Al Mudhaffar

(Joseph O’Brien)

Dundalk, February 16th

The market confidence behind newcomer Badda Bing (25/1 to 6/1) in a mile maiden at Dundalk last week proved well placed when the Josh Halley-trained three-year-old won in good style. Runner-up Al Mudhaffar shaped with definite promise, however, and should be able to go one better in due course. The Wootton Bassett colt has a decent pedigree as a half-brother to a French Listed-placed winner, and he also cost 145,000gns as a yearling. He didn’t do much wrong on this occasion and just appeared to bump into a one described by the winning trainer as “well above average”. A similar maiden should fall his way soon. (MB)

Kate Knows Best

(John Ryan)

Gowran Park, February 17th

There was also strong support behind 10-length winner Flashaway in the Ronan Lawlor Memorial Irish EBF Mares Bumper at Gowran last Saturday, with the Willie Mullins-trained newcomer beautifully bred as a daughter of Grade 1 winner Voler La Vedette. It was a big effort in second, though, from John Ryan’s debutante Kate Knows Best, who travelled notably well behind the leaders turning in and got rolling a little later than those rivals. She picked up well when sent about her business, while still looking a little green, and the winner had kicked clear by that stage. This Mount Nelson mare has some useful siblings and is out of a half-sister to Midlands National winner Goonyella. She has a future. (MB)

He’s Home Again

(Eddie Cawley)

Punchestown, February 18th

There was a big step forward from He’s Home Again on his fourth handicap start at Punchestown last Sunday, staying on well in the closing stages to briefly scare an idling Buachaillbocht. The margin of a half-length between the pair at the line underestimates the winner’s supremacy over the field as he began to prick his ears and seemingly parked in front when getting into the clear, but Eddie Cawley’s second did finish with a flourish and might now be getting the hang of things. A homebred six-year-old, Cawley also trained his useful half-brother Nobody Home, a six-time winner who had a peak rating of 125. A 4lb nudge to 96 for He’s Home Again looks fair given he met a rapidly-improving handicapper. He can progress. (MB)

See A Stride

(Gordon Elliott)

Punchestown, February 21st

There was a lot to like about the finishing effort of See A Stride in the three-mile-one-furlong handicap hurdle won by Aodhan May at Punchestown on Wednesday. Gordon Elliott’s mare had plenty to do early in the straight when the winner and Cosmo Renfro got away, but she picked up well to beat the horses around her comfortably. This was a slowly run race - the front four all hit a 119% finishing speed percentage (last four furlongs as a percentage of entire race) so it paid to race prominently of sorts, or at least be in the right position before the dash for home began. See A Stride had to react to, rather than proact to that speedy finish, so she did well in the circumstances, coming clear of the horses she had been racing around at the beginning of the straight. She finished second to the useful Heia in a maiden hurdle last term, so she clearly has ability and looks well up to scoring off a mark of 103. (RG)

Ernie From Nurney

(Padraig Roche)

Thurles, February 22nd

Ernine From Nurney was well held by impressive winner Pana To Milan by the time he made a mistake at the last in a two-mile-six-furlong handicap chase at Thurles on Thursday, but on the positive side, this was probably his best ever run. He was third at the time of the mistake, but it stopped all his momentum and he lost two places on the run in. This was just his second start over fences and he had previously shown ability over hurdles, particularly when a close third to Verdant Place at Punchestown. He is a low grade horse, but may well be able to nick a race or two, especially as he gets more experience in the jumping department. (RG)