No Flies On Him has the chance to take Edward O’Grady back to the top level when he appears at the Dublin Racing Festival next month.
Owned by J.P. McManus, the five-year-old accounted for Nicky Henderson’s Grade 1 winner Jango Baie in the pointing field and made the perfect rules debut when an easy winner at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.
No Flies On Him is now poised for an immediate step up to Grade 1 company at Leopardstown on February 4th, where he will line up in the Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle that has often served as a stepping stone to the Cheltenham Festival.
O’Grady is no stranger to big-race success, but it has been over 12 years since Cash And Go’s Future Champions Novice Hurdle victory.
It is somewhat fitting his latest potentially high-class performer is owned by McManus, a long-time supporter of O’Grady’s Killeens Stables with the trainer always remembered as the man who first saddled a Festival winner in the famous green and gold silks.
“He goes to the Dublin Racing Festival,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.
“He has come out of his race well and we’re very happy with him. We couldn’t have been happier with him at Leopardstown.
“He won a maiden hurdle and did it nicely, but he has to step up again now and see where we go.”