Sword Of Destiny

Sword Of Destiny was well touted before his hurdling debut at Punchestown last Wednesday and he won impressively, marking himself out as a really nice staying prospect, both over hurdles and over fences. Ridden prominently by Davy Russell just in behind the two leaders, he jumped fluently, often out-jumping the second horse Speedy Tortice. The field bunched on the run around to the home straight, Prince Ludovic and Minella For Value both coming there on the outside looking dangers, but Russell just eased Sword Of Destiny around the leader Murphys Friend, took the third last in his stride and immediately had everything in trouble in behind. He quickly pulled away around the home turn and despite hitting the final flight, he didn’t have to come off the bridle to saunter to a 12-length win over Minella For Value.

The grey Gigginstown House gelding was always travelling well within himself, he jumped noticeably well for a hurdling debutant, and he had any amount in hand. He had just two runs last season in bumpers, winning in testing ground at Gowran Park despite being green and running about when coming to join the second, Allee Garde, and one in April at Fairyhouse, when the quicker ground was probably his undoing, coming back off a break. He has grown up since then, he looked very professional here, for all that he was comfortably the best horse in the race. Noel Meade has him entered again at Galway on Saturday, he is obviously keen to give the horse more experience, and he would obviously take all the beating if he were run. He is a half-brother to The Kings Sword, who won a maiden hurdle for Adrian Maguire over two miles and six furlongs on soft ground, and their dam is a half-sister to Sparkling Cone, who won over three miles in deep ground at Chepstow and Towcester, so Sword Of Destiny should have no problem staying three miles in time. He will surely be running in graded novice events over two and a half miles plus before too long. He is only five, he has raced just three times on the track in his life, and he is a very exciting prospect.

12th October 2011

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