Sizing Tennessee

Sizing Tennessee put up a good performance to win the two-mile conditions’ hurdle at Navan last Saturday.

Sent to the front from flagfall by Jonathan Burke, Sizing Tennessee jumped well through his race. He travelled well in front into the home straight and he travelled well down to the third last flight, which he popped nicely. It wasn’t until he landed over the second last flight that his rider kicked him on and asked him to pick up, which he did. He put two lengths between himself and his pursuers on the run to the final flight, jumped that well and, while he tired or idled a little on the run up to the winning line, it never looked like he was going to be caught. He had more than enough in reserve and he held on to win by three parts of a length from the fast-finishing Bright New Dawn.

It is good to see the Robin De Champ gelding back. A highly-talented bumper horse for Willie Mullins in 2012/13, he ran just once over hurdles the following season, winning a 30-runner maiden hurdle at Navan that December. He was off the track after that until he made his debut for Henry de Bromhead at Leopardstown over Christmas, when he ran well for a long way before fading and finishing eighth behind Copy That. He stepped up on that to win on Saturday, and he should be able to step forward again now.

It is interesting that Jonathan Burke said afterwards that he had schooled over fences, and he will be very interesting when he goes over fences now. He is eight, so that may be sooner rather than later. That said, this was just his third run over hurdles, so he has plenty of scope to progress over the smaller obstacles too. He is a lightly-raced horse and he is interesting.

23^rd January 2016