Describing Fergal O’Brien’s yard as steadily improving would be doing a dis-service to the quality of the work that the team does. However, season upon season the team grow from strength to strength and continue break their own personal records.
The hunt for a first festival winner has eluded the team, but this year has been regarded as their best chance to date of finding that breakthrough victory.
Many believe Dysart Enos presents the best chance of this in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, but assistant trainer Charlie St Quinton was quick to acknowledge how competitive the race is.
“To me on paper it’s the best race of the week. There is some unbelievable horses and 5 or 6 go there with a really good chance. Dysart, we think the world of her, we think she’s very good. People may say what has she beat? Well, she’s beat some good horses especially in her bumper form. In better company, I think she’ll improve, and her jumping will get slicker.”
She is likely to be joined in the race by stable-mate Springtime Promise, who is an un-exposed mare who landed graded honours last time out. Ground is essential for her, but her sights may lie elsewhere from Cheltenham.
“She’s taken us a little by surprise. If it pours down the week before, I’m sure she’ll take her chance, but I don’t think the festival is essential for her.”
The highlight of the season to date would be Crambo’s Grade 1 success in the Long Walk Hurdle and this progressive stayer also presents the team with an excellent chance of success.
“You’d like to think he’d be there or thereabouts. He was amazing at Ascot! He’s had a little break since then, we didn’t run him in the Cleeve, hopefully that’s the right decision. He’s been away to Martin Keighley’s on the flat gallop and he’s in good order.
“Gordon Elliott probably sends two, Teahupoo and Irish Point, and horses like Paisley Park and Dashel Drasher are seriously going under the radar. They’re proven grade 1 winners, who are battle hardened and know how to win.
“But his Long Walk win was incredible, he has just got such a will to win and with horses that’s half the battle really. It feels amazing to go there with two, proper chances.”
Elsewhere, there will be the usual strong charge in the handicaps with a former Jim Bolger horse being a potential dark-horse in the division.
“Teorie will head to the Boodles. He was brilliant at Southwell and won very easily. Paddy [Brennan] was very influential in bringing him over and I’m sure he’ll be looking to have a good spin. It’s a weird race, but he’s definitely in there with a squeak, he’s a lovely horse and his only blemish was at Musselburgh where the race probably came too soon.”
Another Irish recruit who settled smoothly into life at Ravenswell Farm is Moon D’Orange who holds entries in the Barring Bingham, Martin Pipe and Coral Cup. The Grade 1 contest is his most likely destination.
