A tilt at the JCB Triumph Hurdle remains on Burdett Road’s agenda despite his defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday.
A winner at Royal Ascot in the summer for Michael Bell and the Gredley family, the four-year-old confirmed himself a top-class jumping recruit in winning his first two starts over hurdles at Huntingdon.
The son of Muhaarar was a marginal favourite to complete his hat-trick in Saturday’s Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial, but on the day he proved no match for Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino, who rocketed 10 lengths clear and is now as short as evens for the juvenile championship at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Trainer James Owen acknowledges Burdett Road will have his work cut out in his bid to turn the tables on Sir Gino, but he is nevertheless happy to roll the dice.
“We bumped into a very good horse and the positive we can take from it is that we jumped better and he’s come out of it fine,” said the Newmarket handler.
“I think drier ground will help us. We’ve got to improve to bridge that gap, but he’ll have an easy week and he’ll be trained for the Triumph Hurdle – all systems go, basically.”
Owen is optimistic his charge can make more of a race of it in March, adding: “We were pleased in quite a few ways on Saturday as he jumped better and settled better, albeit he got keen at the top of the hill when they seemed to slow the race down.
“He was there at the right time to win the race and we were outclassed on the day, but he’s been beaten before on the Flat, he’s a hardy horse and he would have learnt more again.
“Drier ground, a bit of spring weather, I’m hoping a few things will help us bridge the gap. There were no excuses on our behalf though, we were beaten by a very good horse.
“I’m happy with my horse and not disappointed. There was a lot of hype and press about him before Saturday, which was great, but the pressure is off me a bit now and hopefully we can get a trouble-free run and get to Cheltenham in good health and hopefully he’ll run very well.”
Darren Moore, an ex-Jamaican international, has been axed as Huddersfield Town head coach with the club languishing just three points clear of the English Championship relegation zone.
The Birmingham-born former defender, who twice represented the Reggae Boyz in 1999, leaves the West Yorkshire team with just three league triumphs in 23 games since taking charge last September.
He was sacked following a winless six-match run, culminating in the weekend’s 1-1 draw at struggling QPR when a stoppage time equalizer denied the 49-year-old a long overdue victory.
The former West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday boss and his backroom staff leave after four months of seeing his side stutter during his 23-game tenure.
Having led Wednesday to promotion to the Championship last term via the play-offs, Moore took over from veteran Neil Warnock at the John Smith's Stadium.
Huddersfield had managed to stave off relegation from the second tier, while in contrast Moore masterminded a gutsy extra time 1-0 success over Barnsley Town in their League One play-off final at Wembley Stadium.
Although that seemed to be the start of something special for Moore — who played for the likes of Barnsley, Derby County, Portsmouth and WBA at club level — he left Wednesday by mutual consent after two years at the helm.
His appointment at Huddersfield was always deemed to be a gamble, which has now failed to pay dividends.
Huddersfield Town AFC’s official statement read: “Darren Moore has been relieved of his duties as Huddersfield Town manager.
“This decision was taken after our Sky Bet Championship draw at Queens Park Rangers on Sunday, which took Moore’s record as Town manager to three wins, 11 draws and nine defeats in all competitions.”
Moore kicked off his managerial career at WBA in 2018, having cut his teeth as interim head coach with the Premier League club to become only the second top-tier boss from the CONCACAF region. American Bob Bradley was the first head coach from the Caribbean and North American region, when he managed Swansea City in 2016.
Moore surprisingly left The Hawthorns in 2019 with 10 games remaining in the Championship and WBA in with a shot of automatic promotion in fourth place.
He joined League One outfit Doncaster Rovers a few months later, then was headhunted by Wednesday so jumped ship in March 2021.
Despite a highly successful stint at Wednesday, Moore left the promoted club in June because he failed to agree terms of a potential contract renewal with chairman Dejphon Chansiri.
Moore’s managerial career may have taken a blip, but with a proven track record of transforming the fortunes of teams outside the top-tier there’s little doubt he’ll be a wanted man soon in the British game.
Willie Mullins and Paul Townend continued their sensational run of form with a Monday double at Punchestown.
Even by his own high standards, the Closutton handler has been firing on all cylinders since the turn of the year, with his latest brace meaning he has now trained 39 winners in January.
Stable jockey Townend is enjoy a similar hot streak, with his last 20 rides yielding 14 victories.
It did not take the formidable partnership long to find the target, with Anotherway bolting up in the opening Get Best Odds Guaranteed At Bet Victor Maiden Hurdle.
The five-year-old was the 8-15 favourite despite finishing down the field on his Irish debut at Leopardstown over Christmas and justified his cramped odds with a comfortable 12-length success.
Coral cut Anotherway to 33-1 from 100-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, but Mullins indicated he could well step up in distance if he does make the trip to the Cotswolds.
“He stayed well and galloped well the whole way to the line, but his jumping left a lot to be desired and he has to improve on that,” said the champion trainer.
“Maybe it was the heavy ground today because he jumped much better in Leopardstown the last day. I’m disappointed with his jumping but at least he did what he was showing us at home today.
“Looking at that performance he might be more of a Ballymore (Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle) horse.”
Mullins and Townend doubled up in the Group Ticket Deal At Festival 2024 (C & G) Maiden Hurdle with the similarly promising Billericay Dickie (8-11 favourite).
Another recruit from the French Flat scene, the five-year-old cruised to the front under a motionless Townend before kicking 11 lengths clear.
Mullins added: “I was delighted with that. I didn’t think he’d go on that ground, but Paul said he handled it well.
“For a maiden I thought he jumped very well and he could go wherever he wants.
“We’ll look at a novice hurdle somewhere and we’ll see if Paul thinks he’s good enough for a race across the water (at Cheltenham). I’d like to get another run into him before we go there, if we go there.
“That was two and a half, he’s by New Bay and his dam won on the Flat over a mile and a quarter. I wouldn’t be going three miles with him, but he could stick around that trip or two-six.
“I might get another novice in him and then decide if he’s good enough to go.”
Bioluminescence was another winning odds-on favourite in the Download The Bet Victor App Mares Maiden Hurdle, landing odds of 4-7 for trainer Gavin Cromwell, jockey Mark Walsh and owner JP McManus.
Cromwell said: “She’s a three-mile chaser in the making, she ploughed through that ground and it’s nice to get her head in front.”
Martin Brassil’s Built By Ballymore (11-4) was hard at work a long way from home in the Punchestown Members Club From 215 Rated Novice Hurdle, but stuck to his guns to stay in contention and in the end pulled 12 lengths ahead of the chasing pack under JJ Slevin.
“He just handles the muck. He mightn’t quicken up but he just keeps going in it,” said Brassil.
“I felt he might have been put in high enough, but in those conditions he handles it better than most.”
Baaeed has sired his first foal with a new arrival at Haras de la Perelle in Normandy.
The Shadwell-owned superstar was trained to six successive Group One victories by William Haggas, landing the Lockinge, Queen Anne, Sussex Stakes and Juddmonte International in his four-year-old season before meeting with the only defeat of his career in the Champion Stakes.
He subsequently retired to Beech House Stud in Newmarket, having earned over £2.5million in prize-money and stands there for a current fee of £80,000.
His first foal is a bay filly out of Mejthaam, a well-related Exceed And Excel mare who is a half sister to Alflaila – also owned by Shadwell and trained by Owen Burrows to three Group-race successes so far.
William Rimaud, manager of Haras de la Perelle, said of the new arrival: “We are delighted with her.
“She is a strong, good-sized foal, full of energy and has a great temperament.
“She is doing everything right. It is very exciting to have had the first foal of the brilliant champion Baaeed.”
Harry Fry will not shirk a Cheltenham Festival rematch with Lossiemouth despite seeing his own star mare Love Envoi come off clear second best in their clash in Saturday’s Unibet Hurdle.
The latter is already a Festival winner having claimed the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in 2022 and last season gave the retiring Honeysuckle a real run for her money in the Mares’ Hurdle itself.
Fry admitted to being disappointed with Love Envoi’s performance when filling the runner-up spot in the rescheduled Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown last month, but was much more encouraged by her display on Cheltenham Trials day, albeit she was no match for the impressive Lossiemouth.
“Obviously the winner was in a different league, but we were pleased with the run,” he said.
“She travelled and jumped with her usual fluency and it was good to see that she was much sharper for her reappearance.
“The Mares’ Hurdle has always been the plan, we were runner-up in the race last year and we’ve got six weeks to look forward to going back there.
“Obviously Lossiemouth is going to be very hard to beat on the form she showed on Saturday, but it’s a horse race at the end of the day and you’ve got to be in it to win it.”
Love Envoi is a general 14-1 shot for the Mares’ Hurdle, with the Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth odds-on to record her second Festival win following last year’s Triumph Hurdle success.
Such was the impression she made on her comeback, plenty have suggested Lossiemouth should be heading for the Champion Hurdle, a notion Fry is unsurprisingly fully behind.
He quipped: “I don’t know what they’re thinking, I think it’s a no-brainer to go for the Champion Hurdle. If anything is going to give Constitution Hill a race it must be her, surely!
“I can understand where they’re coming from (going for the Mares’ Hurdle), but they’ve all got to get there and in six weeks anything can happen.
“We know the trip on Saturday is short of our best and we prefer slower ground as well. Hopefully we get conditions in our favour and the more testing it is the better, basically.”
On the eve of her special recognition at the Queens/Grace Jackson Invitational in Kingston, Jamaica, two-time world champion Danielle Williams showcased her prowess on the track at the Clemson Bob Pollock Invitational in the United States.
With her eyes set on making her first Olympic team later in the year, Williams took to the indoor track Friday evening and delivered an impressive performance in the 60m hurdles race. The two-time 100m hurdles world champion clocked a swift 7.89, securing the top spot and leaving her competition in the dust.
Clemson sophomore Oneka Wilson gave a commendable effort, running a season-best 8.09 to claim the second position. Chastity Pickett of Campbell finished third in 8.26, also marking a season's best for her.
For Williams, this was her only indoor meet of the season, signaling her transition to focus on the upcoming outdoor campaign. The victory not only added another triumph to her illustrious career but also served as a promising start to what could be a remarkable year for the Jamaican athlete.
A day later, in Kingston, Jamaica, the anticipation for Danielle Williams' recognition at the Queens/Grace Jackson Invitational reached its peak. The organizers honored her with a plaque, presented to her sister Velta Cole. The plaque chronicled Danielle's history, studies, and accomplishments, serving as a source of inspiration for the students at Queens High School, where Williams had been a past student.
Aneeke Brown, Chairperson of the meet organizer, shared the significance of the plaque, saying, “We presented it to her sister, a plaque chronicling Danielle’s history, her studies, and her accomplishments. One will go into the Queen’s School library so that the girls can see and aspire and be motivated, another will be sent to Danielle.”
Vice Principal of The Queen's School Mrs Trudi Morrison-Reid also participated in the presentation.
Williams was not the only Jamaican on the podium in South Carolina on Friday.
LaFranz Campbell was third in the men’s 60m hurdles. He ran a season’s best 7.65 in the race won by Dylan Beard who ran a fast 7.54 but just managed to hold off Cameron Murray, who clocked 7.55.
Mick Appleby has delivered a positive winter bulletin on star sprinter Big Evs, as connections prepare to map out the three-year-old campaign for the Breeders’ Cup hero.
The speedy son of Blue Point was one of the standout sprinting juveniles of the 2023 season, winning four of his six starts and ending the year with success at Santa Anita in November.
That big-race verdict had connections dreaming of what the colt could achieve this year and having strengthened up during his time off, he is now reported to be in rude health as he begins building up to peak fitness ahead of the new term.
Appleby has his eye on a May return, but suitable ground appears to be crucial with the Oakham handler hesitant to start his stable standard bearer off in testing conditions.
“He’s doing well and back in training now. He’s wintered well and grown and filled out more – he looks a bit stronger now,” said Appleby.
“I’m going to have a sit down with his owner soon and map out a campaign for him. We would probably look at getting out May time I think, it’s just working out what there is for him early season really.
“It will all depend on what the ground will be like really more than anything – we don’t want it too soft, even though he handled it at Glorious Goodwood when he won on bottomless ground.
“We will play it by ear with him and he’s getting fitter, so we’ll crack on with him and see when he’s ready.”
Appleby is also preparing high-class operators Roberto Escobarr and Annaf for international duty in Saudi Arabia next month, where both will seek valuable prizes at the Saudi Cup meeting.
A three-time winner when trained by William Haggas, Roberto Escobarr claimed the Italian St Leger on stable debut for his new handler in November and after a tune-up run at Newcastle on New Year’s Day is now hoping for a bit of luck to ensure he makes the line-up for the $2.5million Red Sea Turf Handicap.
“Roberto Escobarr ran well at Newcastle and he’s possibly going out to Saudi for the Red Sea Handicap,” added Appleby.
“He needs three to come out at the moment, so hopefully he gets in and we’ve got Annaf going out there as well for the turf sprint. He’s in the dirt race as well but he’ll run on the turf.
“There’s a bit to look forward to with two nice horses and it’ll break the winter up a bit.”
Cricket West Indies has lauded its Test team after it secured a historic victory against Australia, marking the first since 1997 that the Caribbean senior side was achieving victory in that country. This remarkable achievement, it said, signals the relevance of West Indies cricket on the global test stage and underscores its unwavering commitment to excellence.
The history-making performance came on the back Shamar Joseph’s seven-wicket haul in Australia’s second innings that spurred the West Indies to a pulsating eight-run victory. Joseph finished with figures of 7-68 from 11.5 overs bowled on the trot. The bowler, playing in only his second Test, was awarded Player of the Series for the 13 wickets he took during the two-Test series.
Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies, remarked "This victory is a testament to the indomitable spirit of West Indies cricket. It demonstrates our ability to rise above adversity and justly be among the world's cricketing elite.
"Captain Kraigg Brathwaite's exemplary leadership has been instrumental in guiding our team through challenges and victories alike. His resilience, determination, and unwavering dedication to the cause have inspired this young team and every member of our cricketing fraternity."
Dr Shallow also heaped praise upon the 24-year-old Joseph whose performance was key to the West Indies victory, stating, "The stellar performance of debutant Shamar Joseph is a shining example of the talent and potential within our ranks. His remarkable contribution underscores the depth of talent in West Indies cricket and bodes well for the future of our sport.”
As the Caribbean celebrates this historic accomplishment, Cricket West Indies extended its gratitude to its players, coaching staff, and support personnel for their tremendous efforts and hard work. In addition, heartfelt appreciation is offered to the loyal fans, stakeholders, and partners whose unwavering support continues to fuel West Indies cricket.
Cricket West Indies said remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing talent, fostering inclusivity, and upholding the rich legacy of West Indies cricket. “Together, we embark on a new chapter filled with promise, excitement, and endless possibilities.”
Charles Byrnes’ Blazing Khal is being aimed at a repeat William Hill Boyne Hurdle triumph as he makes another comeback after injury.
The gelding, now an eight-year-old, has always demonstrated plenty of ability but his career has been paused more than once by recurring issues.
An unbeaten novice hurdler who won two Grade Two Cheltenham contests in 2021, the horse then never fulfilled his potential in that sphere after missing the big spring festivals due to injury.
He was off the track for a total of 428 days as a result, but his comeback was a winning one when he landed the Boyne Hurdle at Navan last February in an impressive three-length success.
Blazing Khal then headed to the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival where he finished sixth of 11 runners ahead of another enforced lay-off.
However, Byrnes has been bringing his charge back into work since summer last year and, all being well, intends to stage another comeback next month.
An entry has been made for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival but Navan would have to go particularly well for that to become an option, although Aintree and the Punchestown Festival are both on the radar for later in the season.
“He’s doing OK, we haven’t had a great run with him but he’s doing well at the moment,” said Byrnes.
“We’re hoping to run him back in the Boyne Hurdle, the race he won last year, that’s the plan at the minute.
“We’ve had him in since July, he’s been stop-start but that’s how it is. We’ve no big expectations this time around; if it happens, it happens.
“He’s got an entry in the Stayers’ Hurdle but he’d have to really show himself off in the Boyne Hurdle to consider going – Aintree and Punchestown would be possibilities but with the way he is, we will take it day by day.
“It’s been different niggles with him but we’re staying positive.”
Marie’s Rock booked her return to the Cheltenham Festival in landing the SBK Warfield Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster for Nicky Henderson.
The nine-year-old was the 6-4 favourite for the extended three-mile contest, a five-runner affair saved from Ascot that included Henderson-trained stablemates Tweed Skirt and Theatre Glory alongside Jamie Snowden’s You Wear It Well.
Marie’s Rock brought Grade One form to the table, however, and was last seen finishing second to Bob Olinger in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
This Grade Two was a step up in trip and under James Bowen she did not look the easiest of rides, lighting up once the red hood was removed but settling to the task when having to fend off You Wear It Well in the final stages of the race.
An eventual length-and-a-half-winner, Betfair cut Marie’s Rock from 20-1 to 12-1 to regain the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle crown she won in 2022, with Lossiemouth at the head of the market after her highly impressive Cheltenham victory on Saturday.
“We were delighted she was able to get her head back in front there, we don’t necessarily see her as an out-and-out three-miler and that’s probably not her championship distance,” said Tom Palin of syndicate owners Middleham Park Racing.
“We will keep her to the mares’ races, but she’s not ineffective at these sorts of distances and against the opposition today she was able to take advantage of that in what looked a good opportunity to get her head back in front.
“She has been running some very creditable races in defeat, she’s a tough, game mare. She carries her head a bit awkwardly, a bit in the ‘Marie’s Rock style’ but James said when You Wear It Well came to her she wasn’t going to lay down and she toughed it out.
“It takes a very good one to go past her, I thought the writing was on the wall with that performance behind Bob Olinger – he looked resurgent, the Bob Olinger of old, and I felt we lost nothing in defeat to him.
“I was delighted that she was able to confirm her place at the Cheltenham Festival, obviously life has got a little bit harder in the last 24 hours with Lossiemouth looking like the proverbial second coming!
“We’ve booked our ticket for the mares’ race anyway and we’ll head down that route.”
Embassy Gardens is expected to go on to bigger and better things after claiming an impressive victory in the Grade Three Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase.
Willie Mullins used this race as a stepping stone to National Hunt Chase glory at Cheltenham with Stattler a couple of years ago, while several of his other recent victors took the same route without success.
This latest winner was cut from 7-1 to 4-1 favourite with Coral for the three-mile-six-furlong test for amateur riders at Prestbury Park.
Paul Nolan’s Albert Bartlett third Sandor Clegane set the pace for most of the way and was still in front after the penultimate fence.
However, 8-13 favourite Embassy Gardens had jumped beautifully and travelled strongly throughout under Paul Townend before coming through to challenge between the last two obstacles.
Another grand leap at the last put him in front and the eight-year-old galloped on well all the way to the line to put 10 lengths between him and Sandor Clegane.
Mullins said: “That was a really good performance and what I like about this horse is that he really loves jumping. When he sees a fence, he wants to jump it and that’s a huge asset in this game.
“He jumps, he stays and does everything right. He’s learned to settle now and is much easier to ride.
“He looks a natural for staying chasing and he’ll go for one of the staying chases in Cheltenham.”
Regarding runner-up Sandor Clegane, Nolan commented: “He ran well and came up against a good horse. He’ll probably go to Cheltenham and see where that takes us.
“It probably wasn’t ideal to make the running but you couldn’t say that it cost us. He was a bit slow twice at the ditch but other than that jumped well.”
It was another good day for Mullins, who had enjoyed big-race success in England 24 hours earlier.
Lossiemouth returned to action with a stunning victory in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham, where Capodanno kept on well to land the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase, both ridden by Townend.
Up at Doncaster, Ashroe Diamond did the business in the SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle with Patrick Mullins on board, with stablemate Gala Marceau back in third.
“Lossiemouth has improved nicely and did it well,” reported Mullins. “We took a chance and waited with her this season and it seems to have done her good.
“I was also happy with the other mares. Ashroe Diamond has come on and Gala Marceau may have just needed it yesterday. She’ll improve away from that.
“I thought Paul was very good tactically on Capodanno yesterday.”
Zarak The Brave got back on track by claiming a straightforward victory in the Grade Three Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle.
Paul Townend was last of the four runners aboard the 2-5 favourite approaching the turn for home but then made a forward move to track pacemaker Telmesomethinggirl entering the straight.
Two smooth jumps put the five-year-old in control and he kept on well enough to prevail by a length and a quarter.
The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding showed plenty of promise last season when placed behind stablemates Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau in Grade One events at Punchestown and Auteuil.
He picked up a valuable prize when landing the Galway Hurdle but was found to be all wrong after being pulled up as a long odds-on favourite for a three-runner Tipperary contest in October.
Trainer Willie Mullins said: “It’s nice to put that bad run in Tipperary behind him and we felt he’d been doing things nice at home.
“He might need a longer trip, as he’s getting settled now compared to what he used to be like. I’m very pleased to get him back on track.
“He’s only in the Champion Hurdle (at Cheltenham) and I’m not sure if he’ll go there. We might look at a few of the Graded races at Fairyhouse over Easter.
Mullins also has Impaire Et Passe for Zarak The Brave’s owners and he is set for action as part of the Closutton squad for the Dublin Racing Festival.
Mullins added: “We’ll work the horses during the week and decide then what we will do next weekend.
“Impaire Et Passe will run in the Irish Champion Hurdle along with State Man and probably Echoes In Rain.”
Ndaawi looked a nice prospect for Gordon Elliott when cruising to victory in the Download The BetVictor App Maiden Hurdle as a 10-11 market leader.
Jack Kennedy sent his mount a dozen lengths clear after a fine leap at the final flight and was able to ease down well before the finish, eventually obliging by a comfortable two and a half.
Once a Group One runner in France for Andrew Balding as a two-year-old, the son of Cracksman was cut from 14-1 to 10-1 with Betfair for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Elliott beamed: “It was a good performance and he jumped well. His form was good and we knew he’d improved from the last day. He was entitled to do that. He’ll go for the Boodles at Cheltenham.”
Kings Halo made all when running out a convincing winner of the Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Novice Handicap Chase.
Danny Mullins set out to make the two-and-a-half-mile contest a true test of stamina on James Dullea’s 7-4 favourite and succeeded in doing that before drawing 18 lengths clear at the line.
“Our fella jumped and travelled,” said Dullea. “Danny was brilliant and got the fractions right on him. I thought he’d gone a tad quick early on, but Danny knew what he was doing.
“The drop back in trip didn’t make any difference to him and it was a good performance. He’d a lovely weight and everything suited him – ground, weight.
“He has plenty of options now with trips and he’ll get into better handicaps now.”
Gerri Colombe is set to sidestep next weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival and head straight to the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Gordon Elliott’s charge went down by just a short head in last season’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase before impressively securing a Grade One success at Aintree.
He kicked off the current campaign with another victory at elite level by edging out Envoi Allen in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal but was put in his place when a distant runner-up behind Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.
A rematch with Willie Mullins’ star performer looked to be on the cards in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup but connections instead appear set to wait for Cheltenham.
“Gerri Colombe probably won’t run next weekend and we’ll go straight to Cheltenham with him,” said Elliott.
“He didn’t run his race at Christmas. He’s grand and can go to all the spring festivals.
“Instead of going back for another slog, we’ll go straight to Cheltenham and we have Aintree and Punchestown afterwards.”
Elliott has been rocked by the news that his horses running under the Caldwell Construction banner of owners Andrew and Gemma Brown are to be sold off next month.
That will affect his chances at the Dublin Racing Festival, as he added: “Farren Glory, Conflated and Found A Fifty will all run but we’ll have less runners than normal, as some are going to the sales.”
Fergal O’Brien’s Dysart Enos was hardly pressed when maintaining her flawless record in the Download The At The Races App Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster.
The mare is considered a real prospect and had done nothing wrong in five starts when heading to Town Moor with three bumper wins and two hurdle victories on her CV.
The Cheltenham Festival is on the horizon for the six-year-old and the Doncaster contest proved to be the perfect preparation as she triumphed at a canter under Paddy Brennan, crossing the line seven lengths ahead as the 1-9 favourite.
“We’re very happy with her, obviously it’s very nerve-wracking when you’re 1-9 on and she had to go and win,” said O’Brien.
“She had to win or it was going to be a disaster, there’d have been a big bubble burst! But she did the job well and we were very happy.
“She did it as well as we hoped she’d do it, she’s in good form with herself and she enjoyed the whole job – that was nice to see.
“I think you’ll see her to better effect in a better race, she was just jumping a little bit up in the air today.
“Her jumping at Cheltenham (in December) was probably better, if you were going to crab her, but in a better race she’ll jump better.”
Paddy Power left the winner unchanged at 7-2 for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in March, and O’Brien added: “She got the job done, Paddy was happy with her, fingers crossed it’s Cheltenham now.”
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