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Glenstal Abbey recovers Cheltenham losses at Navan
(12/12/2009)
with Crepello
The Charlie Swan trained Glenstal Abbey which was a major disappointment behind Khyber Kim at the Cheltenham November meeting recovered any losses incurred by running out a game winner of the two mile and four novice hurdle at Navan on Sunday.
Partnered as usual by David Casey, the Montjeu gelding was settled on the tail of the odds on favourite Quinola Des Obeaux, the latter compounded quickly going to three from home where Glenstal Abbey took over and ran on strongly to defeat Quito La Roque by three and a half lengths.
This was much more like the Glenstal Abbey that we know, after opening his hurdling account at Clonmel back in May he has always been in the money and ran a cracker when finishing third to Donnas Palm in a Listed hurdle at Punchestown in October. He handles the soft conditions well and must be earmarked to visit the winners circle again over the Christmas period. Edward O’Grady looks to have a lively contender for top honours in Osana which simply toyed with the opposition to land the two mile and a furlong novice chase in the hands of Andrew McNamara. A former high class hurdler when trained by David Pipe, the French bred has a second place in the Champion Hurdle to his credit and made a successful transition to chasing over this circuit in October. McNamara elected to jump him off in front and he never saw another rival as sauntered home twelve lengths ahead of Dancing Tornado with a further seventeen lengths back to the third finisher Fisher Bridge. The winning rider told me that the horse gave him a great feel in ground that was only barely raceable, he will now head to Leopardstown for Grade1 Novice event where he will encounter the current Arkle favourite Sizing Europe and that should be a race going a long way to see.
Davy Russell is at present riding like a man inspired and a double here kept up his impressive strike rate. The Dushyantor gelding Where’s The Dosh set the ball rolling with a workman like success in the opening 4.y.o maiden hurdle and the Dessie Hughes runner Magnanimity completed the brace when landing the older horses maiden hurdle after a good scrap with Lucky William.
Fairyhouse which had to be postponed from the previous Sunday due to weather conditions got the go ahead on Wednesday and with no fewer than three grade1 races down for decision as well as free admission it attracted a fine attendance.
All Premier county eyes were on the Philip Fenton trained Dunguib as put his unbeaten hurdling record on the line against much stronger opposition in the Royal Bond Hurdle over two miles.
Those who voiced doubts about his ability at this discipline because he was far from being a natural hurdler were quickly silenced as he was never out of second gear to defeat Some Present by seven lengths. In his previous two hurdle race there was no great pace but there were no hiding place for him this time as trainer Tom Mullins saddled a pacemaker for Some Present in the shape of Deise Dan. The latter did his job and was well out of contention when falling at the final flight but then tactic made little difference to the outcome as Dunguib was cantering all over his rivals from after the halfway point and eventually came home seven lengths ahead of Some Present with a gap of thirteen lengths back to Alice Brady in third place. Tom Mullins told me that he was pleased with the running of Some present which had also finished second to Dunguib in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, he will have a choice of engagements at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting however being out of a Strong Gale mare one would be forgiven for thinking that maybe a longer trip than two miles would not inconvenience him greatly. What of Dunguib? I can scarcely remember a horse of such huge potential. Some well regarded scribes and bookies alike are talking him up as a Champion Hurdle contender but Philip Fenton is having none of this. He revealed post race that his charge will remain novice hurdling for the rest of the season and let next year look after itself. As he is not on a very robust horse he will over raced so he may not appear again until February and from there to Cheltenham for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for which he is a raging hot favourite. |
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