Henry De Bromhead ready to unleash strong squad over Christmas

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Henry De Bromhead believes Monalee is “back where he should be” and is leaning towards running him in the Savills Chase over Christmas in preference to the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Monalee was a leading novice chaser the season before last, when he beat all bar Presenting Percy in the RSA Chase after an earlier defeat of Al Boum Photo in Grade One company at Leopardstown.

However, last term he failed to scale the heights and on his return from six months off this campaign he finished a well-held third to Douvan at Clonmel.

In an interview with On The Wire, the weekly Racing TV podcast which focuses on the Irish scene, De Bromhead told host Johnny Ward that the eight-year-old had derived considerable benefit from that outing.

“He seems in super form, he’s really coming to himself now,” the trainer said. “He had a pretty disappointing year last year, although he was second in a Grade One and he won the Red Mills Chase. Hopefully, we have him back to where he should be.

“He will come on plenty for his first run and we look forward to getting him out again. He’s in the King George and he’s also the Savills Chase. Subject to ground, he will end up running in one or the other. [We are] probably leaning towards the Savills but nothing has been confirmed.”

Monalee is a best-priced 20-1 with Coral for the Savills Chase. De Bromhead also has Balko Des Flos and Paloma Blue engaged in the feature, which takes place on Saturday week (December 28).

He has a strong squad for the festive programme and went out of his way to single out Notebook, unbeaten in two starts over fences and an entry in the Grade One Racing Post Novice Chase on December 26, for special praise.

“Notebook’s been very impressive – we’ve not had a horse jump like him for a long time,” he told On The Wire listeners. “Obviously he’s a bit behind the fancied horses on hurdle ratings but the way he jumps, I think it makes a huge difference for him.”

The promising Aspire Tower could contest the Grade Two Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle on the same card.

An 86-rated performer ion the Flat in Britain when trained by Steve Gollings, the three-year-old impressed when winning by 13 lengths on his hurdling debut at Punchestown despite racing exuberantly at the head of affairs.

“It was his first run for us and we couldn’t have been happier with how he did it. He’s in good form and he’s training really well,” De Bromhead said.

“I’ve not trained many juvenile hurdlers over years. I’d say my first winner juvenile winner was last year, with Having A Good Time. [I’ve] probably just never had that type of horse before.”

An exciting staying novice chaser in the trainer’s ranks, Minella Indo, is on course to contest the Grade One Neville Hotels Novice Chase on December 29.

Last season’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winner, who followed up at Punchestown, chased home Laurina on his chasing bow over 2m4f at Gowran last month. He is a general 5-2 to go one better.

De Bromhead said: “He’s going to go for the three-mile novice chase at Leopardstown. [He was] beaten behind Laurina over probably an inadequate trip for him and it was his first run back. He’s a horse that takes a lot of work.”

Stable stars Honeysuckle and Chris’s Dream will not be in action over the festive period.

Chris’s Dream ran away with the Troytown Chase at Navan last month but De Bromhead says the key to the seven-year-old is plenty of time between his races.

“He jumped and galloped away well, and saw out the three miles really well,” he said. “It was a great race to win. He’s gone up to 159 now. We were toying with Thyestes, but I’d say that’s gone out of the window.

“He’s a horse who seems to run well fresh, so we said we would aim towards Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February and that will be his next run.”

The unbeaten Honeysuckle enhanced her reputation with an emphatic success in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on her latest start.

Many believe she would be a worthy Unibet Champion Hurdle contender and she is no bigger than 10-1, but connections are sticking to Plan A.

De Bromhead confirmed: “I would say we are very much leaning towards the Mares’ Hurdle at the moment, but we will keep our options open. We couldn’t ask for more so far, she’s been great.”

Honeysuckle is a general 2-1 for the Mares' Hurdle.

Click here to listen to our weekly podcast, On The Wire, with Johnny Ward and Brendan Duke.