While the frost and snow has all but wiped out British jump racing for a fortnight now there have been no such issues in Eire. With trainers taking ever more extreme measures to get a last run into their horses before Cheltenham you would expect lots of them to head across the ocean.
In fact , that would provide all kinds of opportunities; yes, a run for their pony, but also, good prize-money and the chance to appraise the Irish Festival opposition at first hand. Yet only a few have done this.
Yesterday the card at Leopardstown offered over 300,000 in prize-money to the winning connections. But only four out of the hundred or so taking part were trained here in The UK. John Ferguson\’s Asaid was one of them, and though he only picked up 2000 for a 4th placed finish in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle Ferguson thought the trip productive.
Reflecting on the lack of Brit runners he announced, \”I honestly have no idea why that's the case. Irish yards frequently come to Britain to raid Scotland and wherever, so it happens in that way. But I suppose we're all targeting at something in the middle of March, and it much is dependent on the pony. Some horses, you wish to go to a tiny field at a short price (for a festival prep race), and there\’s others that you wish to take everybody on with, because they're mentally up to it, and Asaid, in my judgment, is mentally ready to do it now. Others could have as much talent [*COMMA] but not be up to it at this time of their career, and I'm sure there are lots of State Hunt trainers who think like that.\”
Ferguson will have learned plenty about his charge for the effort. Before the race he said, \”It will be interesting from our standpoint because it's going to be the first time Brit horses have taken on the Irish horses at the juvenile level, and we will have some kind of concept where we all stand. It is a huge step up in class, but he won well at Huntingdon, the form has worked out well and the idea that he gives me at home is that he is flourishing. On that basis, I am going to take a shot.\”
In the event, Asaid never troubled the leaders, but was a long way from disgraced in finishing 6 lengths behind 2 promising Irish beginners and fellow English raider, Countrywide Flame, trained in Malton by John Quinn.
All of the first four home are entered in the Triumph Hurdle, with the Irish pair Hisaabaat and Shadow Catcher best price at 16/1 and 20/1 respectively, Nationwide Flame at 33/1 and Asaid at 50/1.
Ian Sutherland is a staff writer at geegeez.co.uk, centered essentially on UK horse racing news. For UK horse racing systems, stories, odds and tips, head to www.geegeez.co.uk