Slip Of The Tongue

Slip Of The Tongue kept on well to finish third in the two-and-a-half-mile beginners’ chase at Gowran Park last Saturday. Settled nicely by Simon Torrens just behind the leaders and towards the outside early on, he was a little ponderous at his fences early on, but he warmed up a little as the race developed. The leaders got away from him as they raced to the end of the back straight, but he made nice ground as they raced across the top of the track to move into third place at the top of the home straight, and he kept on from there to retain that position. The winner Grandero Bello won well, he travelled well in front from flagfall and he ran out an impressive winner, but Slip Of The Tongue kept on well all the way to the line.

Padraig Roche’s horse was a good novice hurdler last season. Third behind Teahupoo and Quilixios in the Grade 2 four-year-olds’ hurdle at Limerick’s Christmas Festival last season, he won a listed contest at Punchestown in February last year, and he wasn’t beaten far by Highland Charge in a Grade 3 race at Naas in March. This was his best performance yet in his fourth of four runs over fences, and he should be able to build on this now. It was his first attempt at two and a half miles, he saw it out well and, out of a half-sister to Tingle Creek winner Direct Route and Top Novices’ Hurdle winner Joe Mac, he will be of interest wherever he goes next.
Gowran Park, 18^th February 2023