Welcome to this week’s column, in which I’m finally getting around to addressing the novice and juvenile hurdlers who strutted their stuff over the festive period. After a week in which the weather battered many a fixture into submission, at least it means I’ve got something to talk about. 

The consensus of opinion is that Farren Glory would have triumphed in Aintree’s Grade One Formby Hurdle on Boxing Day had he not taken a somersaulting tumble at the second last, having run down it a little to his right. Already a winner at this grade in the Royal Bond, he was certainly travelling strongly at the time, having sliced through to challenge exiting the home turn. 

It’s still a long way home from two out there, however, and eventual runner-up Favour And Fortune was also moving smoothly at the time and the actual victor Jango Baie had been nudged but would find plenty for pressure. The pair pulled 12 lengths clear of long-time leader Cannock Park and the first almost three lengths ahead of the second after they jumped the last upsides. 

In short, I don’t think it’s wise to be dogmatic about this. The ground was also sappingly heavy and you could argue Farren Glory had done too much on it. At least he’d won over slightly further, but it would have been interesting to see how he’d have handled two such strongly rallying rivals. I also hope this ugly fall doesn’t affect his confidence; he got a kick for his troubles, too. 

Jango Baie also suffers from my-other-car-is-a-Porsche syndrome, perhaps also because he finds rather than glides. Others among his peers at Nicky Henderson’s stable, some of them entered in this race originally, were deemed to have more alluring profiles. Some of those have taken a knock over the festive period; others have maintained face, as already discussed. 

, I liked the fact Jango Baie had been able to win at Ascot despite pulling himself to the front before halfway and then getting the last wrong, handing the advantage to his rival Tellherthename, who reopposed here. The winner’s response to three well-spaced reminders from James Bowen settled this decisively, having looked like it was going to be close during his lengthy one-to-one battle with the runner-up. 

Favour And Fortune had won at Hereford and Wetherby previously – beating the gawkier Bertie’s Ballet on the latter occasion, himself a winner at Haydock subsequent to this Aintree Grade One. Deemed good enough to contest Cheltenham’s Champion Bumper last season, finishing a well-held 14th, Favour And Fortune elevated his form markedly here. Calmer in appearance and in running here, he had even been shuffled back to last on the inside rail on the home turn. 

Cannock Park continues to be a handful. He obtained a solo up front from flag-fall and jumped the first two hurdles airily whilst racing too keenly. He made a mistake three out when challenged by Farren Glory and had been narrowly headed when that rival fell at the next. He rallied for pressure to some degree but was then soon overtaken by the two principals. 

In fact, he may have been fortunate to hang on for third because fifth-placed Florida Dreams – a Grade Two bumper winner at this track – was badly hampered by the faller but rallied doughtily. He can win more races when upped in trip. Cannock Park will need to become more professional but he’s got scope and ability if it can be channelled in the right direction. 

Hitherto steadily progressive Kamsinas, winner of Haydock’s Grade Two Newton novices’ hurdle in November, took a step backwards here. He made an early forward move, seeing a lot of daylight, and faded after getting three out wrong. Heavy ground might not have been to his liking. 

Tellherthename was reported by jockey Kielan Woods to have lost his action after having made headway to press the leader at the start of the final circuit. He weakened quickly on the home turn and jumped three out slowly prior to retiring. This was by far the heaviest ground he has yet encountered and would be better judged on his two other outings – that tussle with (then) fellow four-year-old Jango Baie at Ascot and his subsequent Huntingdon success. 

The other four-year-old was French raider July Flower, who has now twice performed below expectations at Aintree. In the Nickel Coin Mares’ Bumper last April, it was on her sole start for Henry de Bromhead, finishing ninth on good ground having previously won both her starts for Mickael Seror in France. 

She’s now returned to that trainer and had resumed her upward trajectory over hurdles, finishing second in an Auteuil Grade One in November. With the hood she wore on debut this season reapplied, she ran inexplicably badly here. Recently crowned French champion jump jockey Felix De Giles – formerly of this parish, riding for Henderson – didn’t look happy on the mare from some way out and eased her down before two out. 

Just to mention to that Haydock race won by Bertie’s Ballet, he was receiving 3lb from runner-up Norman Fletcher – whose 7lb-claiming partner James Turner offset his 10lb penalty for his two previous successes at Market Rasen and Aintree – but he was value for more than the one-and-a-half-length disparity. 

Winning jockey Henry Brooke deployed only hands-and-heels riding on Bertie’s Ballet, having readily reeled in the runner-up – on whom Turner had kicked for home off a glacial pace on the final bend – and been taken to the front rather sooner than he expected with his mount’s good jump three out. As at Wetherby, Bertie’s Ballet again raced keenly and with his head bowed low. He’ll do even better in a strongly run race and shouldn’t be underestimated next time. 

There were links to Jango Baie in the Leopardstown’s opening maiden hurdle on St Stephen’s Day, too, when his three-quarter-length conqueror in a Knockanard point-to-point No Flies On Him – then trained and ridden by ‘professional’ amateur Derek O’Connor – made a winning Rules debut for trainer Edward O’Grady and owner JP McManus. 

Mark Walsh bounced him out on the inside rail, steering clear of his 27 (count ’em) rivals, and his mount produced a most professional display – jumping well and putting his pursuers in trouble before the last. 

“I’ve had a lot of swans over the last few years who have turned out as geese, but I think this fella might stay a swan!” O’Grady said afterwards. “He will have to be entered in Grade 1s after this and hopefully he might get there.” 

Favourite Ascending, an 82-rated winner over a mile on the Flat but who stayed 10 furlongs for Clive Cox, made his hurdling debut – second to Tekao – for Henry de Bromhead at this meeting in 2022 and went on to finish fifth in the Triumph hurdle. Third behind It’s For Me and Caldwell Potter on seasonal debut, he failed to utilise his pace and superior experience to telling use here. He seems to be plateauing and was caught for second by promising hurdles debutant D B Cooper, who will do even better upped in trip. 

Keen Kings Hill finished strongly in fourth after making two significant mistakes and, back in sixth, anpther nascent stayer I Am Lorenzo made an encouraging Rules debut. Lieber Nicc closed up late on and signalled some ability. 100/1 shot Dream Escape, a 75-rated 12-furlong winner on the Flat, ran better than the literal form on his hurdles debut, weakening markedly after a bad mistake two out. 

The following two-mile maiden hurdle has been won by Ballymore winners City Island and Sir Gerhard in the past few years. On this occasion, it provided a platform for King Of Kingsfield finally to get off the mark at the fourth attempt over hurdles. He’s looked a more accomplished operator for the switch to patient tactics on his last two starts, the previous being his length-and-a-half Grade One second to stablemate Farren Glory in the Royal Bond. 

He did this straightforwardly, travelling strongly just behind the leaders on the inside, moving up smoothly to join front-running Mirazur West in the straight, jumping into a narrow lead at the last and then pulling six lengths clearly merely for being given a shake. 

“We were riding King Of Kingsfield all wrong and the last day we changed our minds,” Elliott admitted. “He’s been disappointing up until now as I always thought he was a proper horse, but he might just come good now.” 

This was a decent start to his campaign from the Willie Mullins-trained Mirazur West, who raced too freely and persistently went out to his right but was conceding both match-fitness and experience to the winner. Third-placed stablemate Icare Desbois raced with a low head carriage and was so busy trying to compel Danny Mullins to let him race faster that he almost tripped over the second hurdle. Indeed, his jumping lacked fluency overall but he kept on well. 

Their former stable companion James’s Gate, making his hurdling debut for new trainer Martin Brassil after 607 days on the side-lines, shaped encouragingly – looming up threateningly on the home turn only to guess at the last under pressure and peck. In the backwash, Whatsitabout again showed a little bit on his return from a year off and is now qualified for handicaps. 

At Limerick that same day, Loughglynn took the feature Lyons Of Limerick Jaguar Land Rover Novice Hurdle – the Dorans Pride to you and me – despite being keen in heavy conditions. This wasn’t a stamina test but a sprint-finish at the 2m7f trip – and he coped with it best. Ninth in Cheltenham’s Champion Bumper, the winner had previously made a successful debut at Punchestown and jumped better for that experience here. 

Second-season novice Search For Glory, again sporting the tongue-tie-and-cheekpieces combination that had worked well for him in a Cork Grade Three last time, took the field along at a steady pace at which most of his opponents chafed. 

In Gigginstown’s putative second-string colours, Stellar Story joined his Gordon Elliott-trained stablemate at the fore from before the fourth but the pace didn’t lift until the home turn when, having moved Loughglynn to press the leaders, Sean O’Keeffe asked him to assert into the straight. A good jump at the second last placed his slightly outpaced pursuers decisively on the back foot. 

All three rallied in his wake, Stellar Story grabbing second after hurling himself at the last and Answer To Kayf, who never quite settled and consistently lost ground at his obstacles, recovering from an error two out. Search For Glory kept going but lost two places late. It was noticeable that he had been one of only two horses not to steer a wider course on the second circuit. 

Earlier on the same card, Joyau De Thaix built on the promise he’d shown when third in similarly testing conditions on racecourse debut at Gowran. He’d jumped to the front at the first fence but was headed by 11/10 favourite Jolie Coeur Allen at the third last. 

That fizzy mare, who’d been keen to post, also over-raced and although she appeared to be travelling strongly entering the straight, she again found very little when challenged by the winner between the final two flights. It had been a similar story at Tramore previously. 

A mistake at the last also rendered her vulnerable to Spasiba – a 91-rated recruit far Paddy Twomey on the Flat who stayed at least 12 furlongs in that discipline – who stayed on to bag second on his first start for Sam Curling. Fourth-placed Picture Of You regressed a shade from her previous two efforts, making crucial mistakes at two of the last three obstacles. 

Conditions on the second day of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival were very different from the first after a shedload of rain fell overnight and long into the day, meaning runners were literally splashing across the track. The extra accent this placed on stamina over two miles for the Grade One Paddy Power Future Champion Novice Hurdle was right up Caldwell Potter’s street. 

Slightly on his toes prior to the off but settled straightforwardly just behind the buzzy leader Westport Cove in the race itself, he jumped soundly and pressed on after the third last. Only Predators Gold was really able to follow whilst the others were left behind in various degrees of trouble. 

His closest pursuer was thwarted by his jumping – landing statically at the second last and, having inched his way closer despite lugging left approaching the final flight, blundering there and becoming unbalanced. Caldwell Potter wasn’t foot perfect either, but he was better and stayed on strongly to the line in the heavy ground. 

This determined and well-bred character – brother to the ill-fated Mighty Potter, who won this race in 2021 plus three other Grade Ones and half-brother to 2022 Paddy Power Gold Cup runner-up French Dynamite – clearly needs to step up in trip sooner rather than later. 

But he’s progressing well, having chased home smart Mullins-trained bumper horse It’s For Me on hurdling debut at Punchestown in November and then followed up in a Navan novice in a decent time the following month. He’d previously had four mostly well-spaced bumper starts, Gordon Elliott explaining that his sparing campaign was due to him getting “a bit light”. 

“He had an easy season last year and I’d say it’s stood to him,” Elliott told Racing TV’s Gary O’Brien. “I’d say the rain coming really suited him – it made it into a test. He’s probably not as classy as Mighty Potter but he’s very tough and I’d say he’s a big chaser in the making.” 

The year-younger Predators Gold had previously won over half a mile further at Punchestown and Mossy Fen Park, the six-length runner-up, had lost his maiden tag at Down Royal the previous day. Having sweated up a shade beforehand, he ran with great credit for one so inexperienced – this was just his third career start. 

Those others who finished were legless, including two horses in particular who had previously created the strongly positive impressions. Down Memory Lane, stablemate to the winner and preferred in the betting, finished 38 lengths adrift of the second. Elliott reported that rider Derek O’Connor had said his mount was “beaten after two hurdles” and blamed the conditions. He’s been pushed out to as long as 33/1 for the Supreme, which seems an over-reaction. 

Daddy Long Legs, highly promising but gawky winner of a Thurles novice and sent off favourite as Paul Townend’s choice from four Mullins-trained options, lost ground at most of his hurdles, typified by his static landing at the second and second-last flights. It’s possible he didn’t like the ground either, as he was being nudged along from an early stage. Townend reported his mount had “never travelled”. He’s now 40/1 – another hair-trigger response. 

Indeed, the going is a plausible excuse for all of the beaten horses, most conspicuously perhaps The Big Doyen (unless something physical emerges) as he was tailing off before two out and is best suited when the emphasis is on speed. Absurde was returning to hurdling after winning the Ebor on good-to-firm and finishing seventh in the Melbourne Cup on good, so this would have been a culture shock. Smooth Tom made a catalogue of errors. 

Leopardstown’s whole hurdling circus had moved to the inside track by day three, meaning that whilst competitors still encountered heavy ground, it had not been chewed-up by a day’s racing. Despite some market unease, causing her to drift from 5/6 to 5/4 just prior to the off, the filly Jade De Grugy won the 2m4f maiden opener against geldings by 15 lengths. 

This was a highly promising debut over obstacles from this Mullins-trained first-timer, who’d previously won a fillies’ juvenile bumper for Adrien Fouassier in France. She was kept honest throughout by Butcher Road, who raced alongside her outer and clear of the rest of the field but was out-jumped two out. He tried to serve it up to the easier-travelling filly on the home turn but was left behind approaching the last, over which the inexperienced winner was nursed by Townend under mere hands and heels. 

Back at Leopardstown following day, Ballyburn faced a relatively small field of seven for the 2m4f maiden and readily went one better, as widely expected, after running into Firefox on hurdling debut at Fairyhouse earlier in December when race-fit like the winner. 

Travelling strongly behind the clear leader, Ballyburn moved smoothly into the lead at the second last and won impressively by 25 lengths. He looked a lot sharper for his seasonal debut, but still has some room for improvement in his jumping, mind. 

At Newbury the following day, Captain Teague provided Paul Nicholls with his sixth success in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle.and confirmed the impression he’d left when beaten by Minella Missile at Cheltenham in November that he’s a thorough stayer. 

It’s usually his trainer’s modus operandi to run his winners of this race in the Ballymore, but it’s possible the Albert Bartlett might spring more readily to mind now that it’s evolved into a classier contest and he’s won it with Stay Away Fay. 

Runner-up Lookaway was positively ridden and continues to run with huge credit for Neil King’s team. He saw out the trip bravely and perfectly well, but would nonetheless be interesting if reverting to two miles for the Betfair Hurdle at this track. 

Third-placed The Jukebox Man, a dual hurdle winner at Ffos Las, took a good step forward here and Carlisle victor Johnnywho will surely do better as this fourth was achieved on merely his third career start. Both can step up in trip. 

The disappointment of the race was second-favourite Willmount, who went too freely, was soon struggling and eventually pulled up at the third last by James Bowen. An issue that went unidentified by trainer Nicky Henderson subsequently emerged, who described the horse as “perfectly sound” to Nick Luck Daily listeners on his New Year’s Day’s podcast. [link] 

Agreeing that the problem was not necessarily long term, Henderson added: “We’ve got issues and we know what they are and we’ll just have to try and see what we can do about them.” 

Earlier on the same card, his stable companion Jeriko Du Reponet had merely four rivals to beat and functioned comfortably despite a steadily run race. It was another style-over-substance success, but stylish it certainly was. 

It was notable that Bowen changed his view on his mount’s distance requirements as a result of this success, going into the race thinking he’d require further and coming out of it in agreement with Henderson that the Supreme should be the plan. 

Finally, on New Year’s Day at Tramore Boldog delivered a comfortable wide-margin success in the opening maiden hurdle, following in the footsteps of significant other victors such as Notebook, Saint Roi and El Fabiolo – the last-named also in the double green silks of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. 

Formerly trained by Stuart Crawford but now with Joseph O’Brien, he ran without the combination of tongue-tie and hood worn for his previous three starts in bumpers. He appears a more mature article now and shapes as though he’ll stay further. 

Kala Conti was perfectly positioned to win Leopardstown’s glacially run Juvenile Hurdle on St Stephen’s Day and receiving weight from both her half-length Fairyhouse conqueror Nurburgring and French recruit Kargese, who were both snapping at her heels at the line. 

Take a bow, Danny Gilligan, the conditional rider who thus added his first Grade Two success to his victories this season in the Troytown on Coko Beach and the Galway Plate on Ash Tree Meadow, all trained by Gordon Elliott. His mount here was professional and game, stretching bravely to make her jump at the last, but she’d need to find more to fend off either of the placed horses when they meet again. 

Kala Conti didn’t need to upgrade her form in order to win on these terms, but her strike rate – three wins from four career starts – must be acknowledged. She knows how to get the job done. 

Making her Irish debut for Willie Mullins, Kargese was intent on a side-wrestle with Danny Mullins throughout this race, making it remarkable that she produced so potent a challenge from two out. She moved up easily to press the leaders four wide on the home turn and although she didn’t fly the last like the winner, she gave chase with a determined head carriage all the way to the line. 

Kargese was conceding 3lb to the winner for her previous Grade Three success at Auteuil when with Donatien Sourdeau de Beauregard – not a Roald Dahl character but possibly the world’s best-named trainer. She was running here without the tongue-tie she sported on all three starts in France, the first of them a winning debut back in March. 

By sticking her neck out, she somehow secured second by a nose from the rallying Nurburgring, who was briefly stuck in a pocket on the home turn and possibly slightly outpaced, then landed slightly awkwardly at the last but at the line was steadily reeling in the two fillies who’d got first run. He, too, was carrying a 3lb penalty and emerged as the best horse at the weights. He would be suited by a more strongly run affair. 

Back in fourth, Batman Girac caught my eye with the Boodles Fred Winter in mind. Positioned towards rear on the inside rail from the outset, he ended up jumping two out in last place and was even mildly checked on landing. Michael O’Sullivan then stuck to the inside rail and made steady progress, unhurried until after the last, when staying on past weakening rivals and running down one-paced Irish debutant and stablemate Karafon for fourth. 

Batman Girac must have disappointed Willie Mullins on his bow for the yard when sent off the beaten favourite behind Nurburgring at Fairyhouse, but he left that form far behind here – perhaps aided by the tongue-tie he wore in France being reapplied. He’s worn a hood every time, however. Unlike Karafon, he’d already won over hurdles for Erwan Grall, so there is every reason for his new connections to press on with him this season. 

Mighty Bandit was the big disappointment of the race and in his winning post-race interview, Elliott reported that he’d been found to have nasal discharge afterwards. Jack Kennedy’s mount had impressed with his racecourse debut success at Punchestown on softer ground in late November when finishing off strongly, so his tame weakening in the straight here had been surprising. Where the Cullentra team choose to run him for his third start will be revealing. 

Cossach Chach, stablemate of third-placed Nurburgring, was responsible for the tepid pace, getting to the front after the first and enjoying a solo lead. Wearing a first-time tongue-tie, he lacked fluency at times and the winner readily joined him upsides two out, going better. He was ridden to hold his position on the home turn but weakened from the last, where he was checked on landing by Nurburgring jumping left and faded. That was his third hurdle start. 

Over at Limerick that same day, Bunting made an impressive winning debut for Mullins in the Energumene and Penhill silks of Tony Bloom. Always prominently positioned, he kicked for home off a steady pace entering the straight and, despite looking decidedly green in front, won by eight lengths. It took some time for Sean O’Keeffe to pull him up after he’d crossed the line. 

Bunting had previously won his sole start on the Flat, a maiden over 11 furlongs at Fontainebleau back in March, and heads next to the Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival to ascertain whether he is a Triumph Hurdle candidate. 

Runner-up Mr Lincoln shaped well on his hurdling debut, having shown decent form on the Flat up to ten furlongs. Having loomed up four wide on the home turn, he couldn’t quicken with the winner to the second last but kept on well. Staying on late for third, Base Money appeared to leave his poor Flat form behind and Bright Legend, who operated at a decent level over ten furlongs on the Flat, also showed some promise but will need to brush up his jumping. 

It's possible Bunting could encounter a rare British raider at Leopardstown next month after connections of impressive Cheltenham winner Burdett Road opted against him ploughing through heavy ground for Chepstow’s Finale Hurdle on 27 December. 

That left the way clear for Salver to initiate a highly productive 45 minutes for Gary Moore that, as previously discussed, [Road 7] would also include victories for Editeur Du Gite and Nassalam. It was also a famous day for conditional Caoilin Quinn, for whom Salver’s success was his second Grade Two victory to date – following Botox Has’s West Yorkshire Hurdle in November – to be supplemented with Nassalam’s Welsh Grand National triumph about half an hour later. 

In filthy and potentially specialist conditions, Salver thumped a disappointing turn-out of five rivals by 21 lengths. Quinn’s greatest difficulty was perhaps negotiating the stable bend on the long run between the first and second hurdles, when Salver cocked his jaw in hope of an early bath. 

Instead, set on his corrected path, he quickened the pace alongside Balboa at the end of the back straight and jumped to the front three out where – despite it being such a long way from home – he could be called the winner. 

Moore took this race two years ago with ill-fated Porticello, who went on to finish a best-of British sixth in that season’s Triumph. Salver is now unbeaten in three hurdling starts, all in testing ground, and won this for hands and heels. I suspect he didn’t have a lot to beat in the circumstances, however, as his trainer implied. 

“Salver and enjoyed the conditions, whereas the rest probably didn’t,” Moore observed afterwards. “He has already done more than I expected and he isn’t just going to be a juvenile either, because he is a big horse and can only improve. His jumping today was unbelievable as well. He was gaining lengths at every hurdle. 

“I’ll have to think about a better race now and we might have to look at the Triumph Hurdle, but if it came up quick at Cheltenham we wouldn’t have to run him. We could wait for Aintree or just put him away.” 

Balboa had previously stuck to his task behind Fred Winter hope An Bradan Feasa at Cheltenham in December – himself brushed aside by Burdett Road thee previously – and did not seem as suited to these conditions as the winner. 

Cork winner Harsh, representing the previous year’s winning combination of Joseph O’Brien and Jonjo O’Neill Jnr, sweated up. He had to work hard to get back into contention after the pace lifted and briefly threatened Balboa for second early in the straight. But he soon tired noticeably, his jumping unravelling to the extent he was caught for third by Autho Celtic, who’d lost touch with the principals exiting the back straight and shaped like a dour stayer. 

That same day at Kempton, Sir Gino was an impressive winner of the introductory juvenile despite conceding 5lb to all rivals and lacking in hurdling technique. He jumped some obstacles too airily and clattered through others, but he careered into the lead entering the straight and, even though he fluffed the last by putting in a short stride and then dragging a hind leg in the turf on landing, he pulled clear of Royal Way by 14 lengths into a reported strong headwind. 

Although he’d won his hurdling debut when trained by Carlos and Yann Lerner back in April in France, Sir Gino was also green and gawky in front. An imposing chasing type, the question will be whether he’s mature and polished enough for an assignment like the Triumph. He had already undergone an operation to improve his breathing prior to this, too. Partner Nico de Boinville was complimentary, however. 

“He will have learned a lot today. It’s just a case of keeping his mind on the job and keeping him concentrating as much as anything,” he said. “He was just losing a bit of concentration but that’s the first time he’s seen a big crowd. He’s a proper horse. Someone has to take on Burdett Road and we may as well give it a go. He’s still a baby but is growing up all the time.” 

The runner-up has since won at Ludlow, looking well-suited to speedier tracks after pulling hard and failing to get home at Sandown on debut. 

Over at Leopardstown, Intellotto avoided the final-bend scrimmaging to win the opening three-year-old maiden hurdle for Joseph O’Brien. Rated 87 on the Flat (albeit that mark was untested in handicaps) for the same yard after only three starts, they were obliged to draw stumps in late April and then gelded him in June. 

Here, he splashed through the rain, racing straightforwardly at the fore of mid-division on the inside, his jumping not always fluent, until Daryl Jacob angled him off the bend before the home turn and steered a wide course into the straight. 

Four horses had rounded the turn disputing the lead – the highly exprienced Pigeon House narrowly taking over from long-time leader Evening’s Empire on the rail, with 150/1 shot Lucy Wang and the Elliott-trained putative second-string Mordor, who’d made a mistake at the second last after making notable headway, going well on their outside. 

Pigeon House weakened approaching the last, where Intellotto loomed up on the outside of Mordor and Lucy Wang. Mordor – a 76-rated maiden who stayed 12 furlongs on the Flat for David Simcock – appeared to be going best but the further the winner went, the better he was going – probably an inexperience thing rather than anything else. 

He exited the last hurdle the quickest, whereas Mordor was careful and Lucy Wang the least fluent of the trio. Intellotto then pulled four-and-a-half lengths clear, with Lucy Wang herself three lengths clear in second. This was no fluke from this filly on debut for Josh Halley, despite her starting-price and apparently leaving her French form far behind. Mordor kept going but only at the one pace. 

The second wave of bend-runners, the Elliott-trained first string Ndaawi, well backed just before the off, the Mullins-trained 6/5 favourite Ethical Diamond, who’d raced keenly, and Lark In The Mornin had all been boxed in to varying degrees on the winner’s inside, and then met trouble when Leading Lion weakened quickly. 

An unexposed thrice-raced 89-rated 12-furlong winner on the Flat, Ethical Diamond raced keenly and wasn’t really persisted with and then stepped at the last. Ndaawi – rated 93 on the Flat for Andrew Balding and highly tried, but gelded and visored for his final start there – didn’t help Jack Kennedy by seeking to hang left and holding his head awkwardly. 

He still stayed on past the winner’s stablemate Lark In The Mornin – previously a promisin second on hurdlin debut at Punchestown – for fifth, who’d been shuffled back at the entrance to the straight by the weakening Evening’s Empire. 

“He had a lovely run in Cork earlier in the season and he had a little setback. He missed the summer on the Flat but it probably was a blessing in disguise with hindsight. Daryl said he learned on the job but really finished off the race strong,” the winning trainer told Racing TV’s Gary O’Brien, adding Intellotto will likely return to Leopardstown for the DRF’s Spring Juvenile Hurdle.  

This was an informative interview (watch above) in which Joseph O’Brien covered Nurburgring (might go straight to Cheltenham), Cossach Chach (better on spring ground) and (pre-race) Harsh. Also asked about the more fancied Lark In The Mornin here, he added: “I thought they were two smart horses, but JJ [Slevin, his rider] said Lark was just maybe a little bit off his game today. 

“He was struggling a bit throughout. He didn’t run a bad race in the end but didn’t really go through the race with any zest. The ground looks quite testing out there, so may be that had something to do with it.”

Advised 16/11/23: Envoi Allen at 16/1 for the Ryanair Chase with Paddy Power   

Advised 04/01/23: Appreciate It at 12/1 for the Ryanair Chase with Paddy Power 

Advised 01/01/24: Marie’s Rock at 33/1 for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle with Bet365