Tag Archive for: Final Orders

Definite decision yet to be made on Arkle for Final Orders

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Gavin Cromwell is eyeing an ambitious tilt at the Arkle Trophy with his fast-improving Dublin Racing Festival winner Final Orders.

The seven-year-old has made remarkable progress since joining Cromwell last summer, with his first victory coming in a Bellewstown handicap hurdle in August when rated just 96.

Final Orders has since had his attentions turned the larger obstacles and while he was narrowly beaten on his chasing debut at Downpatrick, he has since rattled off a four-timer including back-to-back triumphs at Leopardstown.

A 9lb hike for his lucrative Dublin Racing Festival triumph means he is now on a lofty perch of 149, leaving Cromwell to consider a possible step up to Grade One level at Cheltenham next month.

“Final Orders is all good and at the moment I suppose the Arkle is the most likely place he’ll go, but he’ll probably get an entry in a couple of the handicaps as well,” said the trainer.

“He loves jumping fences and is such a good jumper. Realistically we’re probably only looking at a place chance in the Arkle, but you never know what can happen on the day.”

Final Orders is part of a small but select team of horses Cromwell is preparing for the showpiece meeting in the Cotswolds, with dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero Flooring Porter the star of the squad, provided he recovers from a setback in time to bid for the hat-trick.

Perceval Legallois in action at Leopardstown
Perceval Legallois in action at Leopardstown (Donall Farmer/PA)

Perceval Legallois, another Dublin Racing Festival winner, is also bound for Prestbury Park along with a few other stablemates.

Cromwell added: “Perceval Legallois is qualified for the Pertemps Final and I suppose that’s the obvious place to go. He was good in Leopardstown and we’re definitely aiming towards that.

“I’m happy with Jeremys Flame. She was a good winner in Huntingdon the last day and I’m and looking forward to going for the Mares’ Chase with her.

“We’ll let Letsbeclearaboutit take his chance in the Albert Bartlett and Path D’Oroux will probably go for the County Hurdle.”

Cromwell could be tempted by Arkle with Final Orders

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Final Orders continued his rapid rise through the ranks to highlight a handicap double for Gavin Cromwell at Leopardstown.

While three of the Grade Ones on the card predictably went the way of Willie Mullins, although not all in the expected manner, both valuable handicaps went to Cromwell who can seemingly do no wrong at present.

Final Orders (9-2), rated only 59 on the Flat and 102 over hurdles, has been transformed over fences and was making it five out of six from a mark of 140.

Cromwell said: “He has massive scope, they are big fences around here but he just has so much scope. He loves it and is just thriving off it.

“He was off 140 there today and he’s only 102 over hurdles so it’s been a massive transformation.

“When we schooled him at home he jumped great, he’s very clever, but he really came alive when we ran him. That’s obviously the best race he’s run in and Keith (Donoghue) said it was the best feel he’s given him.

“I don’t know where we go from here, we’re probably gone out of the Grand Annual now and we might have to have a look at the Arkle. We’ll definitely have to consider it anyway.

“We went there last year with Gabynako and it’s a race that if you jump really well it does bring you into the race and does give you a chance.”

Perceval Legallois pulls away under Mark Walsh
Perceval Legallois pulls away under Mark Walsh (Donall Farmer/PA)

Earlier Perceval Legallois (4-1) had given Mark Walsh a first winner back from injury in the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle, in which Gordon Elliott’s hot favourite Maxxum was sunk without track.

Cromwell said: “He was really good, he ran well at Christmas and the horses are on fire at the moment. He travelled so sweet today.

“The horses have just taken a huge step forward and I’m grateful.

“He got the run of the race, they didn’t go a wild gallop. He had a nice possie and quickened well, he just did everything well.

“He’s qualified for the Pertemps and after winning today he’ll probably get in.”

The closing Shabra Charity Oliver Brady Memorial Future Stars Grade Two bumper went the way of John Kiely’s A Dream To Share (12-1).

Having won two seemingly weaker races in the summer, he took his form to a whole new level under John Gleeson, who powered away from Fact To File with a long way back to the third.

Kiely said: “We didn’t know how good the races he’d run in were. We freshened him up and aimed for this. Where we go from here I don’t know!

“If he’s well, Cheltenham will have to be next.

“We’ve always liked him at home, but we don’t have that much to work him with.

“It’s great for the Gleeson family (owner/breeders). They are neighbours of mine.”