Tuesday Review

There was a decent card at Galway on Tuesday, including a couple of Declan Phelan's Irish Pointers featured in One Jump Ahead. The pair, namely Ingenious Stroke and Magic Daze, are both trained by Henry De Bromhead and each one ran as though they were in need of the outing. The former raced prominently on his hurdles debut and held every chance jumping the second last in the two miles three maiden hurdle. However, the five year old got in tight to the obstacle and soon surrendered the advantage. Well beaten in fourth, he is entitled to improve plenty for the outing. 

The latter was well backed before her chasing debut in the two miles two beginners chase and Robbie Power's mount attempted to make all. The Doyen mare jumped well and appeared to be travelling strongly on the approach to the penultimate fence, while those in behind made their share of mistakes. Magic Daze was outjumped at the second last though and, while she kept on, the former Cheltenham Festival runner-up got weary in the latter stages. There will be no excuses next time with this run under her belt. 

The Talking Trainers section produced another winner with Argonauta (9/4) scoring on his hurdles debut at Huntingdon. Tom Lacey's gelding goes well fresh having won a bumper at Newcastle on his racecourse bow last season and continued the trend with a seven and a half lengths victory at the Cambridgeshire track. Sam Sheppard's mount chased the favourite Island Nation for much of the contest and had his measure by the time he jumped the second last. Considering it was his first run over timber compared to the winner who was having his eight outing over obstacles, it was a good performance and bodes well for the future. The Getaway gelding will be more at home on a galloping track in future, too. 

One of the new additions to the Talking Trainers feature is Olly Greenall. The Cheshire based handler had an excellent season last winter and his burgeoning string has been bolstered still further with some exciting recruits. These include Zinc White, who was acquired for a meaty £310,000 in June. The Vadamos gelding, who is rated 87 on the Flat, is set to make his jumping debut shortly. Indeed, there is a possibility the the former Ralph Beckett trained three year old could head to Ffos Las for a juvenile hurdle (28th October) later this month. It is worth remembering subsequent Triumph Hurdle winner Defi Du Seuil made his hurdles bow at the same track in 2016. That seven times Grade 1 winner is owned by J.P.McManus and the legendary Irishman has added his name to the owner's roster at Stockton Hall Farm, which is a huge coup for the upwardly mobile stable. 

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