Chris Day
It’s been a superb Christmas for all lovers of jump racing highlighted by Thistle Cracks demolition of the best staying chasers this side of the Irish Sea but Douvan, Altior and Min all showed that the next few seasons should be equally exciting over lesser distances with eye catching performances of their own.
Ball D’Arc, as predicted, ran in two handicaps in December, finishing second at Navan off 130 and then arguably an unlucky third from a 3lbs higher mark at Leopardstown over 17 furlongs. In the latter contest he was looking like the winner when hampered by a faller 2 out and then got squeezed trying to avoid the horse before running on again to be beaten 3 lengths. I assume he’ll win races from his current mark and expect he’ll make into a high class handicapper at least.
Fagan, also from the Gordon Elliott stable, made his chasing debut on New Year's Day at Fairyhouse but was pulled up behind the bloodless winner, Balko Des Flos, in a race where only three horses finished. We’ll need to see him run again before any decisions on what may happen are made.
Supasundae was the only winner over the festive period for the Ten To Follow, comfortable beating Noel Meade’s 148 rated Monksland conceding 4lbs at Punchestown over 2 ½ miles only 4 days after running well in a hotly contested Leopardstown handicap over the minimum trip. It may be that small field conditions hurdles suit him ideally and there are plenty of those in Ireland and he could be in for a productive spell.
Wait For Me made his seasonal debut in a traditionally warm handicap hurdle at Kempton the day after Boxing Day and ran well in sixth. The feedback seems to be that he’ll go for the big handicaps over 2 miles with the County Hurdle, in which he finished third last year, the ultimate target. For me he’s a stayer and looks a natural for the Coral Cup but I guess Hobbs and Johnson would definitely be in a better position to decide.
West Approach was in the middle of showing excellent form for a novice when falling at the last when he may have been put off by the fall of Ballyoptic in the Long Walk Hurdle won by current Stayers’ Hurdle favourite, Unowhatimeanharry at Ascot on 17th December. I still retain faith in the horse and a big field and strong pace should play to his strengths this spring presumably in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle or the Aintree Grade 1 won by stablemate Thistlecrack last year.
All the Best
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