Rahan De Marcigny

Mentioned here before at the start of the season for a nice run finishing close up to Kakagh in a good beginners’ chase at Naas, Rahan De Marcigny has progressed a lot since then and he put in another noteworthy performance when just touched off by Carrigmartin in a decent two-mile-five-furlong handicap chase at Leopardstown on Sunday. The Noel Meade-trained gelding was held up well back, always in around second last place under Paul Carberry. It took him a little while to warm to his jumping, and he put in a number of slow jumps, but he began to make ground and pick off horses from half way. Another mistake just when he was making ground at the third last stopped his momentum for a while but he was soon back on the bridle and looked the most likely winner heading into the home straight. He and the other J P McManus-owned horse had it between them on the run in, with Carrigmartin prevailing by a head in the end, the pair of them coming clear.

This was a pleasing effort from Rahan De Marcigny, who has come into his own this season over fences and has started to realise the potential when he was brought over to Ireland from France two seasons ago. He has clearly progressed a lot since his run in a beginners’ chase at Naas, he chased home the useful Lastoftheleaders when finishing third in another good beginners’ chase at Navan on his next start, before going on to beat Tawaagg at Leopardstown, who has since gone on to frank that form in impressive style at Gowran Park. This was his first try at a longer distance over fences and he stayed the trip really well, having travelled easily without particularly jumping well at all. He remains interesting now, he is still only a six-year-old and he can jump much better than he did here. A rise of 4lb is a fair reaction from the handicapper and it will be interesting now to see where he goes next. He could do even better stepped up again in trip.

27th February 2011