Gavin Cromwell
Darver Star
8yo b g (316-111132)
Kalanisi - Maggies Oscar
SSP Number Twentytwo Syndicate
We were thrilled with him the way he finished out his race in the Irish Champion Hurdle and while he will have other entries at Cheltenham, we think that he will take his chance in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. He relishes a real good gallop and I’d imagine that he will get that in the Champion Hurdle and the stiffer track at Cheltenham will suit him.
He has done nothing but improve all year and for a horse that couldn’t win a maiden hurdle this time last year, his rate of improvement has been remarkable. He was a late starter, but he has thrived and taken everything on his stride and it is great for the syndicate which own him – they just love the game. He has been in great nick since Leopardstown and we’ll just keep him ticking over between now and then.
It is exciting for everyone in the yard to have a horse good enough to run in the Champion Hurdle again. He would like a bit of decent ground, but he has won on bad ground at Limerick so he is adaptable that way.
Jeremys Flame
6yo b m (13-9142220)
Jeremy - Supreme Beneficial
Flushfarm Racing Syndicate
She was disappointing the last day in a handicap hurdle at Leopardstown, but I’d be inclined to put a line through that run. She never handled the hustle and bustle the last day and she got bumped around a good bit and Johnny (Moore) did the right thing by pulling her up. She is better than that and she was placed in a Grade 1 at Sandown.
The plan has always been to have a go at the mares’ novice hurdle and on the basis of her run at Sandown, she is entitled to go there. She has picked up blacktype already this season so we’ll let her take her chance.
Alfa Mix
5yo b g (-09641512)
Fair Mix - Alora Money
E. Hughes
I am not sure where he’ll go. He in entered in the Supreme and the Ballymore, but he has options as well in the Martin Pipe and the Coral Cup. He is rated 142 over here, so he might not get into the Martin Pipe, but is rating would suggest that he’d be entitled to line up in one of the novice races over there.
We’ll see what the handicaps look like and make a call then, but he’s in great form. He has progressed very well this season and he does stay well and he’s only a five-year-old and hopefully there is more to come from him.
Ilikedwayurthinkin
6yo b g (62/350-1195)
Yeats - Sway (FR)
John P. McManus
He has done well for us this season and he might go for the Martin Pipe. He likes a bit of nice ground and hopefully he’ll get that over there. He’s in good shape. He’ll have other options there as well.
Theatre Of War
4yo b g F (/8479-) NH (53UF2)
War Command - Final Opinion
Clara Jug Syndicate
He was second, beaten only a half a length in a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown. He is going the right way and he is improving so hopefully he’ll make the cut for the Fred Winter. I don’t plan on running him again between now and Cheltenham and he jumps well and I’d say the stiff track over there will suit him. He was doing all his best work at the finish the last day and hopefully he’ll go there and run a big race.
Bajan Excel
4yo ch g F (8930051055-) NH (3U131)
Helmet - Bajan Belle
Brendan Keogh
He stays very well and he won again the last day at Limerick and he will also get an entry in the Fred Winter. He will have to improve again, but I think a race like the Fred Winter will suit him and the softer the ground, the better for him. He is a consistent type and hopefully he’ll make the cut and give a good account of himself.
John McConnell
Fred The Foot
8yo b g (43-8313514)
Scorpion - Rainy Season
Ms Caroline Ahearn
He is a good solid horse who has done well for us this season and he is qualified for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham and he’ll go there. I just the hope the ground is not too soft for him – it was lovely ground the last day at Musselburgh. He is improving away and I think the way they race over there will suit him.
He is in very good form and he won’t run again between now and the festival and it’s great to have a horse like him in the yard.
Never Do Nothing
4yo b g F (/3321323-) NH (16)
Casamento - Purple Tigress
Ms Caroline Ahearn
He wasn’t right after he ran in the Grade 1 at Leopardstown (Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle). We think that he is a good bit better than that and he ran no sort of race the last day. He seems fine again since and I am very hopeful that he will develop into ether and Triumph or a Fred Winter contender.
I don’t want to go there on the back of a poor run so I will look at the options. Hopefully he can get himself back on track.
Anna Bunina
4yo b f F (221121-) NH (3)
Poet’s Voice - Russian Society (GB)
Ms Caroline Ahearn
She is a very nice filly that we bought last year and she ran very well on her hurdling debut when third in a listed race at Musselburgh. Considering her lack of experience, I was very pleased with her and she will hopefully make Cheltenham. We are up against it a bit time wise with her, but we can go for a maiden hurdle with her pretty soon. (Entered in the Punchestown Quevega Mares Hurdle (Grade 3) on Wednesday).
She is a filly with a very god attitude and she had a 133 rated horse back in fourth the last day. Depending on how she runs the next day, she has the option of the Triumph or the Fred Winter at Cheltenham.
David Christie
Some Man
7yo b g (1/45/5-111)
Beat Hollow - Miss Denman
R. Nicholas
I’d say it is doubtful that he’ll go to Cheltenham this year. He has had just the one run (and win) over regulation fences and he lacks experience for what is a very attritional race. He’s only seven and he has time on his side, but we have him in a good place at the minute and he’ll get an entry in the hunters chase at Thurles and we can review matters after that.
It took a lot of work to get him back to being a racehorse – he is a quirky individual and I have no doubt about his ability, but I am not sure running him at Cheltenham is the best thing for him at this stage of his career. If he had three or four runs over regulation fences that would be different matter and over there they will go 100mph and it is a very rough race.
Dylrow
10yo b g (/37R/3P1160-P115)
Kalanisi - Maplewell
R. Nicholas & Dr W. S. Campbell
Barry O’Neill said just to draw a line through his run the last day at Naas. He is crying out for proper nice ground and he got a bit lost in the very tacky ground the last day at Naas. He has plenty of form with the winner and the placed horses from Naas and if you overlooked that run, he is entitled to take his chance in the Foxhunter at Cheltenham. He gets three miles well, but whether he’d get the extra two furlongs at Cheltenham is the big unknown. He has a bit of class and he has loads of experience and he ticks a lot of boxes for the race and he will go straight there.
Shark Hanlon
Rewritetherules
6yo br g (FP/5F46-1161)
Jeremy - Kachina
D.F. O’Rourke
He’s smashing horse who I bought from Donnchadh Doyle last year. When I put him to his owner, he said this horse has more letters than numbers before his name, but it has all worked out. We aim to go to Cheltenham for the Foxhunter. He was a big, weak horse when I bought and all he has done is improve. He is 17hh and he will improve again, and he won two hunter chases for us last year and he won an open last month and he is in great form.
He is only a six-year-old, so he will lack experience for Cheltenham, but I think he’ll run a big race for us over there. It is great to have a horse like him.