Enjoy D’Allen

Enjoy D’Allen put up another game performance to land the two-mile-five-furlong handicap chase at Thurles on Wednesday. Racing just behind the leaders from early, he made progress on the outside as they raced to the end of the back straight to move into second place behind Tikkanen Express and R’Evelyn Pleasure as they raced across the top of the track. He wasn’t overly fluent at the second last, and he came under pressure as they raced around the home turn. It appeared as if he wasn’t travelling as well as R’Evelyn Pleasure as they straightened up for the final fence, but he stayed on well for pressure, joined the leader just after they had landed over the final fence, and he surged away to win by four lengths.

It was a fine performance by Ciaran Murphy’s horse. He was a progressive horse for Peter Fahey in the autumn, and he has continued that progress now since he has joined Ciaran Murphy and Dot Love. The Network gelding provided Ciaran Murphy with his first winner since he took over the licence when he stayed on well to win at Fairyhouse two weeks earlier, and he provided him with his second winner here. And there was a similar style about both victories, on neither occasion did he travel like the most likely winner until relatively late in the race, but he surged ahead on the run-in in both races. The handicapper raised him by 8lb for his Fairyhouse win, and he raised him by another 9lb for his Thurles win, but he continues his forward run and he has the potential go higher than his new mark of 136. He is only seven, he has raced just six times over fences, and he is on a good upward trajectory now. As well as that, he races like he could do even better over a longer trip, so he could progress again for a step up to three miles.
Thurles, 27^th January 2021