Anibale Fly
Anibale Fly put up a really nice performance to win a hot two-mile beginners' chase at Navan on Sunday.
Settled nicely just behind the leader by Mark Walsh, the Tony Martin-trained gelding's jumping was good and he moved up onto the coat tails of the leaders at the third last fence. He moved easily into the front rank on the run to the last, and he picked up nicely when his rider gave him a squeeze to go past Martello Tower, winning by three parts of a length, which could have been more, with another talented individual in Gurteen back in third.
This was a really satisfactory start to JP McManus' horse's career over fences. He was a talented and progressive novice hurdler last season, he was third in the Grade 1 Lawlor's Hotel novices' hurdle at Naas in January, and he rounded off the season by winning a valuable Coral Handicap Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival relatively easily off a mark of 135. He should be able to move forward from this now. He is only six and this was just his ninth race under all codes. He has plenty of potential for further progression. He stayed two and a half miles over hurdles, and he has plenty of pace, so the intermediate distance could be his optimum trip over fences.
13th November 2016
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