Ante-Post Focus

Published 01/04

GENERAL BRIAR can be forgiven the sudden halt to his progress in a hot race at Sandown last time and may be capable of resuming an upward curve in the Pertemps Network Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final at Haydock on Saturday.

Chris Gordon’s seven-year-old went into the Imperial Cup seeking a hat-trick following trail-blazing wins at Plumpton and Newbury, the latter on handicap debut.

However, his prominent run style proved a distinct disadvantage in that big-field contest as potential handicap snip Mondo Man, transformed by the switch to forcing tactics, ran his rivals ragged, as befits a 105-rated Flat performer running off just 123 over hurdles.

Given the circumstances, the deep ground probably did General Briar no favours either as he lost his forward position and was pulled up after weakening quickly before two out.

Conditions at Haydock - good to soft at the time of writing and with some rain around but no deluge forecast - promise to suit him better and, though a competitive race in its own right, it represents an appealing drop back in grade from Sandown’s historic handicap.

The selection does hold an alternative entry in the Sussex Champion Hurdle at Plumpton on Sunday, but that would probably mean taking on Mondo Man again and, of the stable’s two entries, AJ’S Diamond is the one currently jocked up there (Harry Cobden). 

Published 30/03

It’s a two-pronged Irish approach for me in the Randox Topham Handicap Chase with contrasting underfoot conditions hopefully covered.

First up is ILE ATLANTIQUE, who seems well-suited by soft ground and has a touch of class, having finished third to stablemate Ballyburn over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival prior to winning a Grade 2 novice chase at Navan.

Willie Mullins’s eight-year-old has to bounce back from a disappointing effort at the Dublin Racing Festival where he started joint-second favourite under top-weight, so clearly more was expected of him on that handicap debut.

In fairness he was still in contention when a mistake two out put paid to his chances and, ratings-wise, he’s better judged on his previous Grade 3 second to Heart Wood, conceding 2lb to the winner who went on to resounding Festival success in the Ryanair Chase.

He may well have been put by for this, representing a yard that boasts three winners, a second and third from the last six renewals. Last year’s successful stablemate Gentleman De Mee is 3lb higher this time around and more exposed by comparison.

Heart Wood’s trainer Henry de Bromhead has a clutch of entries, the most interesting of which is COMING UP EASY, who despite his name probably wants a sounder surface.

He’s still unexposed over fences after just six tries and was unbeaten in three handicaps in this sphere prior to being pulled up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on soft ground at Cheltenham, for which he was 13-2 joint-third favourite.

Freshened up since then, it would be no surprise to see him get his career quickly back on track on spring ground.

Published 17/02

It’s a two-pronged each-way approach at huge prices for me following publication of weights for the Randox Grand National - starting with GORGEOUS TOM, representing 2021-winning trainer Henry de Bromhead.

The eight-year-old has yet to win over three miles-plus, hence his slipping under the radar for the Aintree marathon, but the stamina potential is there, both on pedigree and his plugging-on fourths in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last March and the Coral Gold Cup eight months later.

In the latter event over 3m2f at Newbury, this close relative of 2013 Grand National runner-up Cappa Bleu did well to finish so close after being badly disadvantaged by the false starts fiasco - encouragingly, fellow chief sufferers Pic Roc and The Doyen Chief have both won since to give the form a boost (ditto race winner Panic Attack).

De Bromhead has kept the selection’s powder dry in the interim, the upshot of which is he gets to race off the same mark here for only his second handicap try (at time of writing) and open to further improvement after just eight chase starts featuring two wins, a second and three Grade 1 fourths.

The trainer has indicated “better ground” is ideal, but I wouldn’t give up hope in more testing conditions based on the gelding’s strong maiden hurdle form on soft/heavy, including behind subsequent Cheltenham Festival winners Slade Steel and Caldwell Potter.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE is an old pal of mine and - boasting a progressive record of five wins, three seconds and two thirds in 11 career starts - has to remain of interest off a mark that should sneak him in at the foot of the weights (would have got in all last ten renewals, including the most recent since reduced safety limit introduced).

He’s only a pound higher than when mugged on the line in the Silver Cup at Ascot where he edged left on the run-in and allowed winner Deep Cave up his inside, since when trainer Anthony Honeyball interestingly said in a Stable Tour on attheraces.com that he’s probably better suited by a flat, left-handed track.

Aintree, where he was an excellent third in the bumper at this meeting four years ago, fits the bill and it’s not difficult to imagine this sure-footed, front-running jumper taking to these fences and perhaps stretching his rivals back on better ground, granted normal spring weather (for instance, gets a 16lb pull with Haiti Couleurs on their Denman Chase running on heavy).