2017 Leading Northern lig BRI ‘N M
PEREGRINE RUN PETER FAHEY’S improving seven-year-old had Wholestone and West Approach in behind when winning at Cheltenham in November and, based on the subsequent exploits of that pair, he looks well handicapped.
A strong-traveller, the big field should not pose any problems and, granted his favoured conditions, a big run looks on the cards from the experienced novice. At his best on good ground, a dry week would help his chance.
YORKHILL A BRILLIANT winner of the Neptune last year, Yorkhill remains the only horse to have beaten leading Champion Hurdle hope Yanworth over hurdles and he is two from two over fences to date.
Admittedly, he has not jumped especially fluently thus far but he has more natural talent than the opposition in the JLT and he is fancied to get it right when it matters. If he does, he will be difficult to beat.
MALL DINI THE winner of last year’s Pertemps Final, Mall Dini is still a maiden over fences but has shaped well in all five starts, racing mainly over distances short of his optimum.
The seven-year-old has mixed it with some of the better Irish novices so far this season and his form might well be franked on the opening day, with A Genie In Abottle and Edwulf prominent in the betting for the 4m National Hunt Chase.
He looks on a fair mark and, although he holds three entries throughout the week, it seems likely that he will contest Thursday’s Kim Muir.
DEATH DUTY GORDON ELLIOTT has gone close to winning the Albert Bartlett in the past two years, with both No More Heroes and Fagan hitting the frame, and the County Meath handler can land Friday’s Grade One, with the exciting Death Duty.
Four from four over hurdles, he looks potentially top class and, while his future lies over fences, he is the pick of the Irish novice hurdlers this season.
It will be no surprise if I am writing about him again in 12 months as a leading contender for the RSA Chase, as he looks a future Gold Cup prospect.
ON THE FRINGE THE winner of this in 2015 and 2016, On The Fringe might be a 12-year-old but he looked to move as well as ever when runner-up on his reappearance at Leopardstown – beaten in that race three times previously – last month and he is fancied to complete a famous hat-trick.
Trainer Enda Bolger stated recently that he has enjoyed a smoother preparation this year and he remains very much the horse to beat in this division.
Paul Ferguson is the author of the best-selling Jumpers to Follow books.
The next issue is out in September.