THERE has been a lot of talk about trainer form with regard to Cheltenham in recent weeks. Paul Nicholls, Venetia Williams and Nicky Henderson have all had the form of their yard questioned with next week in mind. In particular, Henderson has only had one winner from 28 since Ascot Chase day which prompted the trainer to reassure everyone that there was nothing to worry about this week.
The Seven Barrows handler sends out four runners today, including the Imperial Cup favourite Balco Coastal and it’s likely lots of people will be monitoring how each of his horses run.
On this side of the Irish Sea, Henry de Bromhead’s form has been monitored more of less all season and he seems to be in better shape in recent weeks. The most interesting case may be Gavin Cromwell. The Meath man sent out just one winner in February but a Navan treble and a winner at Wexford last weekend has given his yard a huge boost, and it follows a similar trend to last season. At the turn of last year, Cromwell sent out just two winners in January and drew a blank in February before bouncing into form in March, recording a huge Grade 1 double at Cheltenham.
He may well have timed his run perfectly again and his decision with the owners of Gabynako to supplement that horse for Arkle was a big show in confidence this week.
Before the Festival, Cromwell has a large team for a busy weekend in Ireland - sending five to Gowran today, three to Limerick tomorrow and two to Naas. The Naas duo is most interesting: the talented Jeremy’s Flame who takes on a Grade 3 contest and the often well touted Alfa Mix who goes for the €100,000 Grade A Baroneracing.com Leinster National (4.40).
Alfa Mix was a seriously progressive hurdler for Cromwell two seasons ago before being acquired by J.P. McManus. He has so far failed to deliver on his potential from seven starts over fences, but off a mark of 134, he’ll have plenty keeping the faith with him tomorrow.
Twelve go forward for the Leinster National, including two other McManus runners, last year’s winner Scoir Mear for Tom Mullins and Champagne Platinum, who was left in the latest stage of entry for the Kim Muir on Thursday while being declared for this race yesterday morning.
SURPRISE Package is a somewhat surprise Irish runner in today’s Paddy Power Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (2.25) at Sandown. Since Ado McGuinness sent out Victram to win this two-mile contest in 2006, only 10 Irish raiders have run in the race and none since 2015 when Wicklow Brave ran.
The contest usually has a £50,000 bonus for any horse who can win today and at Cheltenham next week but that has been scrapped this year, perhaps due to a poor turn-out last year. That said, the field has maxed out today and half of the 22 runners have Festival engagements next week. That includes Surprise Package who Fahey is hoping can represent him in the County Hurdle, which he won last season with Belfast Banter.
“The thinking was that he’s borderline to get into the County Hurdle so if he could win or go well, we could leave him over there and go for it next Friday,” Fahey told The Irish Field yesterday. “He’s in good form and has been running well enough in good handicaps here so we’re happy to take our chance and see how he goes.”
Fahey also sends out the very well touted but fragile Gypsy Island in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle (2.20) at Naas tomorrow.
The J.P. McManus-owned mare won all four of her bumpers but was off the track for 736 days before she made her hurdles debut at Tipperary last May.
She won that contest but will only be having her second run tomorrow.
Fahey reported: “It’s great to get her back on the track and she’s in good form. It’s a very competitive race and the ground is probably heavy enough for her but we’ll see how she gets on. We’ve no real plans made yet, we’ll just get Sunday out of the way first.”