Jesse Evans

Jesse Evans was impressive in winning the four-year-olds’ maiden hurdle at Gowran Park on Friday. Starting off along the inside in about seventh or eighth position, he jumped the first flight well for Sean Flanagan and had moved up into second place behind Dare To Flare by the time they jumped the second flight. He got in tight to the third but, after that, his jumping was good for a hurdling debutant. He jumped the third last flight well and he moved easily into the lead around the home turn. He got in a little tight to the second last, but he travelled strongly in front on the run to the last, jumped that obstacle well and readily came away from the runner-up Wojood, who in turn finished nicely clear of the rest of the field.

It was a really likeable performance by Noel Meade’s horse on his first run over hurdles. He had shaped encouragingly on his racecourse debut when he finished third in a bumper at Ballinrobe in August, and he stepped forward from that in easily landing a bumper at the Listowel Festival last month. This was another step forward. Visually, it was impressive, his jumping was good, he was fast and efficient when he was in tight, and it appeared that he won with a fair bit more in hand than the bare winning margin. He had the 119-rated Hammersmith back in third place, and the time that he clocked was faster than the times that the winners of both divisions of the maiden hurdle for older horses clocked afterwards. His trainer said afterward that he could give him a bit of a break now, but he will be of interest now up in grade. He has plenty of scope for progression.

Gowran Park, 2^nd October 2020

© Sportinglife.com, 5^th October 2020