GAVIN CROMWELL: Brand Ambassador and dual-purpose trainer Gavin Cromwell looks back on a good week for the yard and previews his weekend runners at Kilbeggan and Limerick.
We’ve had another good week with a winner, two seconds and three thirds. It’s good to see the horses running so well and hopefully there will be more of the same over the next few days. We’ve got a busy Friday with jumpers at Kilbeggan and a couple on the Flat at Limerick. Here are my thoughts on them all.
Kilbeggan Friday
We kick things off with Ruinous in the maiden hurdle (4.45pm). He’s back down to two miles after running over four furlongs further last time. We’re not quite sure his rating is fair, but we’ll see how he goes here back down in trip. He quite often travels well and doesn’t quite go through with it, so let’s see.
We also run Long March in the same race. He’s probably not quite up to this level and he’ll be seen to better effect when we start him out in handicaps.
Moonball runs in the handicap hurdle (5.45pm) and we’re hoping for more of the same from her after her course and distance win last time. She’s come out of the race well and providing she’s in the same sort of form just over two weeks later, she should have a leading chance.
Allduckornodinner and Yeats Mardy take their chance in the handicap hurdle (6.45pm). The former ran a nice race when third at Bellewstown and hopefully he’ll put in another good showing here. He’s been a really good servant to the yard, although we’re not sure quite how well handicapped he is.
The ground went against Yeats Mardy in that aforementioned Bellewstown race. She’s better than that and we’re hopeful we’ll see a better horse now on better ground and stepping up in trip. She’s been a little bit disappointing, so fingers crossed she can show a bit more here.
I can’t think there have been many horses that have won three consecutive races over hurdles, fences and on the Flat, but April’s Joy bids to join that club in the beginners chase (7.15pm). She just squeezes into this off 109 and she’ll get a mares’ allowance which makes her task easier too. She’s the one they all have to beat and we’re confident she’ll be there or thereabouts given the way she’s schooled at home. She’s won a point-to-point and everything looks in place for a bold showing.
Our final runner at Kilbeggan is Monsieur Bagot in the handicap chase (7.45pm). He’s having first run since last September where he burst a blood vessel. He was placed in a handicap hurdle at this course the run before that and his work has been solid enough at home, so hopefully he can be competitive.
Limerick Friday
We run two at Limerick starting with Lady Arona in the mile handicap (3.30pm). She was a good second the last day at Gowran Park which was a better performance than we expected. We’re hoping the eight-day turnaround isn’t too quick here, but she’s got a nice draw in stall one and looks to have a solid each-way chance.
A Place Apart takes a big step up in trip in the 2m1f handicap (4.30pm). He ran well when we last tried him on the Flat at Leopardstown, so we’re hoping for more of the same here. He’s in good form and should run a nice race.
