Supreme Novices Update: Future Champions Novice Hurdle - The Tullow Tank

A number of the divisions expected to light up the Cheltenham festival this season have an oddly open look to them. The Supreme, Arkle, Champion Hurdle, RSA, Ryanair and a potentially Sprinter Sacre-less Champion Chase all appear to lack the standout performers. I suspect without Champagne Fever's shuddering error the Arkle could be removed from that list as he should eventually separate himself from the rest but for the time being it still a sphere that is difficult to assess. There is one standout in the staying novice hurdle ranks. It is not Captain Cutter despite a compelling victory in the Challow that looks hard to crab. Prior to Saturday's display doubts hung over the Westerner gelding’s jumping as it lacked any fluency, at Newbury it improved beyond recognition and connections of arguably the season's most exciting novice hurdler, Faugheen, will hope for something similar in future. Such jumping frailties are not a pressing concern at this stage given the astonishing way he tanks through his races, even over 3 miles on heavy ground when forced to make all, as he did at Limerick. When a horse is constantly being reined in often jumping suffers, My Tent Or Yours was a good example in the Christmas Hurdle, hence with a stronger pace to run at, and preferably a lead, improvement can be expected. The pertinent question, which can't yet be answered, is where will Faugheen go in March? Given his starts so far over two-miles-and-six furlongs, two-miles-and-four furlongs and three miles it seems the Supreme is out of the equation. Even if he did drop down to the minimum trip I would still expect him to be a major force, able to compete with the likes of Friday's Future Champions Novice Hurdle winner who more than built on his Royal Bond success.

A tank by name and nature, The Tullow Tank, following in the footsteps of Dunguib is another top notch novice for his trainer, Philip Fenton to contend with. After an underwhelming start to his career over hurdles The Tullow Tank was switched into a bumper which he won easily. With a summer under his belt he returned to obstacles a different animal, rattling off a hat-trick of high class wins including two Grade 1s, culminating in a career best at Leopardstown on Friday. There was a doubt over his suitability to left-handed tracks and even after his win by eight lengths at Leopardstown Philip Fenton still wasn’t entirely convinced however this concern is largely unwarranted based on his form this season.

Having stayed on strongly to land the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse on The Tullow Tank’s preceding start, Danny Mullins made sure his mount was within striking distance throughout, taking up second position from the outset. He settled serenely behind the leader, King Of The Picts, who immediately grabbed a healthy lead, and his laid back style allowed him to conserve energy in the testing conditions unlike his two, Willie Mullins trained, main rivals. It was not long before Moyle Park pulled his way ahead of The Tullow Tank, though his desire to run faster was dwarfed by his hood wearing stablemate Arctic Fire. Arctic Fire took a fierce hold for much of the contest and his rider could gave in on the run to the fourth last as he rapidly pulled his way into a share of the lead. With Paul Carberry, on King Of The Picts, unwilling to follow the pace of the race inevitably quickened as that pair fought for unnecessary supremacy.

The Tullow Tank then needed minor encouragement to maintain his position. Between the third and second last flights of hurdles he came off the bridle and the situation appeared grave as he was hard driven for a few strides after the penultimate flight, but he responded well to maintain a stalking role just in behind the eventual runner-up and third. As they straightened up off the final bend Danny Mullins pulled him out from behind Moyle Park, a move reminiscent to that made when defeating Turnandgo at Naas, to gain a clear sight of the final hurdle and victory. His Ruby Walsh ridden rival, Moyle Park, was still going best, Arctic Fire’s antics had caught up with him, but as he found next to nothing for pressure The Tullow Tank kept picking up, his stamina reserves proving invaluable. He was in front at the last and a typically accurate jump effectively sealed the race before he stretched clear in relentless fashion. The previously unconsidered King Of The Picts held on to second place for Pat Shanahan, largely thanks to the lead he pinched at the start, and this along with the tame yet easily excusable efforts from the Mullins protagonists casts a shadow over the form. It was only the front two who truly showed what they were capable of and thanks to the unintentional early injection of pace from Arctic Fire the race turned into a relatively gruelling test.

To some extent this played into the hands of The Tullow Tank. This imposing five-year-old does not strike one as natural two miler, needing stoking up earlier than ideal in all of his starts this season, each time shaping as if the further he goes the more impressive he will be. A step up in trip is only a matter of time, this son of Oscar would surely relish a stiffer test and indications that connections are leaning towards a trip to the Neptune Novices Hurdle are understandable. That is not to say his Supreme claims are outlandish, far from it. He is already twice a Grade 1 winner over two miles and while the form of Friday’s race may prove suspect, his Royal Bond win was about to receive a handsome boost from Renneti who, when set for an authoritative success at Limerick just forty five minutes earlier, fell at the second last. Crucially the Supreme is a contest for horses that see out two miles thoroughly, as Philip Fenton’s charge certainly does. A slight lack of tactical speed may lead to assumptions relating to The Tullow Tank’s ability to keep up with the best two mile novices when the pace quickens in a Supreme but this season’s crop appear to be a sub-standard bunch and such concerns may not apply. There is still plenty of time for things to develop and therefore improve my overall perception; the Tolworth Hurdle on Saturday should be informative for example, as should The Tullow Tank’s next assignment in the Deloitte, won last year by Champagne Fever. Ideally this will provide him with even tougher questions to answer, though I doubt Philip Fenton fears anything as yet unfaced from his side of the Irish Sea, and who could blame him.

Of course, it is worth touching further on Friday’s somewhat disappointing favourite, Moyle Park. His hard-pulling nature finally cost him as in the soft ground he floundered once produced for his effort. For the majority of Friday’s race he shaped like the best horse, his jumping, while still erratic, had progressed from his hurdling debut and he cruised into the home straight looking all over the winner. Sadly, once off the bridle he barely picked up, failing even to pass King Of The Picts who for the entire race looked a sitting duck for anyone capable. On a sounder surface more can be expected from the Flemensfirth gelding, he should last longer when underfoot conditions are less taxing but he will no longer be able to compete at the level his talent indicates he deserves to unless he learns to settle. Again, with experience he ought to mature and getting him to relax will be a priority for his trainer. If the efforts made are successful and he faces quicker ground later on in the season he may fulfil his potential, maybe even at Cheltenham. Though, he has not yet done enough over hurdles to suggest he can be a player in March and following his Leopardstown display the 25/1 available for Moyle Park is currently an accurate reflection of his chance in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Supreme Novices Update: Irving and Volnay De Thaix

Before the familiar festive feast of fixtures it is worth touching on the Grade 2 Kennel Gate Novices hurdle run at Ascot last Friday, where the winner produced an even clearer indication that he will be a leading player in the 2014 Supreme. There were reasons to be dissatisfied with the race as a whole but Irving was a comprehensive winner and appears to have a future bright enough to match his burgeoning reputation.

IRVING 

Since his electric display at Taunton, trainer Paul Nicholls and rider Nick Schofield have barely contained their excitement about this son of Singspiel. He is demonstrably an exuberant work-horse and fortunately he translates that to the track. I am generally wary of former flat performers making the grade in a Supreme and the style of his victory at Ascot on his previous start combined with his history on the level suggested to me that this was a horse all about speed. He had so far, on admittedly limited evidence, produced bursts of speed in sprint finishes that his inferior rivals understandably could not match. Already, Aintree stood out as a long term goal for Irving, the flat track ideally suited to the flat recruit. The stamina sapping two mile test of Cheltenham, where thorough stayers have been able come to the fore, didn’t fit what I saw as being Irving’s ideal but after his most recent display in demanding conditions off a far from farcical pace it would be remiss of anyone to use a lack of stamina as an excuse to oppose him.

Among Irving’s opposition on Friday was Splash Of Ginge, for Nigel Twiston-Davies, who had set a strong pace when emphatically seeing off a field of 7 at Aintree last time out and he attempted to make all once again. His presence meant the race was relatively truly run for a small field novices’ hurdle and it allowed Nick Schofield to settle his potentially keen five-year-old in rear. Despite flattening the second flight, which in fairness cost him no momentum, he was fluid over his obstacles and he shapes like a natural jumper, a point exemplified by the last where his greater aptitude for the task saw him pick his legs up higher and faster than Prince Siegfried who fell when upsides, having taken off from the same point. Prince Siegfried showed significant improvement from his narrow defeat of My Wigwam Or Yours to be in with a shout before this calamity. He was coming off second best and it is difficult to be sure how much he would have found after the last, however, assuming such a heavy fall has not left a mark this was a hugely encouraging effort from another smart flat recruit to the superlative Bloomfields operation.

Having travelled comfortably throughout, Nick Schofield was only pressed into action aboard Irving after jumping the penultimate flight as the aforementioned Prince Siegfried closed the inviting gap Irving was trying to move into. This posed no real problem as Schofield switched his mount around Denis O’Regan’s and with a shake of the reins Irving was immediately alongside. As the pair quickened clear of the eventual second and third Irving seemed to be in charge of the contest and pulled further clear as he was left in front at the final obstacle. His notable acceleration had been seen over hurdles before and again it settled matters in style on Friday yet on this occasion, in a race that was more than a sprint, he saw the race out strongly beating two rivals who weren’t stopping. The impression left by Paul Nicholls’ charge must be mitigated the fall of Prince Siegfried as he surely would have finished within the final six lengths margin of victory while the same could be said for Volnay De Thaix who was staying on nicely before being hampered. Of course Irving was hardly all out himself and without being pressed after the last he could not be tested to his limit.

As an individual, Irving is hard to find fault with. He has matured with each start and his nickname ‘Concorde’ speaks for itself. Nonetheless, he is not obliterating his fields and despite Volnay De Thaix having the potential beforehand, he has yet to face another high class rival or one who could be considered a Supreme contender. He has done more than enough though and he is bound to face such a foe(s) if he heads to the Tolworth next. We will learn even more about him there, or wherever he goes, the listed race at Exeter in early February may be another viable option (Puffin Billy attempted the double before taking his chance in the Supreme) and in an open year the 14/1 still available for the Festival curtain raiser is on the generous side.

Prince Siegfried is probably behind the likes of Mijhaar and Dubai Prince (entered in the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Friday) in the Bloomfields novice hurdling pecking order and the same would be said about Volnay De Thaix who sits behind the likes of West Wizard and Josses Hill, another classy winner this week. Like Josses Hill, Volnay De Thaix is very much a raw chaser on looks and was probably doing well to produce such a promising performance against the sharp, flat types he faced on Friday. There will have been a tinge of disappointment given he was backed into odds-on favouritism, the second Judy Wilson owned novice hurdler defeated last week following Tistory on Wednesday, but in his two previous efforts over hurdles, while totally dominant, he faced a set of opponents severely lacking in ability. This was evidently not the case at Ascot and as the pace picked up in the straight he found it tough going under Barry Geraghty, coming off the bridle earlier than his rivals, patently lacking the speed of Irving and Prince Siegfried. His jumping did, however, stand up under pressure which bodes well for the future. He would have finished considerably more than a short head in front of Splash Of Ginge (to whom he was giving three pounds) were it not for being hampered and the Secret Singer gelding ran very much as if further would suit him in this better company. That does not make him a Neptune contender but he should still hold his own over intermediate trips, particularly if they try to exploit his handicap mark, before being sent over fences, perhaps next season, when he will have hopefully grown up (described as a “big baby” by connections after his first two runs in this country) and in that sphere Volnay De Thaix will prove an even more exciting prospect. 

VOLNAY DE THAIX

Supreme Novices Update: Ballyalton & Garde La Victoire

There were calls, from a select few, last season for The New One to be given a chance in the Supreme. Stamina was evidently not an issue for the Neptune but those with foresight could see The New One’s burst of enviable acceleration being used effectively over two miles. The Supreme is often a race won by a strong stayer and therefore a late switch of target would not have been completely illogical. There were minor concerns about his hurdling technique over the sharper trip but as this son of Kings Theatre showed at Kempton in October and Cheltenham on Saturday, two miles is ideal and had he taken the shorter option last March, the Festival’s opening battle would have been even more thrilling. This time around Ballyalton is a not dissimilar case. He is a proven stayer with abundant class and the necessary speed for two miles. Unlike The New One, whose only test near two miles as a novice was at Newton Abbot over eighteen furlongs, Ballyalton has already tested his credentials over a trip around two miles against a high level of opposition.

This came on Friday at Prestbury Park in what was a much anticipated renewal of the contest previously thrown away by Al Ferof when coming down two out in his Supreme Novice season. In taking on the unbeaten (over hurdles) pair, Garde Le Victoire and Doctor Harper, Ballyalton appeared to have a stiff task, particularly dropping back from the two-miles-six furlongs he faced at Newcastle. Despite the field of nine, this looked to be between the three horses mentioned with the unexposed Cocktails At Dawn on the fringes. In the event the race became a duel as Doctor Harper checked out tamely after racing with the choke out for most of the contest. David Pipe’s five-year-old didn’t appreciate the lack of pace as he pulled his way to the front and his keenness hindered his previously admirable jumping as he dived at the second, flattened the third last and was generally unconvincing. Grade 1 success at the Festival was always a far-fetched notion and this display did little to prove otherwise, yet I would happily forgive this run and would not be quick to write him off in the better novice hurdles away from the spring festivals or even in handicaps.

Prior to Friday’s heat I had, of the three, only entertained Garde La Victoire as a potential candidate for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Convincing victories over Regal Encore and Gone Too Far marked him out as a conceivable successor to Menorah (same connections). Defeat on Friday did little to detract from that notion and he still deserves to be thought of as a leading player. In fact, I fail to see any reason why his reputation should not be enhanced given this was the first loss of his life, to a very talented animal, in race that is unlikely to have suited him. Pulling hard had been a characteristic of his runs so far over hurdles and the absence of pace in Friday’s race showed that off again early on. However, with racing this four-year-old is maturing and such tendencies were less pronounced at Cheltenham as he settled relatively well once the field headed away from the stands. Richard Johnson, on board, always looked confident in behind the leaders and it was only when the pace of the race picked up in the short run downhill to the second last that he was required to do anything other than hold his position.

 

As Garde La Victoire drifted into the lead he seemed to have the favoured outside berth in the run to the final flight where he took off upsides Ballyalton. Sadly, for the Hobbs team, his rival was just marginally quicker away from the flight and Richard Johnson was unable to get his mount back on terms up the hill, only closing in once shifted to the rail in the last 50 yards, a manoeuvre that could have been played earlier.

Ballyalton is two years Garde La Victoire’s senior, hence with natural development and further experience it is not difficult to envisage a reversal of the form in future but considering their apparent targets and long term plans any such rematch may have to wait until they are chasing. With the emphasis firmly placed on speed, one may have expected the Kapgarde gelding excel and prove too much for stouter opponent. His failure to maintain his unbeaten record could worry his supporters as could his jumping which, whilst not slow and certainly not enough to make one look elsewhere for the Festival, is not his strength and a lack of exuberance over his obstacles might hold Garde La Victoire back at the highest level. I would not be so concerned as he has ample time for improvement, although in fairness his jumping has hardly held him back up to now, and he is unlikely to face many more rivals of the same calibre as Ballyalton, even in the Supreme.

Ian Williams’ charge arrived at Cheltenham off the back of a rather overlooked performance at Newcastle. The race was not under-analysed but, and I was as guilty as anyone, he was not afforded the credit he deserved for beating one of the brightest prospects in training. The spotlight was focused on Oscar Rock, the lack of a decisive move made by his rider and the irrefutable nous of the eighteen times Champion Jockey on board Ballyalton. Why Oscar Rock lost was more important than why Ballyalton won. Following Friday’s effort, that can now be looked upon as just a high class effort from an extremely high class horse and defeat for Oscar Rock has become far easier to accept.

The natural assumption that Ballyalton would lack the speed of Garde La Victoire and even Doctor Harper stemmed from his last run coming over two-miles-and-six furlongs. He was still well fancied for the race at Cheltenham given the expected pace and the stiff nature of the track but when any sort of gallop failed to materialise it looked as if the race would go against him. Such an assumption, however, ignored the slowly run nature of the race at Newcastle as the extended trip became something of a speed test and a smart use of Ballyalton’s turn of foot before the last allowed him to finish on top. This intelligent use of the imposing gelding’s attributes was again present on Friday as he saw off another highly thought of adversary in a sprint up the famous hill.

In spite of Ballyalton’s greater experience he too found the opening dawdle against him and he was just lit up after jumping the second which could have been detrimental but fortunately the presence of his stablemate allowed him to settle quickly as he dropped in behind. As it had been in his three previous goes over hurdles, his jumping was fluent and economical apart from at the fifth where a combination of his blundering, often wayward, stablemate Ghost Of A Smile and the resulting swinging hurdle saw him guess at the flight, briefly halting his momentum. It was an easily forgivable mistake that would have been costly in a truly run affair, but on this occasion he avoided any significant loss of ground and the error had little bearing on the race. It did cause Ballyalton to give the next hurdle plenty of daylight which just slowed him down a little but McCoy quickly picked the horse up again. As the main protagonists came to the fore McCoy allowed his mount a clear sight at the second last at which a quick, straight leap saw him take a share of the four way lead until he and Garde La Victoire quickened clear off the final bend. Ballyalton was held together to maintain parity with his Hobbs trained rival before McCoy threw everything at him from the last after another fast and fluent jump. He managed to put a length between himself and his pursuer until the resilient four-year-old rallied along the rail. The runner-up got to within a neck at the line but McCoy seemed happy he had the race won.

Having failed to win his first and only start over hurdles last season Ballyalton has become arguably the surprise package of this season. He has lowered the colours of two of Britain’s best hopes for Festival glory in the novice hurdling division and following Friday’s stylish victory he has rightly made his way to the top of Cheltenham’s antepost lists. The fact the race was falsely run makes it tough to be too dogmatic about the race and its consequences but combine that with the defeat of Oscar Rock, albeit in a similarly slowly run affair, and the son of Pierre is easy to get excited about. He will be seven in March which is quite advanced in age for a novice hurdler and chances are he will not have the use of the Champion jockey at the Festival. These may be held against him but it would be folly to rule out further progress especially when faced with a searching gallop. The Tolworth and the Challow have been mentioned as possible next ports of call in a campaign geared around the Neptune. That will reduce the chances of him appearing in these pages any time soon, though if he does take in the Tolworth and if his trainer has a change of heart he will be a worthy addition to the Supreme reckoning.

Supreme Novices Update: Vaniteux, Vautour and Rathvinden

It is possible this week had little bearing on the Supreme Novices’ in March. Unlike with last week’s Grade 1 Royal Bond there were no ‘trials’ to speak of for the two milers while the Neptune was well catered for. Faugheen looks to be heading that way after his saunter round Navan, but were he to drop back to two miles the Supreme would be a realistic target given the impression he has made despite his inexperience.

In England, Vaniteux’s display at Sandown was perhaps the most meaningful in Supreme terms. He readily saw off second season novice Vibrato Valtat, who had shaped well in a fiercely competitive novice handicap at Cheltenham on his seasonal reappearance, and the pair came clear of the third Champagne At Tara, Jonjo O’Neill’s well-regarded prospect who had finished fourth in a hot Cheltenham bumper on his previous start. Vaniteux, now in the care of Nicky Henderson having acquitted himself adequately in two point-to-points, hurdled fluently throughout the contest until the second last where a not insignificant error knocked him back on his heels as he was about to join the lead. He had to be vigorously ridden to assert late on but once he did the victory appeared almost emphatic, as Vibrato Valtat had no response to his rival’s superior stamina and ability. Without the mishap at the penultimate flight Vaniteux would have run out an even more taking winner. His jumping, on the evidence of one run of course, is accomplished, albeit clearly not infallible, and he is blessed with more speed than one might expect from a gelding with his background. This son of eminent, but sadly departed, stallion Voix Du Nord possesses the right mix of attributes to make a talented two mile novice hurdler though probably not at the level required for a Supreme contender. Even accounting for the late blunder, Vaniteux should have dispatched the formerly disappointing juvenile Vibrato Valtat if he has graded Festival aspirations. The distance back to Champagne At Tara may be cause for encouragement, he has shown the potential to make it at a higher grade, but he was never really put into the race on Saturday with future targets over further almost certainly in mind.  At this stage Nicky Henderson also has other, more viable candidates for the Supreme, a factor which could see this four-year-old targeted elsewhere.

Another trainer with no shortage of viable candidates, some would say a plethora, is Willie Mullins. He gets stronger in the novice hurdling department by the week and the depth of his squad is such that arguably his best novice hurdlers, like the aforementioned Faugheen and Champion Bumper winner Briar Hill, could avoid the Supreme. This weekend Mullins unleashed two more exciting types over hurdles and it is difficult to decide who was more impressive, Vautour or Rathvinden. Of the two, Vautour is the only one quoted for the Supreme and his smooth success in the four-year-olds only contest at Navan on Saturday marks him out as one to take seriously. His hurdling experience in France stood him in good stead here as his jumping was quick and accurate and he settled immediately. His experience gave him an advantage over many but even so he still had far too much for this field as, with the most minimal of urgings, he cruised clear from the last. Often maiden hurdles of this type are big on numbers but low on quality outside of one standout, however on this occasion Vautour may have beaten some reasonable novices. The second and fourth had both won Punchestown bumpers while the third had won his only other race in France. The first four in this field have potential in this realm; it is unlikely to be a case of Willie Mullins’ charge beating ‘nothing’.

Willie Mullins has done particularly well with the progeny of Robin Des Champs and Vautour is another. He has always been held in high esteem and plenty was expected of him despite being beaten on his two starts in France. Both those defeats came on heavy and it is likely he improved for better ground faced at Navan, as offspring of this sire often do. We will inevitably learn more about his ability as he rises in class but it is hard to imagine he won’t be able to cope against the more established Irish novices and it will be interesting to see what his conqueror on his final French start, Black River, achieves once given another opportunity by Paul Nicholls, having fallen at Newbury. There are very few things to hold against Vautour, his hurdling is sound and effective, he settles nicely, has the speed for two miles and handles any ground with preference for a quicker surface, akin to one he would probably face at Cheltenham. Like nearly everything at the Mullins base in Closutton he is one to be positive about, as for a Supreme bid? We will just have to wait for Willie’s plans.  

It would be nice to think Rathvinden will be among those plans as he races in the colours of Ronnie Bartlett, colours that would have already been carried to victory in the Supreme had connections made the right decision with Simonsig (although saying the Neptune was the wrong decision would be ridiculous). The five-year-old son of Heron Island came from the same source as Simonsig, Northern Irish trainer Ian Ferguson. Bartlett bought the horse following a resounding success at Downpatrick in June. The race was only a lady riders’ bumper but one can imagine Ferguson recommending the gelding to his new owner and Rathvinden was soon in the care of Willie Mullins. The plan had been to go straight over hurdles yet his work had been so good they went for a bumper under a penalty at Cork. Settled in second for most of the way he travelled strongly until two out where he was shaken up and a sharp turn-of-foot saw he burst clear. That was a striking twelve length win for his new trainer and he was sent back over course and distance on Sunday to do the same again, this time over obstacles. His jumping was more than sufficient if not, understandably, as confident as Vautour’s and, having hugged the inside in behind the leaders for the rest of the contest, he was switched out as he approached the third last at which a brave jump saw him hit the front. The race was as good as over at that point as his rider Paul Townend, the only one not hard at work, looked round for non-existent dangers. His notable acceleration reappeared as he put distance between him and those toiling in behind.

Rathvinden was barely shaken up here over two miles and produced no shortage of speed. Whether this will prove his optimal trip this season is debatable. I feel he looks at home over two miles but then the opposition he has taken on has been rather lacking. His acceleration might be too easy to overplay given the limitations of those in behind and he is seeing out his races well enough not to have any concerns about an increase in distance. In fact, the Downpatrick Ladies race was over two-and-a-quarter miles, whilst he fell at the last when with every chance over three miles in his only point. Rathvinden is just quoted for the Neptune at the Festival and a step up in trip might be inescapable but, much like Simonsig, I would be keen to see him tested against better rivals over the minimum trip.

Royal Bond Novice Hurdle review

This year’s renewal is extremely unlikely to match the quality of the last one, where Jezki defeated Champagne Fever, however it is unwise to be overly dogmatic given the progressive profile of the winner and the unexposed nature of those in behind.

Alonso was backed into clear favouritism despite lacking the home reputation and buzz around him that so many Closutton novices have when they hit the track. It was intriguing, therefore, to see strength in the market behind this Spanish bred gelding, suggesting there was a degree of confidence but it proved to be misplaced as Alonso failed to deliver a telling blow. Ruby Walsh positioned him well as he entered the home straight, delivering his mount to the outside of the leading pair and he was given every chance to make a race winning move but lacked the ability for this level and possibly the speed for this trip. His first start in Ireland came over two-and-a-half miles at Wexford where he took to hurdling impressively, looking on top at the last as his main rival crumpled in heap. This inevitably led to a more comfortable victory than had seemed likely but the eventual second, some twenty three lengths in arrears, boosted the form next time with success in a similar contest at Punchestown. Willie Mullins has few qualms about running his novices over longer than ideal trips in their maidens given their, generally, slowly run nature and a desire to keep his string apart. Hence, Alonso’s introduction over twenty furlongs should not automatically indicate a need for such a test. The way he ran on Sunday did though and Mullins’ arsenal of staying novice hurdlers probably rules Alonso out of a trip to Cheltenham for graded contests.

Of course, it is not only in the staying division where Willie Mullins has a strong hand as in spite of Alonso being the most fancied of his trio in the Royal Bond, he finished worst of all in fourth. Renneti, the mount of Paul Townend, achieved the best result finishing second. He held a rating of 90 on the flat in France and he showed speed in a minor event on his hurdling debut at Downpatrick, comprehensively outclassing his rivals over two miles and two furlongs. Dropped to the minimum trip on Sunday he shaped like an out and out two miler. He was sent on in an attempt to make all by his pilot and, perhaps due to his keenness in front, he set a reasonable pace until a late drop in tempo, when Paul Townend stacked them up in behind, before quickening off the final bend. An exuberant leap at the penultimate flight looked to have potentially sealed the race before the eventual winner’s greater stamina reserves kicked in. Renneti pulled early on but he may settle better with a lead as I doubt the tactics employed at Fairyhouse were a necessity. Champagne Fever finished second in this, beaten further, and went onto land the ultimate novice prize at Cheltenham but it is hard to imagine Renneti repeating the feat. Not only will he be down the pecking order of his trainer’s Supreme candidates, he will down the list of his owner’s too.

The final Mullins representative in the Royal Bond was Arctic Fire. Like the aforementioned pair he is a four-year-old who won his first start in Ireland with the minimum of fuss. Deft jumping and a sharp turn-of-foot characterised his Irish debut and more of the same was expected on his next start at Gowran Park but just as he was looking for a gap to unleash his challenge he clipped heels and hit the floor. I suspect he would have won then and again on Sunday there were reasons to think he was unlucky. In an attempt to find cover Arctic Fire has found trouble on his last two starts, if he is a particularly difficult ride, and he was the third choice of the Mullins camp, then he may just be one to be wary of. If he just needs a gap and a race where the field isn’t stacked up at a crucial point then he is still a live contender in the high profile two mile novice hurdle events. He was dropped out in rear on Sunday and moved comfortably through the race, there were no headstrong tendencies as one might expect from a horse so apparently in need of cover. As Renneti quickened off the bend Arctic Fire was still travelling strongly, David Casey waited before trying to make a race defining move. As he did so two rivals moved across into his path halting what momentum he had built up. Once Mr Fiftyone faded away on his inside he had a clear view of the last and he stormed home to finish just a length-and-a-half off the winner. His rapid progression from last came as the race was essentially over but it was nonetheless eye-catching from a horse coming back so soon after a tumble and with a straight forward passage a degree of ‘push button’ acceleration could be expected. The fast pace of a Supreme should suit Arctic Fire, despite worries about finding yet more trouble in running, although the improvement required to land such a prize is likely beyond him.

Sunday’s winner, The Tullow Tank, is not your typical two mile novice hurdler. He is a huge specimen of a horse, noticeably more substantial than the runner up, and his name was evidently no coincidence. When he meets a hurdle correctly he can really take off, he has such scope one can only look forward to a chasing career next season. He is, though, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles now and deserves tremendous respect in the novice sphere for the rest of the season. Whether he will remain at two miles, or not, is the pertinent question. I felt for much of the race at Fairyhouse he was going as fast as he wanted. A number of the field travelled far more easily but his rider, Danny Mullins, was always alive to the leader having a relatively comfortable time of it up front and made sure he was within striking distance as Renneti entered the straight. Between the last two hurdles it seemed for a time that the leader was unreachable but as the final obstacle got nearer so did The Tullow Tank. From the last he stayed on well finishing with more in hand than the half-a-length margin of victory indicated. On the basis of this performance and the way he was so strong at the end of his last two wins he could come unstuck as he takes on even stronger rivals at this trip. There would be no worries about him seeing out a longer trip and he will be able to travel more smoothly, while his jumping, which can be good on occasion, is not slick and over further slow leaps won’t prove so costly.

I can’t see him threatening to win a Supreme, if it was the route they pursued I wouldn’t rule out a sustained burst up the hill into a place but that would be the limit. In terms of Cheltenham aspirations, the Neptune is far more realistic. Philip Fenton believes his charge is a significantly better proposition on a right-handed course, therefore any long term plans for the Festival are still up in the air, but I am not convinced and assuming he continues his development I do expect him to line up in a race at Prestbury Park. He broke his maiden tag, for instance, at the left-handed venue, Naas. The five-year-old’s jumping did not markedly suffer travelling that way round, one clumsy dive at a hurdle was down to inexperience more than anything, and it was a display almost as good as his Grade 1 victory. The Tullow Tank managed to defeat the very exciting Turnandgo who was in the top handful of bumper performers of last season. Turnandgo allegedly had training problems in the build up to that race and it was his first run over hurdles as opposed to the winner’s third, but I suspect Mullins rates him higher than any of the three he ran on Sunday even if the son of Morozov is more of a chaser than a hurdler. At Naas, Danny Mullins had to play his hand late having found no way through up the inside. He switched out before the last, costing himself ground, and The Tullow Tank’s response was immediate as he scythed down Turnandgo who had looked all over the winner. In the end it was a cosy victory, it could have been extremely noteworthy had Danny Mullins found a gap up the inner when he wanted it. There was nothing on show to warrant any avoidance of left-handed tracks and I just hope such prejudices do not dominate connections thoughts when it comes to mapping out the rest of this Tank’s season.

Back in fifth behind The Tullow Tank on Sunday was Very Wood who did seem to appreciate the return to a right-handed racecourse. Having looked so awkward at Navan, he was straightforward here sticking on at the one pace, overwhelmingly reversing the form with Minella Foru. It is clear Very Wood requires a stronger test of stamina, it should have been clear after his last run, and we will have a better idea of his level of ability once he is given his chance over further. I would suggest though that Minella Foru failed to give his running on Sunday. It was a disappointingly flat performance from a horse who had previously shown more speed. I wouldn’t want to give up on his prospects this season even if Eddie Harty’s charge is unlikely to be top class and I hope he is given the opportunity to prove this run was all wrong in the near future.

The major disappointment of the Royal Bond was the second favourite Gilt Shadow who had been imperious at Down Royal a month earlier. His second in the Grade 1 bumper at Punchestown had looked stronger and stronger form as this season developed and much was expected of him back in Grade 1 company. He sat in behind Renneti where he easily maintained second place until the third last from where he was asked for more of an effort. His response lasted a few yards as he reduced his deficit to the leader before dropping away alarmingly in the home straight. I am sure an excuse will be found and we will have another chance to witness his conspicuous talent in a competitive race. Nonetheless, this was a big day for connections as he is the sort of proven novice who could have been purchased by one of racing’s heavy hitters on the back of a strong showing.