W.B. Gavin & Co. Beginners’ Chase – Form to Note

By James Condron

Beginners’ chases can often be a mixed bag, featuring horses of a wide spectrum of ability, some with bright futures ahead over fences, with the physique and breeding to excel at the game and some who are trying the large obstacles as a last resort. My initial reaction on viewing the W.B. Gavin & Co. Beginners’ Chase run on the last day of Galway’s Autumn meeting was that the form could prove to be very strong and a good source of future winners this season.

The winner, the lightly raced Jessie’s Dream could reward his trainer Gordon Elliott’s decision to preserve his novice status from last season and is likely to be aimed at all the top 2½ to 3 mile novice chases in Ireland this season. Tracking the leaders throughout, the son of Presenting wasn’t too inconvenienced by a couple of sticky jumps down the back of the Ballybrit track and put the race to bed up the hill before tiring close to home on his first run in 186 days. Considering that Elliott’s assistant trainer Bobby McNally felt afterwards that Jessie’s Dream was only half fit for his reappearance, one can expect considerable improvement from this outing. The next port of call for the David Johnson gelding is likely to be the Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse or a novice chase at Cheltenham next month.

The runner up, Corskeagh Royale, formerly a high class bumper horse, showed the benefit of a wind operation over the summer, staying on strongly up the long run in after been badly hampered at the last by the fall of Coolavanny Gaffer. Frequently frustrating last season with a string of placed efforts to his name, if the procedure on his wind has had the desired effect leading to the son of Beneficial finishing his races stronger as appeared to be the case here, he should not remain a maiden over fences for much longer. It is noteworthy that Noel Meade in a recent stable tour in the Racing Post pinpointed the Irish Grand National as a long term target for the chestnut Beneficial gelding, indicating that the Meath trainer considers that Corskeagh Royale still has untapped potential.

Of the principles, Venalmar, the well backed favourite was the most disappointing, finishing a one paced third after racing handy throughout, despite having the advantage of race fitness with a recent pipe opener at Navan. Injury has hindered Mouse Morris’ charge in fulfilling the immense promise of his novice hurdling campaign in 2008 and he may be difficult to place from now on.

The most eye catching performance was that of last season’s Albert Bartlett hero, Berties Dream in fourth place. The performance of the son of Golden Tornado was noteworthy for his accurate jumping and the way he travelled so powerfully through the race until he tired entering the finishing straight which was no surprise on his seasonal debut. His trainer Paul Gilligan could barely contain his delight after the race stating that he was not fully wound up on the day and will travel to Cheltenham next month for a 3 mile Novice Chase to get some experience of the Prestbury Park fences. Punters shouldn’t be too put off if the seven-year-old is defeated at the Open meeting as his big aim is likely to be the Royal and Sun Alliance Chase on March 16th and it is worth bearing in mind that Berties Dream was defeated at the same meeting over hurdles last season before returning to the course with a vengeance in the Albert Bartlett at the festival.

Other horses to catch the eye were Boxing Along and Coolavanny Gaffer. Setting the pace and jumping boldly, before tiring from three out, Vincent Laurence Healy’s six-year-old (on his first run since March), a former point to point winner can win an ordinary beginners’ chase or handicap chase when going down that route on the evidence of this performance.

Coolavanny Gaffer, meanwhile, was in the process of running an excellent race when coming down heavily after the last, proving his second to the enigmatic Muirhead at Punchestown a fortnight previously was no fluke. Thomas Cooper’s gelding, also a point to point winner, should have no problem winning a beginners’ chase over 2½ to 3 miles.

By James Condron