GAVIN CROMWELL: This week Gavin reflects on a big win last weekend and previews his runners at Naas and Navan.
It was absolutely brilliant to win the November Handicap last weekend with Jukebox Jive. To win such a big handicap at the end of the season was fantastic. We were hopeful he’d run well and he was crying out for soft ground, but in such a competitive race you can never be too sure how things are going to go.
It capped off a really solid season on the Flat for us and with any luck things will continue in such a positive light over the winter.
Naas Saturday
We kick things off on Saturday with Bentham in the maiden hurdle (12.00pm). He won three bumpers over the summer for us which is no mean feat and he’s ready to get going over hurdles now.
He’d probably prefer a sounder surface and it looks a pretty hot maiden on paper, but we’d like to think he’ll run well as he’s a horse we think plenty of.
Next up is Averne in the Grade 3 Fishery Lane Hurdle (12.30pm).
It’s his first start for us having moved from the Adrien Lacombe yard. He finished third in the Grade 1 Finale Hurdle at Chepstow on his most recent start so has plenty of strong form in the book and he is entitled to take his chance here.
It’s quite tough to place these four-year-olds that aren’t novices, so this race looks the ideal type for him. We won the race last year with Espoir D’Allen and hopefully Averne can make it two on the spin, though we’ll learn plenty more about him after this.
Horse Racing MarketsWe run Prospectus in the handicap hurdle (1.40pm). He’ll love the soft ground and ran very well when third in a Galway handicap on the Flat. If anything, he ran a bit better than his finish suggested and that should put him spot on for this.
If he can continue that form, he’d have a strong each-way chance.
Brex Drago looks up against it in the beginners chase (3.25pm). He made a novicey mistake the last day which saw him fall at Galway, but hopefully he jumps better here. It would take a pretty big step up from what he’s done so far for him to feature though.
Navan Sunday
Gagas Horse opens up proceedings on Sunday in the handicap hurdle (12.05pm). We’ve given him a little break since his run at Punchestown where he ran well below par. The trip should suit and we’re hopeful of a better showing, but he’s a hard horse to read.
Bay Ambition takes her chance in the same race. She won her maiden nicely the last day even though it didn’t look the deepest of races. As a result, we’re not sure where a mark of 110 leaves her, but the track and trip should be in her favour.
Our final runner of the weekend is Father Ailbe in the two mile handicap hurdle (2.45pm).
He was very poor the last day at Galway, but we’re hoping he can bounce back over hurdles. There weren’t too many excuses for that performance at Galway and we’re putting it down as a bad day at the office. He has the ability, but needs to show more here to be involved.
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