Frontal Assault

Frontal Assault didn’t run badly in the two-and-a-half-mile rated chase at Navan on Saturday, but the worry beforehand was that the trip on good to yielding ground would be a sharper test than ideal for him, and that is probably how it played out.

Gordon Elliott’s horse travelled well for Davy Russell through the early stages of the race and, moved to the outside, he travelled well just behind the leaders down the back straight. Third on the run to the final ditch, the fourth last fence, he was a little slow there and he came under a ride on the run to the home turn. Dropping to fifth on the run to the third last, he couldn’t match Ciel De Neige and Busselton for pace, but he stayed on well from the second last fence to take fourth place, 12 lengths behind the winner.

Frontal Assault was a good staying novice hurdler last season, he got off the mark over three miles at Thurles last December, and he won a Grade 3 contest on heavy ground at Navan last February, when he stayed on well to get home by three parts of a length from Angels Dawn. He shaped really well on his chasing debut at Punchestown in November when, he got to within a length of Busselton over two and a half miles, and that was after making a significant mistake at the second last fence. He should be seen to better effect, though, when he steps up in trip. He could be a horse for a good staying handicap chase on soft ground during the winter.
Ascot, 18^th December 2021