On The Fringe

On The Fringe was an impressive winner of the Champion Hunters’ Chase at Punchestown on Wednesday. Given a lovely ride by JT McNamara as Rapid Artist and Kilty Storm set a frenetic pace up front, On The Fringe moved through his field from the rear gradually, joined Kilty Storm on landing over the second last, took it up travelling easily between the last two, and cleared away on the run-in, picking up nicely to win well. He is only five, he had run in just three point-to-points before this, he was the least experienced horse in the race, but he did it nicely and he is an exciting prospect. Kilty Storm is a really useful yardstick, a high class hunter chaser who won the hunter chase at Leopardstown in February – clocking a time that was only a second slower than the time that Joncol clocked in the Hennessy, run over the same course and distance earlier in the day – and who finished second behind Baby Run in the Foxhunter at the Cheltenham Festival. Interestingly, Baby Run won the Champion Hunters’ Chase at Punchestown last season, and it would not be at all surprising to see On The Fringe figure as a major contender for the Cheltenham Foxhunter next March, if Enda Bolger and JP McManus decide to keep continue down the hunter chase route with him.

21st April 2010