Gillane

(Kevin O’Donnell)

Navan, December 6th

The Kevin O’Donnell team don’t tend to send out big numbers of horses but Gillane looks one who can get them into the winner’s enclosure after confirming the promise of his earlier runs with a bumper second at Navan last weekend. There was no living with impressive debut winner Charismatic Kid, who winning rider Ray Barron described as “as good a horse as I have sat on in a long time.” However, not for the first time, Gillane ran with promise in defeat and stuck to the task well under Patrick Mullins, who came to Navan for just one ride (and obviously not for his own stable). He probably ended up too far back to ever look like being able to put up a serious challenge to the front-running winner.

Still, he picked up usefully enough when asked to pass rivals, who had already got rolling. This point-to-point runner-up had previously shown up well in a couple of maiden hurdles too, and the form of his penultimate fifth at Gowran Park is working out a treat. Winner Thedeviluno ran creditably when second in last weekend’s Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle, runner-up Skylight Hustle bolted up by 21 lengths in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle recently and the third-placed The Passing Wife posted a smart showing to be beaten just a length and a half in the Grade 2 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle next time out. Gillane needs to come on another step to win immediately, but he’s got the ability to win a maiden hurdle in the new year and potentially progress again.

Dawn Coming

(Charles Byrnes)

Cork, December 7th

The Charles Byrnes team might have unearthed a value purchase in Dawn Coming, given he was unsold at 9,500gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale in late October before joining the Co Limerick team from Jim Bolger. Rated 73 on the level after hinting at winning potential on his debut at the Curragh in June, this was the Make Believe three-year-old’s first outing over hurdles and he showed a real liking for his new discipline. He jumped confidently for one just starting out over flights. The race changed complexion dramatically at the last when 5/6 favourite Manoir De Mirande came down while looking set to collect, but Dawn Coming was never going to be beaten too far anyway and finished two lengths behind winner Glen To Glen in third. He’ll be sharp enough to go even closer in one of these before long after the education of being ridden in mid-division here and running on in the straight. He pulled eight lengths clear of the fourth, for good measure.

More will be learned about him in his next couple of starts, as this possibly wasn’t the deepest of juvenile hurdles, albeit the runner-up, Ole Ole, was just touched off by an Academy Hurdle Series winner at Punchestown last month. That adds some substance to proceedings. Dawn Coming was sent off at 28/1 here so possibly mightn’t have been overly fancied on his first attempt at hurdling, but he showed enough promise to recommend him as one to keep onside.

Butch Cassidy

(Henry de Bromhead)

Punchestown, December 11th

If he keeps progressing as hoped, Butch Cassidy could be one to keep in mind for a decent staying handicap chase in time. Henry de Bromhead’s novice wasn’t overly flashy in finishing third in a two-mile-seven-furlong beginners’ chase behind Kurasso Blue at Punchestown on Thursday, but he did stay plugging away and might even be able to stay further.

The Sue Magnier-owned Walk In The Park gelding reached a rating of 133 over hurdles last season, winning a Punchestown maiden hurdle at the first attempt, having previously struck in a bumper on debut for Philip Fenton. He was set a tough assignment on chasing debut when fourth to Final Demand at the Navan Racing Festival. However, these experiences ought to stand to him if he’s to end up in a quality staying handicap chase in the second half of the season.

He was only beaten three and three quarters of a length by Kurasso Blue this week, a run that should give him confidence. The half-brother to Champion Bumper heroine Fayonagh is also only a five-year-old, so he could well have more natural improvement to come with time, experience and maturity.