Defy Logic

Defy Logic made a really impressive start over fences when he won the two-mile beginners’ chase at Naas on Monday.

Quickly into his customary front-running role, he was enthusiastic without tearing away – first Golanbrook and then Miley Shah raced with him, and that didn’t seem to bother him – jumping accurately and travelling well throughout. On the run to the second last fence it briefly looked as though he might be vulnerable, Miley Shah closed up again, but Mark Walsh was just filling him up and, as soon as he gave him a squeeze after the second last, he picked up impressively and bounded away. He came a long way clear up the run-in and appeared to finish with plenty left to give.

The Paul Nolan-trained gelding was long odds-on to win this, he was expected to win, but it was a hugely impressive performance visually, and his time was really good, marginally faster than the time that Twinlight recorded in the Grade 3 chase for second-season chasers earlier on the card. Also, the pair of them were miles faster than any of the times on the hurdles course.

Defy Logic was a useful novice hurdler last season, he was second to the top class Annie Power in a Grade 2 race over two miles at Naas, and he was beaten just a head, only headed very close home, by Mala Beach in another Grade 2 contest over two and a half miles at Fairyhouse. He does wear a hood, he does tend to pull quite hard, but he wasn't as keen on Monday as he had been on occasion over hurdles, and two miles over fences could be the making of him now.

It is not stretching it to say that JP McManus' horse is an Arkle contender already. His dam is a half-sister to Strong Promise who was placed in two Cheltenham Gold Cups, so, as he grows and learns to settle even better, he could stay further than two miles. He did dance in in a bumper over two and a quarter miles at Fairyhouse last November, and an ability to stay further than two miles is never a bad thing when it comes to an Arkle.

28th October 2013

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