WE are now 11 weeks into the four-year-old season for 2016, and it is an ideal opportunity to take a look back at some of the top winning performances that we have witnessed from the horses who are likely to make stars of the future.
CADEYRN
4yo b g (1)
Flemensfirth - Kapricia Speed (Vertical Speed)
Handler: Andrew Slattery
Andrew Slattery has produced many smart horses over the years including Champion Hurdle victor Faugheen, and he appears to have launched another quality prospect onto the point-to-point scene with last month’s Horse And Jockey debut winner Cadeyrn.
Setting the pace throughout in a six-runner contest, what was impressive with his success was the manner in which he was able to pick up once being joined at the third-last to quicken very smartly in the home straight, with the much-thought-of Clondaw Castle comfortably held when departing at the last which allowed Cadeyrn to return 25 lengths clear. A very sharp type, he will likely drop back in trip on the track.
CESAR COLLONGES
4yo ch g (1)
Fragrant Mix - Prouesse Collonges (Apple Tree)
Handler: Warren Ewing
On just the second weekend of four-year-old maidens for 2016, Cesar Collonges produced one of the real eye-catching performances. Always up disputing the pace, the Fragrant Mix gelding jumped with real confidence and despite the very testing ground conditions, he picked up very smartly to win going away.
The race had a strong look to it with the runner-up being out of a four-time winner on the flat, whilst the third horse, who was well-backed on the day, the Gigginstown House Stud and Gordon Elliott runner, Or Jaune De Somoza, a half-brother to the 16-times winner Or Noir De Somoza, a multiple Grade 1 winner who won in excess of €1.5 million in prize money. Cesar Collonges himself has a strong pedigree behind him as he is out of a track winning mare who is a half-sister to the Aintree Grand National winner Nepture Collonges. Warren Ewing’s charge was subsequently purchased by Evan Williams for £200,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale in mid-February.
CLAIMANTAKINFORGAN
4yo b g (S1)
Great Pretender - Taquine D’Estrees (Take Risks)
Handler: Donnchadh Doyle
Having slipped-up in the very early stages of his debut outing at Inch, Claimantakinforgan returned to action just five days later at Loughanmore in the four-year-old maiden on Easter Monday which has developed into one of the strongest races on the calendar in recent years for the quality of horses that it has produced. The 2014 winner Different Gravey is now a 160-rated hurdler, while last year’s corresponding race was won by the still unbeaten dual bumper winner Lucky Pass, while Battleford who was in contention when departing at the last, finished second in both the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival and the Grade 2 Bumper at the Aintree Festival.
The 2016 renewal looked another strong contest with a number of expensive stores purchases, however none could live with the ultimate speed of the winner. Producing one of the sharpest rounds of jumping from an inexperienced four-year-old that we are likely to see this season, Claimantakingforgan made most of the running before impressively sprinting clear of his rivals after the last, to win very cosily indeed. Catalogued for sale at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Sale next week, the Great Pretender gelding is sure to be one of the headliners.
DAKLONDIKE
4yo b g (1)
Gold Well - Strong Irish (Corrouge)
Handler: Colin Bowe
Despite the winning margin indicating that Daklondike won his maiden at Lingstown by just three lengths, the son of Gold Well won with plenty in hand and looks to be a horse to follow for the future. With an ability to make ground very easily as the tempo increased along the back straight, this strong travelling son of Gold Well was produced to hit the front after the last under a well-timed Barry O’Neill ride to comfortably account for fellow debutant Anchor Man.
Well-bred out of a half-sister to the 11-time track winner Full Irish, Daklondike is now set to run in the colours of Professor Caroline Tisdall having been purchased by David Pipe for £140,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Festival sale last month. Pipe has a good track record with the family having trained Daklondike’s half-brother Great Endeavour to win a Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Byrne Group Plate at the Cheltenham Festival.
FITZHENRY
4yo b g (1)
Flemensfirth - She Took A Tree (Sri Pekan)
Handler: Colin Bowe
The two Monksgrange fixtures that were run in recent weeks both produced impressive Colin Bowe four-year-old maiden winners with Fitzhenry the first to oblige. Travelling with extreme ease throughout in the very testing underfoot conditions, so much so that he was likely was forced to hit the front a lot earlier than would probably have been ideal, as the rivals in front of began to falter on the climb out of the back straight.
However, once challenged by the Willie Codd-trained It’s Obvious, who was subsequently bought by David Pipe for £85,000, Fitzhenry picked-up once again and was always in command from that point onwards, prevailing by a more than comfortable three lengths with a notable distance back to the third. He can rise to a very high level on the track.
HARDLINE
4yo b g (1)
Arcadio - Hidden Reserve (Heron Island)
Handler: P.M.J. Doyle
Hardline appeared ideally suited by the two miles, four furlongs maiden at Punchestown, as the slowly run three-runner affair developed into a tactical sprint finish which allowed him to make the most of the impressive turn of foot which he appears to possess. Once being sent for home early in the home straight, he easily asserted an unassailable advantage to return six lengths clear. The race received a real boost when the runner-up impressively won the following week.
Now set to be aimed at the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at the Punchestown Festival, his path this season bears some similarities to fellow Gigginstown runner Petit Mouchoir, winning his maiden at Kirkistown on debut before taking the Land Rover Bumper, and he has since finished a close second in the Grade 1 two mile Novices’ Hurdle at last week’s Aintree Festival.
JUDGEMENT DAY
4yo b g (1)
Martaline - Gaye Moscow (Moscow Society)
Handler: Michelle Gannon
Always travelling well on debut at Liscarroll, Judgement Day caught the eye with the ease at which he was able to make ground as the runners ran along the back straight. Racing greenly when hitting the front around the home bend, the Martaline gelding was always holding his pursuers all the way to the line.
The eventual third was badly hampered by a loose horse while in front, and the strong travelling Gigginstown runner Morgan unseated at the third-last when looking a big danger. It appeared to be a very competitive heat and Morgan has since come out and finished third in the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland Sales Bumper at Fairyhouse over Easter. The Frank Tobin-owned gelding was bought by Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for £145,000 at the recent Goffs UK Aintree Sale.
TIMEWAITSFORNOONE
4yo b g (1)
Oscar - Trendy Attire (Luso)
Handler: Colin Bowe
Quite notably for a four-year-old, Timewaitsfornoone was able to finish second behind the impressive and previously discussed Hardline on debut at Punchestown, before battling extremely bravely to win at Tinahely just seven days later.
With the Punchestown race clearly not run to suit, the greater test of stamina that was presented with the additional half-a-mile at Tinahely, played to his strengths as he beat Gordon Elliott’s Mind’s Eye in a race which Elliott had previously taken with now 165-rated hurdler Alpha Des Obeaux.
A £225,000 purchase by Barry Connell following that success, he looks a staying chaser for the future who can make a serious impact.
MINELLA TILL DAWN
4yo br g (1)
Shantou - Have At It (Supreme Leader)
Handler: Denis Paul Murphy
Minella Till Dawn created a very big impression by bravely out-battling the well-bred Gigginstown House gelding Eviscerating at The Pigeons. The front pair impressively quickened clear of their rivals and returning in a league of their own, as they were able to distance a notable 15 lengths between themselves and the third-place finisher.
Battling stride for stride up the run-in, the Denis Murphy-trained gelding showed a real tenacious battling attitude on debut to prevail by a narrow margin. Purchased by John Nallen as a foal for €17,000, he appears to have plenty of pace and will likely be tough to beat in a bumper, before slotting in over middle distances on the track.
MONBEG WORLDWIDE
4yo b g (1)
Lucarno - Molly Duffy (Oscar)
Handler: Donnchadh Doyle
Donnchadh Doyle has produced a number of smart four-year-olds this season, and that group includes last month’s Lismore victor Monbeg Worldwide. Dictating the pace from the front where he made most of the running except for a brief period between the fourth-last and penultimate fences where he was temporarily headed, once picking back up the running at that point, he was never headed and stayed on strongly to the line.
The runner-up Mr Love, whom Monbeg Worldwide comfortably defeated by four lengths, was purchased by Lucy Wadham and Tom Malone for £72,000 at the Cheltenham Festival sale, and Monbeg Worldwide appears to be a valuable asset for the future.
SAMCRO
4yo (1) ch g
Germany- Dun Dun (Saddlers’ Hall)
Handler: Colin Bowe
There were very few people that witnessed the debut performance of Samcro and who were not taken aback by the manner of his victory. Appearing to possess a big engine, travelling with incredible ease throughout in challenging conditions, the chesnut gelding would have won without coming off the bridle only for a slow leap at the last, which allowed the runner-up to close within a length, without ever looking like capable of getting past.
Unsurprisingly, Samcro topped last week’s Goffs UK Aintree Sale, as Gordon Elliott went to £335,000 to secure the son of Germany. Notably, it was Elliott’s Elegant Escape who got closest to Samcro at Monksgrange and it would have given him a very strong indicator as to the level of that performance. He is a very exciting prospect.
TOPOFTHEGAME
4yo ch g (1)
Flemensfirth - Derry Vale (Mister Lord)
Handler: Donnchadh Doyle
Topofthegame barely had to come out of second gear to account for five rivals as he recorded a comprehensive victory on his debut at Belclare. Making all having been handed an easy lead which allowed him to dictate the steady tempo, the Flemensfirth gelding breezed clear of his rivals early in the home straight to take the same race which produced the three-time Gold Cup winner Best Mate in 1999. Time will tell what he actually beat, but there was no question of his superiority and he was subsequently bought by Highflyer Bloodstock for £120,000 at the inaugural Goffs UK Aintree Sale. He has done little wrong to date.