Supreme Novices Update: Un Atout

Arguably, the horse to take from this weekend with the Supreme in mind didn’t even run. The form of My Tent Or Yours’ commanding win at Ascot was comprehensively boosted by Taquin Du Seuil on Friday when he took the Grade 2 novices’ hurdle at Sandown with consummate ease. The price of My Tent Or Yours for the Supreme collapsed after the event and considering how poorly he jumped against Taquin Du Seuil, one could be forgiven for holding sky high expectations for Nicky Henderson’s charge once he gets his act together. Taquin Du Seuil won on Friday over two-and-a-half miles, he appreciated the soft ground and must be thought of more as a Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle horse. His trainer, Jonjo O’Neil, was not ruling the Supreme out, however, and he may have a difficult decision to make come March.

Another trainer likely to have some tough decisions to make in March is Willie Mullins. He has a host of novice hurdlers capable of running over trips between two and three miles and this weekend we saw another one join the ranks at Navan in the shape of Un Atout.

Un Atout arrived at Willie Mullins’ yard with a tall reputation and he was sent off at 2/7 on his racecourse debut in a bumper at Naas. With Patrick Mullins in the saddle he settled comfortably in front with just the outsider of seven, Foxland, for company. Unsurprisingly, Foxland dropped away relatively early and it was then left to main market rival, Directors Forum, to challenge, but while Mullins sat motionless, content with his mount cruising along, the rider on Directors Forum was hard at work on the final bend and eventually dropped away too, leaving Emily O to give chase. She may have got within four lengths but then at the two furlong pole Mullins nudged him forward and Un Atout stretched clear in a dominant, destructive manner, finishing 24 lengths ahead of the runner-up. This performance in early January was, to my eyes, the most impressive bumper display of last season. Willie Mullins had hoped to run him in one more bumper but he suffered muscle problems and was sensibly put away with a campaign over obstacles in mind.

For anyone who had seen his bumper, Un Atout’s hurdling debut at Navan on Saturday was highly anticipated. Over two miles, like his bumper, he was again happy to settle in front. This time, with Davy Russell on board to dictate the pace, nothing in the race was willing to challenge him for the lead, and he managed to grab a four length advantage. The pace was steady and a number in behind fought for their heads, while Un Atout was left alone able to have a clear sight of his hurdles. He jumped the first quickly but then skied the second and at the fifth he just clipped the top yet he was still sharp over it. He cleared the fourth last in style, making the ideal shape while once again being swift through the air. Russell let the field close up on the approach to the straight with the horse in second moving onto his tail. Then at the third last Un Atout got in too close and as Davy Russell shook him up to just get away from the flight after the sticky jump, Un Atout accelerated, quickly re-extending the lead. Russell sat straight back up and barely moved again as he was able to maintain the four length advantage right to the line with Fickle Fortune finishing well for second.

The most striking thing about this run was the ease with which Un Atout did it. There appeared to be so little effort involved for the horse, seemingly cantering from start to finish. While he does have room for improvement in his jumping Davy Russell’s mount was actually quite nimble over his hurdles, picking his legs up quickly when in close. He may not have put in the exuberant leaps stablemate Champagne Fever is capable of but he didn’t cede ground to his pursuers and was in fact deceptively fast from one side of the hurdle to another. I am sure as he gains experience his jumping will become an asset, or as they say in French; ‘un atout’.

Often when a heavily odds-on shot readily wins a maiden hurdle there is little of note in behind, only once upped in class can we really see how good he or she is. At Navan, Un Atout did what was expected of him, cruising to victory from an inferior field with a rise in class, no doubt, imminent. On this occasion, though, there were at least two very useful bumper performers with potential to be high class novice hurdlers in against him and they were dismissed with contempt. Noel Meade's Fickle Fortune, in receipt of 7lbs from Un Atout, had looked so exciting when winning her bumper and has been unlucky not to win since. Her problem has always been her inability to settle, but she is a pacey individual who will make her mark over hurdles and she finished a very decent second here. Some Article, purchased by J.P. McManus after convincingly winning the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at the Punchestown Festival, is also expected to make a very useful novice hurdler. While he was keen through the race, Some Article was essentially outclassed by Willie Mullins’ charge, unable to pick up as the leader sauntered away on the bridle. Un Atout was a level above this opposition on Saturday, he is already an exceptional prospect.

Whether he will win the Supreme is another matter as immediately after Saturday’s race Mullins described Un Atout as a stayer. This suggests a preference for stepping up in trip meaning that the Neptune could be the long term target. Nothing he has shown so far indicates a lack of speed for two miles, he has barely come off the bridle in two starts over the trip, conversely he will clearly have no issue over further having finished full of running each time and he is closely related to Sir Des Champs, who is out of Un Atout’s half-sister (both are by Robin Des Champs). He is very likely to be just as effective at both trips, the more important factor might be the other potential runners for the owners and the trainer. Willie Mullins’ main hope for the Neptune at this stage is Champagne Fever, he surely had his final run at two miles over hurdles last time, so unless he goes all the way up to three miles Mullins will have to aim Un Atout at the Supreme to avoid a clash. He did run both Sous Les Cieux and Make Your Mark in the Neptune last year so maybe he won’t mind having more than one runner, the real complication is the owners. They did have two runners in the Supreme last season thus it could be irrelevant but with Don Cossack they have another serious Neptune candidate and I would be very surprised if Gigginstown Stud were not keen to keep him and Un Atout apart. There has been talk of Don Cossack missing Cheltenham altogether with connections’ eyes firmly on chasing next season, leaving the path open for a Un Atout to have a tilt at the Neptune, but I find it hard to believe that Gordon Elliot would skip the meeting with his very best unless the ground was fast.

With such an inexperienced horse, like Un Atout, there will of course be doubts and there are certainly question marks over his suitability for the Cheltenham Festival. For instance, a minor concern is that we don’t know how he’ll cope being in and around horses during a race yet or whether he needs to be in front. I suspect connections have a huge amount of confidence in the horse and they have merely kept things simple in races they expect to win, such is his ability tactics should be immaterial. Another concern is that Un Atout has so far only run in testing conditions apparently relishing them each time, but as a close relative of Sir Des Champs one would expect him to handle the prevailing ground in March and he isn’t a heavy topped horse in the mould of Bog Warrior or Don Cossack. He will probably improve for the quicker ground and if his season turns out how I anticipate then he will head to Cheltenham as Ireland’s best novice hurdler.

Supreme Novices Update: Jezki and Sizing Rio

It is back to Ireland for this update as in Britain the one novice hurdler who had looked capable of developing into a Supreme Novices’ horse was beaten, showing signs of immaturity and waywardness in the process. Mr Mole has significant potential but the fierce hold he took and his tendency to hang left late in races leave him with questions to answer. Far more amenable this weekend was Jezki, who ran out an ultra-impressive winner of the Grade 3 hurdle for four-year-olds at Naas.

Jezki ended last season as one of Ireland’s best bumper horses, winning twice and only beaten in the notably competitive Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. Jessica Harrington’s four-year-old son of Milan started his career in January in a warm looking bumper where he faced an odds shot trained by Dermot Weld, Silver Concorde, and a well regarded newcomer trained by Noel Meade, Ned Buntline. Jezki, understandably, took a while to settle on his race debut, eventually dropping back to the rear with his rider in search of cover. As the runners entered the home straight, he circled the field, finding himself in a battle with Ned Buntline. The race was in doubt for a moment but a useful looking turn of foot saw him home, winning cosily in the end. Ned Buntline ran again for the first time in another bumper on Saturday, on the same card as Jezki, and he slaughtered his field thereby adding further merit to the debut performance of Jessica Harrington’s charge.

This run promised much for the future and on his next start in March, Jezki proved he had learnt from his initial experience, winning very easily, looking a high class animal in the process. Here he displayed his inherent speed, travelling smoothly through the race before cruising to victory from his stablemate The Big Easy, a gelding destined for chasing. There was little of note behind but this style of victory put him into the picture for the Cheltenham bumper and whilst it was just ten days later, Jezki had hardly had a race so there was every reason to go.

Jezki was very keen as the tapes went up at Cheltenham but he was soon settled in rear of mid-division. He maintained his position well through the race, moving comfortably into contention coming down the hill before his effort flattened out. Whether this was down to a lack of stamina, having looked a speed horse up until then, or a lack of experience, having only had the two races, this was still an encouraging run, eventually finishing eighth. The loss of his unbeaten tag may have been disappointing but it did not take away from his promising first season and a successful career over hurdles was in prospect.

After a pipe-opener on the flat, where Jezki finished fifth behind the likes of Go Native and Glam Gerry, Jessica Harrington’s charge began his hurdling career over two miles at Naas (29th October). There looked to be one serious rival beforehand and so it proved with impressive bumper scorer Ally Cascade, another for Noel Meade, fighting out the finish with Jezki, leaving the rest a distance behind. The race was run at a steady gallop with Jezki always travelling sweetly. His jockey, Barry Geraghty decided to track Ally Cascade until the two were clear and Jezki’s turn of speed saw him swoop by while the runner up merely plugged on. On the evidence of this run the front two look high class recruits, with Jezki’s pace proving the difference, and Ally Cascade may well become high achieving novice hurdler once upped in trip.

On his first start over hurdles, Jezki travelled well, jumped neatly and displayed his potent turn of foot. This was all again on display at the weekend on his first foray into graded company. In this early season test for four-year-olds, Jezki moved smartly through the race before pulling away after the last for an emphatic eight length win. Even when messed about at the final two flights by the runner up, Un Beau Matin, Jezki jumped quickly, displaying a sure-footedness that can only hold him in good stead for the future. The form in behind Jezki though is very questionable as his main market-rivals ran no race at all and he was getting nearly a stone from the fourth placed runner, favourite, Hisaabaat. Un Beau Matin had also not shown a great deal in his two starts since arriving from France. It was almost certainly a career best from Gordon Elliott’s son of Sagamix and it may be unwise to underestimate him in similar events for such a talented trainer, while at the same time, I wouldn’t be overly keen to back him to confirm the form with those in behind.

There are significant doubts over the strength of this race and Jezki will have to show significant improvement to be considered as a potential Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, but what is so appealing about Jezki is that, in all likelihood, he will do. For a horse with so much natural speed he has been excelling on ground that would surely not see him to best effect and in winning a graded race by eight lengths on the bridle he has performed in the style of a high class hurdler. The real test will come when he makes the leap into Grade 1 company in the Royal Bond. If he shows up well there, and there is no reason to think he is not capable, then he becomes a real contender for the top honours come March. Even if he is beaten, Jezki is not necessarily one to give up on as the prevailing ground in Ireland will always blunt his speed to an extent, a situation which he is unlikely to face at Cheltenham.

I have already discussed Sizing Rio here on the back of his debut over hurdles, in which he looked an exciting prospect. A rise in class was expected for Henry De Bromhead’s charge and on Sunday at Navan he took this rise firmly in his stride. Sent off the 4/5 favourite, Sizing Rio, who may require a decent pace to run at, took up the running from the third flight. He again showed his enthusiasm for jumping with one particularly special, race sealing leap at the last. He jumps in the style of a chaser and his trainer suggested that is where his future lies. 

This was not the saunter to victory that his hurdling debut was and, jockey, Andrew Lynch had to shake him up to see off the attentions of Ted Veale but as soon as it was needed he found what was required on the run-in. Ted Veale was a very useful horse in bumpers and his victories in a maiden flat race and two subsequent hurdle races marked him out as a classy individual for Tony Martin. Just the heavy ground over an inadequate trip next time saw him disappoint. Some may be concerned that Sizing Rio only narrowly defeated Ted Veale but he is an underrated novice hurdler and the winner’s superiority over the runner-up and the rest of the field is probably far greater than it seemed here and he is still in the Supreme picture.

It is a slight worry however, in terms of Supreme Novice aspirations, that Sizing Rio’s trainer sees him as a “big raw four-year-old” as he may be willing to skip the punishing test of the Cheltenham Festival at this stage with the ultimate aim of returning there for tests over fences. There is still plenty of time for connections to decide which direction to go in and the intention now is to take a break until a Christmas. A much bigger worry is Sizing Rio’s dislike for travelling around left-handed bends. It was plain to see during Sunday’s race that Andrew Lynch was struggling to manoeuvre this scopey gelding around the turns and with Cheltenham in mind, it is hard to envisage a scenario where a horse with these problems could compete. Sizing Rio appears to be an extremely talented novice who jumps fluently, consistently making ground at his hurdles, but until there are signs that he is over his dislike for left-handed turns or they make Cheltenham right-handed, he has to be viewed with a considerable degree of caution.