Jason The Militant

Jason The Militant looked good in winning the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Saturday. Sent to the front from flagfall by Rachael Blackmore, his jumping was good, and he had his four rivals stretched out by the time they raced around the home turn. Petit Mouchoir did get close to him on the run to the second last flight, but Henry de Bromhead’s horse picked up nicely on landing over that obstacle, and he stayed on well over the last and up the run-in to win by seven and a half lengths, with Darasso and Sixshooter well back in third and fourth.

The Red Mills Trial Hurdle can be a good pointer to the Champion Hurdle. Theatreworld won the race a couple of times before going on to finish second in the Champion Hurdle, and Hardy Eustace used the race as a springboard to both his Champion Hurdle wins. This was a really nice performance by Jason The Militant, he travelled well and his jumping was good, and he conceded weight to some talented individuals, clocking a good time in the process, a time that was over 10 seconds faster than the fastest of the other two two-mile hurdle races run on the day.

Peter Michael’s horse is going to have to improve again if he is going to be competitive in the Champion Hurdle, but there is every chance that he will improve from this. It was his first run since November and it was just his seventh run over hurdles, and it was probably a career-best performance. Beaten just a neck and a short head by Abacadabras and Saint Roi in the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November, he could be a lively Champion Hurdle outsider.
Fairyhouse, 27^th February 2021