Rahan De Marcigny

Rahan De Marcigny put in an improved performance to finish just on the heels of the leaders in what looked like a decent two-mile beginners’ chase at Naas on Saturday. Held up at the back of the field just towards the outside of runners by jockey Slippers Madden, he jumped well and travelled well throughout and he made good ground up to the leaders after the fifth last, which left him well-placed for a challenge as they came up the straight. He didn’t really pick up as well as it looked like he might, but he did still stay on nicely under mainly hands and heels to finish fifth, just three lengths behind the winner Kakagh.

Rahan De Marcigny has been a bit disappointing since coming to Noel Meade’s yard from France, he never really got going over hurdles last year and he didn’t show much in his first two attempts over fences this season, falling at Listowel and finishing well behind Head Of The Posse at Ballinrobe. But this was much better from the son of Network. He is usually ridden prominently, but Madden just dropped him in at the back here, and he travelled and jumped much better than he did on his two previous runs. He was actually the only horse to get into it from off the pace, the front four were all up there throughout, and there was a lengthy gap from where he finished back to the sixth placed horse. It looked like a good beginners’ chase as well, the winner Kakagh ran really well at Thurles previously and he looks like a progressive sort, while the well-backed favourite Lucky William is rated 133 over hurdles and chased him home. The time for the race was also impressive, the fastest comparative time on the day.

Rahan De Marcigny was the second string of JP McManus’s horses here, behind Sweeps Hill (who burst a blood vessel), and he was allowed to go off at 33/1. He is still only five and he is interesting now, he will be of interest next time, perhaps in a handicap chase.

30th October 2010