William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell offers an update on his plans for Inothewayurthinkin and Hello Neighbour, as well as taking a closer look at his runners in Ireland this weekend.
Inothewayurthinkin and Hello Neighbour set for Dublin Racing Festival
The Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival is now the aim for Inothewayurthinkin this year, but it’s not going to be easy for him no matter where he goes. He had a nice run in the Savills Chase but he’ll need to build on that to be a Gold Cup horse.
His jumping has been good in his two runs this seasons and I wouldn’t like to spoil that by sending him somewhere like the Grand National and giving him a fright. We’re going to take our time and try not to get ahead of ourselves. Hopefully he’ll be a Gold Cup horse next year.
I suppose Hello Neighbour is probably top of my Dublin Racing Festival list at the moment. He put in a very nice performance at Christmas, to win a Grade Two on his first time over hurdles was a great result. He’ll need to have learned plenty from that race to win the Grade One Juvenile Hurdle, but hopefully he’s done just that.
Cheltenham Festival chances
Looking at the Mares Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, we have four potential contenders. Limerick Lace obviously won the race last year but she hasn’t performed anything like her best in her first two starts this season, she’ll have to get back on track to feature. We’re hopeful of getting her back because there’s been no real reason for her poor performances.
Brides Hill ran an okay race at Doncaster but she’ll need to build on that to feature. Only By Night has been very good this season but she’s still a novice. She’ll go to Thurles next Sunday, she’s a mare in form, so all being well she could take her chance. Bioluminescence is very ground dependent. If it comes up soft ground, she could be a big player.
The Other Mozzie was put up 11 pounds for his win at Naas last week which opens up a couple of doors for him at Cheltenham. He could go to the Grand Annual or the Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase – those would be the long-term aims.
Saturday, Fairyhouse
Our first runner at Fairyhouse on Saturday is Sixandahalf (12.32pm) in the Mares Maiden Hurdle over 2m2½f. Her last two runs on the Flat were impressive and she’s since had a run in a schooler hurdle which went well. She jumps well and I’d be hoping she makes a smooth transition.
The big race of the day is the Grade Three Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (1.45pm) where we have three runners. The King of Prs was only beaten half a length the last day having been five wide jumping the last, it was a very good run. Based on that he should definitely be in the mix here.
Path d’Oroux was disappointing on his last start, we have him a bit of a break after that and he’s freshened up well. I’d be hopeful of a good run from him. He’s quite high in the handicap but he’s a horse I think plenty of and I’d be giving him a chance here.
Midnight It Is got put up 12 pounds for his last win but he’s still off a nice light weight here. If he can defy the penalty then he could be in the mix. I don’t know if there’s enough improvement to deal with such a rise, but we’ll know more tomorrow.
We also run three in the Beginners Chase (2.18pm), one of which is Kazakh d’Arthel. He finally seems to be learning, albeit a little, with every run. Hopefully he can continue to do that here and when the penny drops with him he should be fine.
Antrim Coast has been off the track for a while but he schools well over fences and we were always hoping he’d make a nice chaser. In The Trenches will have a better chance back in handicap company because he’s just been outclassed in his two efforts over fences so far. He’s jumped reasonably well though, so hopefully come the spring he’ll be more competitive.
Noble Birth is a horse who’s put in a couple of decent performances since joining the yard from Eric McNamara. He runs in the 2m6f Novice Chase (2.51pm) and his work has been good, so I’d be hopeful he has a good chance.
We end the day on the Flat with De Temps En Temps (3.26pm). He goes well but there’s a couple of high-profile horses in there which will take plenty of beating. He works well though and I’m hopeful he’ll be bang there.
Sunday, Punchestown
We head to Punchestown on Sunday where we start off with Shantou Princess in the Beginners Chase over 2m6½f (12.25pm). She was just missing a gear and the step up in trip seems to have made the difference. She schooled well this week so we’re confident she’ll take to fences well. She’s in good form so hopefully she has a chance.
Toon Town has his first run for us since joining from Brendan Walsh’s yard, he goes in the 2m3½f Handicap Chase (1.25pm). We’re happy enough with his work at home, he’s schooled well, and he’ll have to bring that to the track on his first run over fences. If he can do that, then I think he has a chance.
Peaches and Cream is our only runner in the 2m6½f Amateur National Handicap Chase (1.55pm). He’s a 10-year-old now and he seems to have been struggling of late. He’s not been showing much enthusiasm but we’re hoping Declan Lavery can get a tune out of him. He seems to have just lost his way about so we’re hoping we can get that spark back.
The first of our two runners in the 2m1f Maiden Hurdle (2.55pm) is Come On The Lads and I was delighted with his run the last day, he settled nicely. His first two starts over hurdles were very bad and he was very keen having come off the Flat. He showed enough the last day to make us hopeful that he’ll build on that effort. Our other runner, The Dancing Tree, is another that doesn’t seem to be showing much enthusiasm. Maybe when he gets into handicap company he’ll have more of a chance, but he’ll still need to show more enthusiasm.
Our final two runners of the weekend go in the Handicap Hurdle over 2m4½f (3.25pm). Ask Anything is a horse whose jumping let him down on his first couple of starts over fences, so he’s back over hurdles to try and build his confidence. We’ve put a hood on which should hopefully help him settle a little better. I’d be happy enough if he just ran a good race because his season hasn’t got off to a great start.
We were very disappointed with Londonofficecallin the last day at Navan so he’ll have to bounce back from that. His work has been good at home so I’m hopeful he can produce a nice run.
This race is part of the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series which is a great initiative. It gives owners a good chance at winning a nice pot at a Festival meeting with those lower-rated horses.
