Gavin Cromwell: my leading hopes for Leopardstown over Christmas
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 17 Dec 2024
Gavin Cromwell expects the step up in trip to be in Inothewayurthinkin’s favour in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown – but he has warned that the ground needs to be soft enough for him to run.
An easy winner at the Cheltenham Festival in March when turning the Kim Muir into something of a procession, he then handled a rise to Grade One company with aplomb at Aintree.
Inothewayurthinkin began this campaign over two and a half miles in the John Durkan but finished well beaten behind Fact To File and is on course to meet the same rival over Christmas, although Cromwell has warned that quick ground would rule him out.
Cromwell expects to be busy over the four-day meeting (INPHO/Morgan Treacy)
“The plan is to run in the Savills. I thought he ran OK in Punchestown, he jumped really well. When they turned in, the front ones quickened away from him but he stayed going all the way to the line,” said Cromwell.
“He got a little bit tired but two and a half miles would be his minimum and the step up to three miles will be a big help.
“The ground is a concern with the forecast. He’ll definitely want an ease in it and he potentially might not run.”
In an update on Tuesday, clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer described the chase course as good to yielding, yielding in places.
Cromwell expects to be busy over the four-day meeting and went on to pick out some of his more noteworthy runners on a press morning at his yard.
“Perceval Legallois is in the Paddy Power,” said the trainer. “He’s been a very frustrating horse. He’s gone up to a mark that hopefully he could win one of those big ones.
The Cromwell horses are ready for the gallops (INPHO/Morgan Treacy)
“He needs everything to fall his way. He’s had plenty of hard luck stories along the way and he’s crept up the handicap without winning, but hopefully he’ll have his day. If the ground is on the better side, it won’t be a problem to him.
“If You Let Me is a horse that is starting to go the right way and will run in the two-mile handicap. He’d love a bit of nice ground and we’re happy with him.
“Visionairian will go for the Grade One (Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase). Obviously, on ratings he’s a little bit behind but hopefully he’d have a place chance.”
Cromwell did highlight the claims of Hello Neighbour, who is now going juvenile hurdling after being unbeaten in two runs on the Flat.
“Hello Neighbour is an interesting three-year-old that we are excited about,” he said.
“He will have an entry in the three-year-old maiden hurdle and he’ll also have an entry in the Grade Two and we’ll have a look and see.
“Often, the maiden can nearly be as good as the Grade Two. I suppose he’s the one we’re most looking forward to at Christmas, even though he’s never run before.”
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