Turn And Finish

(Joseph O’Brien)

Punchestown, November 15th

There is bound to be a race or two to be won with Turn And Finish this season. He looked awkward at times on his hurdling bow at Ballinrobe in September, was travelling fine when slipping up on the home bend at Cork a month later and, since then, has caught the eye on his last two starts at Galway and Punchestown. Ridden with restraint, he faced a virtually impossible task, when the impressive winner Coul Dreamer slipped the field at Punchestown and the three-year-old was well sat off the pace. It would have been a frustrating watch for his supporters, as 2/1 favourite. To his credit, Turn And Finish ran on well for second when all was said and done, without threatening the eased-down winner. By Wings Of Eagles and out of a half-sister to the yard’s Grade 1-winning juvenile hurdler Sir Erec, he’s capable of getting off the mark when all falls right. The experience he’s been gaining lately will stand him in good stead.

Birdie Or Bust

(Henry de Bromhead)

Navan, November 16th

History suggests it’s worth paying attention to some of the beaten runners from last Saturday’s two-mile-one-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Navan, considering Grade 1 winners Inthepocket and Spillane’s Tower were among those who finished behind another top-level scorer, Facile Vega last year. Birdie Or Bust, a chasing debutante for Henry de Bromhead and J.P. McManus, improved nicely last season over hurdles and looks one to make her presence felt over fences on this evidence. For the most part, she made a lovely shape over her obstacles and would have finished closer, but for getting in a little tight to the last. Regardless, there was more than enough promise from this fourth-placed effort to suggest she’ll win her share of races as a chaser.

Wendrock

(Gordon Elliott)

Navan, November 17th

Gordon Elliott has a good knack with juvenile hurdlers (a record four wins in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and two victories in the Triumph) and at least a maiden hurdle win should be on the cards with one of his three-year-olds who ran at the Navan Racing Festival last Sunday.

Wendrock, a gelding by Manduro, couldn’t reel in the promising winner Total Look when finishing third, but showed a sharp turn of foot from three furlongs out to the furlong pole, quicker than anything else in the race through this stage (as per RaceiQ), before his effort flattened out a little up the stiff finish on his hurdling bow. This 82,000gns purchase out of Lucinda Russell’s yard is entitled to get sharper for the run and has form on softer ground than this too.

Ardagh Red

(Adrian Murray)

Dundalk, November 20th

The Adrian Murray team struck in the opening two-year-old maiden over seven furlongs at Dundalk on Wednesday with 84-rated filly Queens Fury, and the debut runner-up Ardagh Red is certainly a bright prospect for the same stable.

A half-brother to the yard’s listed-placed performer Sister Bridget (by Galileo Gold), connections have kept a hold of this Cotai Glory colt after he vendored for €75,000 as a foal and €70,000 as a yearling. A maiden win looks as though it should be within his grasp on what he showed here, staying on well while still shaping as though there ought to be a nice level of improvement to come.