The Dublin Racing Festival was an amazing weekend for Closutton and most things went right, the only disappointments really came in the Champion Hurdle but Honeysuckle was very good in that.
Sharjah is capable of running like he did, he seems to do it at this meeting every year. It’s very hard to leave him at home and miss the race after what he did at Leopardstown over Christmas, but he’s disappointed in the Irish Champion before and did so again.
Saint Roi maybe boiled over with the change of tactics, dropping him back. We haven’t yet found anything wrong with him.
I’m aiming James Du Berlais at the Unibet Champion Hurdle, that’s his main target. We’ll see whether he runs in the Red Mills at Gowran first but the main aim with him is Cheltenham.
Energumene jumps effortlessly and keeps up a good pace throughout his race. He’s a bit like Monkfish, the two of them have a natural strong pace and a natural way of jumping.
All roads lead to the Sporting Life Arkle with him. That’s the plan. He handles two miles very well and I’ll be happy to let him take his chance there all being well.
Appreciate It had to fight a bit more for his win on Sunday than he did at Christmas but it was probably a better race. He was obviously keeping a bit in the locker for himself because when the opponents closed on him turning for home he pulled out more. He went on to win nicely.
Chacun Pour Soi was very good in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase and looks to be in top form. Min made a bad mistake at the second fence down the back and just didn’t recover from that. He then made another afterwards. It wasn’t his true running and maybe two miles is a little sharp for him nowadays.
David gave Danny the instructions and he got a great tune out of Kemboy in Sunday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup. He jumped well except for maybe the second last. They made a good partnership and we were delighted he could do that on ground I thought might be a little too soft for him, but he handled it well. The track was just drying out a little on Sunday by all accounts.
Melon was disappointing. We thought we might get a result by changing tactics and it had the opposite effect. He’s probably a horse who likes to be let gallop at his fences and we might think about bringing him back in trip for the Ryanair and letting him enjoy himself a bit more.
Kilcruit visually looked very good and he’s one that we have to look forward to bringing across the water in March. His performance on Saturday was absolutely excellent, you couldn’t ask for better. It was very impressive for a bumper horse.
The weights are unveiled on Tuesday for the Randox Health Grand National. There’s always a sense of anticipation and I’ll take whatever the handicapper gives me – as is the case every year – as there’s nothing you can do about it anyway!
Here are my thoughts on my runners at Thurles on Monday...
HARRIE – 1.45 Thurles, Monday
He’ll take his chance in the beginners chase but needs to get round to get his confidence back.
GORKI D’AIRY – 2.50 Thurles, Monday
He’s dropping back to two miles having been keen over two-and-a-half at Tramore last time. He might have run into a very good horse in Minella Escape too in and I’m hoping this could be his day.
CAPODANNO – 3.20 Thurles, Monday
He was very good when winning at Clonmel last month and with a bit of luck might well follow up in the Horse & Jockey Rated Novice Hurdle.
FAIS TON CHEMIN – 3.50 Thurles, Monday
I was very pleased with his run at Thurles when he looked like fading out of it at the top of the hill but got his second wind and ran on for second. The longer trip will suit him and he’s a very good jumper at home. He’s one who’s going to give a very good account of himself.
