Ramillies

Ramillies was impressive in winning the three-mile beginenrs’ chase at Thurles last Sunday.  It was significant that Paul Townend chose to ride him in front of his slightly better-fancied stable companion Tenzing, and the champion jockey’s decision was right on the mark, as Ramillies won well.  His jumping was very good for a debutant, he moved up to join the leader Indiana Jones as they rounded the home turn, he went clear on the run to the last and he stayed on well to win by just over two lengths from his stable companion, with the pair of them well clear of their rivals in a time that was almost nine second faster than the time that the handicappers clocked a half an hour later.

Willie Mullins’ horse has won just one bumper and just one hurdle race, but he kept good company under both codes, he ran in the champion bumpers at Cheltenham and Punchestown, and he ran in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle and in the Grade 1 three-mile novices’ hurdle at the Punchestown last April.  There is every chance, on this evidence, that he will be significantly better now over fences than he was in bumpers or over hurdles.  It was a good performance to beat Tenzing, who had race fitness on his side, who had finished a staying-on third to subsequent Grade 1 winner Gerri Colombe in a beginners’ chase at Fairyhouse in November.  Ramillies could take a high rank among the top staying novice chasers this season.  Connections Willie Mullins and Marie Donnelly also have Gaillard Du Mesnil, so it will be interesting to see which routes they both take.  Ramillies could be targeted at the Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham in March if Gaillard Du Mesnil goes for the National Hunt Chase.

Thurles, 18th December 2022