Longhouse Poet

Longhouse Poet kept on well to win the two-and-a-half-mile hurdle at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day. Always prominent, in front or just up on the outside of Summer Melody, he moved on as they left the back straight final time. It looked like favourite Pinkerton was travelling better than him on his inside as they rounded the home turn, but Longhouse Poet picked up well from the second last flight as the favourite came off the bridle, and he stayed on well for Ricky Doyle over the last and up the run-in to win by a length from Bois De Clamart, with Pinkerton just behind in third.

Pulled up in a Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown in November on his seasonal return, this was much more like it from Martin Brassil’s horse. Winner of the Thyestes Chase in January off a mark of 145, he travelled well for a long way in the Grand National at Aintree in April, he jumped the big fences really well, before his early exertions told and he tired from the second last fence. A year older now, a year stronger, it is probable that his astute trainer has had the 2023 Grand National in mind for him since last April. Interestingly, Martin Brassil sent out Numbersixvalverde to win the Thyestes Chase in 2005 before he sent him to Aintree to win the Grand National in 2006, bagging an Irish Grand National along the way.
Limerick, 26^th December 2022