Mighty Soldier

(James Fahey)

Punchestown, January 27th

There was a clear step in the right direction from Mighty Soldier on his second start since switching to handicap company, finishing third behind a well-treated winner in the shape of Bridie’s Beau.

This James Fahey-trained six-year-old showed little in maiden hurdles but his two handicap efforts have been better and there was promise in how he finished out his race here.

Ridden quietly, he jumped the last having just moved from seventh to sixth, and ended up running on to reach the frame, pulling two and a quarter lengths ahead of the fourth.

It took him a moment or two to hit top gear, suggesting he could be better over a shade further than this extended two miles and three furlongs, and the heavy ground on offer didn’t look a major inconvenience in how he travelled through the contest.

He remains unexposed and can win a similar handicap before long.

He was due to run at Thurles on Thursday before racing was abandoned.

Adrienne

(Ted Walsh)

Dundalk, January 29th

Ted Walsh struck with four of his 23 flat runners in Ireland last year for a smart 17% strike rate and Adrienne might be another winner for him on the level in 2025.

A homebred in the colours of Helen Walsh, this three-year-old filly by Kodi Bear ran well in a couple of nurseries at Dundalk in November and December before reverting to maiden company and stepping up to an extended mile and a quarter last time.

Despite being rated just 66, the 22/1 shot ran above herself to be second to impressive first-time-out winner The Padre.

If there was a negative to take from the performance, it’s that she appeared to run around under pressure and Chris Hayes described her as green in the closing stages of what was her sixth start.

She sported a visor the previous two times and raced without it here, so it will be interesting to see if connections opt to refit some form of headgear and she runs straighter next time.

She was nudged up 4lb for the run but there are probably plenty of horses on worse handicap marks than her, even off a new mark of 70. She could be of interest in a three-year-old-only handicap.

Jasmin De Vaux

(Willie Mullins)

Leopardstown, February 1st

Last season’s Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux didn’t look a natural over hurdles despite winning his first start in this sphere at Navan in December; a maiden hurdle from which the second and third won next time out at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. His jumping wasn’t near good enough when never dangerous and beaten 22 lengths in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle, but he began to get his act together in first-time cheekpieces - and when stepping up to two miles and six furlongs - the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle. Again, he was beaten a significant margin (17 and a half lengths) but the winner, Final Demand, produced a monstrous performance and this Simon Munir and Isaac Soeude-owned novice was the second quickest through the final two furlongs of the race (only behind the winner through this portion of the race, as per Coursetrack). That offers encouragement that he could be a player if stepping up to three miles in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. He finished with some gusto up the hill at Cheltenham last year and the fact there are only two hurdles in the last seven furlongs on the new course ought to be in his favour. Willie Mullins is adamant about running Final Demand in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, so Jasmin De Vaux could end up the stable’s shortest priced runner in the race. The current odds of 25/1 (NRNB) look more than fair from an each-way perspective. He’ll surely be shorter on the day and can run a big race if continuing to progress after this experience.

Sortudo

(Willie Mullins)

Leopardstown, February 1st

Speaking of possible value in the Cheltenham Festival ante-post markets, Sortudo is probably overpriced at 33/1 each-way in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper for Willie Mullins - the trainer responsible for a record 13 wins in the race.

There has been a lack of standout bumper performers in Ireland through the winter and the Dublin Racing Festival’s Grade 2 Future Stars Bumper (sponsored this year by Paddy Power) is often a major pointer towards Cheltenham’s Grade 1 equivalent.

Last year’s winner didn’t make it to Cheltenham but the previous five winners of the race posted form figures of 12211 in Britain’s only top-level bumper. As for 2025, DRF scorer Colcannon isn’t eligible for Cheltenham due to having too many runs than is allowed for qualification, but runner-up Sortudo is.

A Tramore winner on his seasonal bow who was just touched off at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival in a tactical bumper won by the highly-regarded Carrigmoornaspruce, he handled this step up in class just fine and fared better than the stable’s number one on jockey bookings, Green Splendour. Jody Townend briefly eased up early on this nicely-bred point-to-point second but still managed to hold onto second and the experience of three rock-solid bumper runs should stand him in good stead for the sort of test he’ll face at Cheltenham.

The current odds look too big given how blurry the bumper scene is at present.

Ol Man Dingle

(Eoin Griffin)

Leopardstown, February 2nd

Ol Man Dingle has been improving admirably through the ranks and despite having to deal with a 12lb hike for winning at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, he emerged from his fourth in the €150,000 Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle last Sunday with his reputation enhanced.

Time may prove that trying to take on massively unexposed winner McLaurey off a mark of 120 and Grade 1 second Storm Heart off 140 was a seriously unenviable task, but he made an excellent fist of it. It’s worth noting that he raced a fair deal closer to the pace than those who fought out the finish, those rivals ridden with patience, and the daylight Ol Man Dingle began to put between himself and the field after the second last flight possibly told late on.

The handicapper didn’t miss him, with another 5lb added to his mark for being beaten three and three-quarter lengths in what is typically a highly competitive listed handicap hurdle.

This run proved that the six-year-old is still on the improve, however, and he looks a useful type for Eoin Griffin to win races with, potentially even in the summer (if connections have him in training at that time of year), given his previous form on decent ground.