Realt Mor

It was difficult not to be really impressed with the manner in which Realt Mor won a beginners’ chase at Navan on Saturday, beating a decent field of maiden chasers as easily as he did, leading all the way and winning by a distance.

The son of Beneficial was prone to making the odd mistake in his few runs over fences for Nicky Richards. Indeed, he had unseated at the first fence on his debut for Gordon Elliott the previous week, and he took one or two chances here too, including at the first fence, but generally he was accurate, and he can jump very well, as he had at Haydock on his final run for Richards.

He was a good horse for Nicky Richards – he is a brother to Realt Dubh – and he had taken the eye at Haydock on his final run for his previous yard. He jumped and travelled well that day and cruised into third after the first fence in the home straight. Brian Harding initially brought him more towards the near side, where the first two, Majala and Ohio Gold, came, before taking him right back over to the far side coming to the third last, and that probably wasn’t an advantage. He did go into second after the second last but he couldn’t get to the talented Majala under the stands rail, and he lost second up the run-in.

He always had the potential to be a good horse, he is still lightly-raced, and things may well have just clicked now for him at his new stable. He would have to be of interest if he were to take his chance in the Byrne Group Plate under a penalty, he would race off a mark of 137 (which includes his penalty) and he may not get an opportunity to race off that sort of mark again for a while after this performance. He is also entered in a Grade 3 novice chase at Naas on Sunday, but the Cheltenham race could be the better option under such an attractive looking mark. He could be better on better ground there too, his brother was third in an Arkle on good ground.

2nd March 2013