Tag Archive for: Galmoy Hurdle

Teahupoo advertises Stayers’ claims with Galmoy glory

Teahupoo shot to ante-post favouritism for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival following a facile victory in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park.

Gordon Elliott’s charge finished last behind Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham and Punchestown last season, but turned the tables when inflicting a first career defeat on the superstar mare in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse last month.

Stepping up to three miles for the first time, Teahupoo was a 4-11 chance to give weight and a beating to five rivals at Grade Two level and could hardly have been more impressive.

Ridden by Davy Russell, enjoying his first Graded success since coming out of retirement to deputise for the injured Jack Kennedy, Teahupoo travelled like the class horse in the field before being asked to extend in the home straight.

He swiftly put any stamina doubts to bed as he powered 15 lengths clear of the veteran Summerville Boy, seeing Paddy Power slash his Stayers’ Hurdle odds to 11-4 from 7-1.

Elliott said: “He was good and is a good horse. He is going the right way and the plan is to go straight to Cheltenham for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott saddled Teahupoo to win the Galmoy Hurdle
Gordon Elliott saddled Teahupoo to win the Galmoy Hurdle (Brian Lawless/PA)

“It was two miles in Cheltenham last year and I’d say this distance is the key to him – over two miles the gun is to your head the whole time. I know he was well beaten in Punchestown after that, but he wasn’t actually beaten that far.

“At the moment we have no worries ground-wise, although it (Stayers Hurdle) is an open race too.

“Davy (Russell) said he panicked and got there a bit soon, as he is so laid-back early but when he gave a squeeze, he leapt back on the bridle. You’d love the way he quickened from the second-last to the line.”

Teahupoo to test Stayers’ credentials in Galmoy heat

Hatton’s Grace hero Teahupoo tests the water over three miles for the first time in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park on Thursday.

Gordon Elliott’s charge finished last behind Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last season, but turned that form on its head when inflicting a first career defeat on Henry de Bromhead’s superstar mare at Fairyhouse last month.

That victory came over the intermediate distance of two and a half miles and Elliott is keen to see how he fares over an even longer trip in a bid to discover whether the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March is a realistic target.

When asked if he was looking forward to running Teahupoo over three miles, Elliott said: “I’m looking forward to every day!

“It is a step up in trip and it looks like it will suit him, so we will see what happens.

“We will get Thursday out of the way, but that (Stayers’ Hurdle) is what we are thinking. We are dreaming rather than thinking!”

Teahupoo will be ridden by Davy Russell, who is out to secure his first Graded success since coming out of retirement to fill in for the injured Jack Kennedy.

“It was no surprise to us what this lad did in Fairyhouse last month as he was simply returning to the level we know he can perform at,” Russell told his Star Sports blog.

Davy Russell rides Teahupoo at Gowran Park
Davy Russell rides Teahupoo at Gowran Park (Niall Carson/PA)

“He was good here in Gowran last February and we know conditions are in his favour. He’s always shaped like he’s worth a crack at this sort of a trip so we will learn plenty about him.

“This is no easy task though as it’s a good deal further than he’s gone before and he’s a fair penalty to shoulder too. That said, it does look the ideal opportunity for Teahupoo.”

Martin Brassil is looking forward to saddling Longhouse Poet, who won the Thyestes Chase on this card 12 months ago before going on to finish sixth in the Grand National at Aintree.

While his better form is over the larger obstacles, the nine-year-old did make a successful switch to hurdling at Limerick over the Christmas period and Brassil is happy to roll the dice.

He said: “We’re looking forward to his run and he’ll love the ground and he’ll love the trip. It looks like there’s a horse a stone and a half better than him in there, but we’re happy to run him anyway and see how he gets on.

“We were very pleased with his Limerick win and we are hopeful he can build on that. He took the Limerick race very well and we’ve been very happy with him since, so we will see how we go.”

Beacon Edge is fitted with blinkers for the first time by Noel Meade, while De Bromhead is represented by the veteran Summerville Boy.

Early Doors (Joseph O’Brien) and My Design (Declan Queally) complete the Grade Two field.

Longhouse Poet could make Galmoy stop on National trail

Longhouse Poet could run in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle as Martin Brassil plots a route back to the Randox Grand National on April 15.

The nine-year-old was pulled up on his reappearance at Punchestown in November, but returned to form in style at Christmas, keeping on well to land the O’Kelly Brothers Demolition Hurdle at Limerick.

Now Brassil looks poised to keep his charge over hurdles for his next outing and will head to Gowran Park on January 26 for the Grade Two contest over three miles.

The Galmoy Hurdle is the support act to the Thyestes Chase and it is somewhat fitting that Longhouse Poet will be back at Gowran exactly 12 months on from announcing himself as a Grand National contender when landing the feature handicap chase.

Subsequently sent off 12-1 for the Aintree showpiece in 2022, the son of Yeats took well to unique challenge of the National course and was still in the running, disputing the lead, at the second-last before falling away late on to eventually finish sixth.

And Brassil, who won the Grand National with Numbersixvalverde in 2006, is eyeing up another crack at the Liverpool marathon with his stable star in the spring.

“I’ll probably run him in the Galmoy Hurdle on January 26,” said Brassil.

“If everything is going well, we hope to get him back there (Aintree). If you have a horse with the profile of one of those National horses, it seems the obvious thing to do.

“He might have a run over fences before the National, but it will probably be the Galmoy Hurdle next.”

Brassil also provided an update on Panda Boy, who was narrowly denied in the competitive Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown on December 27.

Panda Boy, here winning over hurdles at Leopardstown, will return to the Dublin track in February for a run over fences
Panda Boy, here winning over hurdles at Leopardstown, will return to the Dublin track in February for a run over fences (Donall Farmer/PA)

Having shown a real liking for the Dublin track, a return for the Leopardstown Handicap Chase during the Dublin Racing Festival on February 5 appears on the cards.

“We might head back for the Leopardstown Handicap Chase there at the Dublin Racing Festival,” continued Brassil. “He’s done well there every time he has run there.”

On whether Panda Boy could also progress into an Aintree candidate in the future, the Kildare-based handler added: “There will be a few more fences to jump, but you would be hopeful he might be at some stage.”