Autoportrait

(Mouse Morris)

Navan, December 7th

There was plenty to like about the winning rules debut of J.P. McManus and Colm Murphy’s Goraibhmaithagat at Navan a fortnight ago, backing up his point-to-point victory for Derek O’Connor and enhancing an already useful pedigree as brother to Cadatharla. Runner-up Autoportrait went into the notebook as a four-year-old with a future too. A French recruit by Authorized, who cost €230,000 in November 2023, he was only worn down late on by a potentially classy type and pulled eight lengths clear of the third. He jumped well on the whole and what was particularly encouraging about this performance was how he fared after being off the track for 431 days. Robcour’s youngster was produced in good shape by Mouse Morris, and natural improvement can be expected. Since 2010, according to the Proform database, Morris’ runners returning from a layoff of 300 days or more are 0-43. That bodes well for Autoportrait progressing from this and going one better before long.

Pure Steel

(Jimmy Mangan)

Cork, December 8th

Pure Steel is another graduate of Derek O’Connor’s point-to-point academy for J.P. McManus, who looks worth keeping an eye on going forward. The debut winner between the flags was easy enough to back in the ring ahead of his rules introduction in a maiden hurdle that looked decent and has produced the likes of Dysart Dynamo, Master McShee and Kilcruit in recent years. This extended-mile-and-seven-furlong trip looked on the sharp side for the stoutly-enough bred gelding by Yeats and he finished out nicely from a little better than mid-division to be beaten 17 and a half lengths in fourth. His closing sectional time for the final furlong was actually the second fastest of anything through this part of the race, behind only the impressive winner, Sky Lord. He doesn’t look the flashiest, but more time, experience and a longer trip ought to see him be competitive in future.

Majestic Force

(Henry de Bromhead)

Cork, December 13th

Considering the exhibition of jumping she put up for a chasing debutante, it was a real shame for the Henry de Bromhead-trained Majestic Force to be beaten at Cork last week. She didn’t deserve to get collared and simply bumped into another talented mare, Spindleberry, who finished second in Grade 1 company behind Jade De Grugy. This was over two miles and five furlongs and maybe she doesn’t even need to go that far for the moment, given how well she jumps. However - potentially more importantly - the heavy-ground maiden hurdle winner might be seen to better effect on slower ground than she encountered here (yielding, good to yielding in places). She’s unexposed, may easily have more to come with such a lightly raced profile and could make up into a blacktype performer in this discipline.

Casey West

(Philip Rothwell)

Navan, December 15th

Tony Keenan’s column in this publication is always worth paying attention to, and early on this winter he flagged up how well a host of Philip Rothwell’s runners were faring on their first start after a break in handicap company. That theme continued with Casey West in a competitive three-mile handicap chase at Navan last weekend, and the run can be marked up given the ground was much better than the surfaces on which he’s previously been at his best. A heavy-ground hunter chase winner at Clonmel in January, his other top chasing run came on similarly testing ground at Limerick last Christmas. With that in mind, he fired a bit of a warning shot here for potentially returning to something similarly testing in January when fourth to Verdant Place, even though he ended up being safely held, beaten six and a quarter lengths. He put up a bold showing from the front on his return from 212 days off and looks on a reasonable mark of 111.