Leopardstown – January 13th, 2008

Positives: Despite being the outsider of Jessica Harrington’s three runners, Capo Di Capi ran a cracker on his chase debut to follow home Scotsirish and Wins Now in the 2m1f Beginners Chase. A 112-rated hurdler, he already looks better over fences and could be one to follow during the spring and summer as he’s best on decent ground. Not for the first time, Glencove Marina looked a superstar in the making in the 2m5f Grade 2 Novice Chase. Willie Mullins’ runner cruised through the race and scooted away from the smart Finger Onthe Pulse from the back of the last. Already a Grade 1 winner over hurdles, he won’t be long in adding a similar prize over fences, possibly in the Dr. PJ Moriarty over course-and-distance on Irish Hennessy day. A cast-off from the John Oxx yard, Zarinava [WON Leopardstown 2/3 - 100/30] was heavily punted from 6s into 9/4 favouritism in the bumper. Having pulled hard early, she faded into sixth and is worth another chance.

Negatives: Chelsea Harbour had his favoured testing conditions here but the 8yo could manage only sixth in the Leopardstown Chase. He simply can’t jump and given the type of races he’s likely to be competing in, that will be a massive hindrance. Jessica Harrington took a gamble with upping Sandymount Earl eight furlongs in trip in the Pertemps Qualifier. It didn’t pay off, as the 3/1 jolly trailed home and a hard race on this sort of ground could bottom the young horse which would be a pity as he has bags of potential. In the same race, Dancing Tornado looked the winner turning but found disappointingly little. He may not have stayed but he has looked a bridle merchant in the past.

Pointers: Tailor’s Hall took a while to come to hand over hurdles and it looks a similar case over fences. The 7yo has now had three qualifying runs for a chase handicap mark and given that he’s never finished better than fourth, it’s a fair to expect his rating will be a good bit lower than his hurdles form. He could be a big player in staying handicap chases. Finger Onthe Pulse put up a bold show in the Grade 2 novice, attempting to make all and finding only Glencove Marina too good. His record left-handed now reads:1213111U2 and the only horses to beat him going anti-clockwise are Iktitaf (3-time Grade 1 winner), Nicanor (dual Grade 1 winner) and Glencove Marina (Grade 1 winner). You get the picture. Perce Rock suffered a crunching fall at the last in the same race when his stamina gave out. Anyone who knew the horse’s form cycle wouldn’t have been surprised as his record first time out is:111 and on other starts is:428FF. He’ll be hard to stop on his seasonal debut next term, no matter what the company. Mister Top Notch put up monster display off top-weight in the Leopardstown Chase, surviving a bad mistake 2 out. That took his course record to:1F11, with the fall coming when he looked like winning the Grade 2 novice chase on this card last year. With such impressive track form, he could be a dark one for the Irish Hennessy. Viso was not surprisingly stuffed in the Pierse Hurdle as he’d gone up 25lbs since winning at Punchestown in October and was totally unsuited by the heavy ground. He’s an improved performer and can win a handicap or two from his flat mark of 63. In the same race, Leonard Whitmore showed again he can train his small string when Brave Right went close to landing the spoils. His comments in the Racing Post read: ‘He’s an outsider and, while nobody seems to give him a chance, we wouldn’t be running him if we thought the same.’ His words in the future can be taken at face value.