N’golo

N’Golo did well to get as close as he did to Ballyadam in the Royal Bond Hurdle. They didn’t go a great pace early on, and he ran keenly for much of the race. Still keen in third place on the inside as they turned to race to the fourth last flight, he wasn’t great at that obstacle, and he got caught a little on the inside as they raced to the home turn and the pace started to quicken. Shuffled back to fifth as they straightened up, he wasn’t great at the second last flight, and he had to move to the outside in order to deliver a challenge. By then, Ballyadam had kicked for home, chased by Cask Mate, and N’Golo had to get out after them. He jumped the final flight well and he stayed on strongly up the run-in to get to within a half a length of runner-up Cask Mate, two lengths behind Ballyadam.

It was a good run by Willie Mullins’ horse in a top class contest in which he didn’t have the run of the race. A winner at the Galway and Listowel festivals during the summer, he stepped forward on anything that he had done before when he landed the Grade 3 For Auction Hurdle over two miles at Navan in early November. This was another step forward from that, and he should be able to do even better in a more strongly-run race. He is a horse who reportedly is not overly impressive at home and, as such, it may be that he continues to be a little under-rated.

Fairyhouse, 29^th November 2020