Run Wild Fred

Runner-up Run Wild Fred was the other horse to take out of the Thyestes Chase. The Shantou gelding was settled further back in the field than his stable companion Coko Beach by Sean Flanagan, but he got into his racing rhythm and, while he wasn’t as fluent over a few of his fences as his stable companion he was still able to make nice progress as they raced to the end of the back straight final time. He jumped into fifth place at the fourth last fence and, while he came under pressure on the run around the home turn, he stayed on well from the third last fence. It never looked like he was going to catch Coko Beach, but he did well to keep on as well as he did to take second place, especially given that he wasn’t fluent at any of the three fences in the home straight.

It was a good step forward by the Gigginstown House horse. Winner of two of his four bumpers and of two of his four races over hurdles, he hasn’t won yet over fences, but his last two runs now have been very good. On his last run before Thursday, he was only just beaten by the talented Longhouse Poet in a beginners’ chase at Punchestown over an extended three miles, when he had The Big Dog back in third. He stays three miles well, he won a Grade 3 novices’ hurdle at Punchestown last February, and he shapes as if he could do even better if he went beyond three miles over fences. The handicapper raised him by 4lb to a mark of 140, but that is still 4lb lower than his mark over hurdles, and he has the potential to go beyond that over fences. He could be a horse for one of the big staying handicap chases in the spring, he could be an Irish National horse.
Gowran Park, 28^th January 2021