Stormy Judge

Stormy Judge stayed on well to win the three-mile novices’ handicap chase at Navan on Saturday. Held up early on by Danny Mullins, he made nice ground around the outside as they raced to the home turn. He and Enjoy D’Allen went on at the second last fence, the two of them had a good scrap from there over the last and up to the winning line. Stormy Judge jumped the last better and stayed on well to get the better of Ciaran Murphy’s horse, who pulled 10 lengths clear of the third horse School Boy Hours.

This was a good performance by Pat Fahy’s horse, stepping back up to three miles. Winner of a handicap chase over two and a half miles on his previous run, he stayed on well here to get the better of a progressive rival, who had shaped for a while as if he would improve for a step up to three miles, and he clocked a good time. The handicapper raised him by 10lb to a mark of 137, but he is only six and this was just his fifth chase, and his first run over three miles. He has the potential to progress again, and he is unexposed at staying trips. He will be of interest wherever he goes now, but he probably wouldn’t want the ground to get too fast.
Navan, 13^th March 2021