SANDRA HUGHES
Guitar Pete
6yo gr g NH(636-2132537) F(869853/)
4.50 Sunday – Boylesport Novice Handicap Chase (Grade B)
He’ll go for the novice handicap chase on Sunday. He ran very well in The Dan Moore earlier this year on very bad ground, but he would prefer better ground. He seems to be in very good form at home and we know that he likes the track, so he’ll take his chance and I think he’ll run a very big race.
Acapella Bourgeois
6yo ch g (70/1-3121)
3.40 Sunday - Agnelli Motor Park Novice Hurdle (Grade 2)
He’ll go for the Grade 2 novice hurdle on Sunday. He was very good at Thurles and he is an improving horse. He made a mistake at the last at Thurles, but he had jumped well up to that point. It looks a very good race, but I think he’ll appreciate the better ground and he seems to be in very good form. I have been very happy with him and two and a half miles around Fairyhouse will be fine for him.
Thunder And Roses
8yo br g (12U1-5P05)
5.00 Monday - Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase (Grade A)
He’ll go for the National and the drying ground will be a big help to him. We know that he likes Fairyhouse and it won’t be easy to repeat what he did last year, but we are going to put new headgear on him, either blinkers or a visor. He is just getting a bit cute and hopefully they will help him to perform to his best.
Sub Lieutenant
7yo b g (-4342341)
5.00 Monday - Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase (Grade A)
He is an improving horse and is another that will appreciate better ground, so I hope the rain stays away. He is a novice and novices have a good record in the race and he will hopefully get in with a nice weight on his back. It will be a big ask for him, but he seems to be in terrific form at home and he stays and he jumps well. I was very impressed with him at Naas and the further he goes the better he seems to be.
JOHNNY BURKE
Venitien De Mai
7yo b g (122321-F311)
5.00 Monday - Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase (Grade A)
He was very good the last day at Naas and he is an improving horse. We know that he stays well and novices have a good record in the National so we’ll go there hopeful of a big run. You need a lot of luck in a race like the National, but his biggest asset is his jumping and he jumped great when he won his last starts. It remains to be seen what way the weights will go, but he has to be a contender and if we get the breaks and a bit of luck, I’d like to think that he’ll run a very big race.
ROBBIE POWER
My Murphy
10yo b g (69237-3P1)
5.00 Monday - Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase (Grade A)
He was very good when he won the Thyestes and I just hope the rain arrives for him as he is better with a good dig in the ground. He was seventh in the race last year but the edge may have gone off him as he ran beforehand in the Bobbyjo after the Thyestes. He is good and fresh and Liam will have him in good shape. It won’t take a lot to bring the ground back to soft again and for him, it is all about getting into a rhythm and as long as he can do that, he will run a big race. I just hope the weights don’t go up too much.
CHRIS JONES (OWNER)
Mala Beach
8yo b g (214-F22F)
5.00 Monday - Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase (Grade A)
He certainly deserves to take his chance and he was very unfortunate to fall in The Bobbyjo. He rarely runs a bad race and if you look though his form, he is rarely out of the shake up. He is ground dependant though and that is a concern, so I hope the rain arrives. It is a huge deal for us to have a runner in the National. The track is local to us – it is only five minutes down the road from where we are based and I remember being brought as a child to the National with a picnic by my parents. It is a special day and a special race. It is just great to have a horse good enough to run in it and Jarob will more than likely run as well. Mala Beach ran a great race in the Thyestes and that was his first run in a handicap and it was just unfortunate what happened to him in the Bobbyjo. Gordon Elliott had a great Cheltenham and he seems happy with the horse so we are really looking forward to it.
GAVIN CROMWELL
Jers Girl
4yo b f (1125)
3.05 Sunday - Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final (Grade 1)
She is in the mares’ Grade 1 on Sunday and the four-year-old hurdle on Monday and as matters stand. I am more inclined to run her in the Grade 1. I don’t think the two and a half miles will be an issue for her and once we get a drop of rain between now and then, I’d say the ground will be fine. We opted not to run her in Cheltenham, but it was good to see Willie’s mare finishing second in The Triumph.
My filly is in super form and the track is local to me and for her owner and it is great to be bringing one there as a contender for one of the big races over the weekend.
Raz De Maree
11yo ch g (842P-5)
5.00 Monday - Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase (Grade A)
He isn’t with me that long but he ran a nice enough race on his first start for us at Cork. He will have come on for that run, but this race might just come a bit soon for him. We do know that he stays well and it looked for a while that he wasn’t going to make the cut, but he gets in so he’ll take his chance. He has been a good servant for his owner and he is a local man as well so we’ll give it a go and see how he gets on.
TOM LEE (ASSISTANT
TO KERRY LEE)
Russe Blanc
9yo wh g (31221-6251U)
5.00 Monday - Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase (Grade A)
We would love to run in the Irish National but it all depends on the weather. He needs soft ground so it just remains to be seen if the rain arrives in time. He seems to be in terrific form and we know that he loves these extreme distances. Kerry is very happy with the horse and we are very keen to travel and we’ll be keeping in touch with Peter Roe. You need a lot of luck in a race like the National and while he made a slight mistake the last day, he is a by and large a very good jumper.
ROSS O’SULLIVAN
Bai Des Iles
5yo gr m (-7124)
5.00 Monday - Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase (Grade A)
She seems to be in great form and the plan is for her take her chance on Monday. Things just didn’t work out for her in the Bobbyjo, but she makes the cut and I am happy with her, so she’ll take her chance. She made a mistake three out the last day and that may have cost her a place. She gets a 5lb weight for age allowance as well so she might be well in. She will be declared to run, but she will need the rain to arrive over the weekend and if it arrives on time, she will hopefully run a big race. She will get the trip and by and large, she is a very sound jumper. It is exciting to have one good enough to run in the race.
TOM HOGAN
Gordon Lord Byron
8yo b g F (988113306045-)
3.00 Monday – Cork Stakes (Listed)
I’d say he’ll go to Cork on Monday for the six furlong listed race. He looks super and he appears to be in great form. He is a bit bulkier than he has been for any year starting out and he seems stronger this year. We did a lot of work on his back and for the first time in two years, his back hasn’t been affecting him. We’ve had a trouble-free run with him and for the moment we’ll keep him at home and aim him at a few nice races over here before he goes on his travels. I’d say he will improve for the run at Cork, but in saying that, I hope that he runs a nice race and it will be good to see him back racing.