THERE are similarities between Abolitionist now and Pineau De Re in 2013. Pineau De Re had proven himself to be a talented staying handicap chaser in Ireland in 2013.

He won the Ulster Grand National at Downpatrick on his final run for Philip Fenton. Abolitionist likewise. He finished third in the Irish Grand National on his penultimate run for Ellmarie Holden. Pineau De Re was a 10-year-old when he left Ireland in 2013.

Same as Abolitionist is now. Pineau De Re joined Dr Richard Newland, as did Abolitionist, and both were ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies on their respective first runs for their new trainer.

There are differences though. It took Pineau De Re a little while to find his métier for his new trainer.

He raced lots during the summer, and he didn’t win a race until he won a handicap chase at Exeter in January 2014, on his ninth run in Britain.

The Abolitionist project has been a little different so far. The Flemensfirth gelding reportedly suffered a stress fracture to his pelvis last year, so his debut for his new trainer was delayed until last Saturday.

He was well backed in advance of that debut, in a handicap hurdle at Aintree, and he was impressive in winning easily. It isn’t surprising that he was well backed, given that he was racing off a hurdles mark of 122, 23lbs lower than his chase mark.

Pineau De Re won the Grand National at Aintree the following April, an 11-year-old racing off a mark of 143.

Abolitionist will be 11 next April, he is currently rated 145 over fences, and the Grand National is apparently, unsurprisingly, the plan. Stranger things have happened.

Galway in Britain?

GALWAY Festival in Britain? Good idea, but big challenge. Unless you can take the thing that makes Galway special, put it into a bottle, and take it across the water. Be sure to do it before March though.