Slanagaibhgoleir

Slanagaibhgoleir kept on strongly to take fourth place in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series qualifier at Gowran Park on Saturday. Settled back in mid-division early on by Finn Brickley, he moved up nicely to tag onto the leading group of 10 as they raced to the home turn. He came under a ride when they quickened around the home turn and, while the leaders got away from him a little, he stayed on well to take fourth place behind Bridie's Beau, just beaten a head for third.

Gordon Elliott's horse did well to get as close as he did in a contest that was not as great a test of stamina as he would have appreciated, moderately-run contest over just short of two and a half miles. Winner of his maiden hurdle over a year ago at Punchestown over two miles and seven furlongs on soft ground, he put up a nice performance on his debut this season in November to finish fourth in a Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown. Well beaten in his next two runs, this was much more like it. The early pace was not strong, as evidenced by the winner's finishing speed of over 112% of overall speed, and the first three home all raced prominently from early. JP McManus' horse did best of the horses who raced in mid-division or worse early on. He was not entered in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, his new Irish mark of 122 may have been high enough for him to just sneak into the race, a race for which he was qualified, not in the Martin Pipe Hurdle, a race in which there is usually a premium on stamina over two and a half miles, and a race in which his half-brother No Ordinary Joe finished second to Iroko in 2023. Even so, he remains a horse who will be of interest in another handicap hurdle now when there is an emphasis on stamina.

Gowran Park, 15^th February 2025