Gavin’s novice to prove his class

CLASSY novice Letsbeclearaboutit might make a successful handicap debut in today’s Fairyhouse feature, the €100,000, Grade 3 Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase.

Gavin Cromwell’s (inset) charge, having only his fourth start over fences, faces a big task off a mark of 150 on his first excursion in handicap company. But, only third when favourite for the Grade

1 Drinmore last time, he could bounce back here.

Winner of three bumpers and two hurdles, Letsbeclearaboutit also performed creditably in graded novice hurdles, finishing fourth in Grade 1 events at both Cheltenham and Aintree.

Now a nine-year-old, the Flemensfirth gelding always looked likely to reach his potential as a chaser and duly delivered on his fencing bow at Gowran Park in September before impressively bagging a Grade 3 in Cork in early November.

Last time, in the Drinmore, he went to the front at the third but found little when collared between the last two fences before filling third spot behind Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus and subsequent Leopardstown Grade 1 winner Found A Fifty.

Trying his luck against more seasoned chasers, Letsbeclearaboutit has a high cruising speed, jumps well and should run a big race. Fellow novice Uncle Phil, third to Imagine in a Grade 2 at Punchestown, is another who likes to go forward and cannot be dismissed.

Henry de Bromhead’s Dancing On My Own, a winner at Cheltenham in October but well-beaten behind Solness here last time, is held by four of his rivals on that form, most notably Philip Dempsey’s progressive Fighting Fit, whose hat-trick bid was foiled on that occasion when finishing six lengths second to Joseph O’brien’s charge – he had previously won at Galway (off 123) and Listowel (132) and now races off 144.

And Mark Walsh partners Fighting Fit in preference to Grade 1 winner Saint Roi, well below his best so far this season.