Flame Bearer

Flame Bearer might have won the two-mile maiden hurdle at Naas on Sunday had the ball hopped a little more kindly for him. He travelled well in mid-division from early, up on the outside, and he made good ground to move in behind the leaders on the run to the end of the back straight. Third as they raced across the top of the track, he made a significant mistake at the fourth last flight. He lost his hind legs on the landing side and lost ground and momentum. He did well to get back into it after that, and he travelled best of all to the second last flight, just behind the leaders. But the leader Bronn jumped to his right over that flight, and Jack Doyle went for the gap that consequently developed briefly on the inside. That gap was quickly closed though by Paul Townend on the leader. Flame Bearer then got in tight to the final flight too, and he ran out of racing room as Killer Mode challenged on the outside. In the end, he just kept on to finish third, with the front three clear.

You can mark Flame Bearer up at least a little on the bare form of the run. Even before the messy finish to the race, he did well to get back into it and to travel as well as he did to the second last flight after making that mistake at the fourth last. A dual bumper winner, it was just a second run over hurdles for Pat Doyle’s horse, and he should progress from this. He will be of interest in another maiden hurdle now, and he handles this soft ground well.
Naas, 2^nd January 2022