HOUR PRIDE & JOY
BY
NOW IS THE HOUR should open his chasing account in the Fibrus Say Bye Bye To Buffering Beginners Chase in Down Royal tomorrow.
Trained by
Gavin Cromwell, this lightly-raced seven-yearold progressed from the point-to-point field (he won at Cragmore and was second to the classy Asian
Master – when with Derek O’connor) to triumph at Grade 2 level over hurdles and, beaten on his recent fencing bow in Cork, should take plenty of beating this time.
The Westener gelding was the subject of a significant gamble ahead of a maiden hurdle at Limerick’s Christmas meeting and appeared to be in command when crashing at the second last.
He made amends in a Fairyhouse maiden four weeks later before landing a Grade 2, three-mile novice at Haydock in mid-february, slamming Don’t Rightly Know by 17 lengths.
Now Is The Hour began his chasing career over an extended two miles at Cork’s Easter meeting but, having made the running and having made a couple of minor mistakes, he failed to cope with Summer Tide.
That was an encouraging start to his chasing career and, more effective over this longer trip, he should prove too strong for Gordon Elliott’s Duffle Coat (left), runner-up to Senior Chief and Aime Desjy respectively in his two chase outings, chasing debutant Extrapolation and his stable-companion Bardenstown Lad, an accomplished hurdler for John Mcconnell, for whom he finished third in the 2022 Albert Bartlett, having his second start for Cromwell.
Although shouldering topweight, the Tom Dreapertrained El Capitaine makes plenty of appeal in the Fibrus Says No Price Hikes Novice Handicap Hurdle.
A lightly-raced six-year-old, this gelding made little impact on his handicap debut behind the prolific Aodhan May at Navan early last month.
But that was his first outing since January of last year, when he finished third behind Buddy One and Harvard Guy in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle.
That form looks rock-solid on the evidence of his rivals’ subsequent efforts – Buddy One has gone up 50lb in the ratings since that day and finished fourth to Teahupoo in the Stayers at Cheltenham while Harvard Guy progressed to land a hat-trick of Navan handicaps to reach a mark of 142.
On that basis, El Capitaine is potentially thrown-in here off a mark of 112 and, if the market speaks in his favour, he should be noted.
Of his rivals, Pipers Boreen and the unexposed Intent Approach, representing J P Mcmanus (inset) and Charles Byrnes, look most interesting.
In the handicap action, Noel Kelly’s Gamigin, successful at Ayr and this venue in December and third to Miss Gherkin at Leopardstown last time, has course and distance scorer Jacenry to beat in the Adara Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.