Abacadabras

It was difficult not to be impressed with the performance that Abacadabras put up in winning the Grade 3 For Auction Hurdle.  He travelled really well for Robbie Power through his race, and his jumping was good.  He got in a little tight to the third last flight, but he moved up nicely on the outside at the second last, joined Latest Exhibition at the last, jumped to the front over that obstacle and came away from that rival nicely to win well.

It was a really good performance from Gordon Elliott’s horse.  His jumping was much better than it had been at Gowran Park on his hurdling bow, he travelled like a classy horse through the race, and he beat a progressive rival of Paul Nolan’s in Latest Exhibition, who had himself beaten a good rival in Thatsy, a stable companion of Abacadabras, in winning his maiden hurdle at Galway in October.

Abacadabras finished fourth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March, behind Envoi Allen and Blue Sari and Thyme Hill, all of whom are unbeaten now over hurdles, after racing a little keenly early on, and he finished a close-up second to Colreevy in the Punchestown Champion Bumper, after getting crowded out of it a bit on the run around the home turn.  He is two for two now over hurdles, and he appeared to win with plenty in hand on Sunday.  He will be of interest if he takes up his entre in the Monksfield Hurdle at Navan on Sunday, and he could take a high rank among the leading novice hurdlers this term.

Navan, 10^th November 2019