2.50 IRISH STALLION
FARMS EBF MARES
NOVICE HURDLE
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
(GRADE 1) 2M 4F
Annie Mc: Useful English raider who comes here in the form of her life having run out an especially easy 8l winner of a 2m5f Grade 2 handicap at Newbury last month.
Her form prior to that was of a solid variety but she must have a major chance if she matches what she showed at Newbury.
Black Tears: Very smart mare in bumpers last season and showed she was back to that level with a fine fourth in the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham where she travelled notably well.
She has already run well over this trip this season and that last run has to put her into contention.
Buildmeupbuttercup: Looked smart in bumpers in the U.K. last season and made a promising Irish debut to win a useful Navan maiden hurdle in December.
She hasn’t built on that in two subsequent runs but certainly shaped better than the final result would suggest behind Eglantine Du Seuil at Cheltenham.
Calie Du Mesnil: Her novice hurdle win at Galway last summer and her fine second to Dallas Des Pictons in a 3m handicap hurdle at Leopardstown two months ago would give her prospects of getting involved but she has struggled in a couple of other recent assignments.
Caravation: Showed some quality form in bumpers and has reached the same level as a hurdler.
She won her maiden in good style at Navan last month and she followed up over 2m6f back at that track a few weeks later when seeing off the useful Milan Native. Slower ground would suit her better but she still looks a contender.
Court Maid: Smart mare who won three times in succession earlier in the season and, after being beaten just under 11l by Eglantine Du Seuil at Cheltenham, she ran with credit to finish sixth behind the geldings in a Grade 2 over this course and distance two weeks ago. She is not without a chance.
Eglantine Du Seuil: Sprang a 50/1 surprise to win the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham on her first start since finishing third in a decent Listowel novice hurdle that also produced the Grade 1 winner Aramon.
She is open to any amount of progress after making just three starts for Willie Mullins and this longer trip will be no problem. The one to beat.
Elfile: Made a promising start to her Irish career when edging out Black Tears in a maiden hurdle over this trip at Punchestown and showed up well on her first start since then to be beaten just over 5l into sixth by Eglantine Du Seuil at Cheltenham. The return to this trip will surely work in her favour and she should show up well.
Emily Moon: Pulled up at Cheltenham but either side of that outing has produced bold front-running efforts to win at Naas and Limerick. She enjoys good ground and this trip should be within her reach but this level of competition requires another step forward.
Honeysuckle: Quality mare who has winning form at this trip and all her runs have been on a decent surface. Her Thurles defeat of Sassy Diva and her listed success at this track where Tintangle was a well-beaten third are strong pieces of form and it will be a surprise if she doesn’t challenge strongly for victory.
Moskovite: Useful type who has won over hurdles at Navan and Limerick before showing up well in a Clonmel novice hurdle dominated by Allaho and Minella Indo. Her last run behind Robin De Carlow at Limerick leaves her with work to do though and others make more appeal.
Robin De Carlow: Made her debut just under 10 months ago and has since won five of her eight starts which include two listed victories and a Grade 3 triumph over 2m6f on heavy ground at Limerick last time. She commands respect.
Salsaretta: Finished fifth in this race last year and has since won twice with her efforts including a fine defeat of the subsequent Grade 1 winnner Felix Desjy at Limerick.
Shaped up quite well in the Albert Bartlett last time when possibly the 3m trip proved too much for her and she has to be of interest on her return to mares-only company.
Sancta Simona: Talented sort who won a Grade 3 in November and chased home Aramon in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas before disappointing at Cheltenham where she pulled up. That last run leaves her with questions to answer.
Sassy Diva: Posted good efforts behind Tintangle and Honeysuckle before winning a very valuable mares’ handicap hurdle in good style at Leopardstown two months ago. This slightly longer trip will not be a problem and the ground will suit her while she doesn’t have as much to find as ratings suggest.
Tintangle: Defeated Sassy Diva to win at Thurles in November and bounced back from some mixed efforts to run an excellent third in mares novice hurdle at Cheltenham and the manner in which she rallied after the last there suggested that this trip would be ideal. However, slower ground would probably suit her much better.
Western Victory: Has held her form well since winning at Galway in October with her subsequent efforts including runner-up finished behind My Sister Sarah and Honenysuckle. She wasn’t at her best at Limerick last time though and must now return to the peak of her powers.
CONCLUSION
A case could be made for plenty of these and Salsaretta is taken to improve on last year’s fifth having shown up well against some high-class geldings in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham last time.
She is preferred to the unbeaten Honeysuckle and the Cheltenham winner Eglantine Du Seuil, both of whom can surely progress further.
The progressive Sassy Diva, the Cheltenham fourth Black Tears, the English raider Annie Mc and Caravation are others that could easily make their presence felt.