up (her brother). She is a hardy bit of stuff and she looks more like a six-year-old gelding. She might start off in a point, but we like her and she is tipping away well at home with horses that have performed well on the track. Another month will tell us a lot more about her and if we think that she is up to it, we’ll get her going in a point early next year.