French Dynamite

French Dynamite did well to go down by just a half a length to Sire Du Berlais in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at Navan on Sunday.

Sent to the front from flagfall, he travelled and jumped really nicely for Rachael Blackmore, he was fluent and smooth over his hurdles throughout. He got in a little tight to the third last flight, the first in the home straight, but he still travelled best of all down to the second last. He jumped that well and he had all his rivals on the stretch on the run to the last, and he only gave best to Sire Du Berlais half way up the run-in.

It was a taking performance by Mouse Morris’ horse on his first run since last February. Considered good enough by connections to allow him contest the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Hurdle in January, he got off the mark over hurdles at Thurles in early February in first-time cheekpieces, and he was sent off as favourite for a hot Michael Purcell Memorial Hurdle at Thurles later that month, when he didn’t run badly in finishing fourth behind Five O’Clock. Winner of his only point-to-point and from the family of three-time chase winner Aupcharlie, he is a chaser in the making, but he is such a fluent jumper of hurdles that there are surely prizes to be won with him now over the smaller obstacles. He is only five and there could be much more to come.

Navan, 8th November 2020, © Sportinglife.com 9th November 2020