Mighty Blue

Mighty Blue put up a good performance to finish second to Gauloise in the listed mares’ novices’ hurdle. Keen enough early on along the inside just behind the leaders, she travelled well down the back straight final time for Donagh Meyler and she travelled well into the home straight. A mistake at the second last flight didn’t help, but she recovered her equilibrium quite quickly and got out after the Gauloise, who came from behind her to hit the front at that point. It never really looked likely that she would get to Willie Mullins’ filly, who stayed on strongly to win well, but she kept on well up the run-in to get to within three lengths of her, coming nicely clear of Place Des Vosges in third.

This was a good race, and it was a good performance by Joseph O’Brien’s filly to get as close as she did to Gauloise, who is now favourite for the mares’ novices’ hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Third behind Dawn Patrol and Barrington Court in the Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes at The Curragh in September, when she had Kastasa just behind her in fourth, she is a classy recruit to the jumping game. She did jump to her right a little here, so it may be that she will be at her best kept to right-handed tracks, but it was just her second run over hurdles, so she should progress from this. She should learn to settle better too as she gains more experience over hurdles.

Thurles, 20^th December 2020