The Shunter was impressive in winning the Bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso on Saturday.
They went a good pace from early, and Alain Cawley settled The Shunter well off it. Tenth of the 14 runners and wide as they made their way up the home straight first time, Emmet Mullins’ horse made good progress as they raced away from the stands and moved into a share of third place behind Christopher Wood and Faivoir as they raced to the end of the back straight.
He challenged Faivoir as they raced around the home turn, and the two of them matched strides from the top of the home straight to the landing side of the final flight, but The Shunter stayed on better, and had enough in hand to repel the late lunge of Night Edition close home.
One of the concerns for The Shunter going into Saturday’s race was that two miles around Kelso’s hurdle track on good to soft ground may not present a sufficient stamina test. He did win the Greatwood Hurdle over the minimum trip in November under Robbie Power, but that was on soft ground and at Cheltenham, and he came under pressure on the run to the home turn before staying on well over the last and up the run-in. Nowhere in that race did he look stronger than on the run to the winning line.
Also, he won his maiden hurdle at Downpatrick last September over two miles and three furlongs. He won his beginners’ chase later that month at Punchestown over two miles and five furlongs.
When the Stowaway gelding finished third in the Matheson Handicap Chase at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival last month over two miles and one and a half furlongs, he left the impression that he would do better over a longer trip over fences. The fast pace helped at Kelso on Saturday, but the fact that he was able to win as well as he did gave an indication of the depth of his versatility and the magnitude of his rate of progression.
It was a good prize to win on Saturday, almost £50,000. It was an astute piece of placing by his trainer and by owner Paul Byrne. And it might turn out to be even more lucrative than it was just on Saturday, given that there is a £100,000 bonus for any horse who wins the Morebattle Hurdle and who goes on to win any race at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival.
Hurdles or fences for The Shunter?
The ‘any’ race piece is important, because The Shunter has options at Cheltenham, over fences as well as over hurdles.
First glance, and the County Hurdle looks like the logical option. For starters, it is run on the last day of the meeting, on the Friday as opposed to on the Wednesday or the Thursday, so it means that he would have a 13-day break, as opposed to an 11-day or a 12-day break.
Also, the County Hurdle is run over the minimum distance, the Morebattle Hurdle distance, the Greatwood Hurdle distance. And it is run on the New Course at Cheltenham, a stiffer course than the Old Course over which the Greatwood Hurdle is run, and over a half a furlong longer.
The Martin Pipe Hurdle is also an option. It is also run on the Friday, almost three hours after the County Hurdle. More importantly, it is run over two and a half miles, and it may be that that trip is a more suitable trip for The Shunter, especially if the ground is not soft.
The British handicapper gave The Shunter a handicap rating of 135, which is the mark off which he won the Morebattle Hurdle. He would have to carry a 5lb penalty in the County Hurdle or the Martin Pipe Hurdle – or, indeed, in the Coral Cup – so he would race off an effective mark of 140, which is still 2lb lower than his new mark of 142.
The quick turnaround is obviously a concern, but The Shunter has proven that he can operate well after a short break. He won his beginners’ chase last September just 12 days after he had won his maiden hurdle.
Plate looks good fit
There is also the option to allow The Shunter take his chance in one of the handicap chases at Cheltenham instead, in the Grand Annual or the Paddy Power Plate. Rated 135 over fences in Ireland, the British handicapper has given him a rating of 140, so 5lb higher, and effectively the same mark as his Cheltenham hurdles mark.
He is rated 7lb lower over fences in Ireland than he is over hurdles, but he is progressive over fences. He beat the talented and progressive Enjoy D’Allen by 18 lengths when he won his beginners’ chase at Punchestown last September, and he probably put up his best performance over fences last time in finishing third in the Matheson Handicap Chase off a mark of 132.
The Shunter is out of a half-sister to Florida Express, who won a listed chase over three miles and who finished third behind Newmill and Snowy Morning in a Kinloch Brae Chase, and to Horizontal Speed, who finished fourth behind Irish Cavalier in the now extinct novices’ handicap chase at the 2015 Cheltenham Festival. He has run just five times over fences, and he still has the potential to be at least as good a chaser as he is a hurdler, and possibly better.
If connections do decide to target one of the handicap chases instead of one of the handicap hurdles, it may be that the longer distance of the Plate will suit him better than the two miles of the Grand Annual. Either way, it’s a nice conundrum for connections to ponder for The Shunter. He is a talented and progressive and versatile horse, and he will be of interest wherever he goes.
For more of Donn's work visit www.donnmcclean.com
