PAUL Nolan was among those glued to the weather forecast this week as he weighed up options for progressive mare Feet Of A Dancer, and ultimately declared the Cathy Byrne-owned bay in today’s Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at 1.30pm at Doncaster.
“We probably didn’t expect the ground to go soft in Doncaster - the rain wasn’t forecast initially,” Nolan told The Irish Field. “We were entered in the Galmoy Hurdle in Gowran, and we just thought it would be very tough on a mare over three miles in the ground that we got on Thursday.”
The ground at Doncaster is currently described as soft, with eight declared for the Grade 2 worth £60,000. Nolan’s raider is high in the betting following her fine second to Wodhooh at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, having previously impressed with a nine-length listed win on her seasonal return at Punchestown.
Feet Of A Dancer’s five career wins have ranged from two miles and one furlong to two and a half miles, but has previously run well over further, including when fourth in last year’s Pertemps Network Final at the Cheltenham Festival.
“She possibly was a little unlucky in the Pertemps last year,” her trainer comments. “Three miles on this sort of ground is probably going to be new territory, but I prefer to be taking a gamble on softer ground than if it was on the on the good side.
“We ran on good ground before in Limerick - Jetara won the race - and the ground was a bit good. She was a little bit sore after it for a long time. I didn’t want to run her on ground with good mentioned in it again.”
Nolan is one of four Irish trainers to send mares over for valuable blacktype, with Jessica Harrington’s Jetara, who won the race last year, her nearest rival in the betting.
Nolan sees the eight-year-old as his biggest competition, he says. “Jetara is going to be very hard to beat, and there’s a couple others not too far away; they’re all sort of competitive enough as regards their ratings as well.”
Exciting prospect
It has the potential to be a big day for Paul Nolan, as he saddles exciting novice Thedeviluno in the Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle at 12.55pm.
Runner-up in three bumpers, the Elusive Pimpernel gelding boasts smart form over hurdles this term, having made a winning start at Gowran Park, with runner-up Skylight Hustle subsequently impressing in both a maiden hurdle and Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
Thedeviluno himself went on to finish second in a Grade 2 over two and a half miles, beaten four and a quarter lengths by Doctor Steinberg, who is currently joint ante-post favourite for the Albert Bartlett.
“We’re just hoping that we’ve made the right decision as regards stepping him up to three miles,” Nolan reflected. “The last day over two and a half [miles] in Navan, I thought maybe he was coming there with a winning run and then he just couldn’t overhaul Willie’s (Mullins) horse that made the running.
“Gordon’s (Elliott) horse (Skylight Hustle), that he beat in the maiden hurdle, obviously improved an awful lot. We’re rated 134 on Irish ratings and Gordon’s horse is rated 145 after winning the Grade 1 in Leopardstown.”
Half of the 12 declared are closely matched in the betting, including Dan Skelton’s Grade 2 winner Carlenrig and unbeaten hurdlers Kicour La and Country Code.
On the competition, Nolan commented: “There doesn’t seem to be too much between the ratings in Doncaster, they’re all from sort of 128 to 133, 134. I’m just hoping our fellow will see out the three miles and just give a good account of himself.”