July Flower blossomed on return to Cheltenham after continuing her progression over fences with another impressive display in the Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase.
After opening her account over fences at Limerick on her previous appearance the Henry de Bromhead-trained six-year-old, who finished fifth in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, added to that success with victory in the Grade Two test.
From some way out in the two mile test it was clear that it was going to be a match between the daughter of Pastorius and the Dan Skelton-trained Be Aware, who opened his account over fences at Stratford 16 days ago.
With both horses producing some spectacular leaps on the way around it wasn’t until the last that the 6-5 favourite moved into the lead and set out her claims for glory in the £75,000 contest, which the Grand National winning trainer claimed in 2019 with Put The Kettle On.
However, despite wrestling the lead away from Be Aware, July Flower was made to keep up to her work all the way to the line before emerging victorious with Darragh O’Keeffe driving his mount out to win by a length and a half.
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De Bromhead said: “It was a drop back in trip today, but she travelled nicely. She was good and I’m delighted. She loves it and she looks amazing. She is a gorgeous mare and it was great that she did it. She has her skin like a seal at the moment. I’m delighted with that today.
“I didn’t think she was a two miler until Limerick. I always thought she was two and a half miles to three, but the way she picked up at Limerick was incredible.
“We thought we would give it a go and try her back over two and she looked great.”
The Road to Cheltenham
And all roads will now lead back to the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase, which de Bromhead won in 2020 with Put The Kettle On, at the Festival in March.
He added: “This was an Arkle trial so we said we would come here and see if we had the pace and I thought she was really good. We will see what everyone wants to do, but I would imagine we would love to come back here.
“We could easily end up at Leopardstown at Christmas as that would be the obvious one. It is probably no harm giving her another run in between now and the Arkle. I think over two miles you need that third run, but we will see as she was brilliant around there.”
July Flower is a 16/1 chance with Sky Bet for the Arkle Challenge Trophy back at Cheltenham in March.
While de Bromhead believes that July Flower and Put The Kettle On possess similar amounts of ability he admits that their characters couldn't be any more different.
De Bromhead said: "We will take one step at a time. I can tell you though they are so much the opposite as she is the sweetest mare you would come across and all Put The Kettle On wanted to do was kill you or eat you alive, so they are so different.
"But they both have so much ability and we will see how it unfolds for us and we are delighted with that today."
As for the runner up Be Aware, a trip to Sandown Park for a tilt at the Grade One Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase will be next on the cards according to Dan Skelton.
He said: “I’m glad I didn’t go three miles the other day as Olly’s horse (Wade Out) would have picked us up. He has run creditably giving the mare the allowance. I’m very happy with our horse and he is much more rideable over fences. He jumped beautifully and there are no negatives at all. He just got beat by a better horse on the day.
“He will go to Sandown Park for the Henry VIII and he will run his race.”
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