Foxrock

Foxrock ran a really nice race to finish fifth behind shock winner Pencilhimin in the Proudstown Handicap Hurdle at Navan on Sunday. Always racing handily, the Ted Walsh-trained gelding travelled well into the home straight, but the leaders just started to get away from him from the third last flight. Even so, he kept at it gallantly all the way up the home straight, and he actually passed one of his rivals on the run-in to finish fifth, just 10 lengths behind the winner.

Barry Connell's horse remains an interesting horse. He was a really good staying novice chaser last season, he won the Woodlands Park Chase at Naas and the Ten Up Chase at Navan - both Grade 2 three-mile novice chases - and he was sent off as 3/1 favourite for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in March. He just didn't jump as well as he can at Cheltenham, perhaps the better ground wasn't ideal for him.

He does look like an ideal candidate for staying chases through the winter now, however. His handicap rating over fences of 142, 14lb higher than his mark over hurdles, is not overly-lenient, but he does have the potential to go beyond it. He is only six, and he has raced just six times over fences. The Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas is the obvious target for him now, and he will be of interest in that, and in other staying handicap chases on easy ground that he contests thereafter.

23rd November 2014

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