1.50 Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m
Barbizon: Classy flat recruit made a winning hurdles debut at the Navan Racing Festival (despite not being the stable’s number one on jockey bookings) but safely held when fourth to Narciso Has here over Christmas. Has 12 and a half lengths to find with same rival now and again not the yard’s top choice.
Bertutea: Competed against some smart sorts in France before smooth Limerick maiden hurdle win at Christmas. This is a significant step up in class, though he is proven on testing ground if all the rain arrives. The fact Townend prefers Selma De Vary not a positive for his claims.
Immediate Effect: Well bought out of Sir Mark Prescott’s yard for 45,000gns, given his flat rating of 88, and rewarded decent market support when making a winning hurdles debut at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve (even though he wasn’t the top choice from yard on rider bookings). More required in much deeper race now. Sire, Study Of Man, has been having a fine season with his juvenile hurdlers.
Narciso Has: Tops the ante-post market for the Triumph Hurdle at 3/1 after a high-class display to win a Christmas Grade 2 here. Biggest test could well come from Mange Tout, who had his measure when they clashed at Fairyhouse in December - and he’s 4lb worse off with the filly now. Still, she had a race fitness/sharpness edge on him then and that won’t be a factor now.
North Shore: Brought smart flat form to the table from France before debut third behind Narciso Has here in Christmas Grade 2.
Beaten 11 lengths on that occasion so big ask to turn around the form, but he is open to any amount of improvement and hails from same stable as last year’s winner.
Mange Tout: French debut winner arrived to these shores with a big reputation. Didn’t set the world alight when winning on her Irish bow at Down Royal but showed much more of what she’s about when beating Narciso Has by two and three-quarter lengths at Fairyhouse in a Grade 3 nine weeks ago. Comes here fresh and 4lb better off with the Triumph favourite now. Exciting prospect.
Selma De Vary: Received a positive mention from her owner in the media this week ahead of her Irish debut and it’s an obvious plus that Paul Townend has sided with her over winning stablemate Bertutea. Off the mark on her third hurdles start at Autueil when last seen in November (bumped into a Grade 2 winner on her hurdles bow) and is now tried in a hood. An unknown quantity but obviously respected for top connections.
Conclusion
Hello Neighbour successfully completed the Christmas-DRF graded double in this race last year, and Narciso Has will be tough to beat in his bid to achieve the same. He made a big impression last time, and looked to have taken a big step forward from his previous clash with Mange Tout, who remains a feared rival. Irish newcomer Selma De Vary is worth keeping an eye on in the market, given her positive profile, while North Shore has the potential to outrun his price and pick up a decent pay cheque.